Okay, thank you.

Council, it is Tuesday, October 28th, 2025 at 5.59 p.m.

I'll be honest.

We'll start anyway, and I'll call this regular meeting of the Barrie City Council to order.

Uh first item on the agenda is adjustments to the agenda and approval of the agenda.

Uh manager, you got uh yes, may I think I put it in the council packet, but we are removing item 8C, the Good Samaritan update.

Um that was a uh just a scheduling issue, and we will we will be sure to have them back here as soon as we can.

Okay.

Thank you.

And council, I'd like to if if you'll indulge me, I'd like to put under well, what would be 8B now, move the situation table briefing down.

Um, you know, in light of the impending shutdown of the SNAP program, I've just I just like I have some information for you, and I just I think it would be important to our constituents to get that information out there.

So I'd just like to have a brief conversation about the potential introduction to the well, I call it SNAP program.

It's actually three squares here in Vermont.

So we'll put that under 8B if there's no uh objection and a motion to approve would be in order.

So moved.

Second.

Moved and seconded.

Any discussion?

Hearing none, all those in favor of the motion is presented, please signify by saying aye.

Aye and those opposed, thank you very much.

We'll move on to visitors and communications.

Is there anyone wishing to address the council regarding an item that isn't on the agenda?

Okay.

Okay, Scott, do you want to come up?

Uh actually, oh Scott would be under consent.

Consent.

Uh correct.

That would be clerk's offices, office and uh well, those are well actually he'd technically be under liquor and cannabis.

Right, but he wanted to scoot out.

Oh, okay.

Oh, you have something to do?

Okay, but I'll no, it's it's okay.

I I look uh if I didn't have to hang around, I wouldn't either.

So you're Scott Kerner from Good Measure, come right up.

Uh Council, I'm gonna depart a bit from the agenda and I'm gonna call the liquor and cannabis control board to order.

Okay.

So folks, this is um Scott Kerner from Good Measure Brewing.

That's right.

Love the ale.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you very much for that.

And um, I think Cheryl emailed to the council there's a request to cater permit and uh Scott's company will be catering, I believe this is an event at the Barrie Auditorium and the date is held.

Next Saturday.

November 8th.

Next Saturday.

So Scott, we we just ask new vendors to the city, new licensees to come in and meet the council and I mean you're legit, dude.

Yeah.

So heck I'll vouch for it.

I think it's funny that I've haven't had an event in this city and over my 16 years of running catering in central Vermont.

So uh I'm excited to do it next Saturday and and happy to be here in front of you.

And if you want to plug good measure, go ahead.

No, it's on the menu.

We have so much good stuff.

Okay.

We this meeting would just be all me talking about our food.

Um but yeah, it's uh it's good.

Dan Violet from Jockey Hollow invited me to help him out next Saturday at the at the oddness for the Thunder Road awards banquet, and we're excited to be a part of it and uh excited for you know doing a little bit of business in the city.

Well, thank you.

We're excited to have you.

So council of uh motion to approve would be in order.

So moved second.

Moved and seconded.

Any discussion?

Hearing none, all those in favor of the motion is presented, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

And those opposed.

Welcome to Barrie.

Thank you so much.

You're good to go.

Good luck with the rest of your meeting tonight.

Hopefully that was the easiest thing.

Thank you, sir.

You're welcome to stick around if you're not noticeable.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Okay, council.

We'll move along to visitors and communications.

Anyone wishing to address the council regarding an item that is not on the agenda?

Okay, then we'll move along to the consent agenda.

Council will be approving the minutes of the meeting of 102125.

Do you have any other licenses or permits?

Okay.

Uh and we will be placing good beginnings on the I there was some information in your packet.

We'll be play authorizing uh to place good beginnings on the 2026 town meeting day ballot for the 1,000 dollar in voter approved assistance.

And we'll be, I don't believe you have any contracts this week to and so we did not need to authorize the manager to execute contracts, and a motion would be in order.

So moved.

Second.

Moved in seconded.

Is there a discussion or comment?

Um I I don't have a question about um the good beginnings being on the town meeting date ballot, but I did have a question that maybe we could just put on a different agenda about the um policy and procedure for the organizations that are have um those recurring um requests because there was part of the policy and procedure that the they have to submit a standard form and they have to submit a year-end balance sheet.

And does that come to the council?

And I just have some questions about that.

We don't have to do it now if you don't have to.

Yeah, they they said uh I'm happy to address it, Councillor Spaulding.

They did submit all that material, it was a lot of documentation.

I'm happy to forward the entire contents of the email from Molly, I think it was.

Um, but she she submitted a I think a full package.

I sort of kept for the for packet length purposes, I kept it to the um sort of what I thought were essentials, but I'm I'm more than happy to send that around.

Well, it that would be fantastic, but I also was wondering about other organizations.

Do they also do that same thing in the when we are creating our budget in the okay?

I didn't realize that.

Okay.

Yeah, they do it.

It's kind of um in the past, it's been sort of a checkbox.

So you know, Carol would do it in the past, Cheryl does it now.

And if they don't check all the boxes, it doesn't get to the council.

They let them know that you haven't checked the boxes.

Okay.

But if but actually we have forwarded that entire packet to the council in the past just for information.

So if you do want it going forward, I don't have any objection to that.

I think it's a good idea.

That would be great.

Okay.

You got it.

Any other questions?

Hearing none, all those in favor of the motion is presented, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

And those opposed, thank you very much.

Council will move to 4A on the agenda, and we'll be approving the city warrants of the week of 1029-25.

A motion would be in order.

So thank you.

Moved and seconded.

Any discussion?

Hearing none, all those in favor of the motion is presented.

Please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

And those opposed, are you abstaining, Council?

Noted.

Thank you.

And stalling stone.

Oh, you're fine.

So okay, you ready?

I guess I'm ready.

Um, just a couple of quick things.

Um, as of today, we have mailed out 396 absentee ballots.

Um, we are comfortable.

I am comfortable mailing them out until Friday.

Um, but I do recommend if you do request one this week.

Don't try to mail it back.

Please bring it to the uh auditorium, bring it to City Hall.

Uh, just don't put it back in the mail because of the um situations we've been having with the mail.

Uh, we do have drop boxes out back and out front, and they do close on Monday at 4 p.m.

Um, another reminder we do have a pre-election BCA meeting Thursday, uh, October 30th, this Thursday at 6 p.m.

Right here in council chambers.

Anything else?

Questions council?

Um, zoom option is available for that.

The zoom link is on the agenda.

Okay, good.

Thank you.

Okay.

So we'll move on.

We already took care of liquor and cannabis control board, Mr.

Manager.

It's your turn.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, so a couple of updates for the council and the public.

Uh, the as I mentioned last week, the ice is going in at the BOR, and as I also teased last week, we were gonna hope we were gonna open one day earlier.

The first events are scheduled for November 1st, but we're gonna open up on Halloween night for a Halloween spectacular, it's being called Friday from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Um, we put this together because we're looking at the forecast.

Looks a little iffy with the rain on Saturday, so this would be a good opportunity for parents who don't get their kids' energy out with the trick-or-treating in the neighborhood to bringing up to the BOR.

Uh bring your own skates, bring your costume.

There'll be some candy, some hot chocolate.

It is completely free to the public.

Um, and uh there's a actually Woodchuck Lacrosse is hosting a Halloween party at the odd from 7 to 8:30, which is you're still not done with all the Halloween, you can go to there from the BOR.

There is an entry fee for that one.

Um, but ours the at the BOR is completely free, so come with your skates, get your first laps around on uh what we call the best dice in central Vermont.

Um, and then uh BR will be officially open for business on November 1st with uh you know our schedules online and um it is packed this year.

Um wanted to notify the update the council that uh we got a taker for the bikeshare pilot program steering committee.

Uh Fred Pond, who's a resident of War 2 and had been recommended to me um as a as a really good candidate, um uh accepted the uh the uh charge, and so his appointment will come up to the council for ratification next week.

Um but he's excited to serve.

I think he'll be a good good representative on that uh steering committee.

Um from the public works department, just to update on the headworks project.

Um we received the 60% engineering report uh this month.

We are proceeding to the 90% uh report uh later this year.

We should have that before the end of the calendar year.

And uh and speaking with Brian this morning, the we are still on track to break ground in the spring.

So that is all moving uh along very nicely.

Um police department staffing updates.

Um on a positive note, want to congratulate several officers who re who were recently promoted by Chief Vail.

Uh one of them is uh Jake Fry, who was promoted to sergeant, and uh Jesse Fetcher and Mike Real both promoted to corporal, so very happy uh that they're they're very very uh you may know them from around the community, they're very active officers, very excited to have their promotions.

And then on the staffing side, um we do we are making progress.

It's it's it's challenging, but we have hired two new dispatchers, and we will now have three recruits starting at the academy in February.

Um so if those three recruits successfully complete it, we will only be down three full-time positions.

Um so uh chief is doing a great job uh keeping the the applicants coming through.

We have uh we work with the union on a small bonus um for uh for new recruits, so that is helping get people through the door.

Um and we are we are slowly trying to make progress on that uh chronic uh vacancy issue at the police department.

Um I know we have the bond vote hearing, so I won't spend too much time on that, but just a reminder again that uh as uh Cheryl uh Clerk Mativier mentioned, we have an election on Tuesday uh with two Barrie City specific articles on the ballot.

Um Carol and I did a webinar last Thursday.

Uh scantily uh not not three people.

Four, four.

Um so not not a big crowd, uh, but we did record it, and it is uh if you missed it uh and you are interested in watching it, it is posted on our website.

Um you can go to the main website.

There's a on the scroll, you'll see an icon for the November bond vote information.

If you click that, you'll see not only the recording of the lunchtime webinar, but also a whole series of uh resources that have we have put out for voters to get educated on the items they will be voting on.

Uh on that note, also just want to remind her a reminder to the council and the public and the the folks who attend our meetings that our next meeting will be Wednesday, November 5th next week, and that was uh due to the uh the the election uh that was added to the calendar.

So we are meeting on Wednesday, November 5th, same time um and same place, just different date.

Uh and then finally uh wanna recognize Katherine Braman.

Um she retired as the assessing clerk.

Uh last Friday was her her last day in the office to wrap up a 40-year career.

That's 4-0 in service to the city of Barrie.

She held many roles throughout the city.

She was assessing clerk for the last geez, 20 plus.

Um, and so she wrapped up uh it's it was weird to come to the office uh today.

Uh I was out yesterday, so weird to come today and and not have Catherine here as the first manager in a long time that didn't have Catherine on on payroll.

So uh she um she she's you know she was terrific, a lot of you know the longevity in service and and did it diligently, did her dot her job diligently.

Um and so we wish her very well in her very well deserved retirement as assessing clerk after 44-0 years of service.

Uh on a related note, we have an openings at the city of Barrie, and including assessing clerk.

Uh and you can apply on our website at www.berrycity.org/slash HR.

Um, and uh we did recently get in the USW contract um flexibility.

So there's a there's a posted starting wage which is consistent with the contract, which is between 22 dollars and 38 cents and 23.29 cents.

Encourage people to apply.

We have some flexibility in that contract.

If you come to us with a lot of experience, um we have the ability to um to move you up, commensurate with that experience.

So don't want the salary that's posted to discourage people.

Um, but it is a it's a good position, it's a good job.

It's right here in Barry City, it keeps regular hours, uh represented by the union.

Uh the last person held it for a long time, so it must be good.

Um so that's it from me, Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you.

Any questions?

Um did I not know?

Uh go ahead.

I don't have a question, but I want to say I did go on the website to look at the FAQs, and they are really great for the bond things.

