CITY COUNCIL ANNOUNCES JESSIE BAKER AS NEXT CITY MANAGER
The South Burlington City Council is pleased to announce that Jessie Baker has been selected to serve as the next City Manager. She will join the City on June 1, 2021 providing a smooth transition as the current City Manager Kevin Dorn will retire on June 30th.
“The entire South Burlington City Council was incredibly impressed with the caliber, competence, and persona of Jessie Baker. We are ecstatic that she will become both the first female and the next City Manager. We are confident that she will continue the legacy of excellence set by Kevin Dorn,” said Helen Riehle, City Council Chair.
Read more.
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On Tuesday, March 2, voters will be asked to consider the proposed FY2022 City of South Burlington budget. The key components of the proposed budget are:
- Lowest Tax Rate increase in 10 years (just under a 1% increase)
- Somewhat reduced level of service in some departments
- Meets all contractual obligations
- Meets all bonded debt obligations
- Support for the Capital Improvement 10-year Plan
- Nine unfunded staff positions
- Funds annual assessments & support to other entities
There are several resources for you learn more about the proposed FY22 Budget. Here are a few:
WATCH
Deputy City Manager Tom Hubbard presents the FY22 Proposed Budget.
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VISIT WEBSITE
The Finance team has shared the details and spreadsheets, along with the process.
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Annual Budget Book
View it online
Or, call 846-4107 and request a hard copy. Leave your name and mailing address in the message.
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ANNUAL CITY MEETING
Tuesday, March 2, 2021 | 7 am - 7 pm
The following Articles are on the ballot:
ARTICLE I Election of City Officers and Councilors
ARTICLE II Annual City Budget
ARTICLE III TIF Financing
To learn more about these articles, join the:
Virtual Public Hearing
Monday, March 1, 2021 | 7 pm
Access log on and phone info
View the Meeting Warning and full ballot articles.
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Polling Places
District 7-1: Orchard School
District 7-2: Middle School
District 7-3: Middle School
District 7-4: Chamberlin School
Early voting is available once you receive your ballot in the mail. Mail the completed ballot back to the City Clerk, place in drop box at entrance of City Hall, or bring it with you to the polls on March 2.
On the Ballot: Garden Street
Article III on the City’s ballot asks voters to consider $4,002,550 in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) debt to invest in the construction of Garden Street to
connect Williston Road with Dorset Street, crossing
Market Street.
Garden Street is a partially-built street in City Center, which will create an alternative connection between Dorset Street and Williston Road crossing Market Street. This project includes construction of sections A and C on the map below. (Improvements to Section D will be in a later phase.)
Section B is being developed by the private sector.
 Will this increase my property taxes?
No. The debt payments will be paid by Tax Increment Financing (TIF) revenues. There will be no additional demand on the property taxpayer to pay for this connection.
Watch this video
Shot at the future site of the street, to hear from City Manager Kevin Dorn as he shares the details of this project.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Check out the answers to FAQs and learn more about this project. Visit here.
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About 50 legislators, local government officials and service providers met to receive an update on the status of the Community Outreach program and discuss areas where residents suffering from mental health crisis or addiction are still falling between the gaps in service.
Read more.
In an effort to help do our part to keep everyone safe, City Hall is currently closed to the public and payments for the March installment will be contactless. What does this mean?
Learn more.
In the course of an average business day, Fire Station #1 receives 15-40 telephone inquiries. On February 9th I received a call from a concerned City resident asking “why was our ambulance sitting on Spear St. in the Town of Shelburne, yesterday afternoon? Don’t they have an ambulance?”
Read more.
The Development Review Board last week began their review of a preliminary plat review of a proposed subdivision and neighborhood centered on Kimball Ave and Old Farm Road.
Read more.
 Shelburne Road Comfort Suites Approved to Convert to Housing
The Development Review Board has approved a proposal from the owners of the Comfort Suites building at 1720 Shelburne Road to covert the building from 84 hotel rooms to 78 apartments. This conversion is slated to take place in two phases, and will include a minimum of twelve permanently-affordable homes within the mix.
