Latest news with #Mulvaney-Stanak
Boston Globe
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
In Vermont, Burlington struggles to remain that hip, cool place on Lake Champlain
Write to us at . To subscribe, . TODAY'S STARTING POINT BURLINGTON, Vt. — This is a sweet time of year, here in the Queen City. Nowhere more than by the shores of Lake Champlain, which, on sunny days, glistens with sumptuous views of the Adirondacks across the water. Most of the students from the University of Vermont and Champlain College are gone for the summer, making this walkable city that never seems too crowded (pop. 45,000) even more open and inviting. Advertisement Even with the students gone, the city's downtown area is vibrant, especially along the pedestrianized Church Street Marketplace, with specialty shops, restaurants, and bars. The waterfront offers outdoor music and the 8-mile Greenway bike path along the lake. Burlington's been in the news a lot lately because the cases of high-profile ICE detainees from New England have ended up in federal court here. But locally, the news has been more about a less salubrious aspect of life in Burlington. As in other American cities, homelessness is a major issue in Burlington, but it's more obvious here because of the tight confines of the downtown area. The homeless and those struggling with addiction and mental illness are ubiquitous in areas like Church Street and City Hall Park. Business owners say that drives away customers, and many residents say they don't feel nearly as safe as they used to. Advertisement The city is famously progressive, having elected a socialist, Bernie Sanders, as its mayor in the 1980s. But some blame Burlington's problems on the permissiveness of progressives. Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, a member of the Progressive Party, inherited a lot of problems when she was elected last year, none bigger than a depleted police force. While problems like homelessness and drugs were growing in recent years, the police department was shrinking. The murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis in 2020 dramatically altered public safety in Burlington. The City Council, led by Progressives at the time, cut the police budget by 30 percent. Within a year, the council recognized its mistake and restored funding, but the department has been unable to hire back nearly enough officers. In that void, Mulvaney-Stanak angered some fellow Progressives when she But Mulvaney-Stanak seems to grasp that public safety, or what she calls 'community safety,' is not an ideological issue as much as a practical one. Another challenge for Mulvaney-Stanak is the city's finances. In the past 15 years, In May, Mulvaney-Stanak Advertisement Mulvaney-Stanak is determined to balance practical realities with the compassion she says progressive ideas bring to public safety, addiction treatment, and homelessness. She had been reluctant to move a free lunch program called Things have not been made easier with massive construction on downtown streets over the past year, with dust and dirt spreading around like morning dew. Burlington remains decidedly different and hipper than other New England cities. There are a dozen cannabis shops. But holding on to its cool, alternative vibe is a serious challenge. Last fall, Nectar's, the city's iconic music venue, is Advertisement Many locals have proudly displayed their progressive bona fides by turning out in large numbers to support Tufts University graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk and Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi of Vermont, who were rounded up by ICE and find their cases in Burlington's federal court. Judges sitting here have Others, progressive and otherwise, are rising to the city's defense. Rather than retreat from Church Street, folks at the Vermont Italian Cultural Association just started a weekly stroll along the marketplace, passeggiata , a leisurely evening stroll. As Lisa DeNatale, president of the group, put it, 'Now more than ever, we need to support Burlington.' 🧩 6 Across: 66° POINTS OF INTEREST Mercedes Pagan, a participant in Boston Medical Center's cash-incentives program for people with addiction, met with a program coordinator in Boston. Erin Clark/Globe Staff Boston and New England Profit motive: An innovative new program at Boston Medical Center gives addicts money Scam alert: Increasingly elaborate tech support scams have surged across Massachusetts, Catch-22: Massachusetts drivers who lose the ability to renew their licenses because of unpaid tolls can find themselves locked out of the job market Deluge: The National Weather Service Gone awry: At least 10 people who got cosmetic Botox injections at a Milton spa Trump administration Where to go? As refugees who no longer feel welcome in the US look northward, New tactics: In Massachusetts and elsewhere, ICE has begun arresting undocumented immigrants Journalist suspended: ABC News suspended Terry Moran, a national correspondent, after he called Trump aide Stephen Miller 'richly endowed with the capacity for hatred' on social media. ( Into the breach: The administration canceled an $87 million grant to an MIT startup creating low-carbon cement, allegedly because it wasn't economically viable. The private sector — including Microsoft and Suffolk Construction — Fact check: The administration has questioned Harvard's academic rigor by accusing it of teaching 'remedial math' — 'like two plus two is four,' Trump said. It's actually The Nation and the World Tony Awards: 'Maybe Happy Ending' won