Community Development and Neighborhood Revitalization Committee — Burlington, VT
Date: 2025-01-15
Time: 18:30

Queen City Meeting Room, 3rd Floor City Hall
 Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 6:30 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/97755663239?pwd=MMFoLX2AVDcPLkJc9zhePUyytfSuSF.1

Meeting ID: 977 5566 3239
Passcode: 322686
---
One tap mobile
+13052241968,,97755663239#,,,,*322686# US
+13092053325,,97755663239#,,,,*322686# US
---
Meeting ID: 977 5566 3239
Passcode: 322686

Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/abHhq3h25Y



1. Agenda
  1.1. Motion to amend/adopt agenda

2. Adopt Minutes
  Subject 2.1. Approval of 12/18/24 Minutes
  Meeting January 15, 2025 - CDNR Committee Meeting - Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 6:30
 PM, Queen City Meeting Room, 3rd Floor City Hall


  Category 2. Adopt Minutes

  Department


  Type

  Recommended Action

3. Public Forum
  Subject 3.1. PUBLIC FORUM - Verbal Comments
  Meeting January 15, 2025 - CDNR Committee Meeting - Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 6:30
 PM, Queen City Meeting Room, 3rd Floor City Hall
  Category 3. Public Forum
  Department


  Type

4. Draft NPA resolution
  Subject 4.1. review draft resolution
  Meeting January 15, 2025 - CDNR Committee Meeting - Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 6:30
 PM, Queen City Meeting Room, 3rd Floor City Hall


  Category 4. Draft NPA resolution

  Department Community & Economic Development Office (CEDO)


  Type

  Recommended Action

5. Revised resolution - affordable housing trust fund study
  Subject 5.1. review revised resolution
  Meeting January 15, 2025 - CDNR Committee Meeting - Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 6:30
 PM, Queen City Meeting Room, 3rd Floor City Hall


  Category 5. Revised resolution - affordable housing trust fund study

  Department Community & Economic Development Office (CEDO)


  Type

  Recommended Action

6. Other Committee Business

7. Adjournment
  Subject 7.1. Motion to adjourn
  Meeting January 15, 2025 - CDNR Committee Meeting - Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 6:30
 PM, Queen City Meeting Room, 3rd Floor City Hall


  Category 7. Adjournment

  Department Council and Board


  Type

  Recommended Action

Queen City Meeting Room, 3rd Floor City Hall
 Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 6:30 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/97755663239?pwd=MMFoLX2AVDcPLkJc9zhePUyytfSuSF.1

Meeting ID: 977 5566 3239
Passcode: 322686
---
One tap mobile
+13052241968,,97755663239#,,,,*322686# US
+13092053325,,97755663239#,,,,*322686# US
---
Meeting ID: 977 5566 3239
Passcode: 322686

Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/abHhq3h25Y



1. Agenda
  1.1. Motion to amend/adopt agenda

2. Adopt Minutes
  Subject 2.1. Approval of 12/18/24 Minutes
  Meeting January 15, 2025 - CDNR Committee Meeting - Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 6:30
 PM, Queen City Meeting Room, 3rd Floor City Hall


  Category 2. Adopt Minutes

  Department


  Type

  Recommended Action

3. Public Forum
  Subject 3.1. PUBLIC FORUM - Verbal Comments
  Meeting January 15, 2025 - CDNR Committee Meeting - Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 6:30
 PM, Queen City Meeting Room, 3rd Floor City Hall
  Category 3. Public Forum


 Page 1 of 12
  Department


  Type

4. Draft NPA resolution
  Subject 4.1. review draft resolution
  Meeting January 15, 2025 - CDNR Committee Meeting - Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 6:30
 PM, Queen City Meeting Room, 3rd Floor City Hall


  Category 4. Draft NPA resolution

  Department Community & Economic Development Office (CEDO)


