Hello South Burlington,
On this week after Town Meeting Day (one of my favorite days of the year!) and on behalf of our entire staff team, I want to thank you for the support of our Fiscal Year 2023 municipal budget. The strong approval rate of 68.5% tells us that the community generally thinks we are going in the right direction and trusts the municipal services we provide. We will continue to work hard to hold this trust over the year to come.
With this budget, there are several exciting things we will accomplish together for the community. We will expand the service delivery at 180 Market Street by extending the hours of operations of the Library and ensuring with have the staff resources to maintain this building to the high standards of our community. We will focus on information technology infrastructure for better and more resilient service delivery. We will implement body-worn cameras at the Police Department providing us with more transparency as well as real time training opportunities for our professionals. We will add staff capacity to better manage our infrastructure investment and connect these important investments to our long-term maintenance needs. And we will use a portion of our American Rescue Plan Act dollars for one-time expenditures in order to defray the cost to the property tax payers. We look forward to sharing more details with you over the months to come and we appreciate your support!
It is also my great pleasure to share with you that, effective Monday, March 7th, Tom DiPietro will serve as our new permanent Director of Public Works! Tom joined the City of South Burlington in 2006. Since that time, he has served in several capacities, became known State-wide for his knowledge and expertise in stormwater and environmental services, and secured funding and administered tens of millions of dollars of infrastructure improvements in the City. Tom has a MS in Plant and Soil Science from the University of Vermont and a BS is Environmental Management and Technology from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Prior to joining our team, he held positions at the Agency of Natural Resources, at the University of Vermont, and served on his town’s Development Review Board. He has an expansive understanding of our community, our existing infrastructure, our future infrastructure needs and how we connect this capital planning to maintenance operations. Please join me in welcoming Tom to this new role!
Over the next few weeks we will work with Tom to redefine his prior role as the Deputy Director of Environmental Services as well as the new capital projects position approved with the FY23 budget in the hopes of getting both new leader positions advertised by the end of the month.
As always, if you have questions or ideas to share, please feel free to reach out to me at jbaker@southburlingtonvt.gov or at (802) 846-4100.
My best,
Jessie
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NEW Director Of Public Works
Tom Dipietro has been named the new Director of Public Works. Having served the City for more than 15 years, he will lead this team that is comprised of highway maintenance, stormwater, wastewater, and capital improvements. Congratulations!
Read more about Tom above in the City Manager's Message.
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 TAX PAYMENTS DUE MARCH 15
You can pay your bill via mail, the City Hall drop box, or in City Hall during business hours.
PLEASE REGISTER YOUR DOGS & CATS!
Are you a pet owner? This is the time of the year that many people adopt a new dog or cat or maybe adopted a new pet during the pandemic or have a dog and cat and didn’t realize you needed to register them? This is a friendly reminder that part of being a good pet owner is to register your pet with the City Clerk’s office.
Deadline to Register: April 1
Learn more.
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 City Meetings Video Archive
City Council, Development Review Board, and Planning Commission
Did you know that videos of City Council, Development Review Board, and Planning Commission meetings are available online?
For City Council and DRB meetings, visit the South Burlington YouTube Channel on CCTV.
For Planning Commission meetings (as well as their subcommittee, Airport Rezoning Task Force), visit the City’s YouTube site: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClX3Ii-fyi-pRtuP3mSUzgQ
 PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE—Volunteer Needed
South Burlington City Council is seeking a volunteer to serve on the Public Art Committee, filling out a three-year term vacancy that concludes June 2024. The Public Art Committee meets every month.
Their work plan for FY22 includes building out information about public art in South Burlington on the City’s web page, managing the public art gallery, holding long-delayed dedications for City Center public art, and laying the ground work for a South Burlington cultural assessment/plan with an artist and organization resources inventory. Please submit applications to Aleo@SouthBurlingtonVT.gov.
FIRE PREVENTION TIP
Time to Change Your Batteries
As you turn your clocks forward this Sunday (March 13) for Daylight Saving Time, it is also time to change the batteries in your Smoke/Carbon Monoxide detectors!
Are your detectors too high or hard to reach, feel free to reach out to the Fire Department on the Non-Emergency Line (802) 846-4110 to have the on-duty crew come give you a hand!
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POLICE DEPARTMENT: New Faces, Good-byes, and Congratulations
 New Police Officers Begin on Our Team
Alex Lasker, Michael Harvey, and Cody Wilson have begun training in the Police Department. They will attend the 113th Class at the Vermont Police Academy later this month.
