The Burlington Housing Authority director has been placed on paid leave six months after he started.

Craig Zumbrun has been off the job since sometime in October. He moved to Vermont from Pennsylvania to run the public housing agency beginning in April.

BHA board chair Mike Knauer told Seven Days that the board and Zumbrun “are working on a mutually agreeable separation agreement.” Knauer would not explain why Zumbrun is on leave.

Zumbrun did not immediately respond Tuesday to a message seeking comment.

This post was updated at 3:15 p.m.

Governor-elect Phil Scott announced Tuesday that he has chosen a former Douglas administration employee to run the Agency of Natural Resources and a former federal prosecutor who served under Republican president George W. Bush to lead his Public Safety Department.

Julie Moore, who worked six years on Lake Champlain cleanup efforts under former Republican governor Jim Douglas, will serve as Scott’s ANR secretary at a time when the lake is very much at the top of the agency’s agenda.

When Scott takes office in January, the Republican governor is expected to wrangle with the Democratic-controlled legislature over how to pay for phosphorous reduction efforts in the lake. The state and federal governments this year finalized an agreement on goals the state must meet to reduce phosphorous during the next 20 years. Scott has said he will not support raising new revenues to meet the goals, but lawmakers are expected to push him on the issue.

The Associated Press’ dwindling Montpelier bureau is set to lose one of its three remaining reporters, according to a spokeswoman for the news cooperative.

The AP announced Friday that it was cutting 25 positions throughout its worldwide news division, but it did not immediately disclose which offices would suffer layoffs. CNN’s Brian Stelter first reported Friday in his “Reliable Sources” newsletter that Montpelier would join New Orleans, Albany, N.Y., and Charleston, S.C., on the list.

Lauren Easton, the AP’s media relations manager, told Seven Days Monday that in Montpelier, “One position is affected.” She declined to elaborate.

A decade ago, the AP’s Vermont staff included at least five reporters and a photographer. As of last week, only three employees remained: bureau chief Wilson Ring and veteran reporters Dave Gram and Lisa Rathke.

Reached Monday, Ring and Gram declined to comment, referring inquiries to New England editor Bill Kole, who also declined to speak. Rathke could not be reached for comment.

Governor-elect Phil Scott didn’t support — and has said he didn’t vote for — Donald Trump for president. But now that the two Republicans are about to take office, what kind of relationship will Vermont’s next governor have with the next president?

Scott offered some hints at a press conference Monday at his Montpelier transition office. He seemed loath to tick off the top dog, yet promised to be an “independent voice.”

Vermonters should not expect to hear Scott to raise that independent voice either for or against Trump’s staffing picks. Scott declined to characterize any of Trump’s choices so far as good or bad.

“Most of the people he’s appointed I’ve never heard of,” Scott said. “There’s not anyone in particular that I’ve thought anything about.”

Scott said he’s been focused largely on his own administration’s hiring blitz and writing a state budget that’s due two weeks after he takes office. He’s announced just two cabinet members so far and said he expects to name more on Tuesday.

Scott made several statements that indicated he’s not inclined to speak out against Trump in these early transition days. “I’m not looking to poke my finger in the eye of the president-elect,” he said, commenting that he’s “over” being distressed about Trump’s actions.

But Scott indicated he will stand up to Trump “when it’s appropriate.” That time, he said, is “when Vermont is vulnerable.”

Scott, who takes office January 5, could find Vermont in conflict with the Trump administration on any number of issues — including immigration.

The president-elect has pledged to cut federal funding to localities that become “sanctuary” cities for undocumented immigrants.

Several Vermont cities, including Burlington and Winooski, are considering establishing themselves as sanctuary cities that would not help federal authorities pursue undocumented immigrants. Scott said he supports their right to do that.

Scott said he doesn’t have plans to make significant changes in state policy on the issue. Under departing Gov. Peter Shumlin, Vermont enacted a policy directing state police not to report undocumented immigrants with whom they come into contact to federal officials.

Scott said Monday that he and his staff have not discussed that policy, even as he prepared to appoint a public safety commissioner. But he said, “I don’t expect to do anything dramatic.” He added that revoking Shumlin’s policy would qualify as dramatic.

When it comes to Trump’s threat to withhold federal funds, Scott seemed less firm. “I think we have to make sure we’re keeping that in mind,” he said. “We rely heavily on federal funding.”

Scott also said he also supports the concept behind Shumlin’s decision last week to pardon those convicted of possession of up to one ounce of marijuana before that offense was decriminalized in 2013. But the new gov is worried that the old one will stick him with the work.

