As April Fair Housing Month approaches, we take a look at how housing discrimination manifests itself in Vermont. We discuss fair housing law and how it applies to landlords and advertising, and what to do if you experience housing discrimination. We also highlight the upcoming art and community events happening in Burlington and around the state to celebrate the anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, which was signed into law in April 1968.

Host:

Jess Hyman | Education & Outreach Coordinator, Fair Housing Project, CVOEO

Guests:

W. David Koeninger | Deputy Director, Vermont Legal Aid

Bor R. Yang | Executive Director and Legal Counsel, Vermont Human Rights Commission

Neighborhood Planning Assemblies (NPAs) are grassroots, neighborhood organizations that were established in each of Burlington's seven Wards to empower citizen participation in City government. Working as neighborhood advocacy groups, Neighborhood Planning Assemblies facilitate communication between the citizens of Burlington and city government through regular meetings scheduled in each Ward. Ward 6 meets the first Thursday of the month.

Meeting place: City Market Community Room, 207 Flynn Avenue.

Ed Baker promotes his April episode for the Addiction Recovery Channel.

https://www.cctv.org/watch-tv/programs/opioid-overdose-fatalities-reduced-50-chittenden-county-vermont

Host Melinda Moulton chats with Rich Cantz and Karin Anderson from Goodwill of Northern New England about the work they do in the community and how their stores support that mission.

The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) promotes cooperation among the 19 municipalities of the Chittenden County region.

Burlington has begun to make significant and hopeful progress in our fight against this epidemic: In 2018, opioid-related overdose fatalities declined by 50 percent in Chittenden County, even as they continued to rise in the rest of the state. While we are heartened by this news, we know that our work is far from done.

In the first part of the meeting, Mayor Weinberger talks with three of the country's leading experts on this topic:

• Gil Kerlikowske, who served as America's "Drug Czar" under President Obama from 2009-2014, and then as the head of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol from 2013-2016; few people have more experience with the opioid crisis nationally, as well as its intersection with law enforcement and border concerns.
• Fred Ryan, former Chief of Police of Arlington, Massachusetts and a nationally-recognized leader in how small and mid-sized police departments can play a role in addiction and recovery initiatives.
• Dr. Josh Sharfstein, a national expert whose extensive resume includes current positions as Vice Dean and Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Director of the Bloomberg American Health Initiative. Dr. Sharfstein is also co-author of the forthcoming book, "The Opioid Epidemic: What Everyone Needs to Know."

In the second part of the meeting, the Mayor and national guests are joined by a panel of local partners to talk about Burlington's response to the crisis and what's ahead: 

• Dr. Mark Levine, Vermont Commissioner of Health
• Sarah George, Chittenden County State’s Attorney
• Maureen Leahy, Director of the University of Vermont Medical Group
• Grace Keller, Program Coordinator of Safe Recovery
• Brandon del Pozo, Burlington Chief of Police
• Christine Johnson, Executive Director of the Chittenden County Opioid Alliance

A Q&A with attendees follows.

The South Burlington Development Review Board meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month.

The Williston Selectboard is a five member elected board. There are three positions elected for a three year term and two positions elected for a two year term on a staggered basis. The board is responsible for setting the general policy direction, passing ordinances, setting the tax rate, reviewing the budget, supervising the Town Manager, and a host of other related tasks.