So thank you for that.

They were very helpful.

And I've anybody who has questions, I say just go look at the FAQs.

They just answer all your questions.

So thank you.

They did a great job.

How did I not know Catherine was retired?

It was very well.

Very no, she's very she's very private, and I she probably won't like you know, if if if this ends up in the talk of the town, I she probably won't like that either, David.

Okay, then it's gonna end up in talk of the town.

So definitely don't be at the holiday party.

We did invite her.

We told her that we have police officers.

We do.

She will be at the holiday party.

Thank you.

No, I mean I talked with her at length about that on Friday.

Thank you.

No, and seriously, Catherine was unflappable.

I'd be in the office sometimes, and you know, not everyone, most people, but not everyone who comes through the doors of City Hall, especially when you're dealing with assessment is pleasant.

And Catherine was always just the epitome of grace and professionalism.

So I really hope that she comes to the holiday party.

I need the opportunity to say thank you, and I think a lot of people do.

She said she would.

So we're going to Catherine.

Well done.

And we'll get you in talk of the town.

Okay.

I have a question, Mr.

Yes, of course.

Mr.

Manager.

You said uh the headworks report is at 60 and 90 percent.

Um what exactly does that mean and what kind of details can we see or that's the engineering, like the engineering design.

Um so I can have Brian, I'm sure, I'm sure we can provide it.

Um but it's basically the the engineering design is at that those levels of a percent complete and okay, yeah.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anything else, Council?

Okay, then we'll move on.

We have a public hearing scheduled.

Uh this is the public informational hearing that's worn for 6.15 p.m.

Uh on the special election of November 4th, 2025.

City Treasurer Carol D.

Good evening.

How are you?

Peachy, how about all of you?

Okay.

It's all yours.

Well, um, this is one of those requirements by statute.

Um, before any um local election, uh you're required to hold an informational hearing used to be within the 10 days leading up to the election, now it's within the 30 days leading up to the election.

Uh we've had a number of opportunities to talk about the items that are on the ballot next Tuesday.

This is the last official informational hearing.

And it's not only an opportunity for us to share a little bit about the uh the questions that are on the ballot.

Um I won't bore you with stuff you've already heard a gazillion times, but it's also an opportunity for the public to ask any questions.

So I will trust that you, Mr.

Mayor, to keep an eye on the screens or anybody behind you with any questions.

So Barrie City has two articles on the ballot next Tuesday.

Um article number one, and I'm going to summarize them because if you saw the manager's op-ed that was in the paper last week, what is it?

283.

383 words in the two articles together.

It's a lot of language.

Unfortunately, it's all required by law.

Um, but to give a uh a brief synopsis of them, article one uh is to bond 2.4 million dollars uh through the TIFF projects to do infrastructure uh in support of the construction of a 31-unit housing complex uh on what is being referred to as Stevens Branch apartments, which is on Seminary Street uh between North Main and Summer.

Um there are two um underutilized city-owned parking lots there, and this is where this space will be.

The infrastructure projects in support of it include um remediation of uh contaminants, uh burying utilities, new water and sewer connections, um it includes uh improvements to the remaining parking lot that's behind the building, um, some new green space, uh paving, uh street paving, so uh there's a fair amount of infrastructure um in support of uh the project.

Um, because it's a TIFF project, um, and I appreciate counselors falding driving people to the FAQ, so I don't have to spend a lot of time explaining TIFF districts.

Um, because it's a TIFF project, though, the the costs for the bond, the debt service over the life of the bond will be paid out of incremental taxes within the TIFF district.

Um, so it's not going to add to the um to the general fund budget that gets approved by the voters every year.

There is a source of revenue.

And what's nice about TIFF is that there will actually be an increase in general fund taxes to the general fund.

There will be an increase in taxes to the ed fund, and there will be additional funds that are available for the debt service for this project.

So before I move on to the next one, I want to give anybody an opportunity to make any comments or ask any questions about the Stevens branch apartments or the TIFF fund.

I wonder if you could review some of the TIFF projects that have been undertaken by the district in the past and what they've accomplished for the city.

Yep.

We the TIFF plan, as it was originally approved by the state, focused almost exclusively on parking improvements in support of a number of different buildings, uh developments that were in the TIFF district, including rehabbing the Blanchard Block next door, the construction of City Place, the construction of the Summer Street Housing Complex that's on the corner of Keith Avenue and Summer Street, along with other projects in the area.

So it's hard to say, you know, look at this great building.

You could look at the buildings that came out of it, like City Place and Blanchard Block, Summer Street House.

But the parking areas that were included in that included significant remediation of contaminants behind the former Aubishon's building and improvements of that parking area.

The creation of the Campbell Place parking lot, the creation of the Keith Avenue parking lot, and so it created a much larger pool of uh parking available for the employees and the residents that came with Blanchard Block City Place Summer Street Housing.

Um that was supported by a $2.2 million bond that was approved by the voters in November of 2013, and it leveraged almost three million dollars in grant funds that went into those projects too.

So it allowed us to take 2.2 million and turn it into more than five.

Um more than five million dollars of improvements.

So in the intervening years between oh, the other thing that it did was it created the uh Pearl Street Pedway, um, which is a wonderful linkage between North Main Street and the parking areas behind.

So since the completion of the Pearl Street Pedway, which was the last aspect, I believe that was included at 16 or 17.

Um we've spent time over the last four years or so looking at well, the TIFF plan calls mostly for parking, but is that still relevant to where we are today?

There have been changes in the way employees work, work schedules, more remote work.

There's certainly shifts in the needs in communities or the state as a whole, and housing certainly has risen to the top of the needs list.

Um we worked with uh a variety of um consultants and developers to uh map out the plan for the uh the Stevens branch apartments.

We have to go to the state for approval to shift from parking to housing, which we did, um unanimous approval by the Vermont Economic Progress Council for for our refocusing uh of the TIFF uh plan.

Um and so that's where we're moving forward with this.

Um we do still have uh uh some additional time and capacity in the TIFF district.

So we're once this project is off and running, we will likely start looking again at what might be the next thing.

So we may be back with more.

And can we talk about a specific Carol?

Sure.

Um because there are people who I mean they they don't see any of the benefits.

Um I'd like to just talk a little bit about City Place and what that has done for the city.

So for those of you who weren't here in 2009, uh using the neighborhood stabilization uh grants.

We purchased the old, the really old Brooks Drugs building, the Will and Will and Drugstore that some of you may know it as, and some surrounding properties.

Uh at the time the city was collecting about I think $20,000 a year total.

Yeah, they were assessed at less than a million.

Yeah, it was uh it was a fairly small number.

It was about 20,000.

That was actually so that was that is where City Place is.

We purchased the property in 2009, similar to what we're doing at 143.

We raised the properties.

Uh so we tore the properties down, and we actually had for a number of years, I think around two.

Uh so we tore the properties down, and we actually had for a number of years, I think around two, we had a beautiful sculpture park that spawns who had be uh sponsored and um you know really shepherded through.

Uh then in 2012, we did the TIFF district, and City Place was actually our first project.

We offered those lots because the city had acquired them at no cost.

We offered them to the developers at no cost.

Um today, if you look, and then we all know what happened.

Uh we partnered with DEW Construction, they built a substantial building, first the Department of Education, and now the agency of transportation, they have 200 employees who come in in and out of the city of Barrie in and out of our downtown every day.

But the point is simply this.

In 2009, we were collecting 20,000 total in tax revenue on those parcels.

Today the number is $353,000.

That's what we collect in property tax revenue.

So even when you look at how much goes back, because you know, we split the money up in the TIFF district, the TIFF gets some, the education fund gets some, and the municipality gets some.

Even if we look at what the City of Barrie is getting today, let's just discard the TIFF district benefits, we're getting 500% more today than we were in 2009.

And you know, this project, uh, the Stevens Ranch apartments, admittedly, the numbers will not be as robust, but I think we're focusing well, but they're gonna be pretty damn robust to the 31 families and people who get to live there.

So uh, you know, I I I'm totally a support.

I mean, I love TIFF.

I just I want to explain.

I want to extend it another two years just because I want to see if we can make up another excuse.

But uh no, the legislature um, you know, Representative Wazak, Representative Bouden, and certainly we had our friends on the side of the Senate.

We've been granted two extensions on our TIFF district because of flooding and because of because of COVID.

No one's ever done that in the state of Vermont.

We were the first, so and Carol, you had a lot to do with that as well.

So I, you know, I'm I'm anxious to put this project in the win column and focus on the next one because the next one's gonna be bigger, it's gonna be better.

I think one of the things that that um Barry has led the state and other TIFF communities in is being resilient.

Is you know, yes, we've done this, but now let's look at what the needs are now.

So let's shift.

Let's let's stay nimble and move around with what needs to be done.

You know, parking is not the need anymore.

Housing is the desperate need.

So that's what we're moving forward with.

And we have a reputation in the state, um, both with the state and with communities that have TIFF districts as being a community that knows what we're doing and being the poster child for TIFF districts.

Yes.

Can I ask a question?

Uh, a couple of the questions that I've been getting, or the question I've been getting from a couple people is about the education tax.

So could you talk about that and how that works and how this doesn't detract or pull money out of the education fund?

Every every property that pays property taxes has a portion of their bill that's municipal taxes that comes to the city to support the budget that's approved by the voters, and they have a portion of their taxes that is education.

And if you look at your tax bill, it very clearly says municipal education.

And the education portion goes to the state to support it in Vermont's instance, it goes to the state to support all the school districts throughout the state.

Um, what happens with uh a property?

Say you have a property that's worth a million dollars, and through through the TIFF project, it you increase it in value to two million dollars.

Well, now you're gonna be collecting twice as much money.

But if it's in TIFF, that increase, that increment between the one million and two million dollar amount, that increase in taxes gets split up with 25% of the increase coming to the municipality, 25% going to the education fund, and 75% of the combined municipal and education going into the TIFF increment fund to pay for the debt service.

So what you have done by encouraging that property to increase in value by a million dollars, is you have increased municipal taxes.

You have increased education taxes, and you have created a pool of fund uh of money to uh to cover the debt service associated with the the municipal infrastructure, the public investments that supported that private development.

And the the big thing with TIFF districts is you hear people refer to the but for test.

In all instances, and this is one of the the uh the things that the Vermont Economic Progress Council looks at when they're granting TIFF districts and granting projects is um would this project exist but for the public infrastructure, public improvements that are made by the by the community.

And if the answer is they wouldn't exist without it, then it's a no-brainer that the community makes those improvements, and now those increases fall across all categories.

Because if the community didn't make the improvements, then there would be no additional million dollars in value.

There would be no additional municipal taxes or education taxes.

Continue, you're on a roll.

Any other questions for okay no, we're good.

So Article 2 on the city's ballot, and the ballot is a lovely autumnal orange color, yellow orange color.

So very much in the season.

Um the uh article number two is uh $3.3 million bond vote to make the necessary um improvements retrofitting to the new public works garage location and campus, um, which is up off of Prospect Street, um, up the hill here.

Uh it includes um uh new entry off of Prospect Street.

It includes um areas for assault bunker and a sand bunker and outside storage for materials that won't fit inside.

It includes retrofitting um garage doors and bays to allow for equipment to be all of our equipment to be stored inside.

Uh improvements to the storm water and water movement in the building so that melting snow off of plows has some place to go in the building.

It includes um improvements in lighting that needs to um that need to happen because right now it's built as a warehouse.

So um it needs some improvements to to get it up to um a point where it's it's uh perfect for having all of our incredibly valuable highway and um water and sewer department equipment undercover, safe.

It's a sprinklered building.