  Type

  Recommended Action

5. Revised resolution - affordable housing trust fund study
  Subject 5.1. review revised resolution
  Meeting January 15, 2025 - CDNR Committee Meeting - Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 6:30
 PM, Queen City Meeting Room, 3rd Floor City Hall


  Category 5. Revised resolution - affordable housing trust fund study

  Department Community & Economic Development Office (CEDO)


  Type

  Recommended Action

6. Other Committee Business

7. Adjournment
  Subject 7.1. Motion to adjourn
  Meeting January 15, 2025 - CDNR Committee Meeting - Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 6:30
 PM, Queen City Meeting Room, 3rd Floor City Hall


  Category 7. Adjournment

  Department Council and Board


  Type

  Recommended Action




 Page 2 of 12
 CITY OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT
 CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT &
 NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION COMMITTEE
 c/o Community & Economic Development Office
 City Hall, Room 32 • 149 Church Street • Burlington, VT 05401
 802-865-7144 VOX • 802-865-7024 FAX • www.burlingtonvt.gov/cedo




Councilor Carter Neubieser (CN), Chair, Ward 1
Councilor Evan Litwin (EL), Ward 7
Councilor Joe Kane (JK), Ward 3

 CDNR Committee Meeting
 Wednesday, December 18th, 2024
 6:30 – 8:30 PM
 Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor – City Hall

Committee members: Carter Neubieser (CN), Evan Litwin (EL), Joe Kane (JK)
City Staff: Marcella Gange, CEDO
Other Attendees: Brian Pine, Sarah Russell, CEDO; Rebecca Reese, Kara Alnasrawi, Business
and Workforce Development


 Draft Minutes

Meeting Started at 6:33 PM

 1. Approve agenda
 MOTION by Councilor Kane, SECOND by Councilor Litwin, to approve the
agenda
VOTING: unanimous; motion carries.

  2. Approve minutes: 10/24/24
 MOTION by Councilor Kane, SECOND by Councilor Litwin, to approve the
minutes
VOTING: unanimous; motion carries.

 3. Public Forum
 • No one spoke at public forum

 The programs and services of the City of Burlington are accessible to people with disabilities.
 For accessibility information, call 865-7144. For questions about the meeting,
 contact Christine Curtis at ccurtis@burlingtonvt.gov


 Page 3 of 12
4. Presentation: Early Learning Initiative (ELI) 2024 Annual Report
 • Rebecca Reese, the Early Learning Initiative manager, discusses the
 2024 annual report on the First Step Scholarship program.
 • The program supports Burlington families in accessing and affording
 high-quality childcare through scholarships, capacity grants for
 providers, and workforce training.
 • In its fifth year, the program received 256 applications with an 86%
 enrollment rate across 24 partner providers.
 • Rebecca highlights that 50 scholarships were awarded, assisting
 single parents, BIPOC families, non-English speakers, and those
 needing childcare for employment.
 • She notes the recent state legislation increasing childcare subsidies
 by 35%, with an estimated 80% of Vermont families qualifying for
 some tuition assistance.
 • The program aims to fill remaining gaps for families still needing
 extra support.
 • The ELI Language Access Grant supports interpretation and
 translation services for non-English speaking families.
 • To address the workforce shortage, the First Steps training program
 has brought in 29 new educators, and they are partnering with a
 local organization to provide social-emotional training and establish a
 substitute teacher pool.
 • Rebecca presented on the work of the Family Room, a community
 organization that provides childcare and support services to families.
 She highlighted the organization's efforts to bridge the health equity
 gap, particularly for families with limited English proficiency.
 • Discussed the challenges of the childcare industry, including high
 costs and low profit margins. She mentioned the state's Act 76,
 which aims to increase reimbursement rates for childcare providers,
 and the Vermont model as a potential solution.
 • EL expressed interest in how to effectively communicate health-
 related information to diverse communities, and Rebecca suggested
 that the Family Room could play a role in this. The conversation
 ended with Rebecca’s mention of a forthcoming workforce training
 program at the Family Room.