best musical, while Darren Criss, Nicole Scherzinger, and Sarah Snook won their first Tonys. See the rest of the winners. ( Airport disruptions: The FAA will limit flights at Newark airport, where many flights have been delayed or canceled recently, through the end of the year. ( Israel-Hamas war: The CEO of Boston Consulting Group apologized for the firm's involvement in designing and running an Israeli-backed effort to deliver aid to Gaza, saying it had fired two partners and launched an investigation. ( Colombia shooting: A right-wing Colombia senator considered a potential presidential contender survived an assassination attempt in Bogota. His wife said he's 'fighting for his life.' ( BESIDE THE POINT By Teresa Hanafin 🗓️ Free events: Spooky movies in Allston, martial arts in Somerville, Pride parade, and other events in Boston, and 👧 Key to success: Want your kid to be a high-achiever? (Silly question.) It could hinge on whether or not parents do this one important thing. ( 🍽️ Pricey plates: Restaurant bills are bigger everywhere. 😿 It's kitten season ... that time of year when a lot of homeless cats give births, leading shelters to get overwhelmed and demand for foster or adoptive homes to soar. ( Advertisement 💿 Better late ... : In 1978, Pat Wells of West Newbury recorded one album that didn't make it big. But now songs from it have been 🎵 Reunited, almost: It looks like pop girl group Fifth Harmony could be getting back together — but without its most famous member, Camila Cabello. ( 🧩 Today's featured puzzle: Here's a hint for the Thanks for reading Starting Point. This newsletter was edited by ❓ Have a question for the team? Email us at ✍🏼 If someone sent you this newsletter, you can 📬 Delivered Monday through Friday. Kevin Cullen is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Burlington mayor signs amended resolution to clean up downtown, gives $10,000 to relocate Food Not Cops
BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – Burlington mayor Emma-Mulvaney Stanak signed on Monday night the city council's Resolution 8.1, which aims to help businesses in the city's downtown area, especially in the Church Street Marketplace, by calling for among other things clearer signage and a stronger police presence. Read the full resolution hereDownload The most controversial part of the resolution proved to be a clause calling for the removal of the Food Not Cops (aka Food not Bombs) food distribution center from the marketplace's garage. Democratic members of the city council have said the food distribution attracts the same people who engage in anti-social behavior in the neighborhood, including drug use and theft, while Progressive members have protested based on a lack of presented evidence. City Council passes resolution for downtown issues The Burlington City Council currently has a 7-5 Democratic majority, and the resolution passed on May 19 with a clause with softened language requiring a proposal to relocate the center, rather than a full relocation, by July 14. Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak, who is a Progressive, announced at last night's city council meeting $10,000 in city funding to ease the relocation and help Food Not Cops find a new place to operate. In a statement Tuesday, the mayor had mixed feelings about the outcome of the council's deliberations. 'My administration has worked for nearly a year to build relationships with Food Not Cops and with community partners in an effort to find a mutually beneficial path forward. 'The debate around Resolution 8.1, and the insistence upon placing a deadline on these efforts has only hindered our ability to make progress on this work.' Small businesses express concern about conditions in Downtown Burlington But some city council members said they felt like a compromise had already been reached, and were glad to be able to move forward. 'I mostly want to thank the mayor for dealing with this head-on,' said councilor Sarah Carpenter. 'I'm saddened we couldn't get to language… but think we're on a really good path.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mayor to appoint new head of Church Street Marketplace
Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak said she will ask City Council tonight to sign off on her choice to be the next director of the Church Street Marketplace. Mulvaney-Stanak said she has appointed Samantha McGinnis, who would take over the role July 1 if approved by Burlington City Council at Monday's meeting. Small businesses express concern about conditions in Downtown Burlington McGinnis has been with the City of Burlington for six years and is currently Assistant Director of Downtown Projects & Programs. Mulvaney-Stanek said McGinnis has created more than 100 free annual programs and events at Church Street Marketplace and City Hall Park, including the launch of the Winter Market during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'I believe Samantha's skills and experience make her the right person to steward the Church Street Marketplace into the future,' Mulvaney-Stanak. McGinnis is a graduate of UVM with a Bachelor of Science in Community & International Development. She also holds a Core Certificate from the Institute of Nonprofit Management and Leadership with Boston University's School of Management, the mayor's office said. 'After nearly six years on the marketplace team, I understand the importance and complexity of this role,' McGinnis said, 'and I'm committed to honoring its historic legacy while guiding its future as Burlington and our downtown continue to evolve. McGinnis would replace current Director Kara Alnasrawi. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Burlington mayor tells council to rewrite downtown business resolution
BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak wrote Tuesday that she hopes the Burlington city council will work again on a resolution they passed May 19 that aims to help businesses and tourism on Church Street. The most contentious part of the resolution so far has proven to be a requirement for the nonprofit collective Food not Bombs to move its free food distribution out of the downtown parking garage. Originally, the resolution called for the distribution to move out by the middle of June. City council took out this requirement in a majority vote, and then added a less stringent requirement for the operation to submit a plan to move out by the middle of July. City Council passes resolution for downtown issues 'I fully support our locally owned small businesses, and I also fully support mutual aid for those in need,' wrote Stanak in her official statement. 'I do not believe that these two things are mutually exclusive. Burlington is a City where everyone deserves to exist with dignity.' Mulvaney-Stanak is a member of the Vermont Progressive Party. The resolution passed 8-4 in the city council on May 19, with all 7 Democrats and one Progressive in favor. Small businesses express concern about conditions in Downtown Burlington Downtown business owners and Democrats on the council have said that while they do not lack compassion, they've waited long enough. 'We need to be honest about the choices that we're making here,' said councillor Becca McKnight at the previous council meeting. 'The food distribution service is not permitted by ordinance in our garage.' In her statement, Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak also criticized 'polarization and harmful escalation'. Earlier this month, business owners released an open letter calling for action relating to the conditions downtown; a fake second letter using divisive language went viral online last week. The mayor announced that her office will be hosting a public forum at the Fletcher Free Library on May 29 at 5:30 p.m. to have a 'discussion on homelessness and mental health, and we will discuss concerns related to the downtown', in advance of the next city council meeting on Monday, June 2. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Burlington Mayor delivers State of the City Address
BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak stole the show at Monday night's City Council Organization Day meeting, beginning her State of the City Address by directing everyone's attention to new portraits of Burlington children hung up around Contois Auditorium, which she hopes will serve as a reminder to city councilors every meeting of why they're serving and who they're serving. 'It is my hope that these portraits will remind us why we are all here – to lead this city forward, to set an example for our young people and lay the foundation for a Burlington that they can be proud to call home,' Mulvaney-Stanak said. In the rest of her speech, the mayor did lay that foundation for the next year, informing everyone there likely won't be a general tax rate increase this coming year, but regrettably saying she'll have to make some cuts to city programs, services and staffing to keep the next city budget balanced. 'This has been difficult work,' Mulvaney-Stanak said. 'Yet, it is the responsible approach to our fiscal challenges. Over the next few months, we will continue to thoughtfully engage the four City unions, employees, and the City Council as we develop the FY26 budget.' On top of that, she noted new efforts to improve and support Burlington's police and fire departments, including plans for a new public safety building downtown. She also discussed numerous housing projects nearing conclusion, including CityPlace Phase 1, which is expected to open with 53 housing units and 161 hotel rooms sometime in July. Other highlights of the night included the swearing in of new city councilors: Democrats Allie Schachter and Ranjit 'Buddy' Singh. The two took photos with family, and took part in their first official vote moments later, helping pick the next City Council President. Progressive Carter Neubieser from Ward 1 took on the current president, Democrat Ben Traverse from Ward 5. With all five council Progressives supporting Neubieser and all seven council Democrats supporting Traverse, Traverse was appointed Council President for the second year in a row. 'I'm deeply humbled by the support of those who believe I can continue to play a role in supporting good, responsive and responsible governance, so that as a Council in collaboration with the Mayor we can meet our obligation to defend our residents, especially our vulnerable communities, and ensure Burlington's resilience through turbulent times,' Traverse said. When mentioning turbulent times in his speech, Traverse was in part referring to the Trump Administration. Both he and Mulvaney-Stanak mentioned President Trump multiple times, denouncing some of his decision making, especially cuts to federal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs. Mulvaney-Stanak doubled down on Burlington's support for programs like that on the local level, noting the city's Racial Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (REIB) Office will continue being funded in the general fund budget, after it was previously given uncertain one-time funding. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
