Barre City Council Meeting Summary: December 16, 2025

The Barre City Council convened on December 16, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. to conduct routine business, approve the consent agenda, and address new business items including volunteer appointments, cemetery digitization funding, and the Nuisance Properties Ordinance. The meeting concluded with a detailed discussion on the results of the CDBG-DR flood recovery grant applications and future budget planning.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes from the December 9, 2025, meeting.
• Approved DownStreet's request to be placed on the Town Meeting ballot for voter-approved assistance.
• Approved the Snow Bess Landowner permission form.
• Authorized the manager to execute a contract for a trailer and truck purchase (replacing a 2009 vehicle) from G Stone for $42,612.
• Approved city warrants for December 17, 2025.
• All motions carried by unanimous voice vote (Aye).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Byrne Rose: Expressed enthusiasm for the recent "Light Up the Library" fundraiser. Reported on the restart of the literacy mentor program at Barre Elementary School with second graders and called for adult mentors. Advocated for donating winter footwear (particularly men's shoes) to Amy's Armoire to support school children.
• Councillor Ruthier: Congratulated long-serving employees and spoke in support of city staff morale.
• Mayor Lozon: Expressed appreciation for the city employees' service and noted the strong community support seen at recent events.
• Councillor Gustin: Stated that receiving the grant awards for Prospect Heights was an honor despite the challenging conditions attached.
• Councillor Ruthier (continued): Expressed frustration regarding the lack of funding for the North End Gateway project despite prior assurances of support from the state.
• Councillor Anthony: Expressed being appalled by the lack of interagency communication regarding the funding denial for the Willie Street Bridge project.
• Councillor Spaulding: Expressed skepticism toward the state's timeline requirements and the potential need for municipal self-development if private developers are unwilling to participate.

Discussion Items

• Volunteer Appointments: The council appointed Marjorie to the Neighborly Barrie Committee for a term ending June 30, 2027, and Ginger Cloud for a term ending June 30, 2026, to ensure staggered terms.
• Cemetery Records Digitization: Council reviewed a proposal to digitize 100,000+ documents covering 17,600 burials across Hope, Elmwood, and St. Monica's cemeteries using a $121,000 allocation from the Cosey Trust. The Vermont Granite Museum will execute the work. Position: Council Members expressed strong support for the project's urgency and the professionalism of the museum team, with Councillor Spaulding acknowledging the need to compensate professionals to ensure responsibility and quality.
• Nuisance Properties Ordinance (Second Reading): Discussed substantive changes to Ordinance 2025-03, clarifying that citations for four-unit buildings are counted per dwelling unit, exempting calls related to sexual assault or medical emergencies, and empowering a "nuisance property enforcement team" (Manager, Fire Chief, Police Chief) to act as a "situation table." Position: Council members supported the ordinance but raised concerns about the potential for displaced tenants if Certificate of Occupancy revocation occurs. Councillor Ruthier expressed concern that revoking a certificate for a landlord should not leave tenants homeless; the Manager clarified that revocation is reserved for life-safety emergencies (e.g., lack of fire detection) where displacement is necessary to prevent injury.
• Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Update: The Manager and Controller presented year-to-date financials showing revenue tracking at 68% and expenses at 38%. Identified challenges including 18% healthcare cost hikes (projected 4-6% for next year), loss of $1 million in state assistance, and deferred maintenance needs (specifically rooftop units). Position: Councillor Gustin emphasized a priority on minimum $150,000 for paving and expressed strong opposition to property tax increases exceeding 5%, stating he would "get weak in knees" at 3% due to the holiday season context and state warnings. Councillor Anthony advocated for restoring the capital reserve fund to historic inflation-adjusted levels.
• Flood Resiliency & Staffing: Discussed the need to build staff capacity to handle flood recovery. Position: The Manager expressed that recruitment is limited by the commute-to-house ratio in Central Vermont and competition with the private sector. Councillors Spaulding and Gustin proposed sharing non-union positions (e.g., grants coordinator) with Montpelier to mitigate hiring shortages.
• CDBG-DR Grant Results: The team reported that of $27.5 million requested, $6.5 million was awarded (Prospect Heights, Harrington Avenue Floodplain, Stormwater Upgrades). The Willie Street Bridge and 355 North Main Street projects were not funded due to lack of funds and budget concerns, respectively. The North End Gateway acquisition portion was flagged as a potential funding barrier. Position: Council members expressed bitter disappointment regarding the North End and Willie Street projects. Councillor Anthony noted the "interagency dysfunction" in not funding a high-priority flood mitigation project. The Mayor and Manager vowed to be "street fighters" to advocate for the city and discussed the possibility of the city acting as a developer for the North End Gateway acquisitions if private developers cannot be found in time. Councillor Anthony proposed re-framing the Willie Street Bridge as "housing protection" for future rounds. Councillor Spaulding questioned the feasibility of the March 2026 developer requirement for Prospect Heights.

Key Outcomes

• Adopted Ordinance 2025-03: The Nuisance Properties Ordinance was adopted following its second reading.
• Approved Cemetery Funding: Motion carried to approve the $121,000 Cosey fund allocation for the cemetery records digitization project, with a target completion date of May 1, 2026.
• Council Directive on CDBG-DR: The Council directed the manager to prepare for a second round of CDBG-DR applications (pre-application due Jan 12, formal due Feb 27), focusing on housing projects with a remaining $14.4 million pool.
• Budget Strategy: The Council indicated a preference for minimizing property tax increases (targeting 5% or less) and prioritizing infrastructure/paving spending in the upcoming FY27 budget cycle.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned with a unanimous aye vote.