Politics & Government

Neighborhood Planning Assemblies (NPAs) are grassroots, neighborhood organizations that were established in each of Burlington's seven Wards to encourage citizen participation in City government. Working as neighborhood advocacy groups, Neighborhood Planning Assemblies help improve communication between the citizens of Burlington and City government through regular meetings scheduled in each Ward. Wards 2 & 3 meet the second Thursday of the month. Meeting place: McClure Multi-Generational Center 241 North Winooski Avenue, Next to QTees.

AGENDA ITEMS Include:  City Councilor Rachael Siegal will lead a discussion on the city’s Ward Redistricting. Women Helping Battered Women’s Janice Santiago will discuss the “Safe at Work Network”. Director of Code Enforcement to discuss some specific options for residents to report nuisance complaints like trash or dumping on the greenbelt. Champlain Housing Trust’s Michael Monte updates Bright St development proposal.

Democratic City Councilors share their views and take your calls. For more info on Burlington Democrats, click here.  

Redistricting is the process of adjusting electoral district boundaries to meet US Constitutional requirements of “one person, one vote” by ensuring approximately equal representation. Redistricting often occurs in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial US Census. Based on the 2010 US Census, the City has determined that Wards, 1, 4, and 7 are outside the limits for approximately equal representation. Therefore, ward boundaries for all seven wards must be re-drawn. As part of its responsibility to redraw the wards, the Committee is considering changing the number of wards, councilors, and school board members.

The four plans under consideration at this point are:

• 4 Wards, Version 3 (12 Councilors)
• 6 Wards, Version 3 – State Districts (10 Councilors)
• 7 Wards, Version 3 (14 Councilors)
• 7 Wards, Version 4 (13 Councilors)

The public comment period will continue beyond Monday, as the City Council considers this issue in December and January. Also, further public comment opportunities will be encouraged through the Neighborhood Planning Assembly meetings in December. Further, the City Council will hold two formal public hearings to discuss the preferred version. The goal is to have the public vote on new wards on the March 2013 ballot.


 

The Town of Colchester Select Board meets at 7:30 pm on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at the Colchester Meeting House (formerly the white church) on Main Street in the village. However, sometimes special meetings, locations and times are arranged. Check Select Board Agendas which are posted around town at various locations and always at the Library and the Post Office, as well as in the lobby of the Town Offices and on this website. If in doubt contact the Town Manager's Office at 264-5500