5. Updates on NPA support working group – Councilor Neubieser
 • CN provided a verbal update on the progress of the Neighborhood
 Planning Assemblies (NPAs) project. The second meeting had taken

 Page 4 of 12
 place a few weeks ago, and another meeting was scheduled for the
 following day.
 • CN also discussed the scope of the project, which includes defining
 the role of the NPA, discussing open meeting law, and addressing 1st
 amendment protections. CN mentioned that the NPA is independent
 within city government but not completely independent from it.
 • CN also mentioned that the project involves discussions around best
 practices and guidelines for the NPA.
 • JK expressed concerns about the project, stating that the NPA is
 legally part of city government and should be subject to certain
 guidelines and safeguards. He suggested that the city council should
 have a role in defining these guidelines and that the NPA should not
 be completely independent.
 • EL also shared his experiences with the NPA, highlighting the
 differences between various NPA meetings and the challenges of
 balancing the needs of different stakeholders.
 • CN acknowledged these concerns and promised to take them back to
 the working group for further discussion.


6. Discussion: Draft Resolution re: City’s affordable housing crisis
 • CN discussed the city's ongoing efforts to address the affordable
 housing crisis, emphasizing the need for immediate action and the
 potential for expanding the Housing Trust Fund.
 • JK raised concerns about the current funding sources and the
 potential for competition with other revenue-raising initiatives.
 • EL suggested adjusting the tone of the resolution to be more
 collaborative and less confrontational, particularly when addressing
 institutions like the University of Vermont.
 • Sarah Russell highlighted the need for dedicated homeless units and
 suggested linking funding to requirements for accepting households
 exiting homelessness.
 • EL and CN discussed the potential for progressive taxation in
 Burlington, with EL expressing concerns about its impact on
 businesses and the middle class. Members also discussed the
 possibility of taxing property owners who exceed a certain number of
 rental units, with EL suggesting that this could encourage property
 owners to sell some of their units.
 • CN agreed to these suggestions and planned to bring the matter back
 to the next CDNR meeting for further discussion. Members also


 Page 5 of 12
 discussed the need for a report on the various options for addressing
 the affordability crisis, with CN emphasizing the importance of
 considering the impacts on all classes of people.

7. Other Committee Business
 • None

8. Adjournment
 • ADJOURN at 8:01 p.m. by Councilor Neubieser with no objection




 Page 6 of 12
Important Note from Councilor Neubieser: ​
​
The following is a draft of an informal working group made up of representatives of the City
Council’s CDNR committee, All Wards NPA, CEDO, and the city attorney’s office. This is not the
final product from that working group, this has not been fully grammar checked, this in the
format of a city council resolution, nor is this final, polished language. That said, this does give
good insight into the direction of the final resolution we’d like to introduce, speaks to a number
of the topics raised by members of CDNR and the city council at large, and represents our
collective understanding of what the relationship between the city council and the NPA’s is.

​
​
Regarding the history of the NPA’s:
​
The 1982 Resolution Establishing the NPAs states: “The Neighborhood Planning Assemblies
shall also be encouraged to provide advice to the appropriate commission or this Council with
respect to Community Development, housing programs, the city's Comprehensive Development
Plan, waterfront planning activities, and the city's budget, among other issues.”​
​
In 1982 the City Council created the NPAs by resolution. There was to be one NPA per ward.
All legal voters of the ward were automatically designated members. Each NPA was to elect
officers, adopt bylaws, and establish rules of procedure. The duties of the NPAs were to provide
information to community members and to solicit their input for Council and City boards,
committees, and commissions, especially regarding budget and community development
matters. ​

(2) Each NPA has established a steering committee to plan its meetings and set its agenda’s.

