Burlington, VT – Yesterday, Mayor Miro Weinberger announced that the City’s Elmwood Emergency Shelter Community is ready for occupancy and up to 35 guests will be welcomed into the shelter by the end of the month. CEDO Director, Brian Pine, CEDO Assistant Director for Community Works, Samantha Dunn, and Champlain Housing Trusts (CHT) CEO, Michael Monte were also present for the announcement. Brian, Samantha and Michael joined the Mayor in thanking many key partners for delivering an innovative new approach to building emergency low-barrier shelter, and for supporting the incoming shelter guests with robust services as part of the City’s public health approach to ending homelessness.  

“Elmwood will serve as a temporary, critical resource in our redoubled efforts to bring a functional end to homelessness and to deliver on the promise of housing as human right in Burlington,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “From the use of City land and prefabricated shelter units, to the breadth of services provided, this low-barrier shelter represents an innovative new public health approach to homelessness. The need for housing is incredibly acute right now, and all levels of government and our many housing partners must continue to take urgent, high-impact actions to increase the housing supply and better support needed support services. I am grateful to the countless neighbors, City staff, local organizations, business leaders, contractors, and volunteers who supported the creation of this new shelter and who will be critical to its success moving forward.”   

“I am incredibly proud to be a part of the City’s innovative approach to providing emergency shelter. Every step of this project has taken longer than I wanted it to, because the need for this project to be open is so acute,” said CEDO Assistant Director for Community Works, Samantha Dunn. “Every delay we have faced has felt interminable, tomorrow that will end and guests will spend the night here. I have the deepest gratitude for the scores of individuals, companies and organizations that have been involved in bringing this vision to reality.” 

Construction of the complete facilities at the Elmwood Shelter were underway from July 2022 to February 2023. The total building cost of the Elmwood project was $1.6 million; $1.2 million came from City ARPA funds, and financial support came from the Burlington Electric Department, the Vermont Low Income Trust for Electricity (VLITE), and the Vermont Community Foundation. Local businesses and organizations that donated goods and materials include: Minotair, Inc., American Floor Mats, Sherwin Williams, the Farmhouse Group, Homeport, Northgate Apartments Residents and Staff, and First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington.  

“The drive to end homelessness has, among some, taken on an anti-shelter tone. It should not. Shelters play a vital role in the crisis response system and are an essential part of ending homelessness,” said CEDO Director, Brian Pine. “To play that key role, however, the shelter must have a constant and unyielding housing focus in all that it does. The Elmwood Emergency Shelter is designed around the model of rapid rehousing with all of the services required to move from homelessness to permanent supportive housing. The City and our partners are equally focused on developing new permanent affordable housing to ensure that we’ve built a bridge to housing stability.” 

Champlain Housing Trust CEO, Michael Monte added, "We're thankful for the City's leadership and the State's support for this new shelter, and eager to welcome our guests and provide them with a place to be safe and secure." Champlain Housing Trust is the managing partner of the Shelter. 

With the City supported expansion of ANEW Place and the opening of Elmwood, the number of emergency low-barrier shelter beds in Burlington increased from 50 to 95 over the last year. 

In January 2020, the annual Point in Time (PIT) Count administered by the Chittenden County Homeless Alliance reported 261 people experiencing homelessness, including 10 unsheltered individuals, in Chittenden County. In January 2022, the number of people experiencing homelessness increased nearly threefold to 668. Local outreach teams estimate the number of unsheltered individuals increased to nearly 70 across Chittenden County in the summer of 2022, with the vast majority unsheltered within Burlington.  

Supportive services will be provided on-site: 

  • Meals and basic needs provided by CVOEO and Feeding Chittenden  

  • Housing navigation provided by CHT staff  

  • Substance use recovery meetings facilitated by the Turning Point 

  • Medically assisted treatment provided by Safe Recovery  

  • Contingency management and support for justice involved people by VCJR  

  • Health care and mental health support provided by Community Health Centers of Burlington 

  • Burlington’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Waterfront will provide a full-time facilities staff person 

  • Burlington Police Department Community Support Liaisons will regularly visit with guests 

  • Chocolate Thunder will provide overnight security on site 

Many community volunteers and numerous organizations have participated in the design, build, and program development, including: 

2nd Gen Builders 

Goliathtech of Vermont 

Pallet Shelters 

US Ecology 

Able Paint, Glass & Flooring 

Gordon’s Window Décor 

Peeters Consulting 

Vermont Energy Investment Corp. 

Atlas 

Harvestar Power 

Pill-Maharam Architects  

Vermont Security  

BP Wastewater Services of VT 

Howard Street Center 

Red Bird Integrated Consulting 

YouthBuild 

Bronson Johnson Seamless Gutters 

Intuitive Engineering 

Red Rock Mechanical 

 

Burlington Telecom 

KBS Builders, Inc. 

Round Hill Fence 

 

Duncan Wisniewski Architecture 

Lakeside Electric 

Tru Engineering 

 

Elizabeth Emmett 

Liza Phillip 

Up End This 

 

 

Background 

  • In December 2021, the Mayor announced a ten-point Action Plan to Fulfill Housing as a Human Right in Burlington, which included the goal for the City to invest in shelter pods and related infrastructure to create a new low-barrier facility for 2022. Mayor Weinberger’s Action Plan seeks to end chronic homelessness in Burlington by the end of 2025. 

  • The City developed the Elmwood Emergency Shelter Community plan after securing City Council approval in March. In June, the Development and Review Board approved the zoning permit. 

  • Public engagement efforts included holding two presentations at Neighborhood Planning Assemblies and four Community Neighbor Conversations at the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington. 

 

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Press Release Date: 
02/07/2023
City Department: 
Mayor's Office

Burlington, VT – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger announced that the City will open an extreme cold weather emergency shelter at the Miller Center at 130 Gosse Court this week, hours of operation will be Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 5 pm to 8 am. The City supported day warming shelter operated by CVOEO will extend its hours to be Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8 am – 5 pm, and Saturday and Sunday 8 am – 12 pm.  

