Wards 4 & 7 NPA — Burlington, VT
Date: 2025-01-22
Time: 18:00

Ward 4 & 7 Neighborhood Planning Assembly (NPA):




 Agenda
 Wednesday 22, 2025
 6:00pm
 Join in person: **RELOCATED TO** Hunt Middle School Cafeteria
 1364 North Ave, Burlington, VT 05408
 Join virtually: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85494151752

Facilitator: Sarah Diaz Note Taker: Anne Lawson
6:00 Sign In & Food | 20 minutes
 • Turkey Pot Pie
 • Biscuits
 • Vegetable Pot Pie with garden-grown veges
 • Vegan Plum Snickerdoodle Cake
6:20 Welcome | 10 minutes
6:30 Public Forum | 5 minutes
6:35 Ashley Parker with Clerk Treasurer’s Office | 15 minutes
 • Share about a request for a $20M General Obligation Bond for the City’s
 General Fund Capital Program
6:50 Ric Cengeri with HomeShare Vermont | 15 minutes
 • Share what HomeShare has done over the last 42 years
7:05 Sarah Carpenter with City Council Updates on Charter Changes | 20 minutes
 1. Redistricting
 2. Allowing the City to Decide Ordinances for Rental Housing
 3. Update Limit for Small Capital Projects
 4. Election Boundaries
7:25 Monika Ivancic & Kendra Sowers with the NNE School Board | 20 minutes
 • Update on the FY’26 School Board Budget
7:45 Megan Moir with Dept of Public Works | 15 minutes
 • Sharing updates to the Water and Lake Bonds that were discussed last
 NPA meeting
8:00 Adjourn
 Ward 4 + 7 Steering Committee:
 To email the full steering committee: wards4-7npasc@googlegroups.com

Ward 4 & 7 Neighborhood Planning Assembly (NPA):




 Agenda
 Wednesday 22, 2025
 6:00pm
 Join in person: **RELOCATED TO** Hunt Middle School Cafeteria
 1364 North Ave, Burlington, VT 05408
 Join virtually: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85494151752

Facilitator: Sarah Diaz Note Taker: Anne Lawson
6:00 Sign In & Food | 20 minutes
  Turkey Pot Pie
  Biscuits
  Vegetable Pot Pie with garden-grown veges
  Vegan Plum Snickerdoodle Cake
6:20 Welcome | 10 minutes
6:30 Public Forum | 5 minutes
6:35 Ashley Parker with Clerk Treasurer’s Office | 15 minutes
  Share about a request for a $20M General Obligation Bond for the City’s
 General Fund Capital Program
6:50 Ric Cengeri with HomeShare Vermont | 15 minutes
  Share what HomeShare has done over the last 42 years
7:05 Sarah Carpenter with City Council Updates on Charter Changes | 20 minutes
 1. Redistricting
 2. Allowing the City to Decide Ordinances for Rental Housing
 3. Update Limit for Small Capital Projects
 4. Election Boundaries
7:25 Monika Ivancic & Kendra Sowers with the NNE School Board | 20 minutes
  Update on the FY’26 School Board Budget
7:45 Megan Moir with Dept of Public Works | 15 minutes
  Sharing updates to the Water and Lake Bonds that were discussed last
 NPA meeting
8:00 Adjourn
 Ward 4 + 7 Steering Committee:
 To email the full steering committee: wards4-7npasc@googlegroups.com
 BTV Thrives
Prioritizing Affordable Public Infrastructure


 January 2025
 What to Expect Tonight

• Introduction to General Fund Capital Budget


• What is the Need?


• What is the tax impact?


• Next Steps
 General Fund Capital Budget 101
What is a Capital Project?
• City Code of Ordinances: “A Capital Project is one
  funded wholly or in part by the City of Burlington
  and that involves construction, renovation or
  remodeling of buildings, structures, or parking
  facilities; street improvements; streetscape
  improvements; or park or recreational area
  construction or remodeling.”
• Does not include routine repair or maintenance
  expenditures.
• GF Capital INCLUDES: DPW, Parks, Facilities,
  Fire, Police, & Public Art
Prioritizing Affordable Public
 Infrastructure




