Parks, Arts, and Culture Committee — Burlington, VT
Date: 2026-05-05
Time: 12:00

City Council - Parks, Arts and Culture Committee

 Tuesday, May 5, 2026, 12:00 PM, Burlington City Arts Building - 135 Church St,
 Lorraine B Goodman Room or Remotely via Zoom



https://zoom.us/j/95551831539
Meeting ID: 955 5183 1539
1. Call to Order
  Subject 1.1. Call to Order
  Meeting May 5, 2026 - Parks, Arts and Culture Committee Meeting - Tuesday, May 5, 2026,
 12:00 PM, Burlington City Arts Building - 135 Church St, Lorraine B Goodman Room or
 Remotely via Zoom



  Category 1. Call to Order
  Department


  Type

2. Approve Agenda & Minutes
  2.1. Motion to amend/adopt agenda
  2.2. Motion to adopt previous meeting's minutes

3. Public Forum
  Subject 3.1. PUBLIC FORUM - Verbal Comments
  Meeting May 5, 2026 - Parks, Arts and Culture Committee Meeting - Tuesday, May 5, 2026,
 12:00 PM, Burlington City Arts Building - 135 Church St, Lorraine B Goodman Room or
 Remotely via Zoom



  Category 3. Public Forum
  Department


  Type

4. Agenda
Subject 4.1. Fletcher Free Library Renovation Project - FFL (20 minutes)
Meeting May 5, 2026 - Parks, Arts and Culture Committee Meeting - Tuesday, May 5, 2026,
 12:00 PM, Burlington City Arts Building - 135 Church St, Lorraine B Goodman Room or
 Remotely via Zoom




Category 4. Agenda

Department Parks, Recreation, & Waterfront


Type

Recommended Action

Subject 4.2. Downtown Events & Festivals - BCA (20 minutes)
Meeting May 5, 2026 - Parks, Arts and Culture Committee Meeting - Tuesday, May 5, 2026,
 12:00 PM, Burlington City Arts Building - 135 Church St, Lorraine B Goodman Room or
 Remotely via Zoom




Category 4. Agenda

Department Parks, Recreation, & Waterfront


Type

Recommended Action

Subject 4.3. Urban Reserve Clean-Up Efforts - BPRW (30 minutes)
Meeting May 5, 2026 - Parks, Arts and Culture Committee Meeting - Tuesday, May 5, 2026,
 12:00 PM, Burlington City Arts Building - 135 Church St, Lorraine B Goodman Room or
 Remotely via Zoom




Category 4. Agenda

Department Parks, Recreation, & Waterfront


Type

Recommended Action

Subject 4.4. Ash Tree Removals - BPRW (20 minutes)
Meeting May 5, 2026 - Parks, Arts and Culture Committee Meeting - Tuesday, May 5, 2026,
 12:00 PM, Burlington City Arts Building - 135 Church St, Lorraine B Goodman Room or
 Remotely via Zoom




Category 4. Agenda

Department Parks, Recreation, & Waterfront
  Type

  Recommended Action

5. Adjournment
  Subject 5.1. Motion to adjourn
  Meeting May 5, 2026 - Parks, Arts and Culture Committee Meeting - Tuesday, May 5, 2026,
 12:00 PM, Burlington City Arts Building - 135 Church St, Lorraine B Goodman Room or
 Remotely via Zoom




  Category 5. Adjournment

  Department Council and Board


  Type

  Recommended Action

6. Informational and Non-Discrimination Statements

 The City of Burlington will not tolerate unlawful harassment or discrimination on the basis of political or religious
 affiliation, race, color, national origin, place of birth, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,
 marital status, veteran status, disability, HIV positive status, crime victim status or genetic information. The City
 is also committed to providing proper access to services, facilities and employment opportunities. The programs
 and services of the City of Burlington are accessible to people with disabilities. Individuals who require special
 arrangements, auxiliary aid, service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to
 participate in a program, service, or activity of the City of Burlington, should contact the office of the Title II
 Burlington ADA Coordinator at 802-865-7000 as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled
 event.

Parks, Arts, Culture & Tourism (PACT) Committee Meeting

Date: May 5, 2026
Time: 12:05 PM
Location: BCA, Lorrain Goodman Room

Committee Members Present

Councilor Schachter, Councilor McKnight (Zoom), Councilor Barlow

Staff & Guests Present

Mary Danko, Fletcher Free Library Director; Jonathan Chappell, Friends of the Fletcher Free Library;
Doreen Kraft, Burlington City Arts; Samantha McGinnis, Church Street Marketplace; Phil Lewis, Director
of Parks, Recreation & Waterfront; VJ Comey, City Arborist; Derek Roach, Parks Department; Will
Clavelle, CEDO

Public: Jonathan Chapple-Sokol, Julia DiPietro



1. Agenda Approval

The meeting was called to order at 12:05 PM.