“With the extreme cold weather forecast for later this week, we are very concerned about exposure risks to any community members who are sleeping unsheltered and other vulnerable people without adequate home heating to stay safe in these very cold temperatures,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “In response, our team in the Department of Community and Economic Development, led by Special Assistant to End Homelessness Sarah Russell, worked quickly with the Vermont Agency of Human Services, Department of Emergency Management, the Red Cross, and local service providers, to open a temporary emergency shelter at the Miller Center. We urge Burlingtontians to stay indoors and stay safe, and to help our community by checking in on friends and neighbors who may need assistance.”

The National Weather Service is warning of extremely cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills on Friday, February 3, and Saturday, February 4. A Wind Chill Watch is in effect from late Thursday night to Saturday evening. Wind chill values in Vermont could reach as low as 30 to 40 degrees (F) below zero. To follow the NWS forecast and check current conditions visit: www.weather.gov/btv

A list of warming and shelter locations in Vermont will be updated at : https://vem.vermont.gov/news/shelters  

Important information:

  • Anyone in need of shelter or heating assistance should call 2-1-1.
  • The Burlington Extreme Cold Weather Emergency Shelter will be located at the Miller Center at 130 Gosse Court, Burlington. Hours of Operation are Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 5 pm to 8 am. For assistance including transportation, call (802) 829-6326.
  • The Community Resource Center (CRC) located at 228 North Winooski Ave, Burlington remains available as a daytime warming location and has extended its hours during the extreme cold weather period to be Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8 am – 5 pm, and Saturday and Sunday 8 am – 12 pm. More information about the CRC is available online at: https://www.cvoeo.org/get-help/community-resource-center
  • Vermont Department of Health Weather Safety information, including translated materials, is available online at: https://www.healthvermont.gov/environment/climate/winter-weather

 

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Press Release Date: 
02/01/2023
City Department: 
Mayor's Office

Burlington, VT – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger provided an update on the ongoing work to ensure that the practice of voluntary extra duty overtime for police officers and other personnel of the Burlington Police Department best supports the City’s broad public safety goals and priorities.  

“Generally, our practice of allowing voluntary extra-duty police service agreements for special events provides broad public safety benefits, and at no cost to taxpayers. However, I agree with many who have shared their concerns that the recent contract with a private condo association is problematic,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger “This specific off-duty detail was unique, not consistent with City policy we negotiated in 2018, and will not continue. Of much greater concern is that any neighborhood in the City feels that they need to pay out of pocket for basic public safety services. We need to get back to a place as soon as possible where we consistently have a strong public safety presence and the resources to provide an immediate response to any person who calls for police support as we have historically.”

“I understand that news of the River Watch contract gives Burlingtonians pause. Equal application of the law—and of police services—is the cornerstone of our agency, and always has been. Accordingly, Mayor Weinberger and I have reviewed and are reviewing the BPOA collective bargaining agreement with regard to extra-duty work that is not event-based. Right now, it appears that the River Watch contract is unique,” said Chief Jon Murad. “However, that does not solve the greater concern, which is what drove the residents of River Watch to seek this extra-duty contract at all. We stack or defer to online reporting 25% of calls and send CSOs or CSLs to another 25%—that is, we send police to 50% fewer calls. We are down about 60% of patrol staffing. It is these deficits, together with the attendant rise in some crimes, that creates a feeling that service is inadequate throughout the city as a whole. These unresolved issues remain our top priority.”

Background

  • It has long been the practice of the City of Burlington, as it is in most cities, to allow its police officers union to accept contracts with outside parties for the purpose of voluntary extra duty details.
  • Generally, these details help improve public safety broadly at no cost to taxpayers by ensuring that our trained and licensed local officers (in lieu of private security companies or officers from other agencies) are providing traffic control and are available to respond quickly at construction sites and for major public events including sports games, parades, festivals, the observance of major religious holidays, the marathon and other road races, and more.
  • It is common that City permits for such events include terms that require a certain number of police officers be present.
  • In 2018, the Administration prioritized the negotiation of new language to strengthen the oversight of extra duty contracts. As a result, the City’s policy was clarified in the 2018 BPOA contract, and the language carried over in the 2022 contract. Now all extra duty contracts must be approved by the Police Chief or their designee and are limited in scope to be for special events and street construction and the contract is clear that “The official duties of Police Department personnel shall take precedence over all special events, private construction projects, or other outside employment.”

Response to the River Watch – BPOA Contract

  • The Mayor directed the Department leadership to not renew the contract which expired on January 17, 2023, and to not approve any similar contracts.
  • The Mayor notified the Chief and BPOA of his specific concerns around the unique nature of the River Watch contract, and invited union leaders to meet to discuss the issue.
  • The Administration has reviewed the contracts on file going back several years, including prior to the new agreement with BPOA in 2018, and reviewed all hours actually billed for voluntary extra duty in 2022.
  • In total, approximately 220 voluntary overtime hours were billed to River Watch.
  • Preliminary 2022 data shows that sworn officers worked approximately 20,000 hours of overtime, which includes voluntary extra-duty, voluntary BPD details, and held-overtime (where officers are held after their normal shift or asked to come in early). Of the 20,000, approximately 875 hours were extra duty for outside organizations.
  • The Administration finds that the River Watch agreement is unique in that the Company is a private condo association (residence) and that the contract terms include nightly coverage for the full duration of the contract period (about 30 days).
  • The Mayor believes that the River Watch contract is not consistent with the agreed terms in the BPOA contract regarding extra duty agreements for street and special events, and that similar contracts should not be approved going forward.    

 

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Press Release Date: 
01/31/2023
City Department: 
Mayor's Office

 

Burlington, VT – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger made the following statement:

“Harder to watch than the physical assault on Tyre Nichols is seeing him calling for his mom while lying in the street just a few doors away from her home. It is so tragic, painful, and enraging that he did not make it to her.