We're gonna save money on um our uh insurance because this building is safer than the one that um that our equipment is in right now.

Um provides a much better working environment for for our staff members.

Um so I don't know if you've got anything more you want to add.

That covers it.

We're gonna save money on heating, uh just everything were it it checks every box and then some for us and um it is a and is an elegant solution to a to a problem that was once you know thought to be 30 million dollars and it's gonna come in at 6.3 million total with the with the acquisition plus this bond.

Um so yeah.

The building is just over the line in Barrie Town, but we benefit from the fact that we're only four square miles.

So even though it is in another municipality, it's less than a mile to City Hall, and it's just over three miles to the farthest point in the city.

Believe me, I went on Google Maps and figured it out.

Um so it we're we're our garage in another community will be closer to our farthest point than other neighboring communities, their garages, Barrytown, Berlin, you know, than they are from their farthest point.

So we have we benefit from the fact that we're small.

It was challenging because we're small, and so we couldn't find a place to build a building in our in our actual area.

But um, this is I mean, it's you can stand there and see the town line.

It is literally that close.

So we we actually could.

We actually did locate some parcels in the city where we could have built a new building, um, but it was in the floodway.

So if you're going to invest and uh you know, this is a problem that has existed to anyone who's lived here in Barrie City for a period of time for 20 years, 30 years, 40 years.

You've heard about this in every decade.

You know, someone has mentioned it, whether the you know how embarrassing the conditions are, you know, that's where we keep our equipment, that's where we have our workers try to maintain our equipment in substandard conditions.

Um I remember sitting here when uh then public works director Ahern came in with the consultant and dropped a $30 million price tag on the beer on the council.

Um we simply couldn't afford $30 million.

We knew that.

And um so admittedly, as countless numbers of councils had done before, we kind of kicked the can down the road and we told Nicholas uh continue to work on it, but don't bring us back anything that has a price tag north of $10 million, and even $10 million were stretching.

Um this project is Nicholas said is going to be 6.6.

So let's just put that into context for a minute.

Um our friends in Berlin uh are currently planning to build a public works garage.

Their cost is going to be $500 north of $500 a square foot.

Our total cost is $120 a square foot.

Berlin is going to spend, they're planning to spend, they're going to spend over $500 a square foot.

Our friends in East Montpelier already have a shovel in the ground.

They're spending over $500 a square foot.

Our friends in Milton, who actually started constructing in 2022, so they got the benefit of not having the run-up in construction costs.

They're spending $220, $216, $216 a square foot.

Again, compare that to $120.

In 2006, we spent $120 a square foot to build the public safety building.

In 2006, almost 20 years ago.

So you know, any way you turn this and I realize let's get past the elephant in the room.

I sold this to the city.

If Article 2 doesn't pass and you want me to buy it back, done deal.

Um, because I knew it was, you know, it was good for everybody.

Everybody won in this situation.

We were able to replace a public safety building, a building that would have cost us at $500 a square foot, would have cost us $20.

That was the $30 million.

Would have cost us $25 million.

And you know, we simply couldn't afford that.

So I'm hopeful that people reward Nicholas and the city council and everyone involved for coming up with a solution that is one-fifth or one-fourth the cost.

You know, we did it the very way.

We're cheap.

And we figured out a way to do it on the cheap.

So I'm hopeful that voters will reward us for doing that.

So go ahead.

I have a question.

So the structure is a lot larger than the current one.

So is the whole structure going to be utilized by the public's work building, or is there rental space available?

Yeah, we we think that there's really good opportunity to uh partner with the state, partner with other municipalities to make the the most of the use of the uh interior.

One of the things I mentioned when we were going through this acquisition is you know, one thing people could knock about it is that it's it's a little bit bigger footprint that we would need to survive.

Um, but I also didn't think that was a bad thing because uh I know uh, for example, it could be a satellite location for Barrytown if they're working on a project on that part of the town that you know they don't have to go back to their current garage and speaking with uh Secretary Flynn on other issues.

We also floated the idea that this is another another option is for AOT vehicles or or whatever.

So I think that um there certainly are options for um for for revenue generation on that site through rentals and agreements with state or other municipalities.

Yes.

The other thing that I wanted to mention, since I touted the fact that the TIFF district wasn't going to add anything to the the bottom line of our tax bill, I do want to let you know that the way this bond would be paid for, um, the building is um the Department of Public Works is split pretty much 50 percent public works, which is general fund, or highway department, which is general fund, and then the 2525 for water and sewer.

Um the percentages are a little slightly different than that, but it's pretty much 50, 25, 25.

And so the the cost for the bond would be born with those same percentages to the uh to the general fund and then to the water fund and the sewer fund.

Um and a rough calculation estimate of what that impact is on a $300,000 home, it's less than eight dollars a month.

So we did want to just let people know that that's that what we're that's what we're looking at.

Not everything's a TIFF district.

No, some things you gotta pay for.

Council questions or comments or look, I just hope everyone supports these bonds.

I mean, they're they're well thought out.

Um, Article 2 just solves a decades old problem.

And we don't have a plan B.

You know, we we don't have we don't have a way to build a you know, state-of-the-art functional public works garage for $120 a square foot.

That's our plan B is $500 a square foot.

So I do want to just remind everybody that the voting is this coming uh Tuesday, a week from today.

The polls will be open at the auditorium from 7 a.m.

to 7 p.m.

But you can vote now.

You can stop by the clerk's office the rest of this week.

You can even do it on Monday and vote, though.

Cheryl's now looking at me and going, don't encourage a thousand people to come in on Monday.

But you could stop by the clerk's office uh you through the rest of this week.

You could call the clerk's office and ask them to mail you a ballot.

Um there are opportunities to drop ballots off back here at City Hall, or you can bring them up to the auditorium on next Tuesday.

Um next Tuesday, 7 a.m., 7 to p.m.

Come on by.

Thank you.

Any other questions, counsel or anyone in the audience?

Okay, then I'll consider the hearing close.

Uh council, I'm gonna move on instead to the situation table briefing.

If there's no objection, Mr.

Allen has been waiting patiently, and I'm sure he has other things that he'd rather be doing.

Mr.

Manager, it's all yours.

Thank you, Mayor.

Appreciate it.

And um Scott is joining us from Zoom from uh, I think he was at a conference or a training all day.

And that uh and uh so uh appreciate uh you making the time, Scott.

And Tess uh is joining us here in person at the table.

Tess is the was selected as the chair of the local situation table.

Um so I'll actually turn it over to you know Tess, you want to start with Scott or do you want to kick us off?

Yeah, I think Scott has um PowerPoint.

Really good PowerPoint, and then I can just add anything after that.

Perfect.

Thanks, Scott.

And uh Scott, you should be a co-host, so should you should be able to share whenever you're ready.

Great.

Well, thank you, Mayor, City Council.

Uh Nick, thank you very much for having us.

I am here with my partner, Mike Materi.

We apologize.

We're down at the Hampton Inn in the Connecticut doing a two-day training uh with our Connecticut partners.

But uh, by way of background, Mike and I, we are retired law enforcement, 26 years, myself in Massachusetts in a community called East Bridgewater.

Mike was the police chief and did 36 years in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

And I provide that as the background for why you're listening to us top of the situation table.

Mike and I, as police chiefs in our county called Plymouth County, helped to create a collaborative model back because of the overdose crisis around 2013, 14 and 15.

And then as a result that it became a collaborative model between public safety, public health, and community partners to help um vulnerable populations, persons in need struggling with substance use disorder, mental health disorders unhoused.

Um so we we took our front row seat in law enforcement, and in lieu of arrest only options, we started to work with our behavioral health partners to provide options to individuals and families to treatment care and resources.

And I frame that because in 2016 we launched Plymouth County Outreach, 27 cities and towns doing this collaborative work together, and we heard about the situation table back then in 2015-16.

The table is what we call a uh a rapid risk-based triage model.

It brings together partners from health care, public safety, public health, and community on a weekly basis in a in a in a secure setting to work collaboratively to address the needs of individuals and families that are what we call acutely of a risk.

So think of individuals and families that police are responding to, fire EMS responding, go into the ERs, children that live in those homes that um you know have uh vulnerable needs.

The idea is that the table collaborates collectively each week to identify individuals that are slipping through the cracks, and then the table professionals work through a what we call a four-filter approach, a four-filter process to engage those individuals and families through a collaborative response.

Um, and again, I'm doing this in like 10 minutes.

We usually spend two days doing this training.

So I I speak fast.

If you can't tell, I have a hard Boston accent.

So I hope you don't need the uh the subtitles already.

But um when Mike and I launched our initiative with our other chiefs and our our behavioral partners, we knew that we wanted to launch tables because it was the 2.0 version.

In our county, we started with an overdose response, but you had to almost die, right?

And then we would go out the next day and offer a fall up a resource.

The table looks upstream, and it's all of that shared knowledge at the table of community partners, providers, behavioral providers, community groups that work in this space that we work collectively through this process.

Um we got involved in this uh back in 20, and I'm gonna open up my PowerPoint now because I I want to make sure I'm um I'm quick in as I do this.

Um are you seeing my screen share right now?

Uh not yet.

All right, hold on one second.

Let me do that again.

I need to share my screen and to do.

Uh this is where I usually have Mike sing and uh and do some dancing right now.

So there we go.

So um table.

We got introduced to this uh the uh the sit the state of Vermont through the Vermont Public Safety Enhancement Team, and that is a collaboration uh uh that was led by Governor Scott's 10-point safety plan to address the needs of communities, particularly with violence in communities, substance use disorder, uh overreaching mental health disorders through a collaborative approach.

Uh P SET is public safety, mental health corrections, human services, community partners, and local jurisdictions working collaboratively together.

So when um the the governor's office and the Vermont Peace Consortium learned about the situation table model through some colleagues of ours down in Massachusetts, they said this fits perfectly with our model.

Now, I want to remind uh just to share the tables don't do case management.

Everyone that's at the table is operating in this space every day doing this work.

What the table does is it provides a secure environment for us to work collaboratively together.

In addition to the Vermont Peace Consortium, we work with the the governor's office, crime research group, the Garnett group.

These are all agencies that are working with the state to address the needs of each community.

Now, through this project, the the governor's office initially identified four communities because of their high volume of calls for service, police fire and EMS, emergency department visits.

They identified these communities to be the first ones to have tables.

Those first table model uh table uh identified were Bennington, Bradderball in um Springfield, Vermont.

We launched three tables in uh we did the training in November 24, and those tables launched in January 2024.

Rutland was the fourth table to launch through the Vermont P set, and then as word started to spread, and we knew this would happen is that other agencies, other communities said, Hey, how do we get one of those situation tables?

Because there's fidelity to this process, it's been around for 15 years.

There's nearly 50 tables across the U.S., we have 20 in Massachusetts.

Vermont, we are proud to say, has the highest number of tables in a state per capita based off of the population now with eight tables.

And what they the table does is it breaks down silos between agencies, it bridges gaps, it really builds new cross-sector partnerships and gets upstream.

And what we do is each week is we work together at these tables.

What we can show with under just a year worth of data through the eight tables.

Now, after the first four, we then had Burlington and St.

Johnsbury with the fifth and sixth tables, and then Barrie, Berlin, and Montpelier was our seventh table, and that was a regional table, and then Woodstock and Hartford region was another eighth table.

The idea is each of these tables work together with all their partners.

We work to address the needs in our in each of those communities, and it looks different from community to community.

But what we can see across the state right now is anywhere from 40 to 60 percent of these situations, we're reducing risk each week.

Three-quarters of these individuals, one quarter families.

We're we're bridging the gap between police health, mental health providers, corrections.

