Taking a look back at an unusual year

What a year; one to remember or forget — 2020 was an incredible challenge, yet there is much to be thankful for. Excellent leadership in Vermont ensured our citizens stayed healthier than every other state in the USA. Locally, we are thankful for a committed management team, department heads, and staffs; all worked tirelessly to ensure South Burlington will “come out the other side of COVID” in solid financial and operational strength.

On behalf of your city council, best wishes to all residents for a healthy and happy holiday season, whatever special days you celebrate. While we reflect on the recent past, it’s also time to look to the future, beginning with good health, fostering happiness and prosperity.

Reflecting on 2020, COVID caused the shut-down of city Hall and our library and implementation of safety measures across all departments. Yet, South Burlington maintained essential services and continued to operate “in the black” financially; an extra shout-out to deputy city Manager Tom Hubbard as he managed the complexity of our city’s finances.

Decades in the making (first envisioned in the 1980s), the completion of Market Street and construction of the new city hall and Library, opening summer 2021, brings South Burlington our first ever City Center; arguably our most visible accomplishment of 2020, if not the 2000s to date.

City Center has delivered on badly needed affordable and senior housing. The council is committed to more progress in 2021 and beyond.

Likely unknown to many residents, a new Employee Wellness Center offers affordable wellness and preventative care to all South Burlington city staff. Healthier employees maximize their performance and well-being, both on the job and in their personal lives.

The city worked with state and federal partners, owners and developers to preserve the South East Quadrant’s Auclair Farm for agricultural and potential recreational use, sustaining and preserving open lands for the benefit and enjoyment of current and future generations.

Grants in 2020 totaling almost $800,000 will go a long way to supporting on-going water quality projects, ensuring South Burlington will continue benefiting from water equal to the cleanest in the country.

Under the leadership of Chief Shawn Burke, South Burlington Police Department delivered meaningful, fair, impartial policing education across the organization, improving policing policies to reflect state and federal requirements, as well as build knowledge and confidence within our force of officers. Additionally, the police department coordinated a multi-agency effort to provide safe and supportive housing for some of Chittenden County’s most vulnerable and unstable homeless folks, at the Holiday Inn and former Ho-Hum Motel on Williston Road.

Other positive “COVID-be-darned” outcomes of 2020 included alternative programming by the Recreation and Parks Department, like the Halloween Glow Walk; delivering four “perfect” elections through incredible work of city clerk Donna Kinville and staff; and importantly, the airport was awarded grant funding to further mitigate noise in the neighborhoods, including Chamberlin Elementary School.

Looking to 2021, there’s plenty on our agenda.

South Burlington will welcome a new city Manager and Deputy Manager mid-year when both Kevin Dorn and Tom Hubbard retire; neither easily replaced. City council will initiate the hiring process shortly; a new manager will select a new Deputy; new hires will overlap our current team, ensuring a smooth transition. Almost concurrently, will be the big move of city offices to the new city hall on Market Street, as well as the massive task of moving the library to its fabulous new home.

Given current financial challenges, planning a balanced fiscal year 2022 budget is top priority. Fortunately, Kevin Dorn and Tom Hubbard are on board through the fiscal year 2022 budget process. Allocating funds to begin catching up on deferred maintenance caused by COVID (furloughs, spending freeze, big reduction in paving) will be one of the challenges, along with minimizing tax increases.

The planning commission, working with the talented staff of the planning office, as well as dedicated volunteer committees, is on the cusp of completing updates to the land development regulations, which will bring an end to interim zoning. This should ensure land development and land preservation proceed in balance, sustaining a city that reflects the priorities of both developers and residents, all of whom want to see a South Burlington that is a great place to live, work, and play for generations to come.

Other 2021 priorities include completion of approved improvements/new segments to our acclaimed recreational path; through the diligent work of the energy committee, the development of an energy plan to conserve more energy city-wide; finally, the completion of a new dog park near the intersection of Dorset and Swift Streets.

Your city council will strive to bring 2021 priorities to fruition.

As residents, please reach out to Councilors with your ideas and concerns; we welcome your participation.

Your five Councilors enjoy and benefit from working with you to sustain South Burlington as a great place to call home.

For current management and operational news, see the (relatively new) South Burlington newsletter, available online every two weeks. Again, best wishes for good health and happiness in 2021!