We Burlingtonians and Vermonters are deeply shaken to see again a brutal killing of a young Black man at the hands of American police offers who are sworn to protect all of us. As we collectively reckon with the awful reality of this event, we offer our heartfelt support for Tyre, his mother RowVaughn, his young son, the rest of the Nichols family, and the greater Memphis community so that they may find peace and healing in this challenging and painful time. 

Tyre’s murder, following so many past tragedies, calls into question our country’s ability to change, to improve itself, and to finally live up to the promise of its founding principles. 

The timely and transparent actions of the Memphis Police Department leadership, prosecutors, and the City, to hold these disgraced officers accountable for their unthinkable actions shows that there has been real progress. Only a few short years ago, justice would have taken much longer to arrive, if it arrived at all.

These first steps in the process of delivering justice, and the outpouring of condemnation from leaders across the country should make clear to everyone that such egregious conduct has no place in American policing. As we reflect on these events and their shared impact on us all, we must continue our years of hard work to ensure that such a horrific event never happens in Burlington. “

On January 27, Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad made the following statement: 

"I have seen and am appalled by the videos showing police officers beating—and killing—Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee. I watched the videos with other police, all of them aghast. The videos showed what courts will likely confirm it to be: murder. It did not look like policing as I know it; it looked like criminality run amok. I condemn it. It sickened me.

In those videos there is nothing of the noble profession to which I and the people with whom I work have dedicated our professional lives. There is nothing of the obligation we have to our neighbors, to keep people safe. There is nothing of the good work that officers perform every day around the country, but particularly here in Burlington, with integrity and compassion. Instead what I saw was egregious and excessive and indefensible.

Five officers violated their oaths and their training and the law—and killed Tyre Nichols. An internal Memphis review determined the officers violated the department’s prohibition on excessive use of force, and failed in their duty to intervene and duty to render aid. Memphis Chief of Police Cerelyn Davis fired all five officers. She was right to do so. More officers are under review and from what I saw more discipline will certainly be forthcoming. Yesterday, the five who were fired were each charged with second-degree murder in a court of law. That is a warranted charge. Tyre Nichols’s bereaved family—and the Memphis community—deserve to see justice done.

During my nearly two decades of law enforcement, I have never seen anything as shocking and shameful as the brutality in the Memphis videos—nor do I ever want to see something as repugnant again. I pledge to continue working with the Mayor, city leadership, and the community, and to do everything I can, to ensure that such a crime never happens here."

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Press Release Date: 
01/28/2023
City Department: 
Mayor's Office

Highlight Town Meeting Day Ballot Item that Would Include Carbon Pollution Impact Fee

Burlington, VT – Mayor Miro Weinberger, leaders from Burlington Electric Department (BED) and Department of Permitting and Inspections (DPI), Hula developer Russ Scully, Burlington High School (BHS) students, and environmental partners today promoted ambitious, new climate policies that will help the City of Burlington pursue its bold Net Zero Energy goal. Specifically, they discussed policies outlined by BED and DPI in December, 2022 that proposed requiring new construction to be fully renewable, and for large existing buildings and City buildings to use renewable heating and water heating systems when replacing older systems, starting in 2024. For buildings unable to meet the requirements, a carbon pollution impact fee would be applied. This proposed fee is subject to approval by Burlington voters on Town Meeting Day, March 7, 2023.

Mayor Weinberger stated from the Hula campus, “Last year, the federal government passed a historic piece of climate legislation intended to move the country off of fossil fuels, increase renewables, electrify everything and end the climate emergency. Now it is up to state and local governments to implement much of this transformative and critical vision.  With a ‘yes’ vote on this ballot item to create a science-based carbon pollution impact fee, combined with the aggressive local electrification incentives we have already created, Burlington will have a powerful combination tools to make good on this critical effort and show other communities how to get to Net Zero.”

The new thermal heating policy proposal builds on Burlington’s recently enacted rental weatherization standards and requirements for renewable heating in new construction, and relies upon new authority granted by Burlington’s Thermal Energy Charter Change (passed by voters on Town Meeting Day 2021 and approved by the Vermont Legislature and Governor in 2022).

Proceeds from the proposed fee would support converting the City vehicle fleet from fossil fuel to electric and a new City fund to provide access to clean heating technologies for low-income Burlington households and renters. Additionally, existing buildings that pay the impact fee could receive a portion of the fee to pursue emissions reduction projects at their facilities. Existing residential buildings (including single-family, multi-family, rental, affordable housing, and condominiums), existing small business buildings, and all existing buildings less than 50,000 square feet would not be affected by the new policies.

“The policies outlined today are an important step forward towards reaching our City’s Net Zero Energy goal, including ensuring that new construction will be 100 percent renewable when it comes to heating and thermal energy use going forward,” stated Darren Springer, General Manager, Burlington Electric Department. “Burlington Electric was pleased to partner with our colleagues at the Department of Permitting and Inspections and at the Building Electrification Institute to research leading policies in other cities and to bring forward our best ideas to cost-effectively reduce fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions in buildings for Burlington. Importantly, the proposed carbon pollution impact fee would bolster BED’s existing enhanced incentives for low-income customers, by providing additional funding support for low-income residents to access clean heating technologies.”

“Permitting and Inspections looks forward to playing an important role in implementing these impactful climate policies,” stated Bill Ward, Director, Department of Permitting and Inspections. “The goals of assessing the carbon pollution impact fee at the time of permitting would be to level the playing field for renewable technologies and represent the full societal, health, and environmental cost of the carbon pollution of the fossil fuel system.”

Policy recommendations for new construction, large existing buildings, and City buildings can be reviewed in detail by visiting www.burlingtonelectric.com/thermal22presentation and www.burlingtonelectric.com/thermal22report.

