NPA - All Wards — Burlington, VT
Date: 2026-04-30
Time: 18:15

All Wards NPA Meeting Agenda
 Thursday April 30th 2026
 6:15pm-8:15pm

 Join in person: CCTV Studio 294 North Winooski Avenue, 2nd Floor
 Join virtually: https://zoom.us/j/97343700899


Facilitator: Lauren Ebersol Notetaker: Barbara Turnbull

6:15 Introductions | 5 min

6:20 NPA Resolution Implementation, Part 2 | 20 min
 -​ Set a deadline for NPAs to submit their annual priorities
 -​ Present draft process for the City’s side of the resolution
 -​ Focus on consensus of how NPAs will submit priorities - joint doc?

6:40 Budgeting for the rest of the fiscal year | 40 min (general process overview 15
min; use of remaining funds 25 min)
 -​ Request for funds ($75-$100 from each ward) to update the NPA zine
 -​ Budgeting for summer events
 -​ Unspent $$ is sent back to City general fund
 -​ How to submit (Barbara)
 -​ Our budgets of $3,000: How are we each using the funds?

7:20 Potential summer projects | 40 min
 -​ Citywide candidate forum for 8/11 primary (in June or July)
 -​ Citywide panel on civic engagement in Burlington
 -​ NPA history teach-in
 -​ All Wards social event (e.g. potluck, BBQ, picnic)
 -​ Individual ward projects (e.g. porch concerts, neighborhood walking tour, block
 parties)
 -​ Outreach: Expanding our meeting to nearby neighbors
 -​ Language access to meetings / Trusted Community Voices

8:00 Open Discussion/Questions | 15 min
 -​ How many NPAs have adopted Apartheid Free pledge?
 -​ The topics NPA's chose to ask City Councilors for input

8:15 Next Steps/Adjourn

All Wards NPA Meeting Agenda
 Thursday April 30th 2026
 6:15pm-8:15pm

 Join in person: CCTV Studio 294 North Winooski Avenue, 2nd Floor
 Join virtually: https://zoom.us/j/97343700899


Facilitator: Lauren Ebersol Notetaker: Barbara Turnbull

6:15 Introductions | 5 min

6:20 NPA Resolution Implementation, Part 2 | 20 min
 -​ Set a deadline for NPAs to submit their annual priorities
 -​ Present draft process for the City’s side of the resolution
 -​ Focus on consensus of how NPAs will submit priorities - joint doc?

6:40 Budgeting for the rest of the fiscal year | 40 min (general process overview 15
min; use of remaining funds 25 min)
 -​ Request for funds ($75-$100 from each ward) to update the NPA zine
 -​ Budgeting for summer events
 -​ Unspent $$ is sent back to City general fund
 -​ How to submit (Barbara)
 -​ Our budgets of $3,000: How are we each using the funds?

7:20 Potential summer projects | 40 min
 -​ Citywide candidate forum for 8/11 primary (in June or July)
 -​ Citywide panel on civic engagement in Burlington
 -​ NPA history teach-in
 -​ All Wards social event (e.g. potluck, BBQ, picnic)
 -​ Individual ward projects (e.g. porch concerts, neighborhood walking tour, block
 parties)
 -​ Outreach: Expanding our meeting to nearby neighbors
 -​ Language access to meetings / Trusted Community Voices

8:00 Open Discussion/Questions | 15 min
 -​ How many NPAs have adopted Apartheid Free pledge?
 -​ The topics NPA's chose to ask City Councilors for input

8:15 Next Steps/Adjourn




 Page 1 of 18
Page 2 of 18
Strengthening the Relationship between the City Administration, City Council, and Neighborhood
Planning Assemblies (11/3/25): Proposed City Procedures

March 2026



BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that CEDO or other City office charged with supporting the NPAs shall:

 • Develop a standardized process in collaboration with the NPAs by which each NPA can
 communicate a list of annual priorities to the City Council and City Administration.

 NPA Annual Priorities - process & timeline:

 Feb-March: NPAs discuss and vote on their top priorities for the upcoming FY. Survey sent to all Ward
 residents via postcard to ensure broad outreach & resident input.
 April-May: NPAs meet as All Wards to compile each ward’s priorities into a formal communication to
 send to City Council. Individual NPAs follow up with their ward & district councilors as needed.