Chief Vale was a huge champion.

When I met with Nick and Chief Ale back in in uh the summer, when they said, hey, we'd like to learn more about this.

They're like, we're all in.

But if we're gonna do it, it only makes sense that we do with our partners in Berlin and Montpelier, because you have those collaborative relationships already built between those cross-sectors and with smaller communities like my own, Mike had a bigger city, the smaller communities, we can pool our resources better.

What we've been able to do is identify the top risks.

Housing is number one across the state, no, no question.

Basic needs, substance use, mental health disorders, and poverty are those top five risk factors.

Um what we can do with this data, and it's all de-identified data that we're tracking as a community table, is we can look at these trends weekly, monthly.

We just had our most recent Vermont P set consortium meeting last week, and I highlighted all the work at the tables.

What Barry has uh Montplay and Berlin have done in a short time, had a real high success rate.

60% are reducing AER, acutely every risk.

The multi-collaboration, agent collaboration has been incredible.

Like Mike and I, after the training, we stay on and mentor remotely the tables, and we've been just uh overwhelmed with the response in your community partnerships.

Tess has been doing an absolute great job of the being the table chair, but no one agency owns the table.

And I just want to kind of catch myself on that because it is truly a collaboration of all the partners in the space.

But what it allows us to do is through sign releases of uh of information, respecting privacy, HIPAA, CFR 42, those mandates that hospitals and health uh health care providers have to respect.

We're able to do that through this shared approach through this process.

Some of the gaps that we're seeing, we're starting to see um outreach to families as one of those gaps.

So now we're gonna work stronger to identify not only individuals but the family component.

And then we you can see right there, housing.

And then we you can see right there, housing it, but that's what we see across the country to be honest with you is housing is the number one uh risk factor.

Um Mike, do you want to offer anything that I haven't talked about as far as with with Barry and uh the Montpelier uh table?

No, I mean I would just say that uh we would we were thrilled when we got in these different communities very much voluntaries that so much good things already happening.

We don't come in and replace anything, we come in and we complement it, we bring structure to it, and we bring kind of a uh fidelity to a program.

So it's that that tool and the two belt that we uh that didn't exist before.

It just gives agencies the ability to bring that individual family forward that's at that high high risk, acutely elevated risk, and provide them the resources and the uh uh rule of the agencies and the help they need specific to their needs.

And one of the things, and I'll let Tess uh you know close off here, but what the table has allowed us to do in low each of the locations, but then statewide is you compare trends or talk about hey, what's working in Burlington that we can use in Barrie, or what's happening in Barry that we can help here with St.

John's Burg, like the release of information, the privacy information share that is the biggest challenge, but working with your Vamar partners, we now have a signed release of information waiver that individual sign and say, Hey, I want you to bring me up to the table because you're telling me there's all these resources that are collaborating.

I want I I I would love to have the help.

And we're seeing some just incredible work, and I can't speak enough about you know your table in particular.

I do want to also you know give kudos uh to the city manager and chief veil.

You had the highest attendance of any of the trainings.

We do these all across the country.

You had 83 people in attendance on day one and about 72 on day two, which was really overwhelming.

Um, and again, what we're working at is one individual, one family at a time, but we're building this collaboration that lends to other um other engagements, other idea sharing, and it's really kind of like a conduit that you know becomes that group that is a real key to helping improve the lives of all of our residents.

And Mike and I can share, we did it in our own communities as chiefs, and those tables are still running nine years later.

Tess, I'm gonna stop screen sharing because I I think I've gone about eight minutes.

Okay.

Well, Scott and Mike, I just have to say that this the training, uh, the two-day training, anybody that was able to um participate uh was pretty amazing, and these guys are wicked smatter.

I want to thank you because um, you know, after the training, they don't just they didn't just drop us.

I mean, I'm mentored through um uh these last four meetings that we've had, and probably will for another probably four or so, right?

We don't go away, in other words, and and uh they're like bad pennies.

Um so uh I just think that this model has been um, you know, I I always my perspective is what I have here in Barrie and um with Berlin and Montpelier.

And um so we have had anywhere from 30 to 40 participants at the table each week, uh, which is a lot and it's great.

Um, and they represent 35 agencies and organizations.

Um I mean, do you think you could even name 35 agencies and organizations in central Vermont?

But it's true, and the expertise that they bring is um it's so valuable, and they're so professional, and their willingness to work together is um is just um terrific.

You know, we sit down, we get into the room and we just sit down, ask if there's a situation, and somebody brings something forward, and then it's identified who has been working with maybe it's an individual.

All of them so far have been individuals.

Um, but when they bring that bring it forward, um it's it's very quick uh process for three or four um agencies to identify who can wrap around this and who will take the lead, and then we're done.

We're on to the next one.

It's it's so fast.

These meetings will end up being they've gone a little over, but they don't they'll end up being half hour meetings.

Um what else can I tell you?

Um so we've had six cases come forward so far, and four have already closed.

So that's that's a good indication.

Um I think that is open now is going to probably close and be taken up later.

Um knowing you know that the the situation now for this individual.

Um, and that's the other thing that's great is it's made is the whole um idea that if not now, then we can do this in the future.

It's not like somebody is is um or a situation is taken up and then uh just dropped because they didn't want to sign a consent or uh they were not willing to part to participate or um cooperate and um we just say okay, maybe not now, but we will check, we'll come back, we'll swing back around.

Um think of what else um I can tell you if you have any questions.

Yes, how would we or how could somebody get in touch to be put um on a list to talk to somebody?

So say somebody in the if you have a if you have a situation that you're thinking of.

Somebody in the community you know is listening to this and says, Hey, you know, um, I'd like to be part of this.

Uh, you know, like I'd like to I'd like to get help.

Yeah.

Um do you want to take that, Scott?

Yeah, yeah.

What uh Springfield Chief Burnham, who's been an advocate, he has people in the community reach out to his officers, the officers then make a referral to the table through the chief, and then the team puts together a wraparound services.

It actually in Springfield was pretty powerful.

The chief said he actually had someone who had heard about the table, because one of their friends got connected to services.

That person went up to a patrol officer and said, Hey, can you get me to uh bring me up at the situation table?

I I'm struggling and need help.

So anyone, the you know, the chief veil and his team could bring a referral, they could reach out to Tess.

I on that, it's not a community table, because we have to respect privacy information, but anyone can say, hey, if I need help, can you go to one of the table participants?

Can you bring me up at the table?

And that happens all the time.

Great question.

Yeah.

So is there like a group?

Is there a list or you know, some way that we could promote individuals whom somebody could then go and talk to?

Um, I think that if it's a situation in the school, they can go to the school.

If it's if it's who in the school, like would they go to?

Is there a specific individual?

Oh, there's there's a few people that participate at the table, and there's a student services person.

Um, they can go to the principals, they they will know.

So the principals will know.

They will know.

Okay.

You know, or the police department, or you can you know, bring it into City Hall to um City Manager and myself, and we'll make sure it goes to the right place to get it presented.

Okay.

Yeah, it's a good question.

Thank you.

Yeah, because I think that you know, I appreciate the fact that you know, to be able to reach out to you or to Nicholas, because some folks don't want to reach out to the police for whatever reason.

Right.

Um so definitely I appreciate all those different options, and you know, we all work in the community in different capacities.

Yeah.

So to know about this uh as a referral, uh, to be able to help people.

Um, and with such a such a high success rate so far, and so many agencies in our community that are willing to help.

Um, it's just a huge blessing.

So thank you all for the hard work.

I do want to add, uh, and I left out your fire chief and deputy chief were very engaged in the training.

They're side by side.

So yeah, a lot of times people feel more comfortable going to fire EMS.

So that's an option too.

So they haven't gone through the training.

Any of those agencies have designees that could say, hey, I I know how to bring a situation forward.

Ginger Cloud, did you have a question?

Yeah, thank you so much.

Uh this sounds like a really wonderful program.

Thank you for bringing it to Barry and all your work along the way.

Um Taz, I was kind of curious if the Central Vermont Prevention Coalition have they been involved or have they been looped into this work?

It's a coalition of dozens of agencies in central Vermont that help with addiction services and other um interventions.

Yeah, when I look at it's a good question, Ginger.

Thanks.

Um, I think that um when I look at the list um that there's um a lot of members of the coalition on the list.

So and I can share with you that we are meeting regularly with the agency of human services, department of health, department of public safety, corrections, probation approval, all of these agencies, the leaders are part of the Vermont Peace Consortium, and they are you know, they continually send their their personnel.

We're actually doing the training for DCF workers next week online to get them up to speed.

We just did one for school personnel.

Um Rutland School System said, Hey, we want to be part of the table, and they and I'll share last week they had a principal that brought forward a situation.

He became part of the filter for outreach, and he told the table chair afterwards, he says, I'm flawed.

I had no idea we had all these resources that could do all this work.

He said, I could never navigate this alone as a building principal or as a an educator.

But now we have strength and numbers.

So I just want to share that as well.

Awesome.

Yeah, thank you so much.

And it would be great.

Um, yeah, as much as you can involve that whole coalition too, they'd have presenters and you know, it was just even working as a state employee, we're very siloed.

So even if you're working with that department of the state, you're not, you know, there's so many that are missing your fine work, and so it would be a real loss.

Yeah, too much siloing on.

Thanks.

I'm gonna I'm writing it down so that I can um see who's there and who might be missing.

That's great.

Yeah, and even I mean, yeah, they would love to have you guys, I'm sure, present.

Great.

Um Tess, when you talk about 60% of the situations being closed and a 60% success rate, could you just describe what that looks like?

Does that simply mean that the individual or family is getting the services they need, which puts them at a lower risk or what it means um is that what we talk about the acute elevated risk, so are they going to be a harm to themselves or harm to others?

And so when the team comes in to wrap around and start thinking de-escalating the situation, it means that that now it's it's not in an acute elevated risk mode.

They may have not solved all our problems, but it's it's in a place where now they can start sailing towards being managed.

Yes.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So think of risk, we reduce risk, and then that wraparound team now does case management like they do in their day-to-day work for as long as they need be.

And then they can bring back de-identified updates quarterly, annually.

So what happens is most of these teams have three or four agents of the lead, they'll work with that individual family for as long as they need to.

Sometimes we have situations they get close to the table, but the case management stays open for a year, 18 months.

And then oftentimes we have to bring individuals back to the table, or someone will come back, but now there's that that capacity to engage them and the ability to engage them quicker because they've already had prior experiences.

So we do see that as well.

It's not doing case managers saying, hey, we we're not pretending that hey, we solved the problems, but what we did is we provided them with a wraparound services that they wouldn't get alone.

Think of going to five different primary cares and trying to navigate some specialty doctors and navigating.

What we do is we bring those specialty persons to you and then say, hey, this is how we can work with you for as long as you need us.

And then maybe two or three jump off, and then only one team member stays here.

But we've now provided that that ex that all perils approach care team.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Yes.

So um when I look at when I went through this whole um presentation, which has a lot of information and I appreciate that.

I look at the um top risk factors, and when you talk about going upstream, how can we use this information to go even further upstream to make sure that we are providing enough housing, addressing poverty, addressing mental health, addressing substance abuse, and maybe not here just us in Barrie, but like as a broader, like in our state, because that seems like if we can solve some of those bigger issues, we wouldn't have people who are at such high risk.

I think you go first, Tess, and then I'll I'll have I'll get off of something.

I think I would just say that um, you know, for what we're doing here is we're providing uh really clear and um uh you know uh data, you know, that is saying what is ever across the board, everywhere uh we've seen situation tables, it's housing is first, right?

Scott, I mean, that's true across the country, right?