Leading by Example at Hula

Opened during summer 2020, Hula is Burlington’s premier technology-driven coworking campus and business incubator located along the shores of Lake Champlain in Burlington’s South End. Hula serves as a model for the tremendous impact that a new construction building with renewable energy systems can have on lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Even before the mandatory renewable requirements, the Hula team, working with BED, redeveloped a former manufacturing facility that had been heated fully by natural gas for decades into a cutting-edge, highly energy efficient campus where all heating and cooling now is provided by electric ground-source heat pumps supplied by an open loop geothermal well system. The high energy performance also is driven by the great attention to detail on the thermal shell to prevent air leakage and provide insulation, a 93+ percent efficient energy recovery ventilation (ERV) system, optimization of the building energy management control system (BEMS), and a highly efficient LED lighting and controls system. Hula also serves to provide encouragement that it is possible to move towards decarbonizing our existing buildings.

“As a Burlington business owner and developer, I have the great opportunity and awesome responsibility to lead by example in the fight to keep our lake clean and our air breathable to protect our community now and into the future,” stated Hula developer and owner Russ Scully, who joined the event virtually while out of town. “Taking these steps will help ensure that our entrepreneurs and businesses can continue to innovate for a better tomorrow for Burlingtonians, Vermonters, and people all over the world.”

Hula was awarded the “Best of the Best” in Commercial Building Design & Construction at the 2022 Better Building by Design energy conference. During the award process and using actual monthly energy usage data, Hula’s building energy use intensity (EUI) was about 65 percent less than what Vermont’s energy efficiency code requires. 

Call to Acton from Future Leaders

Chenoa Hunt, Finley O’Neill, and Vivian Vail, Burlington High School seniors who participated in the Burlington City and Lake Semester program, using the City as their classroom to explore people, places, problems, and possibilities of the Burlington community, added their student perspective, stating: “The Climate Crisis is real. As young adult activists, we care deeply about fighting climate change to preserve the environment for future generations. Hearing about these new renewable heating requirements is hopeful news, especially for Burlington students like us who will become the City’s future leaders. We are proud to live in a city that’s taking big steps today for a better tomorrow.”   

Support from Key Environmental Partners

For nearly three years, BED has worked intensively with the Building Electrification Institute (BEI), a nonprofit founded in 2018 that, according to the BEI website, “envisions a future where buildings are healthy, safe, resilient, and fossil fuel-free” and, therefore, “our air will be cleaner, housing will be more affordable, and our communities will be healthier.” BEI has assisted BED in analyzing policy proposals based on its experience and expertise in working with cities around the nation. Cristina Garcia and Caytie Campbell-Orrock, BEI Deputy Directors, who also joined the event virtually, stated: “BEI congratulates Burlington for joining an ambitious cohort of cities who are developing innovative policies to accelerate the transition to fossil fuel-free buildings. The proposed carbon pollution impact fee provides a tremendous opportunity to drive down emissions from large existing buildings, improve air quality for the community, and create new economic opportunities and jobs for Burlingtonians.”

Johanna Miller, Energy and Climate Action Program Director, Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC), stated: “With greenhouse gas emissions from the heating and thermal sector being the second largest source of emissions in Vermont, we must focus policy and initiatives on dramatically reducing these emissions to reach our state climate goals. VNRC has long advocated for carbon pricing and applauds Burlington’s leadership in calling for such an impact fee that includes as a focus on opportunities to provide clean heat technology funding to low-income Burlingtonians.”

Peter Sterling, Executive Director, Renewable Energy Vermont (REV), stated: “We appreciate Mayor Weinberger’s and BED’s continued pursuit of strategic electrification as a critical strategy for combatting climate change. While we support as a first choice the installation of renewable energy systems, we also recognize the positive impact that a carbon fee will have in Burlington. This effort, combined with BED’s commitment to maintaining a 100 percent renewable energy portfolio, should serve as a model in the fight against global warming.”

Paul Burns, Executive Director, Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG), stated: “VPIRG supported Burlington’s rental weatherization standards and primary renewable heating systems in new construction ballot item back in 2021 and applauds the City’s continued progress today.”

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Attachments:

*December 5, 2022 Memorandum from Burlington Electric Department and Permitting & Inspections to the Burlington City Council, titled “Final Report on Thermal Charter Change Work/City Council Resolution Relating to Decarbonizing All Buildings in Burlington by 2030” www.burlingtonelectric.com/thermal22report

*Resolution relating to Implementation of a Carbon Pollution Impact Fee for New Construction and Large Existing Commercial and Industrial Buildings 50,000 Square Feet or Larger

*BED Thermal Energy Policy Development PowerPoint Presentation www.burlingtonelectric.com/thermal22presentation

Press Release Date: 
01/24/2023
City Department: 
Mayor's Office

City will promptly correct errors documented by Auditor with no impact on City operations or tax rates. Process underway to resolve discrepancies in payments to State Education Fund. 

Burlington, VT – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger responded to the report of State Auditor Doug Hoffer on the recent audit of the City of Burlington’s Waterfront Tax Increment Financing District. The City has worked collaboratively with the Auditor’s office for over a year and will promptly complete adjustments necessary to address the errors documented. The City previously instituted significant improvements to its project accounting systems that are otherwise responsive to the Auditor’s findings and is well-positioned to make financial adjustments that will have no impact on the City’s operations, nor will they trigger a need to increase tax rates. 

The City disputes some of the findings and characterizations of the report, most notably the Auditor’s statement that Burlington’s “errors” have resulted in nearly $200,000 being owed to the State Education Fund. However, the City is committed to continuing the already ongoing process with the State Tax Department intended to ensure that payments to the Fund are accurate and complete. 

Mayor Miro Weinberger released the following statement in response to the report: 

“The State Auditor’s report on the City’s Waterfront TIF District documents significant errors in the district’s administration. The City regrets these errors and will take prompt action to resolve them completely.  

The Auditor’s report covers an 11-year period beginning in 2011 and, regrettably, it is unsurprising that the City made major errors early in this audit period, as we had fundamental issues in our financial systems at that time, which in 2012, resulted in a downgrade to the edge of junk bond status and financial disaster. From the day I took office that year, fixing the City’s finances has been one of my highest priorities. While we continue to make improvements, we have made great progress, eliminating $24 million in deficits and restoring our AA credit rating to save taxpayers and ratepayers tens of millions more. 

