Latest news with #Mulvaney-Stanak
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Burlington mayor signs amended resolution to clean up downtown, gives $10,000 to relocate Food Not Cops
BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – Burlington mayor Emma-Mulvaney Stanak signed on Monday night the city council's Resolution 8.1, which aims to help businesses in the city's downtown area, especially in the Church Street Marketplace, by calling for among other things clearer signage and a stronger police presence. Read the full resolution hereDownload The most controversial part of the resolution proved to be a clause calling for the removal of the Food Not Cops (aka Food not Bombs) food distribution center from the marketplace's garage. Democratic members of the city council have said the food distribution attracts the same people who engage in anti-social behavior in the neighborhood, including drug use and theft, while Progressive members have protested based on a lack of presented evidence. City Council passes resolution for downtown issues The Burlington City Council currently has a 7-5 Democratic majority, and the resolution passed on May 19 with a clause with softened language requiring a proposal to relocate the center, rather than a full relocation, by July 14. Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak, who is a Progressive, announced at last night's city council meeting $10,000 in city funding to ease the relocation and help Food Not Cops find a new place to operate. In a statement Tuesday, the mayor had mixed feelings about the outcome of the council's deliberations. 'My administration has worked for nearly a year to build relationships with Food Not Cops and with community partners in an effort to find a mutually beneficial path forward. 'The debate around Resolution 8.1, and the insistence upon placing a deadline on these efforts has only hindered our ability to make progress on this work.' Small businesses express concern about conditions in Downtown Burlington But some city council members said they felt like a compromise had already been reached, and were glad to be able to move forward. 'I mostly want to thank the mayor for dealing with this head-on,' said councilor Sarah Carpenter. 'I'm saddened we couldn't get to language… but think we're on a really good path.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Mayor to appoint new head of Church Street Marketplace
Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak said she will ask City Council tonight to sign off on her choice to be the next director of the Church Street Marketplace. Mulvaney-Stanak said she has appointed Samantha McGinnis, who would take over the role July 1 if approved by Burlington City Council at Monday's meeting. Small businesses express concern about conditions in Downtown Burlington McGinnis has been with the City of Burlington for six years and is currently Assistant Director of Downtown Projects & Programs. Mulvaney-Stanek said McGinnis has created more than 100 free annual programs and events at Church Street Marketplace and City Hall Park, including the launch of the Winter Market during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'I believe Samantha's skills and experience make her the right person to steward the Church Street Marketplace into the future,' Mulvaney-Stanak. McGinnis is a graduate of UVM with a Bachelor of Science in Community & International Development. She also holds a Core Certificate from the Institute of Nonprofit Management and Leadership with Boston University's School of Management, the mayor's office said. 'After nearly six years on the marketplace team, I understand the importance and complexity of this role,' McGinnis said, 'and I'm committed to honoring its historic legacy while guiding its future as Burlington and our downtown continue to evolve. McGinnis would replace current Director Kara Alnasrawi. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Burlington mayor tells council to rewrite downtown business resolution
BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak wrote Tuesday that she hopes the Burlington city council will work again on a resolution they passed May 19 that aims to help businesses and tourism on Church Street. The most contentious part of the resolution so far has proven to be a requirement for the nonprofit collective Food not Bombs to move its free food distribution out of the downtown parking garage. Originally, the resolution called for the distribution to move out by the middle of June. City council took out this requirement in a majority vote, and then added a less stringent requirement for the operation to submit a plan to move out by the middle of July. City Council passes resolution for downtown issues 'I fully support our locally owned small businesses, and I also fully support mutual aid for those in need,' wrote Stanak in her official statement. 'I do not believe that these two things are mutually exclusive. Burlington is a City where everyone deserves to exist with dignity.' Mulvaney-Stanak is a member of the Vermont Progressive Party. The resolution passed 8-4 in the city council on May 19, with all 7 Democrats and one Progressive in favor. Small businesses express concern about conditions in Downtown Burlington Downtown business owners and Democrats on the council have said that while they do not lack compassion, they've waited long enough. 'We need to be honest about the choices that we're making here,' said councillor Becca McKnight at the previous council meeting. 'The food distribution service is not permitted by ordinance in our garage.' In her statement, Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak also criticized 'polarization and harmful escalation'. Earlier this month, business owners released an open letter calling for action relating to the conditions downtown; a fake second letter using divisive language went viral online last week. The mayor announced that her office will be hosting a public forum at the Fletcher Free Library on May 29 at 5:30 p.m. to have a 'discussion on homelessness and mental health, and we will discuss concerns related to the downtown', in advance of the next city council meeting on Monday, June 2. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Burlington Mayor delivers State of the City Address
BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak stole the show at Monday night's City Council Organization Day meeting, beginning her State of the City Address by directing everyone's attention to new portraits of Burlington children hung up around Contois Auditorium, which she hopes will serve as a reminder to city councilors every meeting of why they're serving and who they're serving. 'It is my hope that these portraits will remind us why we are all here – to lead this city forward, to set an example for our young people and lay the foundation for a Burlington that they can be proud to call home,' Mulvaney-Stanak said. In the rest of her speech, the mayor did lay that foundation for the next year, informing everyone there likely won't be a general tax rate increase this coming year, but regrettably saying she'll have to make some cuts to city programs, services and staffing to keep the next city budget balanced. 'This has been difficult work,' Mulvaney-Stanak said. 'Yet, it is the responsible approach to our fiscal challenges. Over the next few months, we will continue to thoughtfully engage the four City unions, employees, and the City Council as we develop the FY26 budget.' On top of that, she noted new efforts to improve and support Burlington's police and fire departments, including plans for a new public safety building downtown. She also discussed numerous housing projects nearing conclusion, including CityPlace Phase 1, which is expected to open with 53 housing units and 161 hotel rooms sometime in July. Other highlights of the night included the swearing in of new city councilors: Democrats Allie Schachter and Ranjit 'Buddy' Singh. The two took photos with family, and took part in their first official vote moments later, helping pick the next City Council President. Progressive Carter Neubieser from Ward 1 took on the current president, Democrat Ben Traverse from Ward 5. With all five council Progressives supporting Neubieser and all seven council Democrats supporting Traverse, Traverse was appointed Council President for the second year in a row. 'I'm deeply humbled by the support of those who believe I can continue to play a role in supporting good, responsive and responsible governance, so that as a Council in collaboration with the Mayor we can meet our obligation to defend our residents, especially our vulnerable communities, and ensure Burlington's resilience through turbulent times,' Traverse said. When mentioning turbulent times in his speech, Traverse was in part referring to the Trump Administration. Both he and Mulvaney-Stanak mentioned President Trump multiple times, denouncing some of his decision making, especially cuts to federal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs. Mulvaney-Stanak doubled down on Burlington's support for programs like that on the local level, noting the city's Racial Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (REIB) Office will continue being funded in the general fund budget, after it was previously given uncertain one-time funding. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Proposal to ban guns in bars back on Burlington ballot
BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – Next Tuesday, Burlington voters will answer a question that's been debated for a long time in the city: Should guns be allowed in bars? This Town Meeting Day, item number five on the Queen City ballot will once again ask Burlingtonians to weigh in on that subject, after city council unanimously passed a resolution in November to put the decision back into the hands of voters. Ahead of the big day, some people who think firearms shouldn't be allowed in establishments that serve alcohol are making their voices heard, including Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak. At a news conference Thursday afternoon, the mayor and a handful of others talked about the proposed ban, and asked people to vote 'Yes'. 'When people say guns and alcohol do not mix, they truly do not mix,' Mulvaney-Stanak said. 'Data indicates that nearly half of all homicide offenders are under the influence of alcohol at the time of the homicide.' Weinberger wants tougher gun-storage regulations and other reforms Some of those who joined the mayor for the news conference were students at the University of Vermont and Champlain College. They noted the topic of allowing guns in bars has been debated in Burlington for more than a decade, dating back to when many of them were in elementary school. The question first appeared in front of voters on Town Meeting Day in 2014, and Burlingtonians back then approved of the ban idea. But, like all charter changes, the ban proposal needed to also be approved by the Vermont Legislature before taking place, and state lawmakers shot it down. That meant the ban never went into effect, despite the majority of Burlington voters being in favor of it. Advocates of the ban argue that since then, deadly incidents have happened that may have otherwise been avoided. That includes a shooting at Red Square on Church Street in August 2024, where one man was killed. 'I remember hearing about the shooting and thought to myself: 'Will I be safe here?',' said Laurel Papera, a student at Champlain College who had just recently moved into her dorm when the shooting took place. 'No student should have to worry about their safety like that.' Gun violence, crime on agenda for Vermont lawmakers If the ban question were to pass again and get legislative approval this time around, it would include some exemptions. Law enforcement officers, members of the U.S. Military, and store owners and employees who are authorized to carry would still be allowed to have firearms inside businesses that have liquor licenses. But like many charter change proposals, this one hasn't come without pushback. Some folks have voiced displeasure with the notion on social media, arguing everyone has the right to bear arms everywhere per The Second Amendment, and per Vermont being a 'constitutional carry' state. Others have also said that in scenarios where criminals who never intended to follow the law break into bars with guns, less people would have means of protecting themselves. Supporters of the ban acknowledged some of the critiques Thursday, firing back by saying many bar owners and gun owners support the idea too. 'Guns and alcohol do not mix … Many of the responsible gun owners that I know are also aware of that,' said Marek Broderick, a Progressive Burlington City Councilor representing Ward 8. 'So, this is not any type of targeting. I would consider this a very common sense first step in addressing gun violence in the city of Burlington.' 'This is not a partisan issue,' said Nancy Harkins, a member of the Moms Demand Action Vermont chapter. 'The overwhelming majority of Americans recognize the danger of firearms and alcohol.' Amid the discussion in Burlington, state lawmakers are also pondering a bill that would ban firearms in bars and restaurants across the entire state. H.45 was introduced in the House last month by eight democrats and progressives, all of whom are from Burlington. Since being brought to the House floor, the bill has been on hold in the House Judiciary Committee. Lawmakers introduce bill to ban guns from Vermont bars If you want to hear more of Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak's thoughts on article five as well as some other ballot items, tune into 'What Matters This Week' on Sunday. Lauren Maloney will sit down one-on-one with the mayor to talk about the proposed charter changes and more. The episode airs at 10:00 a.m. on ABC22 News, and 10:30 p.m. on FOX44 News. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
