[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6280246,"mediaKeyId","2616126-ad0c0308362e7cd5fb5170178c281faa","parentId",2616126,"title","Council approves ethics policy, loan renewal, traffic and routine financial certifications in unanimous or voice votes","audioSeconds",1070,"startMs",4300000,"endMs",5370000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2616126-ad0c0308362e7cd5fb5170178c281faa&start=4300&end=5370","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2616126-ad0c0308362e7cd5fb5170178c281faa/thumbnail_4300000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6280246/St-Albans-City/Franklin-County/Vermont/Council-approves-ethics-policy-loan-renewal-traffic-and-routine-financial-certifications-in-unanimous-or-voice-votes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6280246-df0759555f4ede8ebcc9037c91124e1c/orig.mp4?Expires=1776506829&Signature=ekBns9M6B5GgH-Li6uArSnv7jFH1ZSftiNXB3P558sviT0BWkn4fWryAV~HF1wsLizye5hW0S2PBQRByH14l7VEOaiePgFn2J6a8AURzJz73SowPgqnc6lEB1A9heo-GIY3QCfugHLtCda5v2vmp3tESY5--VuwxSc5BQbX4Qk0svsJoxalJLMw6RH90WqMLLlP1vGiEtJ7~jIuaEcLQ0dkZrYEzbI8Osyhl5Tw18DUR~TxbFBSUo12d-PTlADp2gRgn6tF4HLN2UTHuNKaQHZda0MDfsgBVj9chT58Xu-CnlQP68wD2OSvKguk6nQhIRYEujQmMulmgS6zuFgn03g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","St. Albans City, VT","date","2025-03-12T20:12:14Z","article","At its meeting the St. Albans City Council approved several consent and action items spanning ethics policy, short-term financing, traffic regulations, routine certifications and small grants.

Key actions recorded in the meeting transcript:

- Ethics policy: Council adopted a revised municipal ethics policy required by recent state statute language. The council held brief discussion; a motion was seconded (second recorded as by Chad) and the policy was approved by voice vote. The transcript records some councilors voting nay or abstaining at the roll-call stage but concludes the policy passed.

- Short-term note renewal for 54 North Main Street: The council authorized staff to renew a 12-month short-term note used to hold 54 and 56-58 North Main Street as part of a redevelopment plan. The bank quoted an interest rate of 2.15% for the next 12 months; a motion to renew passed by voice vote.

- TA60 annual highway financial plan: Council unanimously adopted the TA60 form certifying municipal highway spending (the state requires a $300/mile minimum on class 1-3 highways) and documenting the city's winter/nonwinter and capital expenditures and expected state reimbursements.

- Traffic ordinance (Title 17) second reading: The council adopted a set of updates clarifying intersections, modernizing signal references and adding a new traffic-control location (Federal Street at Bowen). The council passed the second reading by voice vote.

- Annual certification of road standards: Council approved the annual certification that the city continues to follow adopted state road standards (the city originally adopted them in 2019).

- Signage grant: Council authorized a 50/50 sign grant (not to exceed $1,325.50 city share) for a downtown small business, Thirsty Thrifters, to fund a projecting sign and wall sign; council approved funding by voice vote.

- Wastewater allocation: Council approved a wastewater capacity/allocation request for a development at 468 Swanton Road (Champlain Commons area) that will connect to existing water and sewer mains; action passed by voice vote.

- Appointments: The council appointed John Carillo (Carillo) to the Historic Preservation Commission to fill the vacant term through May 31, 2027, and later appointed Tim Hawkins as council president by voice vote.

Most of these items passed by voice vote or unanimous roll-call; where the transcript recorded roll-call for the ethics policy it showed at least one nay and one abstention but the ordinance ultimately passed. The meeting transcript did not record formal roll-call tallies for each action; staff indicated motions carried and recorded standard next steps (signature, filing, or implementation as appropriate).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","St. Albans City Council | 03/10/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The St. Albans City Council approved a slate of administrative and policy items, including a required revised municipal ethics policy, a one-year renewal of a redevelopment short-term note for 54 North Main Street, and updates to traffic rules and highway certifications.","taxTitle","St. Albans City, Franklin County, Vermont","taxId",69030,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6280251,"State representative briefs St. Albans council on paving grants, local-option tax and corrections issues",1106,219000,1325000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2616126-ad0c0308362e7cd5fb5170178c281faa&start=219&end=1325","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2616126-ad0c0308362e7cd5fb5170178c281faa/thumbnail_219000.jpg","/articles/6280251/St-Albans-City/Franklin-County/Vermont/State-representative-briefs-St-Albans-council-on-paving-grants-local-option-tax-and-corrections-issues","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6280251-f03afdd43b0b43f695d764a88588ae8b/orig.mp4?Expires=1776506829&Signature=iKIrb6ahbf6WPW6j9pB1Yn37yRDyYHsebZgY13~Le1BITnIjeVowg7Xp0gLl5sJ1KachdmDWNEYCOduEAVM76E0XPXeRARA7zA2bu8WXoUpahhPG3f0aZhXpdy-cR6xRlSDe3uYEoexgsjcU8tpqB0bewYZmX-rCeKaFPZvSmPxtFJtPIJrF-9E5lyapG08BeTaUpH~M7X709phAuZ6OIQgTe-1ZAXQDHplSn5mP1XuvcExds-ljPvNsY97ThISU~8-HtKPcfhyT9Efc-uU5yVv68SD~i-IyD9bKx39X-7xqQJcKtzq2pg~bm0IIE3I3xvd8CZnVlMv3Zk5B7Pqjfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Joe Lehi gave the council a multi-topic legislative briefing focused on transportation funding, local-option tax revenue sharing, education governance proposals and corrections/public-safety developments at the statehouse.