(3) In 1994, the original Council resolution creating the NPAs was amended to give CEDO
 authority to assist with the organization of NPAs. ​

(4) Section 332(7) of the Charter assigns to CEDO responsibility to provide staff support to the
 NPAs. ​

(5) On June 26, 2007, the City Council adopted a resolution acknowledging that the Ward 2/3
 and 4/7 NPAs typically meet together. The resolution recognized the distinct status of those
 wards’ NPAs, despite the custom of meeting together.​

(6) By resolution dated May 24, 2021, the City Council expanded participation on City
 commissions to youth ages 14 and above. As a result, all residents 14 years old and above
 are considered eligible to participate as members of their NPAs.


Regarding the legal status of the NPAs:
 ​
Although as the highest policy body in the City, the City Council has jurisdiction over the NPAs.
That said, the independent functioning of NPA’s is vital to their sucess. However, such
independence is within the City and not from the City.
​
(3) It is clear that legally the NPAs are public bodies with the City’s governance structure and
therefore are subject to the rules applicable to public bodies, especially the Open Meeting Law




 Page 7 of 12
and the First Amendment. This is because the NPAs were created by Council action, they are
referenced in the Charter, they receive staff support from CEDO, and they each receive a small
amount of City funding. Not all these factors are dispositive, but creation by Council action is.​
​
(4) While NPAs as organs of the City government, they should be free to pursue their own policy
agenda
​
(5) The City as a whole should be concerned, however, with the activities of the NPAs to the
extent the NPAs have the ability to create liability for the City. This is especially true if the NPAs
fail to comply with the Open Meeting Law or to respect the First Amendment.
 ​

Meetings of the NPAs and their steering committees are public meetings subject to the
Open Meeting Law.​

 (1)​ NPA’s meetings should be open to the public.
 (2)​ No action should be taken on a matter that was not properly warned in the
 agenda.
 (3)​ To properly warn a meeting, the agenda should be posted 48 hours in advance
 (24 for meetings not held at the regularly scheduled meeting time, i.e., “special”
 meetings).
 (4)​ The agenda should identify the time/location of the meeting and the items on
 which action may be taken.
 (5)​ An agenda need not be warned if the sole topic for discussion will be the setting
 of an agenda and no substantive discussion will be had into the merits of an
 issue. However, to allow room for substantive discussions into the merits of an
 issue, it is recommended that agenda-setting meetings be warned.
 (6)​ Posting requires making the agenda available online. CEDO can assist with this.
 The agenda should also be posted at City Hall and two other places in the
 community. I am aware that some NPAs post signage in their neighborhoods
 identifying meeting times and locations. If a QR code can be added to these
 signs providing a link to the agenda online, I would consider such signage
 substantial compliance with the posting requirements.
​

First Amendment applies to public meetings, but freedom of speech is not unlimited.
 (1)​ Members of an NPA or Steering Committee cannot be removed merely to punish
 them for their opinions. However, censure may be used to criticize the speech of
 members. Special procedural rights apply to individuals subject to censure.
 Before censuring any member, an NPA should consult this office.
 (2)​ A member properly recognized to speak on a topic may speak to that topic even
 if the member’s views are considered highly offensive by other members, subject
 to rules of order and reasonable rules of decorum.
 (3)​ Reasonable rules of decorum: A member may be called out of order for
 speaking out of turn, for making offensive comments that are not directly relevant
 to the member’s opinion on the topic at hand, or for using unnecessary profanity
 or obscenity. A member should address comments to the Chair and not to other
 members of the body. Although members should be allowed to attack ideas with
 which they disagree, there is seldom good reason to attack personalities unless
 directly relevant to the topic under discussion, e.g., a motion for censure. Even
 then, it is always possible to use professional language, to speak in a respectful




 Page 8 of 12
 tone, to avoid clearly defamatory comments, and to avoid discussion of private
 matters for the purpose of causing unnecessary embarrassment.
 (4)​ If a member called out of order refuses to comply with the Chair’s directions, the
 member is creating a disturbance. Continuing to cause a disturbance may
 properly result in the ejection of the member from the meeting or the adjournment
 of the meeting.
 (5)​ Questions about these rules should be directed to the City Attorney’s office.


