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Burlington City Council considers union contract, overdose prevention sites and a lease agreement with an EV aircraft company

Burlington City Hall
Pat Bradley/WAMC
Burlington City Hall (file)

The Burlington, Vermont City Council had numerous items on its agenda Monday evening including approval of a labor contract, a long-term lease agreement with an emerging high-tech manufacturer and whether the city should allow overdose prevention sites.

Following approval of an amended agenda, City Councilors held three back-to-back executive sessions before emerging to address their deliberative agenda.

Among the first items was whether to approve a 75-year ground lease between BETA Technologies and the city owned Burlington International Airport in South Burlington. Acting Director of Aviation Nic Longo called the agreement historic.

“I look out my office window and watch two operational 100 percent electric aircraft flying in and out of the Burlington International Airport. And tonight truly is a historical night by leasing to a company, a manufacturer, of what will be 100 percent electric aircraft.”

BETA Technologies has been a tenant at the airport since 2019 and has invested over $15 million in a former hangar at the airport. It currently employs more than 300 people in Vermont and plans to hire 300 more. Consultant Jeff Glassberg provided an overview of the lease contract.

“We’ve negotiated a ground lease with BETA Technologies for a 75 year term that will allow them to build initially a 355-thousand square foot manufacturing and assembly facility, a 15-thousand square foot child care facility and also provides the opportunity for expansion over time.”

The council unanimously approved the lease with one recusal.

The city council also considered a resolution supporting the establishment of an Overdose Prevention Site in Burlington and calling on the state to support such action. Ward 3 Progressive Joe Magee is the primary sponsor.

“Fundamentally this resolution is about reducing harm in our community and saving lives. One thing is quite clear: our state and city are not doing enough. We have the chance to prove to the rest of the state this evidence-based harm reduction tool can work here and should strongly be considered for funding through the Opioid Abatement Special Fund. We have providers who are ready to do this work.”

North District Independent Mark Barlow expressed concerns over the resolution’s potential violations of state and federal laws.

“I think moving forward alone without federal and state support has potential civil and criminal liability for the city. I am concerned about the trajectory of overdoses in the city and I’d like to support this someday. But I would for now just like to continue to explore those things that we can do within the current restrictions of federal law.”

Councilors approved the resolution on an 11 to 1 vote.

City leaders also unanimously ratified a new four-year contract with the city’s American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME, union. Local representative Damion Gilbert called it one of the best contracts he’s worked on, especially due to its Family and Medical leave clauses.

“The biggest part of the contract was the FML leave. Asking the city to expand it to 24 but let alone them adding to the point of paying it, this is a really big deal. The increases that you guys have given for AFSCME and Burlington Electric and the Fire Department are just absolutely unbelievable. These individuals may stay which will help the workforce on attrition.”

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