Ward 2 NPA — Burlington, VT
Date: 2025-03-13
Time: 18:30

Meeting Agenda
Ward 2 Neighborhood Planning Assembly (NPA)
March 13th, 2025 | 6:30-8:30pm | All are welcome

 Join in person: O.N.E. Community Dinner
 ONE Community Center, 20 Allen Street 5:30-6:30pm | Free | Donations welcome
 Menu: Veggie Shepherd’s Pie with Colcannon, ​
 Join remotely: Irish Soda Bread, Salad, Chocolate Stout Cake​
 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85860854764 Music: Ana Ruesink​
 Outreach Guests: Carshare Vermont & UVM Cancer Center




Facilitator: Lauren Ebersol​ Notetaker: Kason Hudman
 6:30 pm Introduction
 5 min Review and adopt/approve the agenda and previous minutes; introductions as time allows.

 6:35 pm Public Forum (2 minutes max per person)
 10 min Please state your full name, pronouns, street, and ward, and follow the NPA ground rules.

 6:45 pm Overview of Parallel Justice Program at CJC
 30 min Hannah Brislin - Victim Services Specialist, Burlington Community Justice Center (CJC)
 Learn about the Parallel Justice Program/Victim Services at CJC and CAIP (Crisis, Advocacy,
 Intervention Program) at Burlington Police Department

 7:15 pm Update from City Councilors
 30 min Gene Bergman (Ward 2) and Melo Grant (Central)

 7:45 pm Updates from State Legislators
 30 min We’re hoping to have our state legislators join us virtually to share updates from Crossover Week,
 but if the session goes long, we will adjourn early.

 8:15 pm Door prize drawing + Adjourn!
 5 min Our next meeting is Thursday, April 10th!



 Scan the QR code (or click here) to: Email us • Go to our website • Watch meeting
 recordings on CCTV's website • Connect with us on Facebook or Instagram • Request
 a time slot with CEDO’s request form • Get to all links related to this meeting




 ​ ​ Ward 2 NPA - February 13th, 2025 - Agenda - Page 1
Appendix to the Agenda
Ward 2 NPA Steering Committee
To contact the entire Ward 2 NPA Steering Committee, email ward2npa@googlegroups.com
Name Email Joined Term expiration

Lauren Ebersol lebersol27@gmail.com 2023 2027

Kason Hudson kasonhudman@gmail.com 2024 2028

Charlie Giannoni charliecpg@gmail.com 2024 2028

Marc Stannard Marc.Stannard@outlook.com 2024 2028

Vacancy

Vacancy

NPA Guiding Principles
 ●​ Operate through democratic principles and democratic procedures.
 ●​ Provide a safe and welcoming forum where residents can actively share their voices about issues that
 matter to them, and where they can learn from the voices of others.
 ●​ Cultivate involvement by a diverse spectrum of community members through active outreach and
 through eliminating barriers to participation.
 ●​ Operate in a manner that models respectful, inclusive, culturally, and economically aware practices.
 ●​ Be a fun, creative, and vital organization that provides value and benefit through the multitude of
 perspectives shared by those who participate.


Ward 2 NPA Ground Rules
 ●​ Meetings should have clearly defined agenda and roles.
 ●​ Honor time limits: A best effort must be made to start on time, follow the agenda, and finish on time.
 ●​ Listen to others: Make efforts to be an open-minded member of the group.
 ●​ Respect the agenda and the process: Try to remain focused on the issue at hand.
 ●​ Share your opinion respectfully: Speak out, but not over, others’ comments.
 ●​ Treat people how you would like to be treated: Be respectful of everyone, including guests.




