Thursday, February 25, 2016
Road projects don’t typically become partisan affairs, but the debate over Burlington's North Avenue pilot project is anything but ordinary.
For months, residents have been arguing about whether the city should experiment with a new lane configuration on a busy section of the main thoroughfare that links the New North End to the rest of Burlington.
The city council unanimously approved the plan to turn a four-lane section into three lanes with two bike lanes. But in response to a petition signed by more than 1,500 residents, it also agreed to put a question on the Town Meeting ballot, asking residents whether the road should remain four lanes. A "no" vote will be interpreted as supportive of the pilot project.
Tags: Burlington city council , North Avenue , Town Meeting Day , New North End , Town Meeting Day 2016 , Image , Web Only
Friday, January 22, 2016
Karen Rowell successfully collected the necessary signatures to put the following question on Burlington's Town Meeting Day ballot: "Shall the city of Burlington keep four vehicular lanes on North Ave.?" The goal: Prove to public officials that the majority of New North End residents oppose a pilot project, scheduled for this Spring, that would temporarily reduce a four-lane stretch of road to three lanes, plus two bike lanes.
But the city attorney ruled that the question was too vague. Since it's too late for Rowell to circulate another petition, the city council will need to decide whether to put forward a rephrased version of the same question, in deference to the people who signed the original one.
Kurt Wright, a Republican who represents the New North End, plans to put forward a resolution that would do just that at next Monday's council meeting. The question would be advisory, not binding.
But here's the quandary: If the council votes to put Wright's question on the ballot — and if a majority of residents in the most-affected neighborhood strongly oppose the pilot project — the council and the administration will be under significant pressure to scrap a project they've already approved, unanimously.
Tags: Burlington , Miro Weinberger , New North End , North Avenue , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Candidates and parties submitted their campaign finance disclosure reports with the Vermont Secretary of State Tuesday.
The highest roller — incumbent Democrat Weinberger — brought in $109,172 and handily won the mayor's race with nearly 70 percent of the vote.
Despite being in a less-competitive race, the mayor matched the fundraising prowess he exhibited during his first campaign in 2012. Recent contributors include restaurateur and Green Mountain Care Board chair Al Gobeille ($500) and his wife, Kim Gobeille ($500); Paul Lekstutis, a consultant in renewable energy ($1,000); and Charlotte Ancel, general counsel for Green Mountain Power ($500). The mayor has spent $95,484.
Weinberger's challengers trailed him on fundraising from start to finish. Progressive Steve Goodkind, who got 22 percent of the vote, took in $10,870 and spent $11,120. Independent Greg Guma (6.6 percent of the vote) collected $14,540 and Libertarian Loyal Ploof (2 percent) raised $530, $500 of which came from the Vermont Libertarian Party.
In the Ward 3 city council race, Democrat Sarah McCall drew $8,756 in an unsuccessful race against Progressive Sara Giannoni, who raised only $3,063. Both were first-time candidates.
Tags: Burlington , Miro Weinberger , fundraising , Image , Web Only
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Councilor Joan Shannon, a Democrat, has played that role since 2012. But her party lost council seats on Town Meeting Day. On the new council, Democrats will occupy five of 12 seats.
Councilors on the other side of the aisle are angling to replace her. Four Progressives and two Progressive-affiliated councilors won seats last Tuesday. Republican Councilor Kurt Wright plans to side with the non-Ds on this vote.
The most likely pick: Progressive Councilor Jane Knodell, who's served as council president in the past.
"I am considering it," Knodell said in an interview Wednesday. Knodell, an economics professor at the University of Vermont, said she's assessing whether she has enough time to take on the role, and is having conversations with her fellow non-Democrats. She also noted, "I'm not the only person considering it among the non-D side of the table."
Tags: Burlington city council , Progressive , Democrat , Jane Knodell , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Burlington's rating began to slip in July 2010, and this marks the first time it's been upgraded since. It's also the first time in 10 years that the city has been given a positive rating outlook.
The upgrade, which allows the city to borrow at lower interest rates, is a crowning achievement for the mayor. He made financial cleanup the cornerstone of his first term and touted his accomplishment throughout the campaign. In a statement, Weinberger said, "While we still have a lot of hard work left to fully restore the city’s financial standing, today’s upgrade represents meaningful progress. I can’t think of a better way to start the next three years.”
Among the positive developments that Moody's cited when explaining its decision: the resolution of the Burlington Telecom lawsuit brought by Citibank; the $9 million fiscal stability bond that voters approved in March 2013 to refinance the city's debt; and the clean 2014 audit.
Tags: Mayor Miro Weinberger , Burlington Telecom , credit rating , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
The Democrat defeated three opponents. Progressive Steve Goodkind got 22 percent of the vote, independent Greg Guma had 6.6 percent and Libertarian Loyal Ploof trailed with 2 percent, according to unofficial results.
Weinberger strode onto the stage at Nectar’s and delivered an exuberant victory speech under the green and red glow of spotlights. Practically yelling into the microphone, he began, “Today the engaged people of Burlington have sent a strong message that we are on the right path.”