Therefore be it resolved:
 ●​ NPA’s are independent within the city government.
 ●​ NPA’s are required to observe open meeting law
 ●​ NPA’s set the terms for their gatherings and determine their agendas and priorities.
 ●​ NPA’s are free, open, and accessible to all city residents.
 ●​ NPA’s, as diverse gatherings of neighbors, are essential to the civic health of our
 community.
 ●​ NPA’s should adhere to their self-set bylaws. Decisions made by the Steering Committee
 should be transparent and documented as laid out in the bylaws.
 ●​ NPA’s should carry out meetings in a manner that reflects and is consistent with the
 anti-discrimination and accessibility policies of the City of Burlington.
 ●​ NPA’s should adhere to federal, state, and local laws regarding anti-discrimination, free
 speech, and accessibility.
 ●​ NPA’s should seek to inform and educate the City on issues that matter to individual
 neighborhoods and residents of the ward or district.
 ●​ NPA’s should provide the City with a platform to share key information about municipal
 issues and how they impact individual neighborhoods and the community at large.
 ●​ NPAs should develop agendas that reflect the needs and interests of individual
 neighborhoods and residents of the ward.
 ●​ NPAs will spend money allocated to them by the City in a manner consistent with the
 City’s terms, conditions, and restrictions.

Therefore be it resolved:
 ●​ The City believes advice and counsel received from NPAs is valuable, and believes that
 the views expressed by city residents at NPA meetings are valid and important voices in
 the decision-making process.
 ●​ The City shall endeavor in good faith to consult each NPA on issues that impact NPA
 governance, structure, and funding before proceeding with resolutions and ordinances.
 ○​ Topics listed here and the mechanism to do this, are still being developed
 ●​ The City shall collaborate with the NPAs to provide support for community outreach
 ●​ Individual Councilors are encouraged to regularly attend the monthly NPA meeting
 meeting in their respective Ward or District.
 ●​ The City should provide adequate and reasonable financial resources to support NPA
 operations

Therefore be it resolved:
 ●​ The Burlington’s Community and Economic Development Office (CEDO), in consultation
 with the City Attorney’s Office shall develop or update existing materials to create an
 easily understood document that outlines best practices for NPAs to achieve the goals,
 expectations, and legal requirements of the NPA’s described in this resolution and
 ●​ CEDO, in consultation with the city attorney’s office should review and update, as
 needed, the above mentioned materials on an annual basis and




 Page 9 of 12
 ●​ CEDO should work with NPAs to train and support residents on carrying out their NPA
 meetings consistent with the goals, expectations, and legal requirements as laid out in
 this resolution.
 ●​ CEDO should include a representative from All Wards-NPA to serve on hiring
 committees for staff roles predominantly focused on supporting the NPA’s and liaising
 with the NPA’s



Areas that still need discussion: ​

Big Question Left: How do we want this resolution to speak to what topics the city should make
a best effort at consulting with and taking input from NPA’s early and often on?
​
Where we left off from at our Dec. 18th meeting:
​
Therefore be it resolved: ​
The City shall consult with and take input from from the NPAs: ​
​
● On anything impacting the NPAs operations and processes (overarching rule suggested -
currently in draft resolved clauses)​

● On all development projects that require Major Impact Review (currently in place, but not
totally binding)
​
● on Major “Capital” projects

● on significant neighborhood-specific changes. ​
- An example of this might be if the city were to completely redesign Shamanska park, the Ward
1 NPA should be consulted very early on and their input ought to weigh heavily on what that
redesign looks like.
​
● on structural changes to city government, including city council ward/district line changes,
creation of new departments, elimination or consolidation of existing departments.

● In addition to the above topics, each NPA shall provide the City Council with a list of
their “top 3 annual priority topics” for issues/ topic areas that they would like the city to prioritize
information sharing and input gathering - such a priority list will be communicated at a city
council meeting, by the NPAs annually via a standardized document created by CEDO. CEDO
and existing NPA members work together to develop a shared understanding of best practices
to find consensus among members.