That work has put us on a strong financial footing that will allow us to address the findings of this report without impact on operations or tax rates, and to continue the growth on our waterfront and in our downtown that the TIF program has supported for decades.” 

Burlington’s Chief Administrative Officer Katherine Schad stated, “Since I joined the City team in early 2020 I have taken multiple steps, with the support of the Mayor and City Council, to address issues with the City’s project accounting system first identified by our auditors in 2018. While this work was slowed by the pandemic, we have now added two senior accountants, an ongoing relationship with a respected consulting firm, and an independent trustee in place to help us manage our TIF districts. I am confident that with these resources now in place Burlington will no longer experience the accounting issues that have previously challenged the administration our TIF districts.”  

Background on Waterfront TIF District 

Tax Increment Financing is a State program that allows municipalities to invest in public infrastructure by paying up-front the public costs from the full anticipated increase in tax revenue generated by the project. The City established the Waterfront TIF District in 1996 to redevelop Lake Street and nearby waterfront property. The District was expanded in 1997 to support new housing and parking between the lakefront and Church Street. Public improvements paid for by Waterfront TIF District bonds include investments in Waterfront Park, the Bike Path, Lake Street, Waterfront Access North, the Moran Frame, and the Skate Park, as well as public improvements that have helped make possible the building of a new Community Sailing Center, the ECHO Sustainability Park, and the Burlington Harbor Marina. The Waterfront TIF district is currently expected to fund more than $15 million in further public infrastructure improvements on the blocks surrounding the CityPlace project in the years ahead. 

Impacts of Audit Findings 

The audit period was for fiscal years 2011 to 2021, and the City participated in the audit process from September 2021 to January 2023. The net effect of adjustments in response to the audit will be a reduction of the City’s Unassigned Fund Balance (UAFB) of approximately $500,000. The City has an additional potential liability of $197,510 regarding discrepancies in Education Fund calculations which the City will work to resolve with the Vermont State Tax Department and private contractor New England Municipal Resource Center (NEMRC).  

Though the Auditor’s report characterizes certain increment calculations as City “errors,” many of these calculation differences arose due to programming problems within the State’s property tax data system, administered by the private contractor NEMRC, and the balance stems from an unresolved dispute over how a former garage should have been taxed. The process to resolve these issues is underway and the City is committed to paying any funds owed to the Education Fund agreed upon with the Tax Department and NEMRC. 

Since 2015, the City has had a Fund Balance Policy that commits the City to maintain the UAFB at 5-15% of the annual operating expenses to serve as a reserve for unexpected expenses. Following the audit adjustments (including adjustment for up to $197,510 in Education Fund payments if necessary) the UAFB funds will continue to exceed the 10% target balance and no adjustments to operations or tax rates will be needed to maintain this healthy level of reserves.  

The City will promptly take the following steps to fully resolve the finalized audit findings: 

  • The City will transfer a total of $1,181,034 from its General Fund to Burlington’s Waterfront TIF District fund.  This transfer will come from two sources: 
  •  $681,040.49 from unexpended Waterfront Access North (WAN) sources that have not yet fully been drawn down (in part because expenses were previously improperly applied to the Waterfront TIF District instead of WAN) 
  • $499,993.51 from the City’s Unassigned Fund Balance 
  • The City will correct the Waterfront TIF payment of $173,056 of ineligible expenses through one of the three options supported by the SAO (see page 55 of the SAO report) 
  • The City will complete the ongoing process with the Vermont State Tax Department and NEMRC to determine whether further payments are owed to the Education Fund 

Steps the City Has Taken to Address Project Accounting Systems  

In 2012, the City was downgraded to the edge of junk bond status when an annual audit found 12 material weaknesses and noted particular problems within the City’s capital project accounting, documenting nearly $24 million in deficits owed to the General Fund. Since that time, after much hard work, the City has eliminated all of the material weaknesses and long-term deficits to regain its AA credit rating.  

Nonetheless, the City recognized in 2018, following its own annual audit of the fiscal year 2017, that its project accounting systems needed additional improvement, and has taken the following actions since then:  

  • In January 2019 the City engaged the accounting and management consulting firm BerryDunn to review project accounting practices, procedures, and technology; 
  • In August 2019, the City created a Public Works project accountant position; 
  • In February 2020, the City hired the management consultant firm Clifton Larson Allen to develop and implement overall capital accounting policies and procedures for the City and to reconcile past accounts; 
  • In April 2021, the City hired a Senior Accountant to specialize in project accounting and hired MuniCap, a public finance consulting firm nationally recognized as TIF experts, to help the City manage the finances and administration of the Waterfront and Downtown TIF Districts; 
  • As of July 2021, the City had fully implemented project accounting for the City’s capital funds allowing Clifton Larson Allen to focus on instituting project accounting for the City’s TIF projects; and 
  • In August 2022, the City established a Trustee to hold TIF funds and pay invoices on the City’s behalf. This Trustee provides another level of oversight to ensure that TIF administration is handled correctly. 

Full Comments from City Management to the Auditor can be found on page 55 of the report in Appendix VIII.  

 

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Press Release Date: 
01/23/2023
City Department: 
Mayor's Office

Mayor Outlines Actions to Prevent Gun Violence, Improve the Downtown Climate, Advance 21st Century Police Reforms, and Rebuild the Department

Burlington, VT – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger with local leaders announced the Administration’s next steps to protect public safety in Burlington. The plan includes 16 near-term initiatives focused on four areas of priority; ending the recent spike in gun violence and preventing future gun violence, improving the downtown climate, making progress on 21st Century Policing, and rebuilding the Police Department.

“After nearly three years of rising gun violence and property crime and declining numbers of officers, in recent months we have begun to make progress on our most acute public safety challenges.  Our police department has now resolved over 80% of the shootings since 2020 and the rate of new shootings has slowed, we are on track with the officer rebuilding goals announced in early 2022, and the many new investments we have made in alternative public safety resources in recent years are having a positive impact,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “However, public safety remains a top concern of Burlington residents, workers, and visitors, and we still have much to do to ensure that our recent progress continues. The next steps I am announcing today are the result of countless conversations with constituents, local leaders, elected officials, law enforcement partners, and subject matter experts, and implementing these strategies will be a collective effort. This Administration will continue working with urgency and making the investments necessary to restore and protect public safety for our whole community.”

