AR 08:AR 08 Feb/11/09 2:53 PM Page 1 Annual Financial Report 2008 Year Ending June 30, 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS Electric Department. 38 Fire Department. 40 City Government Housing Authority . 42 City Organizational Chart . 2 Human Resources Department . 43 Mayor’s Message . 3 Fletcher Free Library . 45 City Officials Appointed by Mayor . 6 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Parks & Recreation Department . 48 Vermont Legislators . 7 Design/Production: Planning & Zoning Department. 52 Futura Design Mayors of Burlington . 7 Police Department. 54 Printing: City Council . 8 Public Works Department . 57 Queen City Printers Inc. City Council Committees. 9 School Department . 61 Printed on 100% City Departments . 10 Telecom, Burlington. 63 PC Recycled Paper Office Hours. 10 This material can Important Dates. 11 Regional Organizations’ be made available City Holidays . 11 Annual Reports in alternate formats Board of School Commissioners . 12 for persons with Chittenden County disabilities. City Commissioners . 13 Transportation Authority . 64 This report is also Regularly Scheduled Chittenden Solid Waste District. 66 available online at Commission Meetings . 18 Winooski Valley Park District . 68 www.ci.burlington.vt.us Department Annual Reports Miscellaneous Burlington Legacy Project . 19 Annual Town Meeting Day Results . 69 Airport, Burlington International . 21 Salaries . 70 Arts, Burlington City . 22 General Obligation Debt . 97 Assessor’s Office . 24 Appraised Valuation. 97 Attorney, Office of the City . 25 Summary of Tax-Exempt Properties . 97 Church Street Marketplace . 28 Clerk/Treasurer, Office of the City . 30 Preliminary Financial Report . 98 Code Enforcement. 33 Community & Economic Development Office. 34 1 AR 08:AR 08 Feb/11/09 2:53 PM Page 2 City of Burlington,Vermont City Organizational Chart THE VOTERS WARD CLERKS & SCHOOL INSPECTORS OF COMMISSIONERS4 ELECTION4 MAYOR CITY COUNCIL4 AUTHORITY TO: AUTHORITY TO: • carry out laws and ordinances • set City Policy with Mayor • appoint department heads • pass Legislation through passage of ordinances subject to Mayor’s • assure performance of jobs by veto* subordinate officers • pass resolutions with Mayor* • recommend measures • approve Mayor’s budget • act as Chief Peace Officer • approve supplementary • prepare annual budget interbudgetary transfers • act as Chairman of Board • with Mayor, set annual tax rate of Finance • establish rules for conduct of City Council meetings CITY OFFICERS KEY & DEPARTMENT COMMISSIONERS! HEADS (for list, see page 13) Elected at large (for list, see page 6) 4 Elected at large by ward Appointed by the Mayor subject to the approval of City Council ! Appointed by the City Council or City Council SUPERINTENDENTL BOARD OF FINANCEