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2026-09-14 - City Council

Summary

Built from the official City Council minutes of September 14, 2026 (adopted on the September 28 consent agenda). Convened 6:02 pm, adjourned 11:23 pm. Present: Traverse (President), Broderick, Carpenter, Grant, Litwin, McKnight, Neubieser, Sanchez-Parkinson, Schachter and Singh. Absent: Barlow and Bergman. Also present: Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak, COS Gerlach, City Attorney Brown and Lori Olberg. A separate Mayor-presiding session the same evening is on 2026-09-14 - City Council With Mayor Presiding.

  • Agenda adopted unanimously (Neubieser/Sanchez-Parkinson).
  • Executive session on a potential litigation settlement, 6:05 to 6:24 pm (both motions by Neubieser, seconded by Schachter). Presenters listed: Assistant City Attorney Kim Sturtevant, Kara Alnasrawi (CEDO) and City Engineer Laura Wheelock (DPW). No action recorded.
  • Public Forum ran 6:26 to 7:06 pm with 16 speakers; the most frequent topic was Burlington Forward Initiative (seven speakers), plus Tier 1 and trespass, needle exchange, homeless bias, public safety and the Office of Police Complaints (OPC).
  • Consent agenda adopted unanimously (Schachter/Singh), including the Airport construction oversight contract with Jones Payne Group (up to $1,666,838), adoption of the 2026 VTrans Town Road and Bridge Standards and the minutes of the August 24 Council and Local Control Commission meetings.
  • Four entertainment permits and the Latin American community resolution approved unanimously; Aging Council FY27 appointments approved unanimously.
  • Work sessions on the Act 181 Tier 1A application, community safety, the City Circle and Burlington Forward committee updates (no votes).
  • First reading of the trespass appeal hearing ordinance waived and referred to the Ordinance Committee, unanimously (Singh/Litwin).

Public Forum

Verbal comments (BTV residents in person): Chris McGrath (Burlington Forward resolution), Dave Maher (Burlington Forward), Ambrose Moore (needle exchange), Vivian Bose-Pyne (Burlington Forward), Bridget Jewell (homeless bias), Andre Clark (Burlington Forward), Charlie Messing (public safety), Reverend Mark Hughes (Burlington Forward), Edwin Baker (OPC) and Faried M. Online: Sharon Bushor (Tier 1 and trespass). Non-residents: Chris Morash (freeing the music and art), June Goodband (Burlington Forward), Brian Clifford (online, Burlington Forward) and Gwendolyn Heaghney (Burlington property owner). The minutes record topics only, not positions. See Burlington Forward Initiative, Tier 1A status application resolution and Trespass Appeal Hearing Timeline Ordinance.

Burlington Forward Committee Updates

Item 7.10 (30 minutes, discussion). The minutes record no speakers or motion. See Burlington Forward Initiative.

Tier 1A Application Work Session

Item 7.7 (25 minutes, information). Charles Dillard and Sarah Morgan spoke; no vote. See Tier 1A status application resolution.

Community Safety Work Session

Item 7.8 (30 minutes). Mary Danko, Chief Burke and DC Ruggles spoke; no vote. See Community Safety Work Sessions.

City Circle

Item 7.9 (20 minutes, information only): Rachel Jolly of the Community Justice Center spoke.

Trespass Appeal Hearing Timeline Ordinance

Item 7.11. Motion by Councilor Singh, seconded by Litwin, to waive the first reading and refer the amendment to BCO Sec. 21-45A(F)(3) to the Ordinance Committee. Passed unanimously. See Trespass Appeal Hearing Timeline Ordinance.

Airport Insulation Contract

Consent item 6.6: authorizes the Director of Aviation to execute the amended Jones Payne Group contract. See Airport Residential Sound Insulation Oversight Contract.

Latin American Community Resolution

Item 7.5. Motion by Sanchez-Parkinson, seconded by Schachter, to waive the reading and adopt. Passed unanimously. See Latin American Community Resolution.

Permits and Other Deliberative Items

  • 7.1 Special event outdoor entertainment permit, Oktoberfest Burlington LLC, September 18 to 19, 2026: approved unanimously (Broderick/Singh).
  • 7.2 Special event outdoor entertainment permit, Mojo Burlington, Waterfront Park, September 26, 2 to 10 pm: approved unanimously (Broderick/Singh).
  • 7.3 Indoor entertainment permit 2026-2027, Jamaican Taste: approved unanimously with standard conditions (Broderick/Singh).
  • 7.4 Indoor entertainment permit 2026-2027, Community of Sound Corp: approved unanimously with standard conditions (Broderick/Singh).
  • 7.6 Aging Council FY27 appointments (Racial Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging): approved as presented, unanimously (Carpenter/Schachter).

Adopted unanimously (Schachter/Singh): Accountability List (placed on file); 2026-2027 tobacco license renewal for Stewart's Shop; minutes of the August 24 Local Control Commission and 2026-08-24 - City Council meetings; resignation of a Burlington trustee of the Winooski Valley Park District (vacancy to be advertised in Seven Days, letter of appreciation to the departing trustee); communications from Bruce Wilson (Straight Talk Vermont), Pike Porter (2025 PM2.5 data) and Chris McGrath; adoption of Sections 1 through 8 of the 2026 Vermont Agency of Transportation Town Road and Bridge Standards, with Chapin Spencer (Public Works Director) authorized to execute the certificate; and FIO documents (information only).

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