Yeah, housing is one, but what we get into is what are those other social determinant health needs, and what we can do with data is now we can leverage that data across the entire state regionally, we can use that data for future opportunities, hopefully for funding.

We know that some of this data has already been used locally by some of the table communities to um offer get support for personnel to support their table and the work they're doing in the community.

So it it definitely highlights the gaps, but with data now, we can use that and leverage that.

The state is looking at it.

That's why we have quarterly meetings with uh Vermont P set while they lead that.

The all the directors, commissioners are now looking at this data.

We're now starting to have those longer-term conversations.

Hey, we now know housing, mental health, and substance use are three of the top five.

Right.

How can we show this and leverage that statewide, regionally, what maybe at the federal level, to highlight the needs in in Vermont in particular.

Yeah, yeah.

I would I would just add to that.

Um that um the the needs will exist even if we do those big projects.

I mean, we were here on the precipice of the the Stevens branch apartments, which I think I'm trying to think of the timeline.

I think we put out a request for proposals in late 2023.

It was after the first flood.

And even that project, which I would say has largely been pretty consensus on the on the councils that have been uh you know here for it, we still won't break ground until 2026.

So that's even when we know we know what we need to do, even when we have a great project to do it.

In the best cases, you're still looking three three years is still probably best case scenario for any of these type of big solutions.

So between now and and when we can do the next project, there's gonna be people who still have that that need that this that this model can sort of help them, you know, help them in the interim.

Thank you.

Yes.

One thing that would be really helpful is to drill down on the housing piece.

So for example, to find out like, you know, are people having trouble finding housing?

I mean, I know that that is an issue, but also is it people keeping housing?

So is it the same P and I don't want to say the same people, but you know, do you get a lease and then you're kicked out of your apartment and then you're homeless again?

Um is it that you didn't pay your rent and you're kicked out again?

Um you know, there's a lot of different pieces to the housing aspect.

And I think somehow, if we could drill down on figuring out you know what some of those barriers really are that exist, it would kind of help us fix this, you know, what we're talking about, Councillor Spawn.

Yeah, yeah.

Uh the Burlington table, they we've got a focus group now that's focusing just on that.

What are the the repeat bear, the key berries that continue to come up?

And now what they're doing through the tables, they're having a uh a group that's now talking regularly, just like in the other tables.

All right, how do we and then the table chairs come together?

We do a monthly meeting of table chairs and data recorders, and these are some of the discussions we're saying.

Hey, now that we got some data together, what can we do with this to problem solve?

Um, we're it's gonna take us some time, but if we didn't have this data, if we didn't have the collaboration, we wouldn't have that ability, it would still be in those silos.

But what it's allowing everyone to do is to break it down.

But and I love the way you're thinking, because now we've got to say, okay, good, we can show the data where the gaps are.

What can we now do?

How do we utilize this to help us come up with those complimentary pieces?

You know, is it short-term housing?

What can we utilize from our collective knowledge?

So we are certainly having those conversations.

I love love what though the way you're thinking.

Sir So I think the only other points I'm uh first of all, I'd like to thank um you know the state and Governor Scott for putting the piece set together to make this possible.

It's it's just wonderful.

Um I think the potential for this is well, first of all, I do want to say that what's really nice is I know that no matter who's running the table, whether it's me or somebody else, it won't go sideways because we're so supported um by the the core data team, but also um each other.

So in having these um statewide meetings and beyond, I mean, I heard from um somebody from Kentucky that you just you know, um at one of the meetings, and it was really great because we're supported here so that it stays consistent, but also um it can I the reason I brought up Kentucky is because they said you know, we had flooding in Richmond, and uh we were able to, because we had everybody together, we were able to pivot and work solely on our disaster.

And then when that got, you know, um when when that got smoothed out, they were able to come back and and um run the situation table the way it is.

And I thought that's just brilliant because we might just have another disaster within the next 50 years, and it would be really nice to know.

So um, anyway, um I just can't thank you, Scott and Mike, enough for all of the help and all the support and all the hand holding that you do.

And um, and I'm grateful to be doing this.

Thank you.

We we appreciate you, and I I do want to you know thank Nick and Chief Vale for being the champions that got you know we sat down and had that initial talk, and then it just it it spread.

I I have an adage if you build it, they will come and I say it all the time.

It does happen.

Pretty powerful.

Thank you again, gentlemen.

Appreciate your time.

Thank you, Scott.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mayor.

Yes.

I know that there are um at least four people here who are interested in the um neighborly berry committee discussion.

Could we bump to that next and then have your update?

Uh right after we talk about SNAP that affects 23% of our population and should children going hungry.

Yes, I will do that.

Uh so council wanted to talk to you about uh just give you an update on the federal SNAP program, what we refer to here in Vermont is three squares.

What we refer to here in Vermont is three squares.

So I wanted to thank uh Representative Wazizak.

I've been working with him uh since yesterday, just trying to get some data on who exactly uh it is affecting.

Um so just to give the council and those watching some numbers.

Uh, you know, on November 1st, uh the SNAP program is set to expire.

Um so will the Three Squares program on November 1st without intervention.

Uh so here in Barrie, we have 8,304 people in our city.

Um, these are the people who are directly who will be directly affected.

Uh 1,904 people out of a population of 8,304, roughly 23% of our population.

If you were out today and you saw four people, likely one statistically, one of them will be affected by um by the uh suspension of this program.

Uh 1,217 households will be affected here in Barrie, and 531 children under the age of 18.

Um, you know, those are pretty sobering, pretty serious numbers.

Um, you know, we're a small city.

Uh in statewide in Vermont, roughly 63,000.

We have a population of about 650, 650,000.

63,000 people statewide, roughly 10% of our population will be affected.

So here in Barrie, we're roughly double that number, which I I did expect.

I I was guessing around 15%.

I wouldn't have guessed as high as 23% of our population, and certainly wouldn't have um certainly wouldn't have guessed over 500 children.

So, you know, the so for those affected, um it's got to be pretty scary to think that on November 1st um that money that they depend on, the EBT card that they depend on, uh, will not be replenished.

And um, so I just wanted to give the council this update in the hopes that the word will get out that things are being done.

And I just wanted to run through those uh three things.

I think, well, first, I think we had all hoped that Democrats and Republicans would uh come together and end the shutdown.

Uh that obviously is not going to happen uh soon, certainly not going to happen this week.

Tomorrow at 12 p.m., Governor Scott will convene the e-board, the emergency board, and the emergency board uh currently it costs about 12 million dollars, and there's another component that's three, so around 12 to 15 million dollars for the three squares program in the state of Vermont.

The state legislature did set aside 110 million dollars for exactly this reason, uh, because they were concerned about a government shutdown.

But you have to remember that three squares is not the only program in the state of Vermont that is affected.

So they have to make that 110 million dollars last.

Uh there's also the uncertainty of whether the state will be reimbursed.

So if the state, for example, if any state votes to fund three squares or their state program for a significant period of time, there is the chance that they the state government would not be reimbursed by the federal government once the shutdown is ended.

Um so again, would never attempt to second guess the governor, but I wouldn't be surprised if the e board votes to fund it for a number of weeks, for example, two weeks, uh, and then perhaps convenes again at some point during the year should the shutdown continue.

But I have a pretty I pretty I have a pretty high degree of confidence that they will be able to come up with a short-term solution, but not a long-term solution.

Um there's also the added complexity of the fact that the three squares program is because it's a federal program, the EBT cards are they're funded federally.

So it's gonna add some complexity to uploading the funds to an individual's cards.

They assure me that the uh the delay, there could be a delay, but the delay would be days, not not weeks.

You know, it could be, and remember Saturday, the first of November when it's set to expire, is a Saturday Saturday is a Saturday.

Well, banks are closed on Saturday and they're closed on Sunday.

That adds a layer of complexity to it.

But they're hopeful that by Monday or Tuesday of next week, um, if the e board, in fact, uh votes to fund the program or partially fund the program throughout the month of November, uh, they're hopeful that the that if there is a delay, it'll just be a day or two.

Um probably not of much comfort when you have a family to feed or when you have children to feed, but I know they're going to, we've had every assurance from the administration that they're going to work as quickly as they can, and they're already planning for it.

Um the second thing that's going on is uh there was a bill introduced uh in the Senate.

Um Senator Welch.

Uh there were 10 Republicans who introduced the bill, and it was a very simple bill, fund SNAP.

It's called the fund the SNAP, uh the SNAP funding program of 2025 or continuance of 2025.

Uh so introduced by 10 Republicans.

Um Senator Welch, thank you, Senator.

I'm proud of you, was the only Democrat to break ranks and say we have to fund SNAP.

Uh so that is pending in the Senate.

That might be taken up.

I think it was sent to appropriations that could be taken up, uh, could could be stalled in appropriations, or it could be taken up for a vote.

Uh so that is going on.

And then lastly, Vermont has joined several other states in filing suit against the federal government.

That uh lawsuit was filed today, that was filed in the Massachusetts district um district court.

Uh so those are the three things or actually four, if you consider just a common sense stoppage of the shutdown.

Um, you know, there are four things that are going that might push funding of SNAP in the right direction.

So I just wanted to brief the council on that, and but more importantly, brief anyone who might be watching who could be affected, because this is a very, very scary time for them when they depend on and you know, this is a very uh personal issue to me.

Um my daughter works for No Kid Hungry, she is the national SNAP benefits coordinator.

So she's watching 50 states across the country uh struggle with this, and it's her job to make sure that those funds flow.

Um so it's something that's very important to her, and it's very important to me, not just not just as a dad, but we've I've always been able to feed my family.

And I can't imagine the uncertainty that some people are feeling thinking that they will not be able to feed their children on November 1st.

It's it's not right.

I'm not gonna pontificate about the whole shutdown thing, but uh it's just not right.

So, any questions, counsel?

I'll if anything, we'll we'll keep folks updated.

We're gonna put stuff on social media and just let people know that you know we're out there advocating for them.

Amy, did you have a question or a comment?

That's just the person.

Oh, sorry, that's his cursor.

Sorry about that.

Okay, so did you want to go into the um, yeah, we can would you mind, Councilor Gustin, if we okay.

So we'll do the um discuss the we'll discuss the neighborly Barrie committee proposal now, and then we'll then we'll do the uh flood resiliency plan.

So, Councillor Spaulding and Hillgardner.

Um we brought the uh I brought the um neighborly berry initiative to council in June, and it was fairly elaborate and um not funded.

Um there the it was it was made clear that there were not funds on the city level or staff energy on the city level to do the whole of that project project.

But the central concept seemed like it was worth continuing with.

Um so um Senator We'll make you a senator, that would work.

Um Counselor Spaulding and I um had a strategy meeting where we sort of talked about how can we pivot the this and which still incorporates this um alternative approach to how we change people's minds and perceptions and energize energize people around what a wonderful city Barry is.

Um and what we came up with was a city committee, doesn't take any money, we're not asking for staff time, um, to help coordinate among the groups, the various groups that are already doing things um in Barrie for you know, as Barry boosters or for the Barry community um the very business community, um, find ways to reach out further into the community and find other residents who are interested in connecting with their neighbors and doing small, maybe small one-off projects that enhance community um uh beautify Barry, maybe and um build build connections in within the city.

So we're proposing that the um council approve the creation of the neighbor neighborly Barry Committee with the charge to beautify, build connections and create community in Barrie City.

Um and I don't know, should I make a motion at this point and then we discuss it?

Could you describe exactly like you know, the structure of the committee?

I mean, we I've got your briefing from June.

Okay.

I looked over.

The briefing from June.

So how does this differ?