 ​ ​ Ward 2 NPA - February 13th, 2025 - Agenda - Page 2
Elected officials representing Ward 2
Mayor
Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak Progressive mayor@BurlingtonVT.gov


City Councilors
Central District (Wards 2 & 3) Melo Grant Progressive megrant@burlingtonvt.gov 802-310-0962
Ward 2 Gene Bergman Progressive gbergman@burlingtonvt.gov 802-598-3602


School Board Members

Central District (Wards 2 & 3) Jean Waltz jwaltz@bsdvt.org 802-355-7856

Ward 2 Polly Vanderputten pvanderputten@bsdvt.org 802-578-8653


Vermont State House Representatives
Chittenden-15 Troy Headrick Progressive/Democrat theadrick@leg.state.vt.us (802) 828-2228

Chittenden-15 Brian Cina Progressive/Democrat bcina@leg.state.vt.us (802) 828-2228

Chittenden-16 Kate Logan Progressive/Democrat klogan@leg.state.vt.us (802) 828-2228

Chittenden-16 Jill Krowinski Democrat jkrowinski@leg.state.vt.us (802) 828-2228

Chittenden-17 Abigail Duke Democrat aduke@leg.state.vt.us (802) 828-2228


Vermont State Senators

Chittenden-Central Tanya Vyhovsky Progressive/Democrat tvyhovsky@leg.state.vt.us (802) 828-2228

Chittenden-Central Martine Gulick Democrat mgulick@leg.state.vt.us (802) 828-2228

Chittenden-Central Philip Baruth Democrat/Progressive pbaruth@leg.state.vt.us (802) 503-5266




 ​ ​ Ward 2 NPA - February 13th, 2025 - Agenda - Page 3

Meeting Agenda
Ward 2 Neighborhood Planning Assembly (NPA)
March 13th, 2025 | 6:30-8:30pm | All are welcome

 Join in person: O.N.E. Community Dinner
 ONE Community Center, 20 Allen Street 5:30-6:30pm | Free | Donations welcome
 Menu: Veggie Shepherd’s Pie with Colcannon, ​
 Join remotely: Irish Soda Bread, Salad, Chocolate Stout Cake​
 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85860854764 Music: Ana Ruesink​
 Outreach Guests: Carshare Vermont & UVM Cancer Center




Facilitator: Lauren Ebersol​ Notetaker: Kason Hudman
 6:30 pm Introduction
 -​ Lauren introduces the Ward 2 NPA

 6:35 pm Public Forum (2 minutes max per person)
 -​ Wendy Coe (She/Her), mentions a concert from Emma’s Revolution, they do radical folk
 music, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, etc. The tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door.
 -​ Trav Fryer, mentions that they are having a repair cafe at Laboratory B on Saturday,
 11am-3pm, and every third saturday of hte month
 -​ Sean with the Burlington Lead Program mentions that they have a program to take away
 the dangers of lead paint. Mentions that there are brochures by the front
 -​ Jacob mentions that there is a website called Local Minutes that lets you know about local
 meetings and their publicly available notes (like I’m taking now!)

 6:45 pm Overview of Parallel Justice Program at CJC
 30 min Hannah Brislin - Victim Services Specialist, Burlington Community Justice Center (CJC)
 Anna Wageling - Community Support Supervisor, CAIP, Burlington Police Department
 -​ Hannah is talking about the Parallel Justice Program. The first note is on language, saying
 that the words “victim” and “survivor” are loaded words, so they will often use the words
 “impacted party”. The Parallel Justice Program provides emotional support, validation,
 resources, referrals (therapists etc). They will also accompany people to court dates, etc.
 They will support people regardless of law enforcement responses and court proceedings.
 A restorative justice approach is used throughout the CJC, including in the Parallel Justice
 Program.
 -​ Parallel Justice Commission is a partnership of local and state leaders to share resources
 and advocate for folks
 -​ Parallel Justice 2024 Data: 2186 people were reached, 314 people were supported. Last
 year the Parallel Justice Program won the community engagement award, particularly for
 their work with the tenants of Decker Towers.