The BPD has now resolved 81% of shootings since 2020, and 100% of homicides. Many serious offenders have been charged and incarcerated, and there have been no new shootings and only one gunfire incident since early October. However, the possibility of a resurgence in gunfire is not remote. Included in the Mayor’s call to action for the Vermont legislature to advance Statewide gun safety laws, including; requiring the safe storage of firearms, prohibiting guns in bars, restaurants, and other sensitive spaces, making reckless endangerment with a gun a felony, and funding gun violence research.

Weinberger also announced the Mayor’s Task Force to Prevent Gun Violence led by the City’s Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Director Kim Carson who said: “The best outcome is one where conflict never escalates to violence. While we work to strengthen and reform our systems for justice, we must do the same to create tools for violence prevention. By working directly with our neighbors and subject matter experts we can better identify problems that are unique to our community and find the solutions that will work best for Burlington.”

The Mayor’s plan will require action by the Burlington City Council in a number of areas. At the press conference was Ward 5 City Councilor Ben Traverse, who said: “With near unanimous support, the Council has taken multiple actions over the past year to improve public safety and rebuild our police department. I look forward to continuing that effort by introducing resolutions that support many of the important initiatives outlined by Mayor Weinberger today.”

After a precipitous loss of officers in 2020 and 2021, this year the City stabilized staffing in the Police Department and as of January 1, the current headcount is 63 officers, 54 of whom are deployable. The BPD is generally on track with the Rebuilding Plan presented to the City Council and the public as part of the FY23 budget. Today, Chief Murad announced that three new recruits have graduated from the Vermont Police Academy and begun field training, and six new recruits are expected to attend the upcoming class next month. Murad also projects that by February the BPD will employ 6 CSLs, the Department currently staffs 3 CSLs and 10 CSOs.

“I believe that the Burlington Police Department is world-class, and in order to best serve our neighbors and protect public safety we must keep pushing forward on our long-held priority of 21st Century Police reform,” said Chief Murad. “That means continued investment in transparency, equality, accountability, restorative justice, and a relentless, data-informed approach to improving our policies and directives.”

The BPD has long led the State law enforcement community in progressive police reforms, including the implementation of body-worn cameras for officers, and among the many steps to advance 21st Century Police reforms discussed by the Chief today was the announcement that beginning now the Department will proactively release body-worn camera footage within 30 days on an incident, unless a criminal inquiry would prevent release, for certain types of incidents and uses of force. The BPD agreed to this new policy with the Police Commission in 2021, and now has the appropriate personnel in the Department to meet this requirement.

Despite the stable officer headcount and quickly growing new, non-sworn officer positions to support public safety the inability to provide community policing has contributed to a diminished climate in the downtown that has, at times, undermined the broad public enjoyment of Church Street, City Hall Park, and other public spaces, and threatens the success of our beloved restaurants and retailers. To address the Mayor and the Police Chief propose creating a new BPD Assistant Director for Crisis, Advocacy, and Intervention Programs (CAIP) and increasing the presence of uniformed officers from the Vermont State Police and other Chittenden County police agencies; and are calling for legislative action to modernize theft laws to provide meaningful, appropriate accountability for repeat shoplifting offenses.

The City’s Director of Business and Workforce Development Kara Alnasrawi said: “While the City is leading numerous initiatives to speed up our economic recovery and to support the growth of locally owned, BIPOC, and woman-owned businesses across the Burlington - our merchants are experiencing huge losses from repeat shoplifting incidents that jeopardize their ability to succeed. Theft is not a victimless crime, and our local business leaders are asking for more support to make sure we have a thriving, vibrant downtown.”

Mayor Weinberger’s Next Steps for Advancing Burlington Public Safety Priorities 

Priority #1: End the Recent Spike in Gun Violence and Prevent Future Gun Violence 

  1. 1. Appointing a Mayor’s Task Force to Prevent Gun Violence.  
  2. 2. Requiring the reporting to law enforcement of all stolen guns and safe storage of handguns in Vermont.
  3. 3. Prohibiting guns in bars in Vermont.
  4. 4. Making it a felony to commit reckless endangerment by discharging a firearm in Vermont.
  5. 5. Funding a program to research gun violence.

Priority #2: Improve Downtown Climate 

  1. 6. Creating a new BPD Assistant Director for Crisis, Advocacy and Intervention Programs (CAIP).
  2. 7. Increasing the presence of uniformed officers from the Vermont State Police and other Chittenden County police agencies.
  3. 8. Modernizing theft laws to provide meaningful, appropriate accountability for repeat shoplifting offenses.

Priority #3: Continue Making Progress on 21st Century Policing Reforms  

  1. 9. Increasing department capacity for implementing reforms and new policies.
  2. 10. Implementing new body camera policy to release footage of uses of force.
  3. 11. Partnering with the Center for Policing Equity to deliver a training to the Burlington Police Department on institutional and structural racism.
  4. 12. Increasing funding of the Crime Victims Fund.

Priority #4: Rebuild Police Department   

  1. 13. Encouraging eligible officers to delay retirement beyond the end of the rebuilding period by implementing a time-limited Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP).
  2. 14. Rejecting the creation of a “Community Control Board” for the BPD.
  3. 15. Creating a non-residential, alternative path to certification as a Level III Officer.
  4. 16. Calling for state action to create financial incentives and marketing efforts to attract new recruits and current officers to Vermont.

A complete, detailed plan for the Mayor’s next steps to protect public safety in Burlington is available online here.

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Press Release Date: 
01/12/2023
City Department: 
Mayor's Office

Coupled with State and Federal Funds, New and Expanded Electrification Incentives Will Provide Significant Financial Assistance to Burlingtonians

Burlington, VT – Mayor Miro Weinberger and Burlington Electric Department (BED), joined by partners from Rewiring America, the nation’s leading electrification nonprofit, Key Motors of South Burlington, and the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA), today announced new and expanded Net Zero Energy incentives and an innovative, on-bill financing program for home weatherization and cold climate heat pumps.

