2026-07-06 - City Council
Summary
Built from the official minutes (items 2026-269 to 2026-272).
- Present: Mayor Marc Gwinn and Councilors Cary Brown, Sal Alfano, Jim Sheridan, Adrienne Gil and Ben Doyle; Pelin Kohn is not listed as present. City Clerk John Odum was secretary. Called to order at 6:00 PM.
- Agenda approved without objection.
- General business: Stephen Whitaker spoke about concerns with the meeting and executive session process.
- Doyle moved the required finding that premature public knowledge of potential liability for homeless encampments, East State Street right-of-way survey legal strategy, and legal advice on morals and conduct matters would place the city at a substantial disadvantage; Brown seconded; unanimous.
- Alfano moved to enter executive session under 1 VSA 313(a)(1)(E) and (F) on the homeless encampment policy and liability, the East State Street right-of-way survey and probate litigation, and city code Chapter 11 Article 7 (morals and conduct) and Article 8 (drinking in unlicensed places), plus possible panhandling and sit-and-lie ordinances. The Mayor's friendly amendment, accepted before a second by Brown, invited attorneys, consultants and staff by topic. Carried unanimously as amended.
- Invitees named in the minutes: Philip Woodward, Trevor Whipple, Mike Tarrant, Kelly McNicholas Cury and Matt Jelacic for encampment liability; Brian Monahan, Kristen Shamis, Mike Tarrant, Kelly McNicholas Cury and Kurt Motyka for East State Street; Mike Tarrant, Kelly McNicholas Cury and Matt Jelacic for the morals and conduct ordinances. Spellings follow the minutes.
- At 8:19 PM Sheridan moved to exit executive session, seconded by Gil; unanimous. No action was reported.
- No other business or reports; adjourned by unanimous consent at 8:21 PM.
Executive session topics
See Homelessness Response and East State Street Right-of-way. Allegations that this meeting violated the Open Meeting Law were later denied; see Open Meeting Law Allegations.