 ​ ​ Ward 2 NPA - March 13th, 2025 - Notes - Page 1
 -​ Anna with CAIP (Crisis Advocacy Intervention Programs) talks about CAIP, the goal is to
 provide a variety of services to folks who have been affected by crime (perpetrators,
 victims, etc). There is no paperwork or discharge, if you come for help, you will be
 provided help.
 -​ CAIP consists of an Assistant Director, a Domestic Violence Victim Advocate, a Domestic
 Violence Prevention Officer, a Community Support Liaison, and a CARES program
 -​ CARES Role: They will do outreach at community meetings, encampments, etc and provide
 service referrals to folks. They can respond to welfare checks instead of police officers,
 answer mental health calls, etc. They will also follow up after a police response to the
 impacted parties.
 -​ CAIP responded to 3,058 incidents last year. Anna shares CAIP’s contact information,
 including the CARES direct line and CJC Burlington.
 -​ Charlie from Ward 2, asks a question, asks the presenters to restate who they are. Hannah
 and Anne both answer and restate their roles.
 -​ Ward 2 resident thanks them for their work, and asks if there is anything the community
 can do to help. Hannah answers that there is power in community, and times are very
 difficult right now. It is important for us to show up for each other in community. Anne
 encourages folks to get educated about these programs, and refer others and let them
 know about them.
 -​ Ward 2 resident asks when the programs got started. Hannah answers that Parallel Justice
 started in 2003, became integrated into the BPD in 2006. Anne mentions that their
 program is much newer, CAIP started in October of 2021. Hannah mentions that their CJC
 position has been around since the beginning of the CJC. Hannah and Anne both mention
 that there is a database used by the entirety of Vermont, Valcour, that helps them connect
 with folks impacted by crime.
 -​ Ward 2 resident asks what folks who don’t trust the Burlington Police Department can do.
 Hannah answers that the CJC is under no obligation to share any information with police
 officers. Hannah mentions that if a point exists where an investigator needs to be involved,
 Hannah will advocate against uniformed officers or meeting in the police department
 -​ Ward 2 resident mentions that the CJC helped them in the past by protecting them from
 the police after they were arrested at a critical mass bike ride. This resident thanked
 Hannah. Hannah answered that the CJC has a few alternative/restorative programs that
 help folks who have been arrested.
 -​ Mara, Ward 2 resident, wanted to thank Anna for her work, she says that she has been
 pleasantly surprised by all the interactions with her and CAIP.
 -​ Melo Grant mentions that the program is quite special, and she wanted to thank Hannah
 and Anna for their work.

7:15 pm Update from City Councilors
30 min Gene Bergman (Ward 2) and Melo Grant (Central)
 -​ Melo Grant wants to talk about community safety issues. The next public safety meeting
 will be next Thursday. Melo also mentions that the Community Safety Forum was
 scheduled for tonight, and Melo encourages folks to watch it later, since it should be
 available online. Town Meeting TV should have all the Mayor’s appearances available.
 ​ ​ Ward 2 NPA - March 13th, 2025 - Notes - Page 2
 -​ Melo mentions that Chief Burke will take office as chief of police at the end of March, and
 she encourages folks to give him some grace as he takes office. She also encourages
 everybody to give to Mutual Aid organizations during this time. Melo also encourages
 everybody to support our Downtown businesses that have been impacted by the
 construction.
 -​ Question from Ward 2 resident, mentions that there are a lot of public safety concerns
 downtown and that is why people aren’t going downtown. Melo answers that she
 completely understands that, she hopes that Chief Burke will help turn things around,
 much of this needs to be fixed with increased staffing.
 -​ Gene Bergman thanks the voters for passing the bond votes. Gene says that the upcoming
 budget will be much easier to work with the bond money. Gene decries all the slash and
 burn policies happening on the federal level, and encourages folks to read the Burlington
 City annual budget to get a sense of the budgetary issues. Gene says that there really isn’t
 a lot of waste, fraud, or abuse in the budget, and cautions against believing those words
 when they are thrown around. Gene says that in the new Mayor’s budget, there might be
 some proposals to privatize things (like perhaps the recycling program), and Gene does not
 agree with that. Gene is totally committed to an affordable city for folks working with low
 and moderate incomes. Gene believes that people who are best able to pay taxes should
 pay more. Gene mentions that there will be an update on March 24th on a new public
 safety building. There will also be an update on transportation impact fees for new
 developments that the city council is looking out for. There will also be a new zoning
 ordinance to turn a portion of Pine Street into a potential concert venue, which Gene will
 ensure includes proposals for transportation
 -​ Question from Kason, Ward 2, wants to get some updates on the Housing Developments in
 the city. Melo answers that the old YMCA building has changed hands 3 times, the current
 owner wants to develop mixed-use housing. Gene adds that the city council passed a
 resolution that should double the city contribution to the Housing Trust Fund, the water
 bonds we passed should allow for more development in the South End, and the
 Neighborhood Code should also be helpful.
 -​ Question from Ward 2 resident, wants to know what we are doing to reign in abusive
 landlords. Gene answers, we just passed a recent charter change that should give more
 power to our local leaders to give tenants more agency regarding eviction notices. Gene
 also mentions that tenants and the city should be more involved in code enforcement,
 since the landlords are clearly not interested in upholding the code. Specifically, Tenants
 should document when codes are not being enforced and officially complain. Melo adds
 that many UVM students are upset about the condition of housing in Burlington, and there
 is a movement to encourage students to report bad conditions.

