[{"_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",6228038,"mediaKeyId","3477945-e7983a4c755b6b824d5b8d488032bb09","parentId",3477945,"title","Council approves consent agenda, including cruiser purchase","audioSeconds",18,"startMs",1238000,"endMs",1256000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3477945-e7983a4c755b6b824d5b8d488032bb09&start=1238&end=1256","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3477945-e7983a4c755b6b824d5b8d488032bb09/thumbnail_1238000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6228038/Montpelier-City/Washington-County/Vermont/Council-approves-consent-agenda-including-cruiser-purchase","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228038-51106a025dddee3c880e0e12d4385caf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154792&Signature=k5lEokou4NFDFvf4UamigCopEA0m6DcFoBhnQXCsJj-o193odUNKezJcBBAMdHgT789CJ0o4BzS3fy8EiYicIeZCPqJHhWFkNYeylfXzbDJOmlasxLEGh8lZB0UC5L9r~KzESaYofOmeFuPX6LBNkntFCITDzoeMI3-h1-mIX78kHX3O2yBKwx38XAZ6w9MZd4reDLq2hI2di7DybHZaiQV5dIQ8taNFSW39MIq0Duhn8Jhq8gtgJDvk3V0TKdbSc1YvWvEIJP5811JV5u0Sh4MH1csQ46MeaZIUo2TMc-t6-9QpOhrCf-MowAIi3B1d~RqvEjGi13g7v7a6~1SbqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montpelier City, VT","date","2025-05-24T00:44:57.387Z","article","The Montpelier City Council approved the consent agenda during the May 21 meeting. The motion to approve the consent agenda \"as amended\" was made from the dais and received a second; the council then voted by voice, with members saying \"aye,\" and the chair declared the consent agenda approved.

The consent agenda for the meeting included the purchase of a police cruiser; no further discussion or separate vote on the cruiser purchase was recorded in the meeting minutes.

Why it matters: Consent‑agenda approvals bundle routine administrative items—such as minor purchases, minutes and routine permits—into a single vote to expedite council business. The cruiser purchase is an operational matter for the police department and was approved as part of the consent agenda.

Details

- Motion: \"I will move to approve the consent agenda as amended.\" (speaker from the dais)
- Second: recorded as \"Second\" (no name recorded in the transcript)
- Vote: voice vote; members responded \"Aye.\" No recorded roll‑call tally was provided in the transcript.

Ending

No other action on the consent items was taken during the meeting; the council proceeded to the public hearing on the city plan.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Montpelier City Plan Public Hearing - May 21, 2025 LIVE","oneSentenceSummary","Montpelier City Council approved the consent agenda on May 21, with members voting 'aye' to adopt the consent items; the agenda included approval of a cruiser purchase.","taxTitle","Montpelier City, Washington County, Vermont","taxId",68799,"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},6228043,"Resident alleges harassment and selective enforcement; officials direct grievance channels",228,959000,1187000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3477945-e7983a4c755b6b824d5b8d488032bb09&start=959&end=1187","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3477945-e7983a4c755b6b824d5b8d488032bb09/thumbnail_959000.jpg","/articles/6228043/Montpelier-City/Washington-County/Vermont/Resident-alleges-harassment-and-selective-enforcement-officials-direct-grievance-channels","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228043-a1be67ff74c5e15742e601a53f8a0157/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154792&Signature=l8OzpTXxexbqsu~fqNL3IHnVsRa-4~zdYmXqFNs1EGCc7PMXZsJWIz~vT~MF0T2vM74yOj7mfzedSdLOA2a6Jch9lsDgQpKLNBtY3VVnFdz-rPGYiOuEJKL9wbQ8MHTymMroohMst8l6yoFwTrtvG0s4I6BHumXb9OQVoXd9DDZr7lRQ9TOgY-tinfBBjE1~qAnT4in30pdCKiSHVi~vuixMxmv4i6HfNwMdcpQl8Mxj-jArHG~QWsWWWJqgNOj2CZVtLo5dGB-D~FG03t4zCU~I~z6aJKneR-bpPsHvBd9BLd4tKlnzUL21z-0izfWaCwGZVhfsWZxMja5WxNZEAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jacob Surgeon used the meeting’s public‑comment period to allege repeated harassment by a local property owner and criticized police response, saying officers appeared to know and greet the person he named.