 Page 10 of 12
A Resolution Related to: Doubling Burlington’s Investment in
Affordable Housing

Whereas:
The vast majority of Burlingtonians cannot afford to buy a home and struggle to afford rent. The
median sale price of a home in Burlington is over half a million dollars. 31% of renters pay more
than half of their income on rent in Burlington. We are experiencing record levels of families and
individuals forced to sleep outdoors.

Whereas:
Healthcare costs are out of control and are eating up a large part of Burlingtonians’ household
incomes. UVM Health Network has a monopoly on healthcare in Vermont - controlling upwards
of 60% of the market (the highest of any hospital in the US). Vermonters pay the highest
average premiums in the US - more than $1,200.

Whereas:
Our municipal and state property tax systems are unfair and untenable. During the last
reassessment, when COVID hit, the burden of funding our city’s general fund shifted away from
commercial property owners, leaving residents with significantly higher tax bills. Statewide, the
highest-income Vermonters pay a smaller share of their income in taxes than many in the
middle.

Whereas:
The University of Vermont does not take enough responsibility for its effect on our local and
regional housing market. The Governor and State Legislature have not taken action to force a
change in UVM’s approach. Many colleges house students all four years, but not UVM. This is a
major driver of Burlington’s vacancy rate of 1%, leading to skyrocketing rents and poor housing
conditions.

Whereas:
An investigative report by the State Auditor’s office found that, “Compliance with previous
agreements between the City and UVM has been mixed. The available data suggests that their
combined effect on the Burlington housing market has not reduced off campus housing
pressures.” Later in the report it states,”Overall, there are two critical numbers that express the
pressure UVM off-campus students place on the Burlington housing market: total student
enrollment and total on-campus and UVM-affiliated housing. The data points to a growing
divergence between UVM’s increasing enrollment and their capacity to house those students.
The undergraduate housing gap has grown by 1,849 beds since 2000 (59%) and is now almost
5,000 beds.

Whereas:
The Burlington Housing Trust Fund has proven highly effective in funding the creation and
maintenance of permanently affordable housing




 Page 11 of 12
Whereas:
Burlington’s benefits from a cost efficient, effective, and dedicated web of nonprofit and public
affordable housing providers and developers including but not limited to the Champlain Housing
Trust, COTS, the Living Well Group, Homeshare Vermont, Cathedral Square, Spectrum, Dismas
House and many more;

Whereas:
Burlington Community Land Trust (BCLT) and Lake Champlain Housing Development
Corporation (LCHDC), which were later merged to create the Champlain Housing Trust, were
each founded in 1984 with the financial support of the City of Burlington in partnership with
neighboring communities and citizen groups;

Whereas:
The Champlain Housing Trust and other nonprofit housing organizations originating in
Burlington have served as models to communities globally, to build and maintain affordable
housing;

WHEREAS:
The Housing Trust Fund currently receives funding through a dedicated property tax, the short
term rental registration fee, inclusionary and replacement housing ordinances, and a fee on the
conversion of rental units to condominiums,

Therefore be it resolved:
The city’s Community & Economic Development Office (CEDO) in collaboration with the city’s
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), and other relevant city staff (as determined by CEDO, the
CAO, and Mayor’s office) will identify a variety of pathways the city could increase money
dedicated to the Housing Trust Fund by at least 1 million dollars annually;

Therefore be it resolved:
The pathways identified should include those that we could pursue with existing powers we hold
under charter, and others that would require a charter change with final approval from the
General Assembly and the Governor.

Therefore be it resolved:
The funding for these proposals will either …
1. Generate new revenue only through progressive-taxation, meaning those residents and
businesses with the highest incomes and largest amount of wealth pay more than Burlington’s
working and middle class. Revenue may also be generated from tourists visiting our city.
2. Be revenue neutral in relation to their impact on property taxpayers.