7:45 pm Updates from State Legislators
30 min -​ Speaker Jill Krowinski and Abbey Duke are here. Jill mentions the Budget Adjustment Act,
 with the anticipation that Governor Scott will veto it. The anticipated veto is due to
 opposition to emergency housing funds, which Jill knows is important to Burlington so has
 no intention of backing down. Jill mentions that the state legislators are monitoring what is
 happening in Washington D.C., mentions that the chaos is making it difficult to govern, and
 ​ ​ Ward 2 NPA - March 13th, 2025 - Notes - Page 3
 that 39% of the Vermont State budget comes from federal funding. Jill mentions that she
 will get a temperature check on our proposed charter changes to see what can pass the
 legislature. Jill has also started a podcast about the Vermont state house happenings.
 -​ Abbey Duke serves on the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development. Abbey
 mentions that there is a bill coming up with regards to housing, that should allow
 developers to use future tax revenue to finance housing infrastructure. Abbey mentions
 also that they are working on education workforce development.
 -​ Lauren, Ward 2 resident, has a question about the proposed education reforms. Jill
 mentions that the Governor’s plan as proposed will not actually cut taxes, and there is no
 magic policy that will cut taxes and improve quality. Jill is hopeful that there is a lot we can
 do with education reform, Abbey adds that right now there is a lot of opportunity, we can
 build a more efficient system that provides more equitable outcomes for our children.
 Abbey and Jill hope that they could have a framework, but both admit that this is a
 long-term process. Brian Cina, an additional state legislator, joined late but adds that the
 Healthcare Committee is currently looking at a way to cut healthcare costs, which are the
 primary driver of education costs.
 -​ Ward 2 resident, asks about the Emergency Housing proposal that the Governor is poised
 to veto. Jill answers that this is referring to the Emergency Housing system that has been in
 place since the Covid-19 lockdowns. Ward 2 resident adds that many of these hotels were
 trashed/turned into drug houses, and Jill answers that certainly the system should be
 modernized to result in more equitable outcomes. Brian Cina adds that hundreds of folks
 have been thrown out of Emergency Housing, and the Governor is currently looking to
 throw out many more. We will see this impact in Burlington, since that is where the folks
 will go to live: we have services in Burlington. Melo Grant emphasizes what Brian said.
 -​ Mae Stokes, Ward 2 resident, asks what constituents can do to pressure the Governor to
 pass the Budget Resolution. Jill mentions that you should call the Governor: 802-828-3333
 Shawny, Ward 2 Resident, mentions that you can message the Governor using the ACLU VT
 link: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/vt-h141

8:15 pm Door prize drawing + Adjourn!
5 min Our next meeting is Thursday, April 10th!