 Lt. Shawn Demore Retires
After 25 years of service, Lt. Shawn Demore retired from the Police Department. He will be greatly missed. Thank you for your service and enjoy your retirement!
 Promotion to Sergeant
Greg Short was promoted to Sergeant after a rigorous evaluation process. Pictured here with his family, Greg joined our team 2 years ago and he brings a wealth of expertise.
Work is well underway in preparing the City’s first-ever Climate Action Plan (CAP). The CAP will be the City’s roadmap for meeting the ambitious goals set by the Paris Accord and Vermont’s adopted climate targets. A 9-person Task Force is leading the effort and is working its way through a very first round of paths and potential actions to meet these goals.
The plan will divide work into several different “sectors,” starting with building/thermal, followed by transportation/land use, government operations, adaptation/resilience, and renewable energy.
For more information, visit the Climate Action Plan webpage
March 22, 2022 | 7 pm
The City’s Planning Commission will be holding a public hearing on proposed amendments to the Land Development Regulations at their regular meeting.
Learn more.
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 Queen City Park Road Bike + Pedestrian Connections Study
Public Meeting | Hybrid
March 9 | 5:30 to 6:30 pm
The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, the City of South Burlington, and the City of Burlington have partnered to study opportunities for bicycle and pedestrian connections along Queen City Park Road and Austin Drive, from the Hannaford Plaza on US Route 7, to the Burlington Bike Path at Oakledge Park.
At this public meeting, draft concepts for bike and pedestrian facilities will be presented and discussed. Please join us to share your thoughts and help guide the design process!
Learn more and access meeting info.
Planning a concert, dance recital, debate or play? The South Burlington Public Library Auditorium is now available for public use! Learn more.
 Wondering where you can get information about the BTV Sound Mitigation Program?
Access maps, plans, and find answers to questions at btvsound.com.
Access:
 Vermont's Homeowner Assistance Program Offering Grants
Now accepting applications
Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) is now accepting applications from Vermont homeowners who are behind on their housing expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funded through the Federal American Rescue Plan Act, the Vermont Homeowner Assistance Program provides grants for eligible Vermont homeowners for missed payments on their mortgage, utilities, property taxes, and homeowner's or condominium association fees. The program is restricted to expenses related to a homeowner's primary home (other eligibility criteria apply).
To learn more and apply, visit vermonthap.vhfa.org.
Low Income Household Water Assistance Program - LIHWAP
The Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF) launched the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) to help eligible households pay their water and wastewater bills. The program runs from November 2021 through September 2023, with the potential to be extended. LIHWAP is a national program established by Congress under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 to help families experiencing financial hardship.
Eligible households are those with gross household income below 60% of the state median income based on household size. Priority will be given to households whose water/wastewater has been disconnected or is at risk of being disconnected.
Customers can download/print the application at https://dcf.vermont.gov/benefits/water-assistance
Looking for a full and or part-time job? The City of South Burlington is looking to hire great people to join our team. Here are a few of the several open positions:
CLICK HERE for our most current openings. We have several!
School District
Events & News
School Board Meetings
March 16 | 7 pm
Regular Meeting
Agenda and participation info on the District website under Announcements
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SIGN UP TO RECEIVE CITY NEWS
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?" |
 UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
For a complete list of meetings & events, please visit the calendar at www.sbvt.gov. CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
Access agendas and minutes.
Monday, March 21 | 6:30 pm | Hybrid
Auditorium, City Hall, 180 Market Street
Virtual Option: see info below
- Recommend process to allocate ARPA dollars
- FY22 Policy Priorities & Strategies
Report #2
- Consider lease of 577 Dorset Street to South Burlington School District
https://www.gotomeet.me/SouthBurlingtonVT/city-council-meeting03-21-2022
Phone (audio only): (571) 317-3122
Access code: 653-560-365
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Here are some etiquette guidelines:
- Keep your camera and microphone off.
- During invitations for the public to speak, you should turn your camera on to be recognized.
- If you are having audio issues using your computer's audio, we find it works best to watch the meeting on your device AND dial in to the phone number directly.
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 March 7, 2022 meeting here.
PUBLIC ART GALLERY
On Exhibit: Harlan Mack
 Featuring sculpture from the series “Future Kin” (2017) and large and small scale paintings, the exhibit crosses nearly a decade of work, including several from a residency at the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation in Captiva, FL. A lifelong Vermonter, Harlan Mack is a rural multidisciplinary artist living and working in Johnson, VT. He describes his work as a series of narratives in painting, sculpture, oral narrative, and poetry.
Stop by City Hall at 180 Market Street to view his work.