On transportation he said the current agency of transportation (AOT) paving grant scoring is based strictly on miles of class-2 roads and does not account for intensity of use. Lehi told the council staff had identified about 1.3 miles of roadway the city could reclassify from class 3 to class 2 under state definitions. He said that reclassification would add roughly $3,800 in annual AOT reimbursement and make the city 'about 30% more competitive' for paving grant funding in District 8; he reported the city's current class-2 mileage at approximately 3.787 miles with an eligible total of 5.087 miles.

Lehi discussed a pending change to the local-option tax split between municipalities and the state in House Ways and Means. He said the legislature is considering moving away from a 70/30 municipal/state split; depending on the final formula the change could mean on the order of tens of thousands to roughly $100,000 in additional local revenue for St. Albans based on FY24 receipts.

On corrections and public safety Lehi said House Judiciary and Corrections have been discussing alternatives to incarceration, such as work crews and residential treatment options, but noted that residential detox facilities remain scarce and that most people are not incarcerated solely for drug use. He also described broader capacity issues: the state currently spends roughly $107,000 per incarcerated person per year in-state (citing state contract comparisons) and the state sometimes uses out-of-state beds to manage capacity. Lehi said the committee continues to look at transport and detention backlogs and at potential pilot alternatives.

The representative briefly touched on education governance proposals under consideration at the state level (competing plans that would consolidate districts into fewer regional units) and said the work is early in the process.

Lehi invited councilors to raise matters the local delegation could advocate for at the statehouse and offered to return for future updates if the council desired.","State Representative Joe Lehi told the council that reclassifying about 1.3 miles of local roads could increase annual AOT reimbursements and materially improve the city's competitiveness for paving grants, and he summarized other pending state actions around local-option tax splits and corrections reform.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6280256,"City's FY24 comprehensive financial report receives unmodified audit opinion; single-audit shows no federal findings",3152,1843000,4995000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2616126-ad0c0308362e7cd5fb5170178c281faa&start=1843&end=4995","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2616126-ad0c0308362e7cd5fb5170178c281faa/thumbnail_1843000.jpg","/articles/6280256/St-Albans-City/Franklin-County/Vermont/Citys-FY24-comprehensive-financial-report-receives-unmodified-audit-opinion-single-audit-shows-no-federal-findings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6280256-c4644e7bcbf7e7a76f29f83d7cb49b8e/orig.mp4?Expires=1776506829&Signature=EF0Z7nnKGBAdHtmp7DwEwBRb-6rE8-qdV-ulQIe8JGynGhq5xZ4ZYgl5h0wHI0bvHYKIjDrlIOm8N0rDfxqdU8-lNWivDC53wjZphLrZNIsYOwD0ssfiAFJN0FlRmBfh2F59-usd78tI0FMOFzei5uoOeK2ojtEaHBqhT6pobQZX6y8E3Viwt-obRKEIViYINecZqL0lBhWhjmont2g620WgtukhnVeTa4tqKR5ZxaVG1JETFS2Br5jlKcjr3lGwehA0tB1dwnpOpzCWqTMRgHWznzrCn1N34U1Dfmygri66lDI36qVrW3GTqvBWnRh089~3-mbPjkHPy6Ws2tsOzA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City finance staff and auditors briefed the St. Albans City Council on the fiscal year 2024 annual comprehensive financial report and required audit work, including the financial-statement audit, single audit of federal awards and agreed-upon procedures for the municipal TIF district.

Sarah (finance staff) led the council through the report's structure and the distinctions between government-wide and fund accounting. She said that the general fund reported a positive total fund balance of about $750,000 at year end and that FY24 revenues were roughly $1.5 million higher than budget while expenditures were about $1.4 million higher than budget, producing an approximately $130,000 increase to fund balance. Staff attributed some budget variances to asset sales and to revenues and expenditures associated with new contracts and redevelopment activity that were not reflected in the adopted budget.

Auditor Alina (CBIZ audit lead) told the council the firm issued an unmodified (clean) opinion on the basic financial statements and the single-audit work produced no findings for fiscal 2024. The auditor also reviewed the city's TIF agreed-upon procedures; auditors reported no exceptions in the most recent procedures cycle. The auditors noted the city filed the ACFR by the December 31 deadline without an extension.