 What is the Need?
 Phase Three: $20M Bond on TMD 2025
 Why do we need another bond now?
1. Without a bond the City’s Charter only
 authorizes $2M/year for capital expenses $20M GO Bond Spend-out Projection
2. To help ensure good governance the City Revenue Source FY26 FY27 FY28
 needs approximately $8-10M/year for Annual CIP $2M $2M $2M
 critical infrastructure.
 $20M GO Bond $7M $6.5M $6.5M
3. Implementation costs for infrastructure
 needs do not get cheaper over time.
 • Non-Construction inflation is 10% higher
 Total Revenue $9M $8.5M $8.5M
 since 2022
 • Construction inflation is 25% higher since
 2022
 Focusing on Critical Infrastructure
  General Fund Fleet Capital Assets:

•City owns 242 Fleet Assets: 30% need to be
replaced; 45% of those are critical public safety
vehicles (fire, police, snow removal)

•City deferred spending on Fleet in FY24 & 25

 Better Sidewalks:

 •City has 133 miles of sidewalk – 3 miles should
 be replaced annually ($1M/mile)

 •17.2 miles are in serious/poor condition
 Focusing on Critical Infrastructure
 Better Streets:

•City has 88 miles of street it owns & maintains –
4 miles should be paved annually ($1.2M/mile)

•10.8 miles do not meet acceptable condition


 Transportation Safety:

 •3 Bridges are in Capital Plan for
 repairs/replacement (including Winooski Bridge)

 •$300K/year = 14 new transportation calming
 projects (hit 75% of community requests in 3 years)
 Focusing on Critical Infrastructure
 City Buildings:

•City owns 19 buildings; at least $700K in
deferred needs/building

•$2M could support at least 3 buildings


 Parks:

 •There are 37 City Parks; at least $700K in deferred
 needs/park

 •$2M could support needs in at least 3 Parks
 Focusing on Critical Infrastructure
 Capital $20M DRAFT Allocations for 1st Priority Need (FY26-28)*
 Asset % of $20M Notes
Fleet min 15% Gets City back to regular replacement schedule
Sidewalks 25-35% With Street Capital supplement, would hit 3 mi/year
Streets 25-35% With Street Capital supplement, would hit 4 mi/year

Facilities 13-30% 13% could support deferred maintenance in the equivalent of 3 buildings

Parks 6-10% 10% could support deferred maintenance in the equivalent of 3 parks

Traffic Safety 1-3% With Street Capital supplement, 3% could hit 75% of community requests
Local Matches 15-20% 20% would fully fund Winooski Bridge Local Match
*Note: No capital asset is guaranteed funding as the General Fund Capital Budget needs to be flexible and
responsive to emergent needs, while also ensuring equitable implementation of infrastructure.
 Prioritizing Critical Infrastructure
  NEW Capital Planning Map: https://bit.ly/BTVThrivesCapitalMap
•Map depicts 6 years of GF Capital need
across the City – no funding guarantees

•Long-term Planning tool

•Community Survey:
https://bit.ly/BTVThrivesCapitalSurvey

•Other City Prioritization Criteria:
Accessibility, Affordability, Efficiency, Survey QR Code
Equity, Sustainability, and Safety

•Map can be found on City’s Town
Meeting Day Website Map QR Code
Prioritizing Affordable Public
 Infrastructure




 What is the Tax Impact?
 Investing Affordably and Transparently

• Affordability is critical to the Administration, and we are
  working to balance responsible investment in City assets with
  ensuring Burlingtonians can afford their property tax bills.


• The FY26 Budget Process is underway - with goals for efficiency
  and better planning of maintenance expenditures.


• Capital Plan forecasts opportunity to leverage bond revenues with
  additional grants.
 $145M

• Waiting won’t help – prices just go up & deferred maintenance $20M
  only gets worse and more expensive over time.
Phase Three: Fitting in with Debt Policy


 • City recalculates existing debt
 annually per our policy
 • Due to growth of grand list and
 paying down principal &
 interest faster than originally
 projected, there is now $20M
 of debt capacity that has freed
 up
 Effect on Tax Bills
• The $20M bond would be repaid $20M GO Bond Spend-out Projection
  through a small increase in municipal
  property taxes starting in FY26. Revenue Source FY26 FY27 FY28

• We anticipate the increase to be Annual CIP $2M $2M $2M
  approximately: $20M GO Bond $7M $6.5M $6.5M
 Assessed Monthly
 Home Value Expected Tax
 Total Revenue $9M $8.5M $8.5M
 Increase
 $300,000 $6.92 • The effect from this bond will not be
 $500,000 $11.58 more than the amount listed on this
 $700,000 $16.18 slide; it could be less over a payback
 $900,000 $20.83 period of 20 years.
 Next Steps
1. Continue community conversations
 including:
  • TODAY, 1/6: Town Hall in City Hall
  • visiting NPAs January-February 2025