 By June 1: NPA Priorities document delivered to City Council via email and placed on the agenda for a
 regular Council meeting prior to the beginning of the new FY.



 • Consult with other relevant city staff to develop easily understood materials that outline the
 legal requirements of the NPAs.
 • Consult with other relevant city staff to review and update these materials as needed but no less
 than every three calendar years.

 In fall ‘25/winter ’26, the NPA Public Engagement Specialist worked with NPA Steering Committees
 and the City Attorney’s Office to overhaul the NPA Steering Committee Handbook. This document
 covers the legal requirements and logistical considerations for NPA operations and can serve as a
 basis for continued professional/organizational development in the NPAs.

 At the beginning of each FY (in addition to regular + ongoing updates), the NPA Public Engagement
 Specialist will review and update additional NPA documentation as follows:
 Website updates:
 • Check that posted documents are up-to-date with revisions to Open Meeting Law
 • Ensure that posted meeting information, lists of Steering Committee members, & contact info
 is up to date
 Documents to review for updates:
 • Steering Committee Handbook (reviewed and approved by City Attorney)
 o Vermont Open Meeting Law
 o Federal & State accessibility requirements
 o Federal & State nondiscrimination requirements
 o Purchasing guidance per Burlington City Attorney
 • NPA Request for Payment form




 Page 3 of 18
Documents to archive:
 • Agendas from previous year
 • Minutes from previous year
 • Finance docs from previous year (invoices, receipts, POs, JEs, Request for Payment forms,
 budget spreadsheet)
 • Annual Priorities communication to City Council from previous year
 • Training materials from previous year



  • Collaborate with NPAs and other relevant city staff to ensure NPAs understand the legal
 requirements of the NPAs.

In addition to providing reference materials that cover the NPAs’ legal responsibilities with regards to
Vermont Open Meeting Law and meeting accessibility and nondiscrimination, the NPA Public
Engagement Specialist will offer:
 • New SC Member orientation sessions
 • Annual All Wards refresher training/Q&A on Open Meeting Law with the City Attorney’s
 office
 • 1:1 consultations with SC members


  • Include a representative, chosen by the NPAs to serve on hiring committees for staff roles
 predominantly focused on supporting and liaising with the NPAs.

Procedure for selecting an NPA representative for relevant hiring committees:

The Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) should notify the NPA Steering Committees, via
the All Wards email list, about any upcoming hiring process for the NPA Public Engagement Specialist
as soon as possible.

Upon notification of the hiring process, each Steering Committee may identify 1-2 members from
each ward who are interested in serving on the hiring committee. Then, a designee of All Wards
should compile a list of all interested Steering Committee members and randomly select one name.

The NPA representative’s contact information should be shared with DFA and HR as soon as possible.
This representative should be included in each step of the hiring process and considered a full
member of the hiring committee, to the extent that is permissible by City and AFSCME hiring policies.




 Page 4 of 18
DATE: XX/YY/ZZZZ

TO: Burlington City Council

FROM: Neighborhood Planning Assemblies – All Wards

SUBJ: Formal Communication of NPA Annual Priorities for 2026



On behalf of our neighbors in Burlington’s eight Wards, and following the unanimous approval of the
November 3, 2025 Council Resolution (“Strengthening the relationship between the City Administration,
City Council, and Neighborhood Planning Assemblies”), we are submitting in writing the NPA annual
priorities for 2026 as discussed and adopted by the NPA in each Ward.



WARD 1 NPA

 Priority Requested Follow-Up
 1) Development agreements and MOU’s with UVM and That relevant items at the City Council be
 UVMMC brought to the NPA before decisions are
 2) Traffic management that could impact pedestrians & made
 cyclists & improving public transit
 3) Tax burden redistribution
 4) Use of parks & development of open space
 5) Activity impacting Ward 1 Infrastructure.