The presentation included details the council requested in prior years: a breakdown of long-term debt (including TIF debt), the net pension liability and funding strategies for closed and ongoing plans, and the structure of enterprise fund reserves. Staff said unrestricted net position in enterprise funds represents the city's working reserves for water, wastewater and stormwater operations. The report and presentation materials were placed on the city's website and submitted to the Government Finance Officers Association for award consideration.

Council members asked about the single-audit's risk categorization and management-letter items from prior years; auditors explained the single-audit risk rating reflected a prior-year finding and that prior management-letter recommendations had been addressed by staff.","City finance staff and outside auditors presented the FY24 annual comprehensive financial report (ACFR) and audit results to the council. Auditors issued an unmodified opinion on the financial statements, the single-audit produced no findings, and TIF agreed-upon procedures returned no exceptions.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6280261,"St. Albans council approves resolution to pursue state CDBG funds for women's recovery house",3419,2956000,6375000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2616126-ad0c0308362e7cd5fb5170178c281faa&start=2956&end=6375","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2616126-ad0c0308362e7cd5fb5170178c281faa/thumbnail_2956000.jpg","/articles/6280261/St-Albans-City/Franklin-County/Vermont/St-Albans-council-approves-resolution-to-pursue-state-CDBG-funds-for-womens-recovery-house","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6280261-a00ca1220f1ed5a18c25a5446ae4c823/orig.mp4?Expires=1776506829&Signature=GYWNW4bGZxJU0l3R~Cj7hW2-4GuaC9gG5nunYxq6v17s4sTgKiBUhpC68P7ltQvWIohKfEmV7FnlruCv1Ld70umBaWSDWIex2FM58PaQ1I8SLtC~93Z2BD6RznfumCdG1hHp1BdjTUoqRKNetpvHVeaw~82fogtDm5Mi2yc8cAJyaDUn3k-emO2EWOqIQPvvzODZPmIhMI2j6MIB6Bf0lXsQakXwWmhqRPl-RUgLSWxl6DhooisA~2iqbUOAOARhCkLTmInnnnNIjJfso~fgisJMQTkdUNiFJ-VZzUapUkd~HQdHQ8OUGZvXUDBU8ypIWaUhJOX2SVfi2hnI~PqWxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The St. Albans City Council on Monday approved a resolution authorizing a local nonprofit to apply for state Community Development Block Grant (CDBG/VCDP) funds to acquire and renovate a house at 296 South Main Street for a women's recovery residence.

The proposal, presented by Kate Lewin, founder of the nonprofit pursuing the project, calls for a level-3 certified recovery residence that would house up to five women with on-site staffing and structured programming. Lewin said residents would typically arrive after an initial period of stabilization or treatment and remain in the program from about six months up to two years. \"This is a higher-level residence with 24/7 staffing, drug testing and a recovery curriculum to support employment and reintegration,\" Lewin said.

City staff explained the grant process and the city's role if the award is made. Chip Sawyer, speaking for municipal staff, described the city's standard approach: the city would act as the applicant/administrator for the VCDP reimbursement grant, review invoices and, if the project moves forward, record a mortgage on the property to protect the city's and state's interests. Staff said VCDP awards are reimbursement-based: the nonprofit incurs eligible project costs, the city requests reimbursement from the state, and the city then pays the nonprofit from those funds.

Several councilors asked about neighborhood impacts, program oversight, and accountability. Lewin and staff said the house will follow certification standards and have written admission agreements, house rules, drug testing and a safety plan; residents who cannot meet house requirements would be referred to higher-level clinical care. A resident who identified herself as Melinda White spoke in favor of the project and described local demand for women's recovery housing.

Council members also discussed tax and funding implications. Staff said if the property is owned and operated by a nonprofit for its charitable purpose it would likely become tax-exempt, and that the city and applicant would work to identify other potential funding sources (opioid settlement funds and other grants) in addition to the VCDP award.

After public comment the council voted to approve the resolution and authorize staff to sign the required application and related documents. No count of individual yes/no votes was recorded in the meeting transcript; the mayor called for the aye/nay vote and announced the motion passed.

The city and applicant will next complete the VCDP environmental review and application materials. If awarded, the grant would reimburse eligible acquisition and renovation costs and impose monitoring and reporting conditions; the city's mortgage would protect repayment to the grant program if conditions were not met.","After a public hearing and discussion, the council voted to approve a city resolution allowing Hope Grove Recovery Residence to apply for Vermont Community Development Program (VCDP) funding to acquire and renovate a building at 296 South Main Street as a certified recovery residence for women.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves ethics policy, loan renewal, traffic and routine financial certifications in unanimous or voice votes

State representative briefs St. Albans council on paving grants, local-option tax and corrections issues

City's FY24 comprehensive financial report receives unmodified audit opinion; single-audit shows no federal findings

St. Albans council approves resolution to pursue state CDBG funds for women's recovery house