The Burlington, Vermont City Council considered a controversial agreement between the city and the region’s largest hospital during its latest meeting this week.
The Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Vermont Medical Center and the city agrees that the city will consider amending its Comprehensive Development Ordinance to allow a higher height for buildings proposed to be built by the medical center.
Ward 1 resident Cindy Cook was among the residents encouraging councilors to reject the agreement.
“The MOU is one sided with significant benefits to the medical center and none to the city,” Cook said. ”I urge the city to scrap this draft.”
During debate, Ward 1 Progressive Carter Neubieser noted that the MOU is not legally binding on the city.
“This is an MOU and as such is a voluntary agreement that is nonbinding. I also think it’s important to note that any new development must go through the regular process which any development would be subject to and that allows neighbors and our neighborhood an opportunity to oppose unreasonable or inappropriate development,” Neubieser noted.
The council authorized the mayor to sign the Memorandum of Understanding on a vote of 9 to 1 with one recusal.
Progressive Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak also provided an update on the search for a new police chief.
“We have now an interim chief of police. The current chief of police for South Burlington Shawn Burke has agreed to come back to the Queen City after working here for 21 years. It’s an ideal situation and Chief Burke is really uniquely qualified to come back to the BPD,” Mulvaney-Stanak reported. “To the chief of police hiring process, we have selected the firm IACP that does a number of executive searches for police departments and municipalities across the country. This timeline that they’ve presented was a fast one. We’ll adjust it slightly now that we have Chief Burke coming to us. I will look to hire a permanent chief by the end of 2025.”
The interim chief is set to begin March 24th.
Councilors also debated a resolution authorizing Burlington’s Chief Administrative Officer to execute a $80,000 grant agreement to build a fence around the city’s Police Department parking lot. Capital Program Director Ashley Parker told councilors the project is intended to enhance staff safety.
“This project is really a response to some serious safety concerns that have occurred especially in that parking lot, Uniformed Services Bureau entrance, with folks having been attacked,” Parker said. “The goal of this project is to really provide them with some safety and security as they come and go to work every day.”
Ward 7 Democrat Evan Litwin was disappointed that the fencing is necessary.
“I’m sorry that we have to do this work that came from a firebombing of the lobby of our police station and then followed by a frightening cleaver attack on a police officer unarmed coming into work early in the morning,” Litwin said.
Councilors unanimously approved the measure.
Action on a resolution to establish a blue-ribbon commission to address drug-related criminal behavior was postponed so that the incoming interim police chief can assess the proposal.
Councilors also appointed two Fence Viewers to a three-member board that helps resolve disputes over fence lines and property boundaries.