“Congress’s passage of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 represents the most important climate action the federal government has ever taken,” stated Mayor Weinberger, a founding member of Rewiring America’s Mayors for Electrification group and one of the nation’s first mayors to sign the “Electrify Everything” pledge. “It is now up to America’s states and cities to implement this historic bill and make good on its transformative potential. These new and expanded incentives we are announcing today are designed to help our ratepayers make the most of new opportunities flowing from this first-time federal investment. There has never been a better time than 2023 to electrify your home or vehicle, and I encourage all Burlingtonians to take advantage of this robust combination of City, State, and Federal incentives and rebates to ‘electrify everything’ and help us achieve our bold goal of becoming a Net Zero Energy city.”

“Strategic electrification is a key component of achieving Burlington’s Net Zero Energy city goal that keeps more energy dollars in the local economy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions,” stated Darren Springer, General Manager of Burlington Electric Department and member of Rewiring America’s CEOs for Electrification group. “The message today for our customers is that there never has been a better time to switch from fossil fuels to electric vehicles, heat pumps, and other renewably-powered technologies. We also continue to focus on providing enhanced incentives for our low- and moderate-income customers to make these technologies more accessible and affordable.”

BED New and Expanded Rebates Available for 2023

In 2020, BED’s Green Stimulus program launched to boost both the City’s economic recovery from the pandemic and its transition to becoming a Net Zero Energy city. Since the Green Stimulus launch, residential cold climate heat pump installations have increased by approximately 20 times. In December 2021, voters approved the Net Zero Energy Revenue Bond, supporting critical investments in infrastructure projects and liquidity for BED’s incentive programs. For full details of all programs, please visit www.burlingtonelectric.com/rebates.

Program restrictions may apply to the below-listed 2023 incentive levels:

  • Heat Pumps: BED continues to offer substantial rebates up to 75 percent of the installed cost on ductless mini-split heat pumps and, new for 2023, is offering a $500 rebate for a second heat pump. Also, BED has introduced a new tier of higher rebates for centrally ducted heat pumps offering up to 75 percent of installed cost for more heating-efficient systems. For more details, please visit www.burlingtonelectric.com/heatpumps.
  • Electric Vehicles (EVs) & Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs): Rebates will continue at 2022 levels with increased rebates (to $3,000) for new EVs for low- and moderate-income Burlingtonians.
  • Home Car Charging Stations for Pre-Owned EVs: Rebates increased to $900 (from $700) to match rebates for charging new EVs. New and pre-owned PHEV home charger rebates will continue at $700.
  • Car Charging Stations for Workplace: Rebates increased to $2,000 (from $1,500) for a Level 2 system and $10,000 for a Level 3 system with a minimum 50 kW output.
  • Residential Electric Riding Lawnmowers: Rebates increased to $300 (from $200). Rebates for residential electric push lawnmowers will continue at $100.
  • Heat Recovery Ventilators & Energy Recovery Ventilators: These ventilation systems bring fresh air into a home while exhausting stale and moist air from bathrooms, kitchens, and other locations. New this year, rebates range from $500 to $1,000. For more details, please visit www.burlingtonelectric.com/ventilation.
  • Continuing Rebates: In addition to the new and expanded rebates, many popular rebates will continue, including for electric bikes, electric snow blowers, electric chainsaws, electric forklifts, electric lawn care equipment, commercial electric push lawnmowers, and electric motorcycles.

BED Incentives Can Be Combined with State and Federal Incentives

In addition to BED incentives, Burlingtonians may be eligible for various State of Vermont and federal tax credits and incentives, including those from the new federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Illustrative examples follow:

  • A moderate-income household purchases a Chevrolet Bolt: In the case of a new Chevrolet Bolt all-electric vehicle with a range of approximately 250 miles with a purchase price of $31,000, a low- or moderate-income customer could receive a $3,000 rebate from BED, at least a $4,000 rebate from the State of Vermont, and a federal tax credit of $7,500, totaling savings of $14,500 and reducing the overall cost by nearly 50 percent. Further, the customer could receive a $900 BED rebate toward purchasing and installing a Level 2 home EV charging station. Finally, that same customer could leverage additional savings by participating in BED’s special, residential off-peak EV charging rate of 65-70 cents per gallon of gas equivalent.

 

  • A single-family household purchases and installs a ductless mini-split heat pump for heating and cooling: In the case of a single-head, ductless mini-split heat pump, a customer could receive as much as $2,450 in rebates and discounts from BED and, new this year, up to 30 percent (maximum $2,000) as a tax credit from the federal government. This combination of financial support could reduce the overall cost of a heat pump installation by approximately 75 percent. Additional federal rebates for heat pumps for low- and moderate-income customers are expected to be available later this year.

Tools to Help Assess Available Incentives

Resources to help BED customers determine which incentives are available to them include:

Support from Key Partners

Participating virtually in today’s announcement was Rahul Young, Director of Local Engagement at Rewiring America, who stated: “Burlington continues to lead the way in pursuing the ambitious goal of becoming a Net Zero Energy city by 2030. Offering additional localized incentives like Burlington Electric Department is something cities around the nation should strive to emulate. In combination with the newly available Inflation Reduction Act home electrification tax credits and forthcoming rebates, Burlingtonians are better positioned than ever to electrify everything, saving money on energy costs and creating healthier homes for families.”

Sophie Ferrone, Assistant Sales Manager at Key Motors of South Burlington, stated: “Our team at Key Motors of South Burlington appreciates the innovative work utilities like Burlington Electric Department are engaging in to create impactful incentives that are making it possible for more and more of our mutual customers to afford to drive electric. We invite Burlingtonians and all Vermonters to visit with us to learn more about the benefits and affordability of driving electric.”

