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2026-07-13 - City Council

Summary

Built from the official City Council minutes of July 13, 2026 (approved on the August 3 consent agenda, item 5.5). Convened 6:06 pm, adjourned 9:44 pm. Present in person: President Traverse, Barlow, Bergman, McKnight, Sanchez-Parkinson, Schachter and Singh; online: Broderick, Carpenter, Grant and Neubieser. Absent: Litwin. Also present: City Attorney Brown (online), Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak, COS Gerlach, Deputy COS Zakaras and Lori Olberg.

  • Agenda adopted as amended, unanimously (Singh/Schachter): item 7.6 (police grant) was added.
  • Executive session on a City Attorney litigation update, 6:09 to 6:30 pm, under 1 VSA 313(a)(1)(E) and (F); both motions (Singh with Barlow and Schachter) passed unanimously. No action recorded.
  • Public Forum 6:32 to 6:44 pm with four speakers.
  • Consent agenda adopted unanimously (Schachter/Barlow), including an airport snow removal building construction and lease package of about $26.5 million, a $1,790,700 stormwater loan, a $1,100,000 flow monitoring contract and the Council meeting schedule through February 8, 2027.
  • Battery storage agreement with Kearsarge Energy at McNeil Station approved unanimously.
  • AFSCME collective bargaining agreement for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028 ratified unanimously.
  • $193,053 state grant for Emergency Response Unit tactical supplies approved 7:2:3.
  • Police chief hiring process update received (no vote).

Public Forum

Jonathan Fabian (police), Charlie Messing (motorcycles, trees, Tilly Drive SSTA), Jeff Nick (downtown concerns, property owner) and Timothy Michell (non-Burlington resident, First Amendment). The minutes list topics only.

  • Accountability List and June 29, 2026 Council, Council With Mayor Presiding and Local Control Commission minutes approved.
  • Special event outdoor entertainment permits: The Ramble, July 25, 2026 (20 Allen Street) and Festival of Fools, July 31 and August 1, 2026 (all four blocks of Church Street Marketplace).
  • Cara Simoneau Deputy Health Officer appointment placed on file. Resignation of Chase Taylor, Development Review Board alternate, accepted; vacancy to be advertised in Seven Days. Unlicensed dogs and wolf-hybrids communication placed on file.
  • Contract with ADS Environmental Services for flow monitoring and data hosting: five years, not to exceed $1,100,000 cumulative.
  • Sponsorship grant of $7,200 to Vermont Psychological Services for psychological asylum evaluations (Racial Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Office).
  • Fire Department $25 administrative fee for background checks of ride-along participants; Fire Administrative and Accounting Assistant reclassified from AFSCME Grade 14 to Grade 16.
  • Lease of 99 Intervale Road to The Intervale Center and Gardens Alive (subject to Board of Finance and City Attorney review).
  • Regular Council meeting schedule from September 14, 2026 to February 8, 2027.
  • Airport Snow Removal Building Financing: Engelberth Construction (up to $24,284,655.63, or $25,087,498 with contingency), Passero Associates oversight (up to $1,367,300, or $1,412,502 with contingency) and an M&T Bank lease/finance agreement ($25,651,955.63, up to $26,500,000 with contingency).
  • Manhattan Stormwater Outfalls Rehabilitation: Step III loan of $1,790,700 from the Vermont Clean Water State Revolving Fund and a $103,400 amended VHB engineering contract.

Deliberative agenda

  • Item 7.1, Community and Housing Infrastructure Program (CHIP) work session (30 minutes): Gummi Jonsson and Samantha Dunn presented. No motion.
  • Item 7.2, 2026 Vermont Legislative Session Summary (20 minutes): David Mickenberg and Virginia Renfrew presented; report to be accepted and placed on file.
  • Item 7.3, McNeil Station Battery Storage Agreement: Darren Springer and Emily Stebbins-Wheelock present. Barlow/McKnight; unanimous. Twenty-year power purchase agreement with Kearsarge Energy for battery storage at McNeil Generating Station, plus site licenses with the Joint Owners of McNeil.
  • Item 7.4, AFSCME Collective Bargaining Agreement: HR Director Reagan spoke. Bergman/McKnight; resolution adopted unanimously.
  • Item 7.5, Police Chief Hiring Process: update from the Mayor and HR Director, 20 minutes, no vote.
  • Item 7.6, Police Emergency Response Unit Grant: Interim Chief Burke and Shannon Trammell spoke. Singh/Schachter; passed 7:2:3 (nays Bergman and Sanchez-Parkinson; Broderick, Litwin and Neubieser absent for the vote).

Council general affairs, Council President updates and committee reports were listed as verbal reports with nothing recorded.

Sources