RECREATION AND PARKS
Register Now for Girls Lacrosse
3rd - 8th grade
This program combines the development of the fundamentals of the game along with offering competitive play to improve individually and as a team. Registration closes March 14th.
Learn more and register.
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This summer we’ll have camps ranging from Science, Safari, Chess, Nature, Rocketry, Pottery, CSI to multiple sport offerings like Track, Baseball, Fishing, Tennis, Soccer and Flag Football. Visit our website and click on the individual camps to read more about them. Space is limited, be sure to register early!
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Community Hike Series: Interpretive Woods Walk
Sat, Mar 12 | 10 am
Wheeler Nature Park
Have you ever wondered why March is Sugaring Season in Vermont? Join Drew Shatzer, Vermont Master Naturalist, on a walk through Wheeler Nature Park. Explore the different forest biomes to learn what trees are doing during the closing weeks of winter.
Learn more and register.
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Got Food Trucks?
Are you a food vendor or a friend of one who might be interested in being a part of our food truck events this spring and summer? We are looking for vendors for our TNT (Thursday Night Take-Out) event in May and June, as well as our SoBu Nite Out event in July and August. Application forms are below.
TNT Application
SoBu Nite Out Application
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Kevin L. Dorn Senior Center
Location: First floor, 180 Market Street
March Activities Guide
All planned activities in the Senior Center are listed on its calendar via the link below. Please note that some programs need pre-regististration and have fees.
March Activities Guide
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March is National Craft Month
Come celebrate the creativity of crafting this month at the Senior Center.
Leprechaun Sock Gnome
Fri, Mar 11 1:30 - 3 pm
Spring Button Bouquet
Mon, Mar 14 11 am - 12:30 pm
Brushstrokes and Brews
Fri, Mar 25 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Card Making
Mon, Mar 28 11:30 am - 1 pm
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Jazzercise at SB Senior Center
Join us for our popular Jazzercise LO class. Muscles, not momentum, drive this class that is a low impact dance-based and strength training class designed with you in mind.
Click here to learn more
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South Burlington Senior Center will be an AARP Tax- Aide Location
Starting on Fridays in February, the South Burlington Senior Center will be a location for AARP Tax- Aide volunteers to assist with 2021 tax returns.
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If you have any questions about the programs, please contact Rebecca at 923-5545 or email at risham@southburlingtonvt.gov
PUBLIC LIBRARY
The Public Library is open:
Monday - Thursday 10 am - 7 pm
Friday 10 am - 5 pm
Saturday 10 am - 2 pm
 Seed Library Open for 2022 Season
The Seed Library, housed in card catalog drawers on the second floor of the library, is open for the 2022 season. A wide variety of vegetable, herb, and flower seeds can be “checked out” for free.
Learn more.
 Join the Friends of the Library for the first in performance in the Spring Concert series.
Learn more about Hungrytown.
 Click the image to see Major Jackson reading his poem on YouTube.
"Library Ode"
A poem by Major Jackson
Now on permanent display on the 2nd floor of the Library is a grand, beautifully framed copy of Major Jackson’s poem, Library Ode, brought to life by calligrapher Lydia Batten. Major wrote this poem in 2020 to support the Library Foundation’s Capital Campaign.
Learn more and listen to Major Jackson reading his poem.
Federal Tax Forms Now Available
Federal tax forms are in! Check under the stairs for the most common forms. If you need others, head to the 2nd floor and sign up for a computer where staff can help you search. Printing a copy of those forms is free; you’ll have to read the booklet online or pay to print that.
 SB ArtMix Supports Art Students
Sat. Mar 12 | 6:30 pm
Higher Ground
Get Tickets!
The South Burlington Friends of the Arts, is focused on supporting students in their pursuit of the arts, celebrating the work of professional and student performers and artists, and leveraging the arts as an additional tool for community gathering, in which we can explore the richness of our cultures, experiences, similarities and differences, all for our collective gain.
Our signature event, SB ArtMix brings professionals and students together for an eclectic program that features visual artists and performers. Proceeds from our program are used to fund needs-based scholarships for SB students wishing to pursue an arts-focused education after high school. Kat Wright headlines the evening, which includes, the Listen Up cast, Kerrin McCadden, Angie Myers, Bill Torrey, Martin Lalonde, Julia DiFerdinando, Charlotte Dworshak, Root7, Tanya Talamante, The Whims, with host Mitch Wertlieb, and multiple students performing and showing their artwork.
Tickets at the Higher Ground Box office. https://highergroundmusic.com/events/sb-artmix-2022/ |
