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Burlington Forward Initiative

At a glance

  • What: The Burlington Forward resolution, "A Comprehensive Framework for Safe Public Spaces and a Stronger Community," sponsored by Councilors Traverse, Barlow, Carpenter, Litwin, McKnight, Schachter and Singh, and the committee work that followed. It drew the most public comment at the August 3 meeting (about 100 speakers) and again at later meetings.
  • Status: On August 3, 2026 Council referred the resolution 7-5 to the Public Safety, REIB, CDNR and PAC committees, with reports back due September 14, 2026. Committee updates were received September 14 (30 minutes, discussion); no later motion is recorded.
  • Next: Further committee updates; the minutes do not set a date.

August 3, 2026 decision

Item 6.5 (60 minutes allotted) came at the end of a very long evening: the public forum ran from 6:30 pm to 10:16 pm and the meeting adjourned at 12:08 am.

  • Motion to table (Bergman, seconded by Broderick) failed 5:7. Ayes: Bergman, Broderick, Grant, Neubieser, Sanchez-Parkinson. Nays: Acting President Barlow, Carpenter, Litwin, McKnight, Schachter, Singh, Traverse.
  • Updated motion (Traverse, seconded by Litwin): refer the resolution to the Committees on Public Safety, REIB, CDNR and PAC, request a report back to the full Council on recommended amendments within each committee's jurisdiction by September 14, 2026, and specifically request that the Mayor's Office collaborate with Council leadership on any proposed amendments to the State Partnership provisions in Article V, with revisions also presented on or by September 14. The original motion lacked the Article V sentence.
  • Motion to divide the question and separate Article V (Implementation, Accountability, State Partnership and Continuing Oversight) for its own discussion and vote (Grant, seconded by Bergman) failed 4:8. Ayes: Bergman, Grant, Neubieser, Sanchez-Parkinson. The nays list in the minutes also names Neubieser, who appears under both; the 4:8 tally fits Neubieser as an aye.
  • Roll call on the updated referral motion passed 7:5. Ayes: Acting President Barlow, Carpenter, Litwin, McKnight, Schachter, Singh, Traverse. Nays: Bergman, Broderick, Grant, Neubieser, Sanchez-Parkinson.

A motion by Broderick (seconded by Bergman) to extend the public forum so ALL signed-up speakers could comment failed 6:6 (ayes Bergman, Broderick, Grant, Neubieser, Sanchez-Parkinson, Schachter; nays Barlow, Carpenter, Litwin, McKnight, Singh, Traverse). Later, at 10:36 pm, a motion by Litwin (seconded by Schachter) to suspend the rules and complete the consent and deliberative agendas passed 11:1, with Neubieser opposed.

Public comment

August 3, 2026: about 100 people were listed (roughly 90 in person, six online and one property owner), most naming Burlington Forward or the resolution as their topic. Several named item 6.5 (the resolution) or its subject matter: criminalization of homelessness, free food distribution and mutual aid, public safety, and trees. One online speaker, Rose Hawkins, stated opposition to the resolution; the minutes list topics only for the others, not positions. Named speakers on the topic include Chris McGrath, Charlie Messing ("Burl Forward and trees"), Bella Fearn (item 6.5) and Bruce Wilson ("food not cops/city youth board"). A written response from the Chittenden County community action agency CVOEO to the proposed resolution was placed on file on the consent agenda (item 5.15).

August 24, 2026: Chris McGrath (Burlington Forward resolution), Charlie Messing (Burlington Forward and issues) and Lisa Denatale (general statement) spoke; written comments from Elise Pecor and Dylan Shelby were placed on file.

September 14, 2026: seven forum speakers named Burlington Forward: Chris McGrath, Dave Maher, Vivian Bose-Pyne, Andre Clark, Reverend Mark Hughes, June Goodband and Brian Clifford (online). The minutes list topics only, not positions.

Sources

Log

2026-09-14 - City Council

Item 7.10, Burlington Forward Committee Updates (30 minutes). No motion or vote recorded. Heavy public forum comment (see above).

2026-08-24 - City Council

Public forum comment and two written communications on the Burlington Forward resolution.

2026-08-03 - City Council

Item 6.5. Table motion failed 5:7; motion to divide Article V failed 4:8; referral to four committees with a September 14 report-back passed 7:5. About 100 public speakers.

2026-10-26 - City Council

Item 6.8. Postponement of a revised version passed 10:2; a further motion (text truncated in the source) passed 9:3. Public Forum ran 6:32 to 8:18 PM with many speakers touching on Burlington Forward.

2026-10-26 - City Council

Council voted 10-2 to substitute the revised draft for the original August resolution, then 9-3 to postpone to Dec. 7 with an ad hoc committee (mayor, council president, two caucus chairs) to report back. The mayor opposed the draft over overdose prevention center siting, response teams, sanctioned camping, a diversion center and data privacy.

2026-11-09 - City Council

Communication on the consent agenda; the resolution is postponed to December 7.