2. BOF/CC Vote – January

3. Vote by Community – Town Meeting
 Day, March 4, 2025
Questions?


 Thank you!
 For more information, please contact
 Ashley Parker, Capital Program Director:
 aparker@burlingtonvt.gov.
Burlington Water Resources
 Capital Planning
 Proposed March 2025 Bond
 Requests
 Town Hall Meeting
 January 6, 2025
WHY IS MORE INVESTMENT NEEDED?
To provide reliable and sustainable drinking water,
wastewater and stormwater services to the current and
future Burlington
  Replace aged infrastructure that is at significant risk of failure
  Ensure that there is sufficient capacity for housing and other growth
  Improve resiliency against climate change
  Address safety/code upgrades to protect and retain workers



2026
 > 50%-of
 54%  of systemss
 systems still at
 at C- grade
 or worse
C or below without additional
 investment
  WHY IS MORE INVESTMENT NEEDED?
To protect the Lake by meeting/exceeding our water quality
improvement requirements
  Infrastructure resiliency and redundancy = meeting water quality standards =
  avoid preventable beach closures
  Reduce phosphorus discharges from Burlington and help VT meet the Lake
  Champlain TMDL
  Continue to reduce combined sewer overflows
WWTP
Improvements
Project

Burlington’s Committment to the Lake and
Sustainable Housing Growth
BURLINGTON’S 3 WASTEWATER PLANTS
Improve and
Modernize
 WWTFs for Resiliency Environmental Capacity
 Work safety Odors
Burlington’s Ensure existing Improve ability to Increase capacity of Improve working Reduce off-site odors
 systems continue to meet water Main WWTF to conditions for City from Main WWTF
  Future function; Increase quality standards accommodate growth staff
 resiliency of critical for Lake within the community
 wastewater Champlain
 equipment through
 improved design and
 redundancy
  Reservoir
Improvements
 Project



 Water Supply Resiliency
 for Burlington
BURLINGTON’S DRINKING WATER RESERVOIR
 AND HIGH SERVICE PUMP STATION
 7 Million Gallon Treated
 Drinking Water Storage
 Pump Station
 Originally Built in 1867
 Expanded in 1888 and
 lined with brick/stone
 North Reservoir
 Covered in 1981

 1867 Gate House Building
 In service as a Pump
  South Reservoir Station starting in early
 1880s
 Pump Station
THE RESERVOI R AND PUMP STATI ON ARE CRI TI CAL
  DRINKING WATER SUPPLY I NFRASTRUCTURE




 Pump Station pumps water to a higher
 elevation (water tanks) to efficiently provide
 sufficient pressure to properties generally east
 of Willard Street
 These pumps are REQUIRED for
 supplying water to the UVVMC and rest
 of high service area
 The reservoir itself is critical to providing Burlington High Service
 demand fluctuation and emergency
 storage for the rest of the City
 RISK REPORT CARD
 PUMP STATION AND RESERVOIR




 Conclusion
65% of systems are at a C grade or worse, with 42% at D (replacement needed in 1-3 years) or F
(needs immediate replacement)
This condition presents a great deal of risk for Burlington’s ability to supply water to the high
service
Water Resources
Sustainable Infrastructure Plan: The 2025 LAKE & WATER bonds Original November Bond
 Proposal
How does this phase of investment fit in with the overall plan? ctu
 re Risk
 ba
 ru
 st Capit s
 al P ed
 In fra O&M lan
 Stage 0 Stage 1 Stage 2 ning