WARD 2 NPA

 Priority Requested Follow-Up




WARD 3 NPA

 Priority Requested Follow-Up




WARDS 4&7 NPA

 Priority Requested Follow-Up




 Page 5 of 18
WARD 5 NPA

Priority Requested Follow-Up
Taxes
Property tax rates - where the burden lies, what to expect Clarification about purpose of tax burden
as residents shifts

Taxation that incentivizes sustainable development and
positive change for the community (example: surface
parking lots, cannabis shops)
Sustainable, affordable community growth
Affordable housing, childcare, healthcare: how can we Currently in process: PlanBTV 2050
support working families to build resilience at community (comprehensive plan) - more
level? transparency on this planning process

Managing growth as a city: balancing property taxes, City Council as more active bridge
make transportation available, house people well. All of between people and this process
this requires a solid plan for growth
Addressing demand for housing and transportation
More access for diverse transportation needs, creating Deeper engagement on and
compelling options for non-car based transit, fair and consideration of these issues
affordable pricing for SSTA

Housing for unhoused people, expansion of voucher
program


WARD 6 NPA

Priority Requested Follow-Up




WARD 8 NPA

Priority Requested Follow-Up




 Page 6 of 18
NPA Purchasing
Spring 2026


 Page 7 of 18
 Use of City Funds
Per the City Attorneyʼs Office, City funds may ONLY be used to
“further the purposes of the NPAs,” which are:

1. To be open and accessible to all voters of the city residing in the ward;
2. To provide ward residents with information concerning city programs and
 activities;
3. To help obtain residentsʼ views of city needs;
4. To help provide residents with an opportunity to make recommendations relating
 to government decisions;
5. To provide advice to City Commissions or the City Council relating to community
 development, housing programs, the Cityʼs Comprehensive Development Plan,
 waterfront planning activities, and the City budget. Page 8 of 18
Examples of Eligible Expenses
✅YES: ❌ NO:
● Outreach materials to promote the ● Charitable contributions, including
 NPA: flyers, lawn signs, stickers, cash or donations to an individual or
 newspaper/FPF ads, translations family in need
● Meeting supports: snacks & drinks, ● Alcohol, marijuana, or other controlled
 office supplies, interpretation substances
 services, child care services
 ● Supplies or services for a different
● Equipment and facilities: space rental fiscal year
 fees, A/V equipment
 ● Expenses that are unrelated to
● Community projects and events “furthering the purposes of the NPAs”
 (detail on next slide)
 Page 9 of 18
 Funding Projects & Events
 *New guidance for FY 2026*


Community Projects & Events should meet at least one of the following goals:

1. Promoting the NPA
 ○ Ex: Offering participants info about NPA meetings; posting a
 sign/plaque saying a project was “Created by the Ward __ NPA”
 1985 ~ Ward 4 NPA
 building garden plots!
2. Providing residents with information about City
 programs/activities
 ○ Ex: Hosting a community picnic with guests from City
 departments & commissions to share about their work

3. Gaining input from residents about City needs
 ○ Ex: Tabling at a park to survey residents about
 neighborhood issues while handing out ice cream
 Page 10 of 18
 Purchasing Process
Decide as a Ward how to
spend the $3,000 budget


 What are the NPA’s
 typical ﬁxed costs?

 What goals or projects
 will you prioritize this
 year?

 What local businesses
 could you work with?



 Page 11 of 18
 Purchasing Process
Decide as a Ward how to Request Direct
spend the $3,000 budget Payment


 What are the NPA’s To pay a vendor
 typical ﬁxed costs? upfront, submit a
 Request for Payment
 What goals or projects Form for the quoted
 will you prioritize this cost to the NPA
 year? Coordinator at least 3
 weeks in advance.
 What local businesses
 could you work with?

 Anyone receiving a check must have
 an IRS W-9 on file with the City. Page 12 of 18
 Purchasing Process
Decide as a Ward how to Request Direct Request
spend the $3,000 budget Payment Reimbursement


 What are the NPA’s To pay a vendor To be reimbursed for an
 typical ﬁxed costs? upfront, submit a NPA expense, submit a
 Request for Payment Request for Payment
 What goals or projects Form for the quoted Form & itemized receipt
 will you prioritize this cost to the NPA to the NPA Coordinator.
 year? Coordinator at least 3 Allow 3 weeks for check
 weeks in advance. to be mailed or request
 What local businesses pickup at City Hall.
 could you work with?