It's different this is different because what we're talking about having is um a relatively small um number of people on a committee, and we have um five people who've indicated interest, one further person who's indicated a possible interest if he can make it work with his schedule.

Um this would be the sort of the steering committee that would generate ideas and um get input from various other community partners for things and help move those ideas out into a slightly wider um circle of people who are interested in helping but not necessarily interested in being on a committee every month.

Um and we have talked to a number of people about that.

Um in fact, I would say most of the people that I talked to were enthusiastic about the idea.

Um some of them were you know, said things like we'd like to um be on, we'd like to help.

Um we don't want to be on the committee.

Um, you know, and but the helping in terms of so there's a project that let's say we want to serve um during the um the holiday shopping period in Barry that we want to partner with the Barry Partnership and sort of coffee and donuts, or hot cider and donuts, and maybe engage the school kids and making um making cookies or brownies or something or or serving.

There would be people that you know the committee would generate the idea, figure out who we're talking to, and move and then talk to people who would move these ideas further out into the community.

I think it's important for us to have a city committee because it says to everybody that this is something that the city supports and thinks is important.

I think it's um I think it's an important um piece of some of the other discussions that we've been having about dealing with the problems in Barrie.

Um I will say that um uh Tracy Lewis from Barry Partnership is very is she's here tonight, she's very interested in this um we you know we had a lovely meeting with her, and she was excited, had some really really good ideas, and you know, just sitting around the three of us at Espresso Bueno and talking about the potential, had us all leaving the meeting charged up.

Is that fair?

Yeah.

And um I've also talked with um Josh Jerome at um Barrie Area Development Corporation, he's at it at the Barrie Town Select Board tonight, so he couldn't come.

Um, but he's also enthusiastic about the possibilities of ways to that this would help um you know, sort of dovetail and connect people in the community to some of the work of the various groups that are doing things.

We've talked with else if we talk, we talked with Rainbow Bridge, we've talked with library, we've talked with the um people help people's health and wellness.

Um there are lots of places where there can be some overlap and some good things happening.

Um yes, you could make we'll have to ratify it next week because we only had discuss it, not okay.

We didn't know, but that's okay, we'll just ratify it next week.

So who would the initial members of the committee be?

The initial members of the committee who've said they're willing to serve would be um Tracy Lewis, Ernie Drown, Joanne Reynolds, and Marjorie Strong, who's up in the top and me.

And you and Council Spalwing.

No, no, oh no.

Okay, nope.

Um she's she's got enough on her plate right now, and and we we do just um if I may, may have to be.

Yeah, of course, just under the municipal bodies and appointments policy, we do have to advertise for any committee opening.

So I just want to make sure people are aware, certainly for you to apply, and you know, um certainly the council can appoint whoever you wish, but I just um if we follow the policy, we would go through um and it doesn't have to be very long, we can put it up for a week on the website and and just for and and you know this isn't limited to these people if there's some you know um Josh Jerome has said that he would perhaps be interested in it if he can make it work with this schedule.

If there's somebody who's listening tonight who wants to participate or um you know talk to us.

I mean, we we envision a not a huge committee because it's you know um there'll be enough work to do also for the people in the next row out, you know, we think of it committee helper.

And if oh sorry, counselor.

And if I just could the other pieces, I'm I'm happy to work with you and Councillor Spaulding.

The um the the policy also talks about the creation of committees.

I think you've covered just about everything.

The one thing that I didn't see in this was uh number of members and member terms.

So when the council creates committees, it it puts those two factors in.

So I'm you know it's do we have to have a solid number?

So you have to say help quantum or something.

I said quorum.

Yeah, because you have to meet quorum and exactly for that reason, yeah.

So I'm I'm happy to work with you on that.

I think there's no right or wrong answer.

Most of our committees have five or seven members right now.

Um so having an odd number obviously is important.

Um but I that those were those were the only two things I didn't see here.

The other the things you have to have are classification, which this is a committee, it's whether it's committee or task force or whatever.

I think this is clearly a committee.

Powers, duties in charge, I think is covered within the memo for the most part.

I think just membership and terms were the two things I didn't see.

So is it simply best practice or is it required policy that every city committee have a city staff person assigned to?

It is not required.

Yeah.

Yeah, but in this case, you would like to be the person.

I would like to be involved.

Yeah, yes.

Um, the only thing that I wanted to um bring up is if there are a lot of people that want to participate, that would be fantastic.

There's the committee, and then there's the people, as counselor Hillgartner said, that are going to also go out and do the be neighborly.

So even if you can't get on the committee, there's still plenty to do.

You can show up at every meeting and just not be on the committee and give your ideas and um find out ways that you can participate.

And I think the main goals um are for me.

I just keep thinking about how um I think Bern Rose talked about it.

I remember Tom Trees talking about it about having more people be downtown.

And if we had litter picking or adopt a bus stop or giving away coffee um on a random, you know, Sunday or Saturday afternoon.

Um, there will be more people around.

And so um I think that's encouraging.

And also um Tracy and um counselor Hillgartner and I spoke the other day about the pay it forward program, and I think that I'm really excited about that just for the simple fact that I think that's would be a great um way for people who want to support people who are struggling, but don't want to hand over cash to somebody.

They're just feeling uncomfortable about that, but they can still support them by you know donating money to a local business and then having them be able to go in and get a sandwich or something like that if they need a pay a forward um meal or item.

So um I'm excited about that of of how we can be more neighborly and support each other.

So what do we do this uh to go forward?

We're meeting on um what's that Wednesday of next week?

Um why don't you just clean up this first sheet or just edit this first sheet so that we've got the charge and we'll plan on we'll put that on the agenda, plan on a seven or nine.

I mean, I'm thinking quorum.

Yeah, I mean, we could do nine, we could do 50, we can do whatever we want.

But you have to have your quorum would be a majority of the members.

So my suggestion would be if you think, hey, we might have more people, maybe we do nine, and then you can operate with a quorum of five.

Does that sound good, or would you rather do seven and four?

I think it might be better to start with seven and four, because as counselor spaulding pointed out, there's there are you know, there's lots of room to be involved with our.

And we can expand it.

So if you ended up with a ton of people working with the committee, we we could make it 15.

We can yeah.

So that's not difficult to do.

Does that sound okay?

Yes, that works for you.

And why don't we do that?

Okay.

And folks, you came all the way down here, you waited.

Anything you'd like to add or say, or maybe you have to come up.

You have to come all the way up to call it.

You gotta come up here or nobody hears you.

Because there's Zoom.

It's kind of like home, right?

You talk and nobody hears you.

Say who you are.

I'm Ernie John, I'm a prospective member of this committee.

Um, it occurs to me that if this gets off the ground and gets rowing, we might invite some people from Barrietown to be involved with this.

No way.

Just a thought.

It's a good thought, yes.

Chinch your cloud.

Did you have anything up?

Yeah, I just also wanted to say I love this idea and different ways to be involved in the city and initiative.

So I really appreciate the efforts, and I look forward to participating.

Wonderful.

Thank you.

Okay, council.

If there's nothing else, we'll move on to item 8D on the agenda.

This is the uh thank you.

Oh, sorry, I was saying thank you.

Is the flood resiliency plan?

Absolutely.

Give me just a second to pull my PowerPoint back up on my iPad.

Okay.

Thank you, Minager.

All right.

So tonight's uh section uh of the plan update uh is for I think you 3.2 stormwater system repair, upssizing and maintenance within the plan.

This calls for uh action on the stormwater system analysis that we consulted, as well as uh neighborhood connection.

Um when we wrote this update, I had already been talking to this organization, so we wrote in build and adopt a storm drain program that empowers residents to care for their own neighborhoods.

All right, and as a general note, I wanted to give some context to our previous updates to this section of the flood resiliency plan, which is that we expect the results of the comprehensive stormwater system study in early spring 2026.

We ordered it in the spring of 25, it's a year out.

Um, so shockingly soon actually.

Uh we've also applied for 250,000 from the CDBGDR uh grant program uh that would fund design and engineering for the top projects that are identified in that study so that we can move forward on the real infrastructure improvements that fall under this plan section.

But in the meantime, um tonight I am pitching uh that the city adopt uh what's called an adopt a storm drain program.

And I want to give um full faith and uh credit, Hannah Town, uh member of the River Access Committee uh and city resident, reached out gosh, maybe a year ago now, um, when we were talking about adopting the first flood resiliency plan, she said, I am kind of obsessed with this adopt a storm drain program, but like it's not available in Barrie.

And it turns out it's not available in Barrie because you have to sign the municipality up for it as a whole.

It is available in Vermont.

Uh, it's currently used in Chittenden County.

So what this program is, and she brought it to my attention, and I've had many conversations.

Back up for some sorry.

Um she's had many, I've had many conversations with the folks since then.

It's a turnkey national program and encourages community engagement to remove debris from waterways.

It's managed by Hamline University in Minnesota.

As I said, it's currently used in Chittenden County uh because Chittenden County has some highly specific environmental reporting requirements uh called MS4 requirements, which have to do with sewer and stormwater drain off and the ways that that affects large bodies of water, in their case, mostly Lake Champlain.

The program does include extremely robust reporting in this way.

We are not subject to those permitting requirements.

That's not the top draw for us, but that is why it's used elsewhere in Vermont with with enormous success in those ways.

So now we're okay.

All of Chittney County is.

Yep, the entire county.

Wow.

Yeah.

Um, so what exactly is this program?

What does it do?

So, as I mentioned, Turnkey program.

And the thing I want to emphasize this evening is that we pay a fee to the lovely folks at Hamlawn University, which I did not know existed until I started researching this program, but they're lovely.

Um they're very Minnesota, it's great.

Uh so they truly provide a turnkey program.

We pay them a fee, which I'll get into a little bit later, is shockingly affordable.

And they do a full management top to bottom of this program.

People sign up through them, they run all the tech support, they run all the FAQ about the program itself.

Once you've signed up and have like checked off and adopted your storm drain, they send you reminders um to check in about when's the last time you cleaned this drain out and things like that.

Um it's online, it runs online, but you can also sign up for physical packets that you like mail to them with your reports if you are not interested in a digital solution.

They also um there's a uh form.

Uh if you could go to the next slide.

There's like a it's terrible to see on the slide, and I'm sorry, but I will send this to you all afterwards.

But basically, this is the form that you uh fill out your last recorded cleaning was this long ago.

How much degree have you collected since then?

And they ask you to describe the types of debris.

Is it vegetable degree?

Is it human trash?

Is it animal stuff?

Um, and then they run all the back end analysis.

So, like every quarterly they come back and they say, the residents of Barrie City have collected and they measure it by a pound.

They provide robust support for sort of citizen science around what people are doing with their the owners, their own storm drains on their own streets in order to um to quantify this.

Uh and I want to sort of pause here and say a couple of the reasons I think this could be particularly useful or will be especially useful for Barrie City.

One, uh one of the things we've heard over and over again from people is that they want to help make a difference in the flood resiliency of Barry City.

Another is that we know that one of the big challenges for our flooding is flash flooding caused by the stormwater system being overloaded.

We are addressing that from an infrastructure point of view in widening in cleaning out storm drains, but another is that the stuff gets into the storm system in the first place.

The debris gets in the storm system in the first place.

We talked to so many people when we were doing the neighborhood walks who pointed and said, That's my storm drain.

I clear it out whenever it rains.

So people are already doing this, they already feel a sense of ownership over the places around them, and this would provide a reporting structure and an incentive structure for folks to do that in a formal way.

This also what it ended up looking like is a big old map.

So city staff can also take a look at the map and they can see these storm drains have been cleared out.

Great.