A motion was made to adopt the agenda. Motion passed unanimously.

Approval of prior meeting minutes was postponed because the minutes were not yet attached in Civic
Clerk.



2. Public Forum

A member of the public suggested renaming the committee to “Culture, Literacy, Arts & Parks” so the
acronym would spell “CLAP.”

Public forum closed at approximately 12:07 PM.



3. Fletcher Free Library Renovation Update

Library Director Mary Danko provided an update on the Fletcher Free Library capital campaign and
renovation project.

Highlights included:

 • The project remains in the silent fundraising phase.

 • The campaign recently surpassed the halfway fundraising benchmark.

 • The library completed a geothermal test well near the building with positive results, including
 approximately 100 gallons per minute flow at roughly 328 feet.
 • Staff are continuing discussions with Burlington Electric Department regarding future
 geothermal planning and possible broader district energy opportunities.

 • The project continues to coordinate with planning efforts related to the Memorial Auditorium
 block.

 • Construction timing remains tentative, a potential commencement timeframe around late 2027
 was offered.

Committee members expressed support and excitement for the project and discussed the importance of
the library renovation for the community.

Discussion also included:

 • Potential future integration with broader Memorial Auditorium redevelopment efforts.

 • Sustainability benefits and available geothermal rebates.

 • The importance of arts, culture, and civic infrastructure investments in Burlington’s economic
 vitality.



4. Downtown Events & Summer Programming Update

Representatives from Burlington City Arts (Doreen Kraft), Church Street Marketplace-Love Burlington
(Samantha McGinnis) provided updates on downtown programming and economic activation efforts
planned for the summer and fall seasons.

Highlights included:

 • Return of Festival of Fools as a two-day event.

 • Expansion of downtown arts, music, and cultural programming.

 • Continued “Summer in the City” marketing campaign.

 • New “Art Amplified” programming series.

 • Public art and mural-making internships for teens.

 • Main Street reopening celebration scheduled for July 17–18.

 • FIFA World Cup viewing events planned downtown.

 • Expansion of “Illuminate Burlington,” a coordinated winter lighting and arts initiative.

 • Ongoing partnerships between BCA, Church Street Marketplace, Parks & Recreation, the Library,
 and local businesses.

Committee discussion focused on:

 • Economic impacts of arts and cultural programming.

 • Downtown visitation and business support.
 • Future opportunities for measuring event success and economic impact through metrics such as
 foot traffic, parking usage, business participation, and surveys.

Staff also referenced ongoing city efforts related to the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
(CEDO).



5. Urban Reserve Cleanup & Camping Discussion

Phil Lewis and Derek Roach provided an update regarding cleanup efforts at the Urban Reserve and
broader waterfront concerns.

Staff shared:

 • Approximately 35 city employees participated in a recent cleanup effort.

 • Roughly 80 cubic yards and nearly 12 tons of material were removed.

 • Cleanup costs totaled approximately $7,500 including labor, disposal, and equipment.

 • Multiple departments collaborated on the effort.

Discussion included:

 • Ongoing concerns about camping, trash, environmental impacts, and public safety in the Urban
 Reserve area.

 • Challenges related to enforcement capacity and staffing limitations.

 • Existing ordinances related to camping restrictions.

 • Long-term management and maintenance strategies.

 • The need for continued interdepartmental coordination and policy discussions.

Councilors and members of the public expressed appreciation for the cleanup work while also voicing
concerns about sustainability of cleanup efforts and continued impacts on public recreation areas and
the Greenway.

Several speakers emphasized:

 • The importance of balancing public access, environmental stewardship, homelessness response,
 and public safety.

 • The need for long-term policy and operational strategies.

 • Continued community engagement and volunteer cleanup support.



6. Emerald Ash Borer & Tree Management Update

City Arborist VJ Comey provided an update on Burlington’s Emerald Ash Borer response and urban
forestry efforts.
Key points included:

 • Emerald Ash Borer was confirmed in Burlington in July 2024.

 • Approximately 11% of Burlington’s tree inventory consisted of ash trees.

 • The City prioritized replacement and species diversification over long-term chemical treatment.

 • Over the past several years, the City has systematically replanted throughout Burlington while
 removing ash trees as necessary.

 • Approximately 65 ash trees remain in city rights-of-way awaiting removal.

 • The City has secured more than $60,000 in grant funding to support urban forestry efforts.

Discussion included:

 • Communication with residents regarding tree removals.

 • Opportunities for residents to privately fund treatment of certain healthy trees.

 • Budget limitations related to stump removal.

 • The importance of continued public outreach and transparency.

Committee members thanked staff for their extensive work and ongoing communication with residents.



7. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at approximately 1:38 PM.