 truction ning & Design
 Cycle of Water

 Cons
 Plan
 Construction in 2025 Main Wastewater Treatment Plant East and North Wastewater
 Infrastructure
 Headworks (all WWTP Highest priority resiliency projects Treatment Plants
 Investment
 plants) Capacity upgrades (for growth and East Consolidation of East Plant to
 Plant consolidation) Main Plan: including new force
 Completed main and conversion of East
 Tertiary phosphorus removal upgrade Fi it y
 Disinfection systems (all Odor reduction, safety and workplace WWTP to a pump station na
 nc
 or
 th
 in g u
 plants) Highest priority resiliency B o n din gA
 Improvements
 SCADA software (Main projects at North Plant
 Generator & building improvements Dewatering (TBD)
 Plant) Wastewater and Stormwater
 Flynn & Fletcher pump Collection System Stage 3+
 stations Pine St CSO reduction strategies
 Drinking Water Plant Wastewater Plants
 8.64 miles of storm and Satellite pump station improvements (next 3)
 Drinking Water Treatment Remaining resiliency/renewal needs at Main and
 sewer mains relined or Stormwater outfalls repairs
 Plant high priority North plants
 replaced Risk-based storm & sewer improvements
 comprehensive resiliency and Wastewater and Stormwater Collection System
 9.29 miles of drinking Drinking Water Improvements
 upgrade projects (TBD 2025- Remaining sat. pump station improvements
 water mains relined or Key Water Treatment Plant resiliency projects
 2026 study) Risk-based storm & sewer mains improvement
 New reservoir pump station and building
 replaced
 structural upgrade Stormwater outfall improvements
 Old North End and Pine
 Risk-based water distribution mains renewal Drinking Water
 Street CSO stormwater
 Emergency water supply interconnects Water Plant additional upgrades (as needed)
 reduction projects Risk-based water main renewal



2016 Water and 2018 Clean Water
 2025 LAKE ($152M) and WATER ($20M) Bonds 2027 LAKE and WATER Bonds Future Bonds and/or Charter Borrowing Authority
 Resiliency Bonds
TOWN MEETING DAY 2025: HOW MUCH $?

 Final TMD 2025
 System Final Cost/Borrowing Determination
 Bond Request


 Determination of other funding for City transportation projects;
Drinking Water $20 M Congressionally Delegated Spending Grant Award



 Final due dilgence on WWTP costs; Determination of other
 Wastewater $138 M funding for City Transportation Projects; Pollution Control Grants;
 NRBC grant; Pine Street CSO sewer separation final cost



 Pine Street CSO reduction final cost; Determination of other
 Stormwater $14 M funding for City transportation projects; Pollution Control Grants
WATER, WASTEWATER, STORMWATER RATE IMPACTS

 Conservative estimate (based on
 best available information) of bill
 impacts:
 Does not include possible grant
 funding
 Does not include revenue from
 potential growth
 Final borrowing portfolio and
 availability of SRF loan will play a
 big role
 Includes Stage 2 Wastewater
 Treatment Plant costs
 East Plant Consolidation
 North Plant High Priority
 Resiliency Upgrades
 Debt service for included
 projects ramps up through
 FY2034, with the steepest rate
 increases in FY26 - FY 30.
CURRENT RATEPAYER AFFORDABI LITY MEASURES
 “...an affordable water bill is one that the household can regularly and successfully pay on time
 without compromising its ability to meet other essential needs.” (NRDC Water Affordability Advocacy Toolkit)


 access to
 clean water
 RATE STRUCTURE
Fixed Fee Waiver
 Low-income ADJUSTMENTS
 65+ of aff
 ip ord
 sh
 Non-Profit Housing rd r a
 wa ate ure se bilit Lifeline rate tier on water side
 Organization ste w uct rvi yo
 ce
 str s f
 ra User class-based rates
 inf
Rebates
 Sewer lateral inspections
 WaterSense fixtures



  Water Resources will work with City Council to develop additional affordability and assistance programs for
 implementation prior to significant debt issuance.
 SUMMARY
Request for ballot items in March 2025 for
 Up to $20M WATER bond
 Water reliability
 Up to $152M LAKE bond Advancing water main replacement
 Treatment plant improvements
 Emergency supply contingency
Capital investment is necessary for a resilient Reservoir upgrades
Burlington with capacity for growth and a healthy
Lake Champlain Leverage modern technology
 Advance & repair key infrastructure
 Keep our federal & state commitments
Typical residential bill projected to increase Enhance water quality & worker safety

approximately 89% over next 5 years, bringing it into
the realm of some other New England communities’
projected annual bills
 THANK YOU.
 QUESTIONS?
 Megan Moir
 Division Director Water Resources
 mmoir@burlingtonvt.gov

 Martin Lee
 Water Resources Engineering Manager
 mlee@burlingtonvt.gov

 Chapin Spencer
 DPW Director
 (cspencer@burlingtonvt.gov)

https://burlingtonvt.gov/2025waterbonds

NPA Meeting Jan 23 2025
Hunt Middle School
Notes by Annie Lawson, Steering Committee Member

Community Announcements: Evan Litwin:
-initiative by Mark Barlow to look at improving safety on beltline
 -Needles in the NNE: Odd Fellows has volunteered to be a spot for picking up kits to safely
pick up needles in the community

Mayor Emma:
Gratitude for us being willing to shift in order for emergency cold shelter in the Miller Center: 78
folks used shelter last night so the impact is immediate and thanks us for our flexibility in
shifting. Also wants to share that other City employee folks are here to have a team
membership representation for the GO fund: (general use fund) to try to make a case for why
this is an important investment in our city through infrastructure. Deferred maintenance is
coming due. She’s here to answer questions after presentations.