This whole swath is a priority for us for not cleaning out.

This puts eyes on our sort of call it like our first line infrastructure on a regular basis.

So if you're cleaning out a storm drain regularly, you can see when it's got debris and needs a vector, as opposed to just I'm clearing the leaves and the sticks and some trash off of it, and I can call that into city staff so they can respond more quickly and address problems before they become huge problems.

I'm sure everyone out there has walked by a storm drain that is failing.

Um this also has us put eyes on boy, the the water got really under the pavement and started to dislodge that storm drain this time.

It's an early warning system for that as well, and allows us to move into more preventive mode than reactive mode around storm drains.

So it really emphasizes making everyone in the city, it's a little bit like a storm drain specific version of we've talked before about the C click fix app that used to exist for the entire infrastructure.

This is sort of that for just the storm system.

Um, author possible incentives, you get to name your storm drain.

So start thinking.

Um, and it becomes like your storm drain, like you can see in that one, the uh one bucket at a time.

People come up with really clever ones, the internet's full of them.

Um so it does that.

If you could go to the next slide, thank you.

Uh there are also education tie-ins, and in a second, I'm gonna get to what my actual ask is in adopting this program, and it's gonna include these education kits.

Uh, these are kits that they provide to uh teachers that include a whole bunch of uh that includes a lesson plan about data collection and uh support materials for citizen science.

It also includes back end access to a community of teachers who are teaching science and environmental science across the country using this program, as well as a whole host of other uh online lesson plans and things like that that they can use to supplement the actual materials that come to them in this education kit and really build a robust teaching and learning about it.

Ultimately, uh, you know, I had some long conversations with these folks, and I was I was talking about uh different communities have different incentives to this program.

For some communities, they are right on the Mississippi River and they treasure the Mississippi River as an important part of their community's heritage, is an important part of their community image, and so for them it's keep trash out of the Mississippi River.

It's it's that is an important thing for us.

And I was explaining how for us, you know, we we flood in part because of our stormwater system.

So this is a helping your neighbor.

I'm helping flood resilience in Barry City, I'm helping my neighbor.

One of the models of the program is we all live uh downstream of something.

Um someone else's actions are affecting us, uh, and our actions are all affecting someone else.

Uh, and so this is part of that encouraging of that community sense.

So there are different motivations for us.

I see it as I'm helping my neighbor who's downstream.

If I clean out this storm drain, it doesn't jump the curb and go into their yard in their basement.

And if I spot a problem early, then it allows my whole neighborhood to recover more quickly.

So the Ask tonight, in order to adopt uh in order to adopt the adopt a storm drain program, sorry, I didn't intend that.

Um, is a $15,000 allocation from our special projects funds.

What that would fund is three years of program subscription uh upfront ahead of time.

We wouldn't have to worry about this for three years, and I'll be very honest with you all.

I picked that number in a somewhat arbitrary way, thinking three years would be like a good run to see if it is well received.

That would uh 50 bonus kits.

So these are kits that when you sign up for the program, so you have to we residents sign up for the program and they adopt storm drains in their neighborhood.

The first 50 people to do that would get a whole little box kit that includes a sign that they would help design with us that's specific to Barry City that they get to put in their yard saying that they have adopted a storm drain, uh and include some other like fun promotional materials for them to sort of share with their neighbors uh about the stop a storm drain program.

And it's it's stuff that's meant to encourage pride of ownership uh and participation in the programs.

So uh it would include 50 of those uh four residents, and then would include 10 of the education kits that could go to whichever teachers um wanted them, uh which again citizen science and data collection lessons.

That would get us through three years.

If the program is a success, uh if in three years we're sitting here going, every storm drain in the city has been adopted and people love the program.

Um the program, well, I missed uh zero there, not a hundred dollars, sorry, it's a thousand dollars annually to maintain the program, and that's based on our municipality size, not on how many people sign up for the program.

So that would potentially change if they made significant program changes like due to inflation, but it will not change if suddenly everyone signs up.

Um, which actually I think is a pretty relatively low uh annual cost for a program that I again I emphasize like city staff's involvement in this is going to be getting more calls that the storm drains need to be factored out, which I see is ultimately helpful.

Yeah, um, they're not gonna have to respond to like tech stuff or anything like that.

Um the program also provides uh like training of how to clean a storm drain and what it looks like and everything like that, and then they just come back to us with with the information.

It was really one of the things that drew me to this was that they are implementing it so successfully in many other communities without increasing um burdens on staff uh to manage the infrastructure.

So any interesting I mean uh a few.

Yeah.

Um are you prohibited so we spend the $15,000?

We may have somewhere else we could grab that from.

I mean, we've got other flood resiliency type funds, but but no, I I'm supportive of it.

So my question is um so the first 50 residents get there's a lot more than 50 storm drains around the city.

There's a few of them.

Uh I wouldn't even guess how many do you know?

I don't know.

I talked to Brian, he he guessed a he guessed uh in the ballpark of a thousand, is what he so if we wanted to come up using sort of the same design, if we wanted to have our own uh political signs, you know, that you put in your yard, print it out.

We could do that, right?

There's nothing with this program that says, hey, you can't do that.

No, they'll provide the um the designs for us if we want.

That this is just for them, this is part of that sort of turnkey management.

We would pay for those 50 kits so that we don't have to mail every time a resident signs up, they would do it for us.

But we certainly could create and provide additional materials.

I will also say that the kits are like the cheapest part of this program.

So if we wanted to up that number, it won't add like really cost that much.

It's $20 per kit.

Okay.

So it's not like a hugely the most expensive part, I'll be up front with everyone is the education kits because it's a very, very robust support.

Um and I know this is a little outside of a council usually does.

So and I have I'll be like up front with you all.

I also haven't identified places for this to go yet.

So if council wanted to modify that, ask them.

I'm okay with that.

So if we and could you, as part of this program, you know, if you've got a thousand storm drains theoretically, all of them have an address attached to it, like I have one, two, three in front of my home.

So you know, you might have one in front of your home, you know what I mean?

So you could actually put a 911 address on it so that a city staff person knows exactly where that or they can find it.

Yes.

And if you had a something even in Google Docs, that if you had, you know, 700 residents who had adopted a storm drain.

If you had something in Google Docs, they could put information like the location, when was the last time, you know, who's the it's Tom Lozon, he adopted this.

But when's the last time Tom looked at it?

You know, Tom dates it, and it might be five years ago, so we know that uh he's a loser, you lost interest.

Um, but I mean you can have information like you know, I inspected it on this date, and the condition is pretty critical, it's collapsing.

Yeah, and then Brian could come in, sort it and not have 700 calls or 700 emails saying you got a problem.

Yeah.

No, I I I love the idea because anytime we any time we can get citizens to take responsibility for just looking at our infrastructure and reporting problems, as opposed to there's a giant pothole on Hill Street.

Well, that's helpful.

Could you tell me where?

Um, I mean, it's as opposed to getting into the you know social media criticism that we talked about the other day.

They're they're providing useful information to city staff so that we can get eyes on things.

Yeah, counseling.

Is there any data from a municipality that has done this to show that wow, we tried this and it worked when it rained three days in a row.

Um is this a government program or is it owned by a business that's making money on?

It's uh uh it's a private program that is run by Hanline University.

So I guess I would describe it as a public-private partnership.

They're uh I don't think they're a state university, but um they're doing it as they do make they do make money from the program in order to run it, um, but it's not a profit-based program.

They're doing it in order to sort of support their um environmental science program um goals and things like that.

Um I would be happy there.

Other municipalities benefits are different across different municipalities because of the ways in which their systems are set up, and different municipalities are looking for different benefits out of it.

Um the primary measure that is available that would apply to all municipalities is uh number of pounds of debris removed from the stormwater system.

And and that um they have some extremely convincing data that over multiple years of adoption for this program it grows exponentially.

That there are literally tens of thousands of pounds of debris, primarily organic, right?

Leaves and stuff, and that's gonna be the case here as well.

It's gonna be primarily organic, but they were able to track, and that's part of what they do in the back end is they calculate all of that.

Um if a person says, oh, I removed they they give you like estimates.

Oh, I removed like half a bucket, and it was mostly leaves, they translate that in the back end to oh, across the entire city over the past two weeks, all of these data points are reporting back, and we can give you a uh a report on on what that looks like.

And I would also, Mayor, uh, to your 911 address, they actually work off of GIS data.

Um, so we would we would have to geolocate every single um and that is an upfront uh the part of that $15,000 that I've asked for includes an upfront um JIS data set up for them that uh we would be able to geolocate uh and if this were approved, what I would propose is collecting a small group of enthusiastic citizens to walk the city.

Maybe this is an early project for the neighborly barrier.

I was just thinking, uh, like to walk the city and they'll they'll have to do is just with their phones go boop, I'm standing on it.

Next, boop, I'm standing on it.

Across the city.

Um the city doesn't actually currently have all of its drone rooms.

Do they standing near it next to it?

I don't think JIS data is that precise.

So thank you.

Um so the city actually doesn't currently have that information collected.

So even collecting that information would be a huge boon.

And the city also would have access to the back end and be able to pull that map and see the last time it was cleaned was this, or someone reported a significant problem that they weren't able to clean with this.

So they can pull up a map and see where the hotspots are.

Amy Galford.

Yeah, I had a few thoughts.

Um Barrie isn't subject to the MS4 program because that's got a size threshold, so that's where with the population density Chittenden County hits most of it, and maybe Rutland does and a few other places in Vermont.

Um, but we do have several sites in the city that have three-acre stormwater permits, I think.

I don't know if any of those are owned by the city, but I expect like Spaulding High School, maybe some others might um be in that category.

So there's some I think there's some compliance requirements with the three-acre stormwater permitting, and maybe this could help with that.

Um I guess this question would be for the the city manager.

Does the city have uh municipal road general permit for stormwater that we have to meet?

Like I thought when like you sweep the streets, that actually counts towards um reporting to a state program.

I I Amy, I don't know the answer to that.

Uh to check it out.

Yeah.

Because part of what it is is even though we're not one of MS4 regulated committees or communities, um, since our water flows to Lake Champlain, we are part of that impairment, which is primarily for phosphorus, and I don't remember if officially it's for sediment, but like sediment carries a lot of phosphorus with it.

So I think there's a lot of um state reporting groups, and maybe this could be a springboard to other funding as well, because Lake Champlain is impaired for phosphorus.

So um they're interested in things of what are local communities doing to reduce um phosphorus.

So it'd be great to use this as reporting tools, either to help if there is anything the city has to do with compliance.

Um I think it's the Regional Planning Commission who connects for that for the Winooski River Basin, but I'm not sure.

So it'd be worth talking to them.

Um and there's a thing called a tactical basin plan that's also like a plan for the entire region.

And so, you know, connecting with the folks at ANR and their service providers who do that.

It just seems like this data, like it's very cool as a public outreach tool, but it actually might connect into something for reporting and also be a basis, you know.

Um if it turns as it turns into a larger program, maybe you can take the data from that and use it for an application, you know, a grant application for other things that the city or or local groups would would do in the future.

Because there is, you know, I don't know the exact funding cycle for it, but there's the state clean water board that has a whole bunch of different funding programs they do for um stormwater type programs.

So maybe it's maybe for the conversation with somebody at ANR.

Um, and if you need context for that, I can I can send those to you.

But I think between the Regional Planning Commission and somebody at ANR, like they might tell you, like, oh, we know what this is, and here's here's some ideas for how to use it.

And maybe like, oh, if you do this, then you can apply for this little thing.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Thank you.

I mean, I love that.

I've also been looking and getting a lot of alerts for the Lake Champlain Basin uh heritage programs.

