It's July, and with the sun and heat come green grass, flowering landscapes, and many unique downtown celebrations and events. This issue of the VLCT Journal contains articles about economic development, placemaking, housing growth, and more (including a new and more robust equity toolkit).
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Bill Shepeluk and Steve MacKenzie of Waterbury and Barre City, respectively, share lessons they have learned and discuss how things have changed since they started working as municipal managers. Read more.
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Property tax sales are prohibited when a VHAP application is pending, and a new VHAP notice is now required.
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Help us beat last year's 170+ responses and contribute to a robust 2022 Comp & Bene Report.
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Welcome, City of Essex Junction! Best wishes to all residents and the new City Council.
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PACIF's EPL referrals provide free and timely legal help for employment related concerns.
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Available now online and in your mailbox. Order extra printed copies at VLCT's Bookstore.
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Municipal workers may be eligible for student loan forgiveness, even if previously ineligible.
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Housing affordability is increasingly a concern in Vermont. "Everybody is about affordable housing, but you can't get there unless you set the stage, and the stage is water and sewer," said Katie Buckley, in an article for Seven Days' new Locked Out series. "Water and wastewater is sort of foundational for everything." Read more about Vermont's housing crisis and what local and state government, along with non-profits and communities, are doing about it. Read the article.
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"Placemaking is about strengthening the connection between people and the places they share by re-inventing and re-engaging with public spaces so they are once again the central focus of public life," writes Kelly Stoddard-Poor. In this reprinted VLCT News article from 2020, she explores how small pop-up projects can reinvigorate people and communities, and she provides resources that can help you get started.
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Some time ago, VLCT's Executive Director wondered out loud to the Communications team "What is the most unusual thing that libraries lend?" Accepting the challenge, David Gunn asked librarians in all corners of the state. There's no clear winner for the most unusual item, but this article reveals a plethora of things beyond books available at many local libraries.
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VLCT's Equity Committee, Board of Directors, and staff recently completed work on a Municipal Equity Toolkit, funded by the Vermont Community Foundation. The toolkit aims to assist municipalities in centering the work of justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in their decision making, policies, practices, and programs.
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The US Supreme Court has found that regulating signs solely on the basis of whether the sign is on or off premises is permitted under the constitution. The verdict was decided 6-3 in City of Austin, Texas v. Reagan National Advertising. Lisa Soronen from the State and Local Legal Center discusses what this case means for local government.
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Bennington's community and economic development initiatives were recently highlighted and shared across the country by the National League of Cities. This article by Richard Amore from the Better Places Program and Jenny Dewar of the Better Bennington Corporation discusses Bennington's efforts to rebuild the community after pandemic closures and how they utilized the Better Places program to invest in civic infrastructure.
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No one wants to get Lyme disease or West Nile virus. These vector-borne illnesses are often carried by pests such as ticks or mosquitoes. VLCT PACIF has a few quick tips you can share with your workers to help protect them at work and at home. Learn these simple steps that you can take to increase employee awareness and decrease the chances of an infection.
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Many municipalities rent out their facilities to be used in a variety of capacities. VLCT PACIF encourages you to manage your risk by reading the Municipality Facility Use Risk Management Guidance and using the Model Contracts for Facility Use. These tools can help you avoid potential claims while continuing to allow your community members to use your municipal spaces.
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The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law presents great funding opportunities for municipalities, but local governments must still consider how they will meet the cost sharing requirements of these projects. Generally, the federal government will provide up to 80% of the funding while the local government pays about 20% (or less if your community faces disadvantages). Communities of all sizes have succeeded in raising their matching funds to take full advantage of federal development opportunities. Read about 10 ways to make your match.
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Take the quiz, then scroll below for answers!
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Which of these common outdoor animals can transmit vector-borne diseases?
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Energy is a major expense for Vermont cities and towns. But it’s tough to know where to start to reduce costs. That’s why Efficiency Vermont offers free municipal consultations. The conversation will start with a call or an email. From there, they’ll direct you to the resources to get the job done or set up a walkthrough with one of their experienced energy consultants. Work with an efficiency expert to understand the low hanging fruit, connect to available resources, and answer your questions.
You don’t need to be the expert on energy too – let Efficiency Vermont help you save money and resources for your town. Fill out this form to get started: efficiencyvermont.com/towns.
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Vermont farmers markets are a staple of community life in the summer, and sometimes through the winter, too. In part 2 of this series, we explore the crafts and other amazing items you can find on a weekday evening or Saturday morning while visiting with your neighbors and getting your local produce. Do you stock up on gifts for future occasions? This month’s Vermontscapes shows that your local farmers market is sure to have plenty of unique offerings. Take a look at what we found.
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Thursday, July 28
Recieve a high-level overview of the selectboards roles and responsibilities related to finance followed by a deeper dive into the basics of governmental accounting. Register.
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Thursday, August 11
Join us in Montpelier for a block party celebrating Senator Leahy's more than four decades of service to Vermonters. RSVP.
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Tuesday, August 23
Attend this training for key information about managing dog related issues and conflicts. Including how to draft effective ordinances and ensure proper enforcement . Sign up.
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Thursday and Friday, October 6-7
Join us for VLCT’s largest conference, starting with a full day of networking, entertainment, and our annual meetings in the relaxing environs of Killington, Vermont. Save the date.
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Wednesday, August 10
Hosted by the Vermont Council on Rural Development, this event is an all-inclusive summit that aims to bring new and established voices together from across our state to discuss challenges, share community initiatives, network, learn, and identify strategies to support and advance a diversity of local leaders. Register.
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November 17-19, Kansas City, MO
Our communities depend on forward-thinking leaders to take bold action to build a brighter future. We’ll share with peers, stakeholders, and subject matter experts how to best use impact, action, and service as tools for a better tomorrow. Save the date.
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In May, in the case of Shurtleff v. City of Boston, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the city of Boston violated the First Amendment of the United States Constitution when it had allowed various other private groups’ flags to fly at City Hall but refused to fly a Christian group’s flag. In doing so, the Court ruled that the city discriminated against the Christian group based on its religious viewpoint. The takeaway from this case is that if a municipality wants to have more control as to which flags fly on its property, it must establish that its flag flying is government speech. Learn more about this case.
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Despite knowing that a strategic plan is helpful, in reality, small communities often struggle to create and implement one, writes Stephanie D. Davis, PhD in this article for ICMA. To help you get started, she identifies three barriers that commonly inhibit strategic planning in small communities, including financial capacity, administrative capacity, and leadership capacity. Make strategic planning work for you.
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No one (really, no one!) knew the answer to the June trivia question. If you still want to test your knowledge, you can find the June question here. Or, follow the link below for both that answer and this month's challenge. Name That Vermonter: He was born in a town named after a one-time treasurer of Salop Infirmary in Shrewsbury. Read more clues.
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As always, be sure to follow us on social media and regularly check the updated home page of our website for breaking news and announcements.
Please contact us at vlctnews@vlct.org with any comments or suggestions for upcoming content.
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* POP QUIZ ANSWERS
Ticks and mosquitoes can carry and transmit vector-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease and West Nile virus. Learn how to keep yourself and your employees safe with these tips from VLCT PACIF.
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