 Anyone receiving a check must have
 an IRS W-9 on file with the City. Page 13 of 18
 Purchasing Process
Decide as a Ward how to Request Direct Request Request Ward
spend the $3,000 budget Payment Reimbursement Budget Updates


 What are the NPA’s To pay a vendor To be reimbursed for an Request an updated
 typical ﬁxed costs? upfront, submit a NPA expense, submit a budget overview from
 Request for Payment Request for Payment the NPA Coordinator at
 What goals or projects Form for the quoted Form & itemized receipt any time.
 will you prioritize this cost to the NPA to the NPA Coordinator.
 year? Coordinator at least 3 Allow 3 weeks for check
 weeks in advance. to be mailed or request
 What local businesses pickup at City Hall.
 could you work with?

 Anyone receiving a check must have
 an IRS W-9 on file with the City. Page 14 of 18
  Where do I find all these forms?!
PDFs live in the All Wards Google Drive → “Budgeting & Purchasing Process” folder.




One time form → <- Every time form
 Check either
 “Reimbursement” or
 “Vendor Payment” and
 attach receipt/invoice
 when you submit
 Page 15 of 18
Tax Exempt Certificate

 The City will typically NOT reimburse for sales tax.

 Please present the City of Burlington sales tax
 exemption certificate for all NPA purchases. Itʼs in
 the All Wards Google Drive under “Budgeting &
 Purchasing Process.”




 Page 16 of 18
End of Fiscal Year
The City budget operates on a fiscal year
from July 1 - June 30. After 6/30, unspent
funds are returned to the Cityʼs general fund.
Please submit all expenses by May 31 to ensure
payment from the correct yearʼs budget.
If you need to submit expenses in June, please
discuss with the NPA Coordinator!




 Page 17 of 18
Questions?


 Page 18 of 18

All Wards NPA Meeting Minutes
 Thursday April 30th 2026, 6:15pm-8:15pm
 CCTV Studio 294 North Winooski Avenue, 2nd Floor, and on Zoom
 Video recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1e1niSlokU

 Facilitator: Lauren Ebersol Notetaker: Barbara Turnbull

Members present:

Ward 1: Carol Livingston

Ward 2: Lauren Ebersol, Nora Aronds, Marc Stannard, Charlie Giannoni

Ward 3: Chris Haessly, Zach Cummings

Ward 4: Annie Lawson

Ward 5: n/a

Ward 6: Dale Azaria, Romeo Von Hermann, Hannah Riley

Ward 7: n/a

Ward 8: Amy Malinowski, Tom Carroll



6:15 Introductions | 5 min

6:20 NPA Resolution Implementation, Part 2 | 20 min

 • Review of the fall 2025 City Council resolution that asked each NPA to identify and communicate
 its annual priorities to the City Council. So far Wards 1 and 5 have done so. Need to identify a
 process and timeline for the rest of the wards for this year. Chris, Jonathan, and Lena from the
 NPAs were on a committee with city staff and councilors to develop the resolution.
 • Discussion about the purpose of this process and what the NPAs are asking the City Council to
 do with the priorities
 o Some folks like the idea of consolidating the priorities as “All Wards;” others want to
 keep separate. No broad consensus on this point
 o Carol: Ward 1 thought about this as, if there is a decision being made about one of our
 stated priorities, we want it to come to the NPA first, we would like to participate in
 these discussions.
 o Dale: Also an advocacy opportunity, to ask the City Council to bring these ideas forward
 • Discussion about the timeline: priorities discussion should happen around the time of the new
 fiscal year and/or right after steering committee elections so the new steering committee has
 some guidance for agenda setting. Don’t want to let the momentum run out.
 o Chris: each NPA is on a different timeline in terms of elections/topics calendar. Lauren
 suggests a rolling timeline for submitting ward priorities based on steering committee
 elections.
 o Romeo: there are so many meetings, so many different issues/priorities. We need to
 stay focused on tangible outcomes.
 • Discussion about process for identifying priorities: how are councilors involved? How to get
 broad participation?
 • Barbara: suggestion to use the NPA priorities to direct the NPA’s calendar/guests throughout
 the year and stay focused on those issues. Also please take a look at the attached doc Proposed
 City Processes for NPA Resolution Implementation for Barbara’s summary of the city’s side of
 the NPA resolution and send any thoughts/feedback.
 • Dale: bringing it back to: when are we developing these priorities and for whom? Proposes that
 for this year, do it on a ward-by-ward basis, and communicate to the CC members and Barbara
 to compile them. Next year, move to a more unified schedule.
 o Amy: they should also go on the City Council agenda in some fashion
 • Consensus around creating this year’s NPA priorities within 1-2 months of steering committee
 elections, and submitting to City Councilors/Barbara

