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2026-07-22 - City Council

Summary

Built from the official minutes (approval status not verified) and the linked meeting packet. No video is posted, so there is no transcript or timing.

  • Regular meeting, 6:30 to 10:16 PM, with a recess from 8:12 to 8:30 PM. Mayor Marc Gwinn presided; Councilors Cary Brown, Sal Alfano, Jim Sheridan, Pelin Kohn, Adrienne Gil and Ben Doyle were present; City Clerk John Odum was secretary.
  • Commendations for Louis Pregent (a civilian) and Corporal Jonathan Bullard for their actions in the June 24 motorcycle crash; Cindra Conison of the Quirky Pet was recognized as one of America's Coolest Pet Businesses.
  • Rules of Procedure discussion postponed to the next meeting, unanimously.
  • Responsible Employer Ordinance: repeal moved by Sheridan carried 5-1, Brown nay.
  • Police vehicle acquisition recommendations approved unanimously.
  • Public Arts Commission membership policy and a six-member slate approved unanimously; Place 6 left vacant.
  • Council voted unanimously to authorize exclusive negotiations with DEW Properties for the Country Club Road property.
  • Vacancy process started for the District 1 seat as Councilor Gil departed: staff authorized to advertise it, unanimously. Council members and the clerk thanked Gil, who read a statement.
  • Homelessness update from the City Manager; no action.
  • Appointments approved unanimously: Isaac Padberg (Complete Streets Committee), Jared Blum and Makenna Goodman (Recreation Advisory Board).
  • Consent agenda (payroll and warrants, minutes, taser purchase) adopted unanimously. Adjourned at 10:16 PM.

Council Rules of Procedure

  • Item 2026-293: Councilor Alfano moved to postpone the discussion until the next meeting; Councilor Brown seconded; carried unanimously.
  • Later (item 2026-303) Sheridan asked the City Manager about the next agenda, leading to a general discussion of Council policymaking, tracking, onboarding and priority tracking.

Responsible Employer Ordinance Repeal

  • Item 2026-294: Kurt Motyka took part. Dave Bellini, Peter Kelman and Stephen Whitaker spoke.
  • Motion: Sheridan moved to repeal the ordinance, as an expression of the direction the Council wished to take; Alfano seconded; carried 5-1 with Brown voting nay. Only six votes are recorded for seven members present; the minutes do not say who did not vote.

Police Vehicle Purchase

  • Item 2026-295: Jeff Pearson and Zach Blodgett presented. Sheridan moved to approve the recommendations; Alfano seconded; carried unanimously. No cost or number is given.

Public Art Commission Membership

  • Item 2026-296: Matt Jelacic took part and Whitaker commented. Kohn moved the membership policy (Brown seconded) and Alfano moved the appointments (Kohn seconded); both carried unanimously.
  • Appointed: Elliot Burg (Place 1, to Town Meeting Day 2029), Ward Joyce (Place 2, 2028), Megan Riley (Place 3, 2029), Rob Hitzig (Place 4, 2028), Jesse Jacobs (Place 5, 2029) and Katie Trautz (Place 7, nominated by Montpelier Alive, continuing seat).

General business and appearances

  • Item 2026-297: Whitaker spoke on Country Club Road, including a Master Plan, brownfields concerns, and the implications for state and federal approval and grant parameters. Daniel Gates noted his candidacy for side judge. Carlton Anderson thanked the Council and manager, urged patience and calm, said he had lost his phone and thanked Another Way for help, and suggested the city look at pedestrian issues and the placement of benches and trash cans (see Homelessness Response). Zack Hughes thanked Gil and discussed the taser item on the consent agenda; the mayor also spoke on it (see Taser Purchase Approval).

Country Club Road Project

  • Item 2026-298: Gil presented the project and the review committee's recommendation; Mike Miller took part. Speakers: Tim Sinnott, Mia Moore, Kelman, James Moore, Deborah Messing and Conor Kennedy.
  • Motion: Brown moved to authorize the City Manager to enter exclusive negotiations with DEW Properties for redevelopment of the property, with any resulting Letter of Intent or Development Agreement to return to the Council for approval before execution; Kohn seconded; carried unanimously. Don Wells and Stephanie Clarke spoke after the vote.

District 1 Council Vacancy

  • Item 2026-299: Kelman spoke. Sheridan moved to authorize staff to advertise the vacant seat and gather letters from District 1 citizens interested; Alfano seconded; carried unanimously.

Homelessness Response

  • Item 2026-300: City Manager Curry gave an update; Matt Jelacic took part and Whitaker commented. No action.

Advisory Committee Appointments

  • Item 2026-301: Brown moved Isaac Padberg to the Complete Streets Committee (Alfano seconded); Sheridan moved Jared Blum and, separately, Makenna Goodman to the Recreation Advisory Board (Alfano seconded each). All unanimous.

Taser Purchase Approval

  • Item 2026-302: Sheridan moved to adopt the consent agenda as presented, with Alfano seconding; carried unanimously. Its items were payroll and warrant approval, minutes and the taser purchase approval.

Council and staff reports

  • Items 2026-304 to 2026-306: Councilors Doyle, Kohn, Sheridan, Alfano and Brown thanked Gil for her service; Doyle, Alfano and Brown also thanked the Council for the Country Club Road process, and Doyle noted the Federal Building status. Gil read a statement reflecting on her time on the Council and the mayor presented her with a gift from the Council. The City Clerk thanked Gil. The City Manager noted coming meeting topics.

Sources