Ashley Parker with City Treasurers Office and Ward 4 resident, presenting on General
Obligation Bond for City’s General Fund Capital Program
-All of the following info can be found in more detail: go to
 ●​ City Main Page: BurlingtonVT.gov.
 ●​ Then click on Elections Button,
 ●​ Then go to BTV Thrives website on the following page.
 ●​ This presentation lives there as well. Also consider signing up for Mayor’s Email List,
 which is also on that same page. Households will also receive postcards that will have a
 QR code, going to households on Voter Checklist. (We also do still mail ballots to all
 households; look between Feb 10 and 12.) Also Google BTV Thrives.
-Sharing about a request for capital project funds: generally things that involve construction,
streets, sidewalks, bridges, fleets, replacements of major assets. These are not annual repairs
or maintenance (those are under the umbrella of operating budget). This bond is focused on
critical infrastructure needs: not band-aids, but actual things that require replacing. Fleet is at
the top of her list: many vehicles and equipment, and 30% of these need to be replaced due to
lack of funding in general fund. Many of these 30% are in public safety (fire, police, snow
removal). 3M need to et back on track with a more regular replacement schedule. Also sidewalk
maintenance: we are estimating 3 miles of 133 miles city-wide needs replacing each year; each
mile costs $1m to replace. We are behind in replacing what has needed replacing each year. 88
miles of streets, and Public Works is charged with maintaining these. 10 miles need to be
paved. Estimating 1.2 million a mile for paving. Also better bridges and traffic calming is part of
this bond: Winooski Bridge Local Match: BTV is in partnership with VTRANS and Winooski and
we got a big grant to cover this, but we need to cover some remaining funds. Also
Transportation Planning Team (bike/ped safety work): $300,000 a year can go into permanent or
temporary safety elements: safer intersections, traffic calming: 56 community requests, and this
amount of money would help reach 75% of these requests for traffic calming or safety
measures.
-City Buildings: 19 buildings owned by city that need attention. Example: Miller Center (HVAC
project, energy-efficient), also City Hall, BCA complex, Fire Station 1. There’s about $700,000
per need, and so 2 buildings could get repaired with $2m.
City Parks: Deferred maintenance of city parks including Perkins Pier, Harbor Marina,
Universally Accessible Playground at Oak Ledge was supported with funding like this.

-A live planning map to show projections across several years: also allows for community
feedback and start pin-pointing areas where most work is needed. This can be found on
webpage along with other info; see directions above.

-What is tax impact?
Affordability and transparency are important to the City. They want to make efficient use of any
resources that they gain to try to take burden from taxpayers. If bond passes, it will allow City to
have some additional resources to help leverage for additional funding: when 2022 bond
passed, they were able to take 5m of that to leverage into 7.2 into grant funding. The hope is to
do the same thing and generate more improvements and funding. How does this fit in with city’s
debt policy? Overlapping debt with school district gets reviewed. Because of changes in the
grant list, as well as changes in principal and interest, it gives more wiggle room to ask for a
bigger bond.

-Effect on tax bills: It would be spent out over the next 3 years in incremental phases. So max
impact is about $12 a month on a house worth $500,000. As debt gets paid down, they expect
that amount to go down.