Um, where they have quite a lot of funding available in that same line that does have really robust reporting requirements that haven't been quite a fit for us, but it's really that's a really uh interesting thought to see if this would help us uh get in on some of that, because I would love that.

Yes.

I'm gonna ask a really simple question, very obvious.

But when you say clean out the storm drains, can you be clear about what you mean?

Not reaching inside, basically whatever.

Clean off the top, yes.

Okay, because I'm I like for people who are like, I can't adopt a storm drain, that's complicated.

Clean off the top, like make sure that water can flow through.

Yes.

So in the winter, move the snow.

Yep, move the lake.

Yep, trip away the ice a little bit if you can.

Like, I know yeah, all the the leaves that that pile up this time of year, um, that kind of thing, just move it away from the stream of water so that it can become a functional storm drain again.

Okay.

The thing we all do when we kick at it when we walk by while it's raining, if you see it spilling over, just on a consistent and tracked basis.

But preferably clean it, not kick the leaves into the storm drain.

Yeah, no, no, no, no, not in.

Which is what we all tend to do.

No, no, no, I can aside.

Yeah, so no, I mean, I I see uh honestly I see the benefit more to getting eyes on them.

I mean, you know, if you think about how Google Sheets works, I mean, literally, you could take a picture of it and attach it to so very quickly the city could have an entire inventory with pictures of what the storm system looks like, which would enable us to, and I think the information would dovetail nicely with the stormwater study that we're gonna get back in early 26.

So kind of cool.

I'm all for it.

Um could you look into funding?

I mean, I I I'd be happy to approve it from the uh fund that you suggested, counselor.

But if there's a more appropriate fund or if the manager has another choice, we can we can get that on the agenda for next week.

Yep.

Okay, yep.

Perfect.

Uh any other questions, council?

Uh thank you very much, Council Gustin.

Uh Council, under upcoming business, actually, Councilor Guskin and I were discussing just recently um hitting the road, uh, as in the city council hitting the road and hosting a few meetings.

We do in November, we'd like to start with the business community and just have a meeting, you know, in one of our off weeks, have a meeting downtown about um and with different groups about how people are feeling, what they'd like to see in the upcoming budget, what concerns them, what doesn't concern them, what their biggest challenges are.

Um so thank you for that suggestion, Counselor.

So, what we're gonna do is set up.

We talked about November, December, January, February.

Uh, probably the January focus would be on some sort of budget, larger budget forum or maybe a budget exercise where we try to give you you know a little bit of guidance in terms of what our citizens deem as most important within the budget, and it might help you and your department heads a little bit.

Uh anything else, council?

Um missing.

Uh we're still looking for the DR, believe it or not.

Second round DR.

I really I think I would like to submit something with 143 for demolition and uh so we're you know, again, we're probably gonna pair back a little bit, but you're gonna see uh you know a second round.

Uh well, we'll be applying in the second round for DR.

So if you have any suggestions uh for Nicholas, other than that $3 million potash book, which we need happen for you.

Sorry.

Stay in my pocket, it's gonna come out every time we have a grand opportunity just to sweep.

Yes, counselor.

Uh I just want to give council a heads up next week.

Our flood resiliency plan presentation, Roy Schiff from SLR Consulting will be here to present on the science of um what are we calling it a river set of river?

Sedimentation maintenance, which I know has been a hot topic in the past, and I had offered up.

Call it what it is, dredging.

They love it.

He's gonna uh uh he's gonna talk us through the science of it, when, where, how, why, why not, all of those things.

Uh, but I had offered up to other counselors and I just want to remind them and and folks who are listening at home.

If you have any questions, it's it's gonna I think benefit the presentation enormously if Roy knows questions ahead of time.

I had written to him some of what I've been hearing his feedback.

If you have any questions, please share them with the manager or I.

Roy is working on this presentation right now.

We want to make sure that it is that it is robust.

Um, so look forward to that for next week.

And will they accept pictures as part of the presentation?

In other words, if you know what I hear a lot from residents is well, where I live right here, there's this giant mound of sand, you know.

So folks literally want to send a picture to you and say, this is the location, this is what it looks like.

Can you send this to them so they can comment on it?

And they may say, yeah, that looks like an area that should probably be maintained.

I think we can try that.

I think I suspect what they're gonna say to us back is we need to know a lot of other factors in order to determine whether that's a good candidate for it, and they may not have time to like visit the spot before next week.

Sure.

Um, but the manager and I were talking about that a component of this would include specific examples of work the city has done, which may help provide context for folks.

You know, they I'm sure they've seen some of the work being done, so it may help provide context for folks of when you're seeing a thing.

This is what it looks like, and this is when we work on it and how how that work looks.

But if folks wanna reach out with an area of specific concern, we can certainly share it and see uh going forward.

Perfect.

Yes.

Um actually I I this is the next thing.

So um you talked last time about the extra mile people.

Is um is it too late to submit names for that?

No, of course.

Actually, I'm gonna be doing on Friday, which is the 31st.

Well, probably I'll do it, I should probably do it Thursday.

And what I'm gonna do is so it'll be on my web page on my Facebook account.

And basically, I'm gonna have a picture of the certificate and I'm gonna remind people they can copy it, they they can copy the picture of the certificate.

You could put it on your own social media, Instagram, Facebook, web page, whatever you want to do.

And I'm just gonna encourage people to nominate their own extra mile citizens.

In other words, you know, like I said, I told everyone who who mine were, yours may be very different and and for different reasons.

And so I'd encourage all of you, like I said, November 1st is extra mile day.

I'd encourage all of you to just notice someone who who goes the extra mile.

Okay.

Perfect.

Thank you for reminding me.

Yes.

Uh for upcoming business.

Can we get an update on the community conduct ordinance and how that's been going?

Yep.

Thank you.

Anything else, counsel?

Then we'll move to round table, counselor.

Uh so let's see.

BYSA 7th and 8th grade football.

Uh we'll be playing in the state title game uh next Saturday um at Colchester High School.

Starts at 4 p.m.

Um that will be an amazing event.

Um, you know, hopefully Barry will get take home a second title in four years, three years.

Um and with that, I'll pass counsel.

I have two things.

Um, one is that there's going to be another um benefit concert at the Church of the Good Shepherd on November 8th at 4.

It's the Sky Blue Boys, banjo Dan and Louie Linder who will be performing um a concert of acoustic music um to benefit the warming center.

So please plan to come if you can.

Um and the second thing was just an update on the memorial bench that's in the abandoned dog park.

And um I learned tonight that um it's been moved by the family.

I'm not sure where where it went, but they've they've relocated it to another spot.

But I still am hoping that we can revitalize the dog park because it sounds like it would be a good thing for the city to have for residents and their dogs.

Counselor Gustin.

And for some people even before that, but it has been really lovely to have rain recently.

It has been so dry.

And it's been nice to have to be sort of be forced to slow down a little bit and do some inside work.

So that's all.

Thank you.

Council Burger on Friday's Halloween, so I think drivers just be a little slower on the streets while the trick-or-treaters out and trick-or-treaters and families maybe carry a flashlight, wear something fluorescent so you can be seen.

Be safe.

Thank you.

Countess Fallman.

Two things.

For Barrie City that were discussing the informational meeting tonight, but also the C V C C bond vote, which is happening for both Barrie City and Barrytown.

Jody Emerson will be there to answer questions.

I have a question.

Is there a list?

I'm thinking about the people who may be impacted by a couple of days without any money for food.

Is there a list of places that they can go for free meals, for food shelves, for those kinds of things, and where would they find that?

Working on that tomorrow.

Okay.

So and I would also so that would be welcome very much.

So Tess Taylor has there are these stickers that are QR codes that uh she has been working with a number of providers in the area.

You scan that and it sends you to a whole list of resources that is being kept updated digitally.

So that is not exclusive to food security um options, but it would have that as well.

And I think that the food security list would be great as well.

It's along the so what I plan on talking.

So tomorrow, uh today was for just trying to get the information.

Tomorrow I want to I want to speak with Capstone and speak with the food bank and others and other you know food shelves to see if they could arrange to be open Saturday or Sunday because those seem to be the critical days.

The uh state believes that they'll they'll be able to upload funds by Monday, Tuesday at the absolute latest.

But literally, you know, they're the EBT cards are fed immediately, so on November 1, the funds are there, and they can go to the grocery store on Tuesday and use them.

Well, now they can't.

They won't work, you know, they won't work on Sunday or they won't work on Saturday because they won't have been replenished by then.

So that's my morning tomorrow to reach out to some of the food shelves and see if they're going to arrange local food shelves and not statewide, and see if they're going to arrange to be open.

So if I could also just piggyback on that, for people who are not food insecure, it might be a good idea to pick up a few extra things and drop them at your local food shelf because there might be an even bigger demand than normal.

And I think that food shelves have really been hit hard, at least I know the one in our churches.

And so I think having more food will be a very good thing.

Absolutely there's going to be a need.

Yeah.

So absolutely, if folks could do that, that would be great.

Yes.

I want to maybe this has been part of your conversations today, but at one point there were warnings that any funds existing on the cards would disappear on November 1st because that was the cutoff.

And so they were encouraging folks to not true.

Okay, I was thinking that's good.

Yeah, well, this is why I wanted to double check on it.

Good.

I'm glad that's not true.

The card will function.

Okay.

It just it just won't be replenished.

Okay.

Thank you.

So if there's if there's a balance, you're okay.

And I heard the same thing, and I had to check.

And said, you know, what are you kidding me?

I know it seems so you you didn't, you know, you you you you were prudent enough to to stretch your benefits and do the best you could.

And it's getting taken from you, even if you you because you didn't use it by you know, but no, that's that is not true.

Excellent.

Yes.

One more thing.

Uh WIC benefits.

So uh things like formula.

Uh I was informed um by the and I believe her name was Brenda in the governor's office at the wheels for warmth the val on Saturday, uh, that Wilk WIC will not be affected by that.

Correct.

That's so I know that there are a lot of people that were really worried uh about you know, well, am I gonna be able to get formula things like that?

Um so that will not be affected by the system.

I actually have I've actually got a decent um PDF.

Maybe I'll shoot it over to you and see if we can just either that or we can all post it on our web pages to let people know the different programs like WIC that is not going to be affected.

Yes.

I was just told you can also find information on Barry Up and 802 Scoop.

Great.

Awesome.

Thank you.

So uh council, let's see.

But you didn't give you a missed you.

Unless I'm mistaken.

Uh Governor Phil Scott had the highest approval rating of any governor in the United States.

You're right.

People want to see him run again.

I hope he does.

I'm gonna go to the dog bark.

Speaking of the greatest, um, May, he's for real.

I mean, the Patriots are winning.

Get rid of the I was and I was losing, you know, I was really discouraged because a friend reminded me that there are some preschoolers in Boston who who never saw the Patriots win a Super Bowl.

Oh no.

Oh, sad.

Oh jeez.

You know, look, I just love sports.

And speaking of loving sports, I'll tell you uh the coyotes, it's real basketball.

They are in the power rankings, they're number 15 in the country, and it is really, really good basketball.

So yeah, I'm a believer.

I have four season tickets, and uh I'd encourage people.

They have a game.

Uh is it Saturday?

I think Saturday, they got a double header this weekend.

Saturday and Sunday, Saturday and Saturday.

So there's Saturday and Sunday this week, but it's it's yeah, it's the real here.

5 p.m.

It's real basketball at the odds.

Thank you.

I'll be there producing the game.

So with that council, a motion to we don't need an executive session, so a motion to adjourn would be moved in a second.

All those in favor?

Aye, thank you.

We are adjourned.