Scan the QR code (or click here) to: Email us • Go to our website • Watch meeting
recordings on CCTV's website • Connect with us on Facebook or Instagram • Request
a time slot with CEDO’s request form • Get to all links related to this meeting




Appendix to the Agenda
Ward 2 NPA Steering Committee
To contact the entire Ward 2 NPA Steering Committee, email ward2npa@googlegroups.com
 ​ ​ Ward 2 NPA - March 13th, 2025 - Notes - Page 4
Name Email Joined Term expiration

Lauren Ebersol lebersol27@gmail.com 2023 2027

Kason Hudson kasonhudman@gmail.com 2024 2028

Charlie Giannoni charliecpg@gmail.com 2024 2028

Marc Stannard Marc.Stannard@outlook.com 2024 2028

Vacancy

Vacancy

NPA Guiding Principles
  ●​ Operate through democratic principles and democratic procedures.
  ●​ Provide a safe and welcoming forum where residents can actively share their voices about issues that
 matter to them, and where they can learn from the voices of others.
  ●​ Cultivate involvement by a diverse spectrum of community members through active outreach and
 through eliminating barriers to participation.
  ●​ Operate in a manner that models respectful, inclusive, culturally, and economically aware practices.
  ●​ Be a fun, creative, and vital organization that provides value and benefit through the multitude of
 perspectives shared by those who participate.


Ward 2 NPA Ground Rules
  ●​ Meetings should have clearly defined agenda and roles.
  ●​ Honor time limits: A best effort must be made to start on time, follow the agenda, and finish on time.
  ●​ Listen to others: Make efforts to be an open-minded member of the group.
  ●​ Respect the agenda and the process: Try to remain focused on the issue at hand.
  ●​ Share your opinion respectfully: Speak out, but not over, others’ comments.
  ●​ Treat people how you would like to be treated: Be respectful of everyone, including guests.




 ​ ​ Ward 2 NPA - March 13th, 2025 - Notes - Page 5
Elected officials representing Ward 2
Mayor
Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak Progressive mayor@BurlingtonVT.gov


City Councilors
Central District (Wards 2 & 3) Melo Grant Progressive megrant@burlingtonvt.gov 802-310-0962
Ward 2 Gene Bergman Progressive gbergman@burlingtonvt.gov 802-598-3602


School Board Members

Central District (Wards 2 & 3) Jean Waltz jwaltz@bsdvt.org 802-355-7856

Ward 2 Polly Vanderputten pvanderputten@bsdvt.org 802-578-8653


Vermont State House Representatives
Chittenden-15 Troy Headrick Progressive/Democrat theadrick@leg.state.vt.us (802) 828-2228

Chittenden-15 Brian Cina Progressive/Democrat bcina@leg.state.vt.us (802) 828-2228

Chittenden-16 Kate Logan Progressive/Democrat klogan@leg.state.vt.us (802) 828-2228

Chittenden-16 Jill Krowinski Democrat jkrowinski@leg.state.vt.us (802) 828-2228

Chittenden-17 Abigail Duke Democrat aduke@leg.state.vt.us (802) 828-2228


Vermont State Senators

Chittenden-Central Tanya Vyhovsky Progressive/Democrat tvyhovsky@leg.state.vt.us (802) 828-2228

Chittenden-Central Martine Gulick Democrat mgulick@leg.state.vt.us (802) 828-2228

Chittenden-Central Philip Baruth Democrat/Progressive pbaruth@leg.state.vt.us (802) 503-5266




 ​ ​ Ward 2 NPA - March 13th, 2025 - Notes - Page 6
​ ​ Ward 2 NPA - March 13th, 2025 - Notes - Page 7
​ ​ Ward 2 NPA - March 13th, 2025 - Notes - Page 8