6:40 Budgeting for the rest of the fiscal year | 40 min (general process overview 15 min; use of
remaining funds 25 min)

 • Barbara: brief presentation on NPA budgeting and purchasing process
 o Discussion about reimbursement for childcare and how it would work. Barbara clarifies
 that the City does not have a process for providing childcare at public meetings, and it
 would be helpful to understand how this has worked at NPAs in the past. Charlie
 explains that when Ward 2/3 offered childcare, it was not regularly used by the public,
 roughly during 2006-2007? 2010-2012? How it worked was there was someone lined up
 to supervise the childcare, promised $25 flat rate, plus hourly but if nobody showed up
 for childcare in the first hour of the meeting they would leave early.
 • Barbara: ask for each ward to contribute about $75 toward updating the digital files of the NPA
 zine & poster designed by Christine Tyler Hill
 • Discussion about All Wards events: some feel that doing an all wards social event is not a good
 use of time/resources because NPAs are intended to be neighborhood specific.
 o One idea that has traction with several wards: a candidate forum for districts that have
 broad overlap e.g. state senate
 ▪ Ward 1 and Ward 3 already have state senate candidate forums on the books
 for May-June
 • Carol brought up the idea of reducing the NPA budget since it’s not utilized by all the wards.
 • Amy shared that Ward 8 is in the process of hiring a part time summer intern to support the
 NPA’s planning/outreach

7:20 Potential summer projects | 40 min

 • Candidate forums/discussions in June-July. Lauren proposes asking each ward if they would be
 interested in joining forces on specific forums. Chris to take the lead on this.
 o Ward 2 usually has an outdoor community dinner in July with elected officials
 • Charlie shared 2 ideas for All Wards projects:
 o Summer: NPAs work with Burlington/Winooski/SB school districts to provide tickets to
 home games for the Lake Monsters and fill up the stands.
 ▪ Chris: the winter version of this could be with UVM women’s hockey which is
 under-attended; Ward 3 wants to work with Boys & Girls club to offer tickets
 o Winter: Mock Town Meeting on a Saturday in Contois. Non-binding discussion about
 what’s on the ballot – give Burlington residents the chance to have a Town Meeting.
 o Overall, Charlie wants to see the wards working together more, to strengthen the
 perception of the NPAs and make the NPAs more powerful in the city
 • Chris: need to remember the city commissions as well as the council. Make a list of
 commissioners in your ward.
 • Charlie: NPAs should invite commissioners as well as department heads/staff – you get a totally
 different presentation from police commissioner vs. chief of police
 • Amy: suggestion that prior to city commission application period, invite a panel of different
 commissioners to speak about the kinds of work they do.
 • Broad consensus that people don’t have capacity to work on All Wards projects in the
 immediate future; would rather put their energy towards their own NPA

8:00 Open Discussion/Questions | 15 min

 • Carol: wants to set aside time to talk about outreach, particularly connecting with the Trusted
 Community Voices (TCV) group. Wants to increase diversity and broader outreach at Ward 1.
 • Discussion about accessibility and inclusivity for new Americans, as well as people of color who
 are not recent immigrants. Barbara suggests inviting someone from the REIB to the next All
 Wards to think through some of these challenges and the TCV/NPA connection.
 • Update on Apartheid-Free Community resolution: Wards 1, 2, 5, 6, passed the resolution. The
 other wards did not vote.
 • Chris: wonders if it would be helpful for all the wards to be on roughly the same election cycle?
 • Amy: suggests inviting someone who has done participatory budgeting work in other cities to
 speak with All Wards/NPAs

8:15 Next Steps/Adjourn

 • Chris volunteers Ward 3 to organize the next meeting; Ward 8 can help too. Probably in
 September.