Therefore be it resolved:
A representative from CEDO and the CAO will present a report with their findings to the
Community Development and Neighborhood Revitalization (CDNR) committee of the City
Council by March 15, 2025




 Page 12 of 12

CITY OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT
 CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT &
 NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION COMMITTEE
 c/o Community & Economic Development Office
 City Hall, Room 32 • 149 Church Street • Burlington, VT 05401
 802-865-7144 VOX • 802-865-7024 FAX • www.burlingtonvt.gov/cedo




Councilor Carter Neubieser, Chair, Ward 1
Councilor Evan Litwin, Ward 7
Councilor Joe Kane, Ward 3

 CDNR Committee Meeting
 Wednesday January 15th, 2025
 6:30 – 8:30 PM
 Queen City Conference Room – City Hall

Committee members: Carter Neubieser (CN), Evan Litwin (EL), Joe Kane (JK)
City Staff: Marcella Gange, CEDO
Other Attendees: None


 Draft Minutes

Meeting Started at 6:32 PM

 1. Approve agenda
 MOTION by Councilor Kane, SECOND by Councilor Litwin, to approve the
agenda
VOTING: unanimous; motion carries.

  2. Approve minutes: 7/17/24
 MOTION by Councilor Kane, SECOND by Councilor Litwin, to approve the
minutes
VOTING: unanimous; motion carries.

 3. Public Forum
 • No member of public present


 The programs and services of the City of Burlington are accessible to people with disabilities.
 For accessibility information, call 865-7144. For questions about the meeting,
 contact Christine Curtis at ccurtis@burlingtonvt.gov
4. NPA resolution update
 • Chair Carter gave update – see PDF attachment and invited questions
 or comments.
 • Clr Kane – Notice periods are not adequate and should include more
 safeguards to prevent issues and undue influence from small groups
 of participants. Suggests implementing quora and limiting steering
 committee power.
 • Clr Litwin – questions how proposed measures would align with the
 NPAs' intended independence within city government and City
 Councilors should have guaranteed time slots, if there are
 expectations of interaction/reporting to NPAs. The districting of NPAs
 should be referenced.
 • The discussion highlighted the need to balance NPAs' autonomy with
 accountability measures.
 • Chair Carter - Clarified legal advice regarding the notice period and
 the city attorney's understanding of the NPA independence within
 city government and highlighted the need for a balance between city
 council authority and the NPA autonomy. Working group proposal is
 general and aspirational as to value and practice of NPAs
 • Clr Kane – Does the proposal guarantee NPAs anything more than
 current?
 • Chair Carter – The resolution doesn’t change current NPA activity.
 • Clr Kane – It is reasonable to require certain actions to ensure the
 NPAs are reasonable in behavior and activity – suggests adding these
 safeguards
 • Chair Carter – Each NPA has bylaws, determining these aspects of
 practice. Expressed concerns about the lack of genuine engagement
 and understanding between the city council and suggested that the
 city needs to be clear about its limitations and expectations,
 particularly regarding the provision of support for meetings.
 • Clr Kane commented on the example of the Ward 3 NPA.
 • Clr Litwin – suggested Clr Kane bring complaints to City Attorney.


5. Revised Resolution – Affordable Housing Trust Fund study (attached)
 • Chair Carter comments that there has been no additional feedback
 and proposes to send the matter to City Council and would like to
 move to vote.
 • Clr Litwin needs to take the resolution to the Democrat caucus.
 • Clr Kane suggests adding footnotes for statistics.
 • MOTION by Chair Carter, SECOND by Councilor Kane, to refer the
 Resolution to City Council and ask that it be taken up at the next City
 Council meeting.
 • VOTING: unanimous; motion carries.
 • Clr Litwin requested that the minutes reflect that he supports the
 referral to City Council but does not support endorsement of the
 resolution.



6. Other Committee Business/Updates
 • No other business


7. Adjournment
 • ADJOURN at 7.49 p.m. by Chair Neubieser with no objection