Surgeon described several incidents he said involved the same individual and said other community members feared retaliation for reporting problems. \"Again, he harassed us again,\" Surgeon said. He said some complainants had not received the help they expected and criticized perceived selective enforcement by officers.

A city official responded during the meeting by directing Surgeon to the police department’s grievance policy and advising him how to pursue that process. The official said complainants had been informed of the grievance policy and that written complaints could be filed for investigation.

Why it matters: Allegations of harassment and claims about police handling of complaints are matters of public concern. The council’s public comment period is a forum for raising such concerns, but the council and staff directed commenter(s) to the formal grievance procedures administered by the police department rather than taking an immediate council action during the meeting.

Details

- Commenter: Jacob Surgeon, who identified his address at 14 Franklin Street, described multiple incidents and said he perceived selective enforcement by officers.
- Allegation: Surgeon identified an individual by name and alleged harassment and, in broad terms, more serious criminal activity; these are claims made in public comment and have not been adjudicated in this meeting.
- City response: An official informed the commenter about the police grievance policy and suggested pursuing that formal complaint process.

Ending

No formal council action was taken at the meeting on these allegations. City officials instructed the speaker to file complaints through the police department grievance procedure for investigation.","At the May 21 meeting a resident, Jacob Surgeon, alleged repeated harassment by a nearby business owner and raised concerns about police conduct; city officials advised using the police grievance process and existing complaint channels.",{"_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},6228047,"Residents press city on storm‑drain clearing, sidewalk hazards after flash flood",258,694000,952000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3477945-e7983a4c755b6b824d5b8d488032bb09&start=694&end=952","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3477945-e7983a4c755b6b824d5b8d488032bb09/thumbnail_694000.jpg","/articles/6228047/Montpelier-City/Washington-County/Vermont/Residents-press-city-on-stormdrain-clearing-sidewalk-hazards-after-flash-flood","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228047-e21977eb475bf31631a1e0b5e97caa5f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154792&Signature=V~Kp8ayyI5~VIBYDdoXuJviI5OuG03uxSpsiaUY6dFu91EOuUL2A11oJ7YP94ZQnbXEWOMdp0usdaOJm1TOfyE8NS2rjWZ9HXaBm~iohpw-JJkpGxVUd2szgWsLjJhMP-Lk9xYii8oIOuJZDql4M9p1wn1M6AmfXvCl7RqL7IXSLX~rffJHATohjUQYPKR4KUbMDJPM8gxWy91-wWp3RO66Bu1lVG6W9-ECnWgdYT0KhqlUCNXv3tkOA1FzQGsgtJ9TvV1~oZbOP-ZQ0~e3b3~RSwni2Mt4ITGqbUqGp4FmfHV6MbAI8V-oK4h1PY1jQX~0-zdBDXUdT0uIebbXZJA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents told the council May 21 that recent heavy rains caused clogged drains, standing water and hazardous sidewalks in multiple neighborhoods and asked the city to create clearer responsibilities and a public tracking system for maintenance complaints.

A resident identified as Steve said volunteers had to clear storm drains after a heavy rain that produced \"over a foot of water\" in parts of town and left a severe sanitary hazard in an alley between Bear Pond and Bohemian Bakery. He recounted people with casts and walkers struggling on poorly maintained sidewalks and urged the city to provide an on‑call response for emergencies and an online audit trail showing who is assigned to complaints and when they will be resolved.

City staff responded that the Department of Public Works had issued a press release describing flash‑flood aftermath work. Staff said DPW crews will perform roadside repairs, remove gravel that washed into private driveways within the public right‑of‑way and clear storm culverts and structures; staff estimated the work will take several weeks, and asked that residents report locations to DPW.