-Ongoing efforts to have convos with NPAs to share this information, as well as bringing it to
City Council. They encourage folks to take the survey and take questions


Connor Timmons from HomeShare Vermont.
-Wants to reinforce ideas about Homeshare: if you have an extra room and need some extra
income, that rent can go towards that. Maybe you have no need for rent but do need help
getting to appointments or shoveling the walk. HomeShareVT can match you with someone
who can best meet your needs. Connor was a HomeShare host over the summer who helped
with child care, and helped with two meals a week. 100% recommendation rate from folks who
use their service. (No one has this!) Average rent was $359. Maximum rate you can charge is
$650 per month. THis is a way to stay in your community for longer, be a contributing member,
and make more connections within your community. They run 6 background checks and 4
reference checks for everyone: both hosts and guests. They also spent 90 minutes with both,
interviewing them to see what they’re about and what they’re into. You can also request folks
who share specific interests or have certain skills: they will take that into account when
matching. Then a two-week trial after an introduction that everyone agrees to go forward with.
At the end of 2 weeks, either party can call it off. Then, after the 2-week trial, case managers
stay on. Some folks have been staying on for 19 years. A question: can they match
undocumented folks with hosts? Yes, if the stars align. They can run an international
background check if needed, and would also lean on more references. Alternatively, you can
waive these background processes if you want.

Updates from City Councilors: Talking about Charter Changs:

-Councilor Litwin: Authority to change how rental changes are done: municipalities can’t do rent
control; only Legislature can do this. Litwin wants to start first step of process around notice
periods: aka how long landlords are required to give people when rent will go up. This means
that in this area where folks need more time to make changes to housing, especially when rent
changes go way up. If we vote yes on this, the conversation around notice periods comes back
to Ordinance Committee, who would get authority to start writing an ordinance around what
rental notice looks like. This works both ways: renters giving notice, plus landlords giving notice.
Right now, the Committee doesn’t even have the authority to have the conversation. The slightly
longer notice period that BTV has used to be enough, but now with changes to housing market,
people need more time to find something within their community. He sees this as a stabilization
effort. Voting yes on this does not mean that it is coming into effect: first, it has to get through
the legislature. It also can go the other way currently: sometimes landlords ask for a rent
renewal 11 months before lease is up.

-Councilor Carpenter: Redistricting on the ballot: For example: Election districts have to be in
equal proportion to each other: aka North District has to represent same number of folks from
Wards 4 and 7. They also have to roughly even throughout the city. This charter changes asks
Legislature to give BTV voters to make our own decisions, rather than having to go through
Legislature. Reason for this change: city missed a deadline for it getting onto March ballot, so it
got kicked back a whole other year. Are there other examples of the need for this/other
problems with it going through legislature? Councilor says no, mainly to make city more nimble.

-Another Charter Change: prohibiting guns in places with liquor licences. It passed in 2017, but
then it stayed in Legislature. So now we are asking again. There has been a bill introduced that
may make this a law statewide, but in the meantime, City wants to bring this again.

“Feedback rule:” These Charter Changes have been through City Council and have been
approved by Mayor, and are now in the process of having public hearings around making
changes to the language in the proposed legislation. Councilors cannot make changes to the
language without a resident coming to propose a chance during a public hearing meeting. (Then
Council would vote on a change brought by a motion that would be proposed by a resident.)

BSD Budget Presentation by Kendra Sowers: Rep from NNE.
Info about why Ed Spending is increasing even though Budget is decreasing. Why? Wages and
benefits are a factor.
Also, there is an estimated reduction in property taxes: roughly 4% lower than last year. One of
the things that impact a reduced tax burden are the funding structure (aka how students are
weighted). 2 years ago, the Legislature agreed to change those weights, based on UVM study
with lots of data. The coalition lobbying for this in the Legislature included participants from all
over the state. So this is now the first year that they new funding formula are being felt here in
BTV: even though it was passed 2 years ago, last year’s school budget still saw an increase
because of new high school cost. More complete info can be found at www.bsdvt.org/budget

Updates to Requested Water Bond by Megan Moir:
Full information can be found online in a more complete way:
www.burlingtonvt.gov/2025waterbonds
It can also be found through the website listed above for the General Operating bond page.
Summary: Requesting 20m water bond and 152m Lake Bond on ballot. Because: capital
investment is necessary and overdue, and will avoid more costly repairs that are inevitable if
this maintenance is deferred.
 ●​ Could see a 89% rate increase over next 5 years, but this is consistent with the rates
 that communities like Montpelier and other New England communities pay. Important to
 note that we are currently at a much lower rate because we are so far behind on repairs
 and maintenance.
 ●​ Looking at ways to reduce the impact that this will have on renters and homeowners:
 -​ Any way to provide indirect utility assistance? There may be a way to do this via
 electric department. Looking at a program in Oregon that does this. Also looking
 at ways to expand eligibility
 -​ Other affordability measures: seniors and folks on fixed incomes can request
 assistance
Megan requests and invites questions.