The decision and supporting documentation for this and all decisions can be found at the City’s Development Review archive. The next step will be for the applicant to obtain a zoning permit to initiate construction work.
Application Status and Recently Issued Permits now online
Two new features of the Planning & Zoning webpage:
- Status of current and recent applications under review by the Development Review Board.
- Logbook of recently issued zoning permits
http://www.southburlingtonvt.gov/departments/
planning_and_zoning/current_application_status.php
Both are updated bi-weekly.
This same page also includes a link to where all development review applications, supporting materials, and decisions, and all zoning permits can be viewed online in our permit database
2020 Top Dog Bella Says
"It's time to register your cat or dog!"
It's that time of year, when all dogs and cats, ages 6 months or older, must be registered. Why? To ensure that the necessary vaccinations are current for the protection of South Burlington citizens— complying with state law. Deadline is April 1, 2021.
When you register, your pet will be entered into the 8th Annual Top Dog and First Feline Contest.
Download the registration form.
Learn more or register today.
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FREE TAX HELP
Do you or someone you know need help with their taxes? Its Free! Learn more.
OWN YOUR HOME? FIND OUT IF YOU QUALIFY FOR THE VERMONT PROPERTY TAX CREDIT
If your yearly household income was less than
$138,500 in 2020 and you meet certain residency requirements, the State of Vermont can help you pay for your property taxes. You could be eligible for up to $8,000.00 worth of credit!
Call Vermont Department of Taxes at (802) 828-2865.
► Visit http://www.tax.vermont.gov/property/tax-credit
► Visit http://www.vtlawhelp.org/property-taxes
► Need help filing your taxes or for the property tax credit? Contact VITA, the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance service at 800-906-9887, or http://www.irs.gov/individuals/freetax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers to see if you qualify.
School District Events
Regular School Board meeting March 3, 2021 7 pm
Agenda can be found at www.sbschools.net
New! Budget Video Series
For FY2022, the SBSD has launched a video series that we hope will answer some of your questions about both the current, proposed budget and the Vermont education tax system as a whole.
The videos include information on healthcare, specific budget Articles, the city-wide reappraisal, equalized pupils, the income-based property tax credit, what was added back to the FY22 budget that was cut from FY21 and more!
You can check them out at https://www.sbschools.net/Page/1869
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UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
For a complete list of meetings & events, please visit the calendar at www.sbvt.gov
PRE-TOWN MEETING / PUBLIC HEARING/ CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Monday, March 1 | 7 pm | Virtual
- School District & City Budgets
- Ballot Articles
- Candidates’ Forum
Phone (audio only): 646-518-9805
Webinar ID: 860 1863 1826
Passcode: 48403070
Watch the Last City Council Meeting Recording
Want to see what happened during the latest City Council meeting? Can't attend the live session online? We've got you covered. You can watch the recorded February 16 meeting here.
Natural Resources Committee
Wednesday, March 3 | 6 pm | Virtual
Join from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/934434173
Dial in by phone: (872) 240-3311
Access Code: 934-434-173
Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee
Wednesday, March 10 | 5:30 pm | Virtual
Join from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/575505253
Dial in by phone: (312) 757-3121
Access Code: 575-505-253
Development Review Board
Tuesday, March 2 | 7 pm
Recreation & Parks
Monday, March 8 | 5 pm
Planning Commission
Tuesday, March 9 | 7 pm
Visit sbvt.gov for meeting access info, agendas and minutes.
City Clerk's Office:
How to Access Services
Need to access the Clerk's office for a title search, vital records, or marriage license?
Visit the City Clerk's page and see how to do so!
Council Seeks Public Input on I-89 Corridor Study
The City Council is interested in hearing residents’ perspective on various aspects of the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission’s I-89 Corridor Study and has scheduled a public forum for Thursday, March 18, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM.
Read more.
VIRTUAL PUBLIC INFO SESSIONS:
City-Wide Reappraisal Project
Tuesday, March 9 Noon and 6 pm
Thursday, March 11 Noon and 6 pm
Join one of 4 sessions to learn more about the reappraisal project and ask questions. Visit the City calendar at sbvt.gov for meeting access information.