Why it matters: Clogged storm drains and debris after heavy rain create public‑health and mobility hazards, especially for older adults and people using canes or strollers. Residents asked the council to clarify maintenance responsibilities and to create transparent tracking of complaints so residents can follow up if work is delayed.

Details and requests

- Public comments identified problem locations including the alley between Bear Pond and Bohemian Bakery, sidewalks near Royal Orchid on Elm Street, and stretches between Spring Street and State Street.
- Residents reported volunteers clearing drains during the storm and described the risk of relying on volunteer labor for hazardous drain work.
- A speaker asked for a public spreadsheet or complaint tracking system that lists when a complaint is made, who it is assigned to and when it is completed.

City response

A staff speaker said DPW is aware of impacted areas and will prioritize clearing storm structures and removing debris and gravel from public rights‑of‑way; work will be scheduled over the coming weeks. No formal council motion was taken on the item at the meeting.

Ending

Residents pressed for greater accountability and faster emergency maintenance responses; the city urged people to report clogged drains and hazardous sites to DPW so crews can triage repairs.","Residents at the May 21 meeting urged faster cleanup and an on‑call response after heavy rain clogged drains and left standing water and debris; city staff said the Department of Public Works issued a press release and will clear storm infrastructure and roadside gravel over coming weeks.",{"_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},6228052,"Montpelier council holds public hearing on web-based City Plan 2025 as housing targets and maps draw debate",5518,1246000,6764000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3477945-e7983a4c755b6b824d5b8d488032bb09&start=1246&end=6764","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3477945-e7983a4c755b6b824d5b8d488032bb09/thumbnail_1246000.jpg","/articles/6228052/Montpelier-City/Washington-County/Vermont/Montpelier-council-holds-public-hearing-on-web-based-City-Plan-2025-as-housing-targets-and-maps-draw-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228052-e4782cbf8246c7ed6b51d923a57c4969/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154792&Signature=ccqrV9M7yeatI9oGiKHMadl08EslWgofmTV3IUeX1J185MKAlFqIhpuSbIHjbhSuUlh2i8WrD2ZXCHOA6ENxOWphTm7mgVjySWUH6T6aAnPJ02~VE15F11qfp68Qg2FjulWs~nXrc5z04kBEOh9ZyNXlV3sLaXqSxCN3ZqINFL66j3NMfXmZIzH8Ysm8XYMaXvW1BKDpqbusUz~w4gvDXTOL5DmT5db1bX8wucCP4Qk3xoQ~vsqUKsqW1zZhlCiQAwG56eeeKKRwZ4FcEUSeIUSeaSK782c61edymX0674twKipczbzNnHhQNUqHPLFCHoyqsHlN6t990~baIBWc~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Montpelier City Council opened a public hearing on May 21 to review the draft Montpelier City Plan 2025, a web‑based planning document the city says replaces the older “master plan” format and will guide city policy and implementation for the coming eight years.

Planning Director Mike Miller summarized the plan and its format, telling the council and the public that “this plan is different from previous plans in that it is a web based plan. There is not a paper plan officially,” and walked listeners through the site’s 12 chapters, interactive story maps and 20 implementation boards.

The hearing drew sustained public comment focused on housing goals, whether the plan favors rental housing, how the plan treats specific development parcels, and how the plan will be maintained and used.

Why it matters: The city plan provides the policy basis for future zoning amendments, grant applications, tax increment financing (TIF) projects and the growth center process. Changes to the plan can affect whether and how the city pursues infrastructure extensions, TIF funding and growth‑center designation. The plan also includes maps and “greenprint” designations that some landowners and residents said risk being misread as conservation requirements.

Supporters and critics

Anthony Irapino, appearing for landowner Alan Goldman, told the council that the draft’s attention to downtown development and zoning changes is positive but urged clearer treatment of specific parcels and private‑land protections. “The draft plan must take additional care not to foster the perception…that areas depicted on those maps are already conserved for public use,” Irapino said, arguing that the plan’s maps and certain regulatory provisions could be read as mandatory rather than voluntary for private landowners.