New Weatherization Repayment Assistance Program (WRAP)

The partners also promoted the new Weatherization Repayment Assistance Program (WRAP), which will allow homeowners and renters to finance qualifying weatherization projects like insulation and air sealing, as well as heat pumps and advanced wood heating systems, with repayment through a monthly charge on their utility bill. The majority of program funding is targeted to households earning between 80 to 120 percent of the area median income (AMI). Households earning 80 percent AMI or less are eligible for free services through the state’s existing Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP).

“WRAP’s innovative on-bill financing model will make the benefits of weatherization available to more moderate-income households,” stated Maura Collins, Executive Director of the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA). “Vermont Housing Finance Agency is excited to partner with Burlington Electric Department to reduce household energy costs, make homes safer and more comfortable, and help meet Vermont’s climate goals.”

The program intends to address challenges commonly encountered in weatherization, including high upfront costs and limited access to credit. WRAP will not run credit checks on customers, instead verifying a clean utility bill payment history. If a customer moves, the next occupant of the property will pay the surcharge. In addition to BED, WRAP will be offered through VGS and Efficiency Vermont, with all three organizations connecting customers with approved contractors and energy rebates. VHFA will provide capital and incentives for the remaining upfront costs of the project using state funding.

Springer added: “We strongly support the program’s focus on providing financing to expand access for moderate-income customers to invest in clean energy technologies. WRAP is an important new program that will help our community make progress toward our Net Zero Energy by 2030 goal.”

 

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Press Release Date: 
01/11/2023
City Department: 
Mayor's Office

Mayor calls for urgent state action to help Burlington and other Vermont cities address the many post-pandemic crises we are facing

Burlington, VT – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger released the Administration’s Legislative Priorities for the 2023 Legislative Session. The Mayor’s priorities include funding for the city’s new high school and technical center, public safety, gun safety, initiatives to support housing creation and end homelessness, new support for substance misuse and mental health, climate action, and more.

“Like communities across Vermont and our nation, Burlington is facing numerous, serious challenges that have been exacerbated by the pandemic,” said Mayor Weinberger. “Our City is facing these challenges head-on with unprecedented investments, including creating a Special Assistant to End Homelessness, devoting millions of dollars of ARPA funds to housing and homelessness, adding numerous social workers to the police department, and by innovating a public health approach to homelessness with the Elmwood Emergency Shelter that is about to open. Burlington and other Vermont cities need similar, urgent action at the State level to address housing, public safety, homelessness, substance misuse, and mental health crises in our communities.”

The Mayor’s agenda also prioritizes funding for the new Burlington high school and technical center, climate action, and several public safety initiatives including several reforms to the state’s gun safety laws.

Weinberger added, “If the State will not give cities the ability to create gun safety regulations at the local level, it is long past time for statewide action. Burlington voters overwhelmingly approved measures to ban guns from bars and to require the safe storage of firearms. I will be advocating for these policies and more to keep Vermonters safe from the unique, American scourge of gun violence.”

Mayor Weinberger will be advocating for action in Montpelier on the following initiatives:

  • State assistance for PCB remediation and regional technical center funding.
  • State support for local efforts to address substantial statewide increases in violent crime and property crime, including; support for the recruitment and retention of police officers, modernization of shoplifting statutes, and increased funding of the Victims Compensation Fund.
  • Statewide gun safety laws, including; requiring the safe storage of firearms, prohibiting guns in bars, restaurants, and other sensitive spaces, making reckless endangerment with a gun a felony, and funding gun violence research.
  • State support for local efforts to address the housing shortage, including an Act 250 exemption for municipalities with robust local zoning controls that meet state standards.
  • State funding for initiatives to end homelessness, including a plan for the end of the motel voucher program, new funding for permanent (non-time-limited) supportive housing services, and funding additional case management services for housing navigators.
  • State action to address fentanyl and meth misuse and mental health needs, including providing specialized care for violent individuals, improving access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), accelerating responses to growing methamphetamine use, expanding re-entry support for justice-involved individuals with substance use disorder, expanding residential treatment opportunities, including both long-term treatment and short-term treatment for fentanyl-addicted users entering MOUD, and removing barriers at the State level to the creation of Overdose Prevention Sites.
  • State Action on Climate and Electrification by extending Act 151, strengthening the Renewable Energy Standard (RES), ensuring that any changes to the RES are analyzed fully and determined to be cost-effective for ratepayers, and by protecting Burlington’s authority to regulate thermal systems.
  • Continued State funding for Green Mountain Transit and public transportation.

A complete Agenda of the Mayor’s Legislative Priorities is available online here.

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Press Release Date: 
01/10/2023
City Department: 
Mayor's Office

Burlington, VT – Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger made the following statement:

 

“Today is a momentous day for Vermont and our federal representation.

I want to congratulate Becca Balint for shattering over 200 years of historic barriers and being sworn in as Vermont’s first woman and first openly gay representative in Congress.  I also want to congratulate Peter Welch, who I have known and appreciated for over 40 years, on joining Senator Bernie Sanders in the Senate. I have every confidence that our new federal delegation will continue our state’s legacy of outsized leadership on the national stage and will serve the people of Burlington and Vermont with distinction. I look forward to working with Senator Welch and Congresswoman Balint in the years ahead to serve our City and State.

With the swearing-in of the 118th Congress, Senator Patrick Leahy officially concludes his 48-year tenure of service to Vermont in the United States Senate. His contributions to our state and to the nation have been profound, and have positively impacted the lives of many Vermonters. Burlington thanks Senator Leahy for his remarkable career of service, and the City will proudly steward the many landmarks that his forward-thinking leadership shaped. From the great pedestrian marketplace of Church Street to the now revived, post-industrial waterfront on the shores of the great Lake Champlain, Senator Leahy has through wisdom and persistence brought generational investment to our City.

Personally, I will always be grateful that the Senator gave me my first opportunity in government when I served as an intern and mail clerk for him in 1991.  Burlington looks forward to welcoming the Senator and Marcelle home, and will forever be grateful for their relentless commitment and countless contributions to Burlington and Vermont. “

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Press Release Date: 
01/03/2023
City Department: 
Mayor's Office

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