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee sure does and think it's getting better and better every year. So why not be recognized for that? Over the last year, the committee worked with the City to complete and submit an application to have South Burlington designated as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.
Now we need your help to complete a survey to share your thoughts. Read more and complete the survey.
The City’s Community Hike program kicked off its 2021 season with a Family Animal Tracking Hike on Saturday, February 13th, at the Underwood property.
Read more.
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Virtual Discussion: Managing Invasive Plants
Wednesday, March 17 | 6:30 – 7:30 PM
Whether you own a large woodlot or just a small yard, you have probably struggled with non-native invasive plants. Join Ethan Tapper, the Chittenden County Forester, for a virtual discussion of the threats posed by woody invasive plants, and how to treat them. Read more.
RECREATION AND PARKS
 February Grab and Go Meal Event
This past Wednesday we held another successful (our 4th) meal pickup event at Veterans Memorial Park, handing out 75 FREE meals to older SB residents. Read more.
 Dog Recreation Task Force Forges Ahead
The Dog Recreation Task Force had its first meeting on Feb 9. The group decided they would press forward with monthly meetings that would take place virtually the second Tuesday of each month from 12:00-1:00. The next meeting with be March 9th. All agenda items will be warned and minutes posted on the city website for anyone to access and public attendance is welcome.
Recreation Specialist Farewell
We would like to thank Ben McShane for his nearly two years of service with the South Burlington Recreation and Parks Department and wish him well in his next adventure in sales and account management with a local company. Ben infused his own unique personality and style into the programs and events that he produced and will be missed. As a South Burlington resident, we hope to see Ben at our upcoming events and celebrations and know that you will all join us in thanking him.
 Working on Digital Program Brochure
While the snow may be piling up, we are busy working out details for our upcoming spring and summer seasons. Though we don’t know the status of outdoor gathering potentials or the constraints around recreation play, we are planning for flexible programming that keeps current protocols in mind and safety at the forefront.
We hope to have our digital brochure available to view on our website March 1st. This flip-able brochure will allow you direct access to registration with one click of the mouse. Stay tuned for more details.
PUBLIC LIBRARY
The Library is currently operating only curbside service. See the current hours.
Curbside Pickup: M, Th, F 11-3 pm and T, W 2-6 pm
Call us at: 802-846-4140.
http://www.southburlingtonlibrary.org
 The Friends of the South Burlington Public Library supports the library and its readers through the purchase of the monthly resource, BookPage. This magazine highlights new books, interviews with authors, book club recommendations and thematic lists. They also offer free e-newsletters by genre. Sign up at https://bookpage.com/. You can order your copy by calling the library or sending us an email at sbplinfo@southburlingtonvt.gov.
The February edition highlights African-American authors and topics. We also have back editions from the August, November, December and January.
For those who loved Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, her new book, The Glass Hotel was reviewed in April as; “More complicated, weirder and far more haunted than Station Eleven, the new novel from Emily St. John Mandel defies all expectations.” Goodreads describes the novel as, “a captivating novel of money, beauty, white-collar crime, ghosts, and moral compromise.” The BookPage e-newsletters can provide ideas for ebooks or e-audio books to borrow on Libby/Overdrive or to look for on the Library catalog to reserve for pickup. If you don’t see the title on our catalog, you can also email us to make a recommendation for purchase or interlibrary loan.
February Virtual Book Discussions
 Thursday evening - February 25, 6:30 pm
Where the Crawdads Sing
by Delia Owens
To register for the discussions, email SBPLinfo@southburlingtonvt.gov
Copies of the books are available to borrow through the Library's Holds Pickup system
CITY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
OPEN POSITIONS
While we have not filled 9 positions, as a cost-savings measure, we do have the following positions open to be filled.
Director of Physical Plant
Water Quality Operator
Public Safety Dispatcher
Public Safety Executive Assistant
Public Works Mechanic
To learn more, review job descriptions, or apply:
visit Human Resources.
Not on our mailing list? Want to receive the bi-weekly South Burlington City News and other news in your email box?
Visit us at www.sbvt.gov and sign up under "How do I?"
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