The mayor, who ran on the campaign slogan “Moving Forward,” pledged to make Burlington more affordable, walkable, "bikeable" and livable.
Afterwards, during an interview with reporters, Weinberger said, “What I commit to people is we’ll bring the same thoughtful, careful, deliberate, focused approach to these challenges as we brought to the challenges of last three years.”
Tags: Miro Weinberger , Burlington , Steve Goodkind , Image , Web Only
The budget, which passed 4,774-2,459, represents a 1.75 percent increase in spending over last year — a much more modest uptick than voters have seen in recent years.
That will equate to an estimated 2.35 percent tax increase for Burlington residents.
The smooth outcome this year stands in stark contrast to Town Meeting Day 2014, when voters soundly rejected the school budget. (They later ended up approving a higher budget after the school board discovered a deficit that needed to be remedied.)
The board is concluding a rocky year in which it wrestled with multiple fiscal challenges and turnover in the district’s leadership. Tuesday’s vote could be considered a vote of confidence in its members, who have repeatedly pledged to rein in spending and improve their stewardship of the budget.
Two school board incumbents lost their seats.
Scott Shumski was tossed off the board, losing to Mark Barlow, 1,355-1,566.
Incumbent Brian Cina retained his seat, besting fellow incumbent Charlie Giannoni 613-530, and incumbent David Kirk narrowly held onto his seat, beating Helen Hossley 675-626.
In Ward 4, Anne Judson bested Arthur Vento 966-426 to claim an open seat on the board.
Correction 3/5/2015: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the number of incumbent school board members who lost their seats.
Tags: Burlington , school budget , Image , Web Only
Pushed by several Progressive city councilors, the idea slowly gained steam last year in city hall. The mayor and most other city councilors gradually went from skeptical to supportive.
But they failed to win over Burlington voters: The measure failed 58 percent to 42 percent.
Burlington voters also rejected by a margin of 55 percent to 45 percent a change that would have allowed non-citizens to serve as department heads and on city boards.
Leading up to Town Meeting Day, outspoken critics made their opposition known during spirited Front Porch Forum debates and at neighborhood planning assembly meetings. Some worried that the measure would dilute the value of citizenship.
Even if the voting initiative had passed, it was unlikely non-citizens would have made it to the polls anytime soon. The Vermont legislature would have needed to sign off on the proposal, and supporters acknowledged that it could have been a tough sell in the state capitol.
The initiative that would have allowed non-citizens to serve as department heads or city officials would not have required legislative approval.
Tags: Burlington , noncitizen voting , vermont legislature , Image , Web Only
By a 572-475 vote, residents backed the non-binding referendum, which asked whether the city should join a lawsuit in which anti-F-35 activists are seeking to prevent the planes from coming to Vermont.
The plaintiffs, who include four Winooski residents, claim the military failed to perform required environmental reviews before deciding to place the jets in Burlington. Activists had fought for years to block the planes, citing the noise levels caused by their takeoffs and landings. The F-35 noise zone will affect 6,600 local residents, including many in the Onion City.
The article was strictly advisory. The city council has the authority to compel the city to join the ongoing litigation, which is being heard in U.S. District Court in Burlington.
No other communities are parties in the lawsuit, which is still in its early stages and could take years to resolve. James Dumont, the attorney representing the plaintiffs, told Seven Days last month that he hoped Winooski would sign up. Dumont said he would not necessarily seek to have the city make a financial contribution to the case.
Seth Leonard, who won the mayor's race, said of the referendum, "Now, we go back and do our legal homework."
Tags: Winooski , F-35 , U.S. District Court , Image , Web Only
Leonard, 32, campaigned as a uniter who could bring together Winooski's diverse groups — young professionals, refugees and families who have called the Onion City home for generations. An Indiana native, Leonard moved to Winooski in 2011. He served on the city council for the past two years, and said he helped to stabilize the city's finances while in office.
Leonard said he had spent more than 12 hours outside today at the polls today greeting voters.
“I think people want to look toward the future in Winooski,” Leonard said in an interview. “People are excited about engaging in a planning process.”
His first goal, Leonard said, will be getting two new city councilors — Robert Millar and Nicole Mace — up to speed, and “addressing financial pressures.”
“I’m disappointed, but either one of us would be a great mayor for Winooski,” Norful, 61, said in an interview. “There was a lot of intelligent discussion and debate. We had two good choices. [Seth] is a very good person.”
During his campaign, Norful said he would prioritize revamping the park in the city's downtown traffic circle and would find ways to increase home ownership in the rental-dominated city. A Winooski native, Norful served as mayor from 1991 to 1999.
Norful said turnout today was lower than he expected: He had assumed around 1,300 voters would show up.
It was the seventh time Norful has stood for election. He has won four times, and lost three times.
“You never know with elections,” Norful said. “I’ve won some I thought I would lose, and lost some I thought I would win.”
The mayor is the city's de facto spokesperson and head of the five-member Winooski City Council, empowered to set the agenda for council meetings and to serve as the council's liaison to the city manager. The position pays $1,700 annually.
Tags: Winooski , Seth Leonard , Bill Norful , Image , Web Only