Sandra Bittstume, a resident of Loomis Street, asked the council to remove a clause she said pressures rental development: “Montpelier has a goal of creating 600 housing units over the next 8 years, most of which would be rental units,” she said, urging the council to truncate the sentence to avoid steering projects toward rentals without later evidence.

Other speakers raised different concerns. Thomas Weiss delivered a long list of what he called statutory omissions and argued the draft lacked required analyses for a city plan. Peter Kellman and Steve Whitaker criticized public engagement and urged a more inclusive, community‑driven process. Tim Sinnott, a recent Planning Commission member, urged adoption and highlighted the plan’s longer aspiration of 1,500 units over 20 years.

Staff response and process details

Mike Miller and other staff said the draft plan is intentionally web‑first to be more usable and to host interactive maps. Miller said the site uses Esri ArcGIS story maps and that the city retained SE Group to help build the product. He also said the plan is written to be legally conservative: the web content is “interactive at this point, but it's not dynamic” for the official adopted text, and that a downloadable PDF is available as an archival copy.

Miller described the development process: the planning commission worked with topic committees and commissions to build chapter content and the implementation boards. He said the plan will be effective for eight years but can be amended in the interim, and that amendments go back to the planning commission for review as required by statute. Miller also noted a parallel regional review: the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission (CBRPC) is reviewing the plan to determine whether it meets state statutory criteria.

Key factual points raised in public comment and staff answers

- Housing targets: The draft includes a stated target of “600 housing units over the next 8 years,” language that some residents criticized as prescriptive; other presenters pointed to a longer aspiration of 1,500 units over 20 years. Miller said the 600‑unit figure emerged from commission discussion and a regional housing needs assessment that has identified a broader regional need.

- Benchmarks: Planning commissioners debated whether to include quantitative benchmarks now or add them after the council adopts general goals. The commission deferred many numerical benchmarks to a later phase to avoid spending commission time on targets before the council endorsed the goals.

- Sabin’s/Savings Pasture and Country Club Road: Developer and landowner concerns were raised about imbalance in attention between Country Club Road (frequently cited in the draft) and Sabin’s/Savings Pasture (mentioned less often). Anthony Irapino for Alan Goldman urged the city to coordinate infrastructure extensions (sewer/water) and capital planning for Savings Pasture as it does for other sites.

- Maps and private property: Irapino urged clearer language that private‑land inclusion on the greenprint is not a requirement to conserve or dedicate land; he asked that mandatory (“shall”) language about trail connections be softened to encouragement where maintenance and cost responsibilities would be a burden on private developers.

- Legal/statutory completeness: Thomas Weiss urged returning the draft to the planning commission, saying the plan lacks required analysis (population, projected housing need by income groups, sequencing of infrastructure and growth center justification). Miller and others noted the CBRPC regional review and invited formal written comments for consideration.

Next steps and how to comment

Miller reminded the public that the city scheduled at least two required public hearings (May 21 and May 28) and that comments may be sent at any time while the public hearing period is open. He provided contact information for the Planning Department: (802) 223‑9506, planning@montpeliervt.org; and staff contacts eprimm@montpelier‑vt.org and mmiller@montpelier‑vt.org. He said if the council makes changes those changes will be returned to the planning commission for review and that the council will ultimately vote to adopt or deny the plan.

The council did not vote on the plan at the May 21 hearing and left the record open for comments and a subsequent hearing.

Ending

Councilors and members of the public indicated they expect more meetings and additional time to review and refine the draft. Several speakers urged improved public engagement — including printed, accessible materials and public forums — before the council considers final adoption.","The Montpelier City Council opened a public hearing May 21 on the Montpelier City Plan 2025, a new web-based plan that sets multi-year housing targets and implementation boards; the format, housing targets, greenprint maps and public engagement drew sustained public comment and questions from councilors and staff.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves consent agenda, including cruiser purchase

Resident alleges harassment and selective enforcement; officials direct grievance channels

Residents press city on storm‑drain clearing, sidewalk hazards after flash flood

Montpelier council holds public hearing on web-based City Plan 2025 as housing targets and maps draw debate