Shumlin announced Thursday that he was offering pardons to as many as 17,000 Vermonters. He gave them a Christmas Day deadline to apply — just 12 days before Shumlin leaves office.

Scott said his staff reached out to Shumlin’s to emphasize he hopes the pardoning will be done before Shumlin leaves.

“It’s not an easy process,” Scott said. “My hope is he will be able to fill his responsibility.”

Shumlin spokesman Scott Coriell said that’s the plan. “It’s a priority of ours,” he said. As of Monday morning, 250 people had applied for pardons.

Support for the Burlington Town Center redevelopment earned City Council President Jane Knodell a challenge from a member of her own party at a Progressive caucus Sunday night.

The Central District councilor easily defeated Tony Redington by a 21-6 tally to win the Prog endorsement for the March election. But the opposition served as a not-so-subtle reminder that members of the party are divided on some major issues.

“I decided to basically stand up to let her know that we’re very disappointed in her positions [supporting] the F-35s ... and the leadership position she’s taken [in favor of] the Sinex mall,” Redington said.

Redington is a member of the Coalition for a Livable City, a group opposed to developer Don Sinex’s towering $250 million mall makeover proposal. The group unsuccessfully lobbied against a zoning change on the November 8 ballot that will allow for buildings up to 14 stories in a sliver of downtown.

In less than a month, Sen. David Zuckerman (P/D-Chittenden) will become the highest-ranking state official from both the Progressive and Democratic parties. That’s when the outgoing Chittenden County state senator and Hinesburg organic farmer takes office as lieutenant governor, succeeding Republican governor-elect Phil Scott.

It’s an ideal bully pulpit for the 45-year-old pol — offering high visibility and little responsibility. During his six-year tenure, Scott used it to great advantage, building his reputation while avoiding controversy. How will the new guy handle the job?

The University of Vermont Medical Center is investing in a cure for an all-too common patient problem: a lack of housing.

The hospital partnered with Champlain Housing Trust to purchase a Burlington motel that will lodge patients who are homeless or need temporary housing. On Friday, CHT announced its agreement to use donated UVMMC dollars to buy the Bel-Aire Motel on Shelburne Street in Burlington’s South End. The purchase is expected to be finalized this month.

CHT plans to refurbish the motel to create eight apartments that can house 12 people. Permitting and renovations on the property will begin this winter, and the space could ready for tenants by April, CHT officials said.

A new proposed design for Burlington’s City Hall Park is making the rounds of committee and board meetings. City officials want input for upcoming renovations.

A citizens’ group is meanwhile promoting a competing vision for the downtown green space.

City officials say a full renovation is needed. The central fountain is choked with leaves, grass has thinned and walkways have deteriorated. “Grass seed isn’t the solution. Because we’ve tried that over the years ,” said Jesse Bridges, Burlington’s director of Parks, Recreation and Waterfront. “It needs a reboot.”

The city’s conceptual plan, designed by the Burlington-based Wagner Hodgson Landscape Architecture, has been five years in the making. The design includes an informal performance area and an interactive fountain for children to play in. The plan includes widened pathways and open green space.

The central fountain would be removed and additional trees would be planted. The city is scheduled to break ground in 2018.

Updated December 9, 2016, at 9:22 a.m.

Sen. Tim Ashe (D/P-Chittenden) hasn't formally been elected president pro tempore of the Vermont Senate, but he's already named a future chief of staff.

The role will go to Peter Sterling, a liberal activist who ran a labor-backed super PAC and lobbied in the Statehouse for single-payer health care reform.

"Peter's skill set is very well-rounded for the job," Ashe said, highlighting what he called a "comfort level with policymaking" and an ability to "draw a connection" between lawmakers and constituents. "I know he's an extremely high-energy person, very resilient."

Like Ashe, Sterling previously worked for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), managing his 2002 congressional campaign. Sterling got his start as an environmental advocate in New York, but he is best known in Vermont for his work fighting for health care reform. As director of the Vermont Campaign for Health Care Security, Sterling lobbied for single-payer — and he later served as a paid Statehouse advocate for a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. Last legislative session, he worked to expand the state's Dr. Dynasaur health insurance subsidies to young adults.

Updated at 4:20 p.m.

Puff, puff — poof.

Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin wants to make your pot conviction go up in smoke.
The outgoing Democrat will consider pardoning people convicted of possessing up to one ounce of marijuana, given applicants don’t have violent convictions in Vermont or a felony record.

Applications can be submitted online beginning Thursday and will be accepted through December 25 — Christmas. Shumlin leaves office shortly after that; Republican Phil Scott will succeed him.

There’s no guarantee of a pardon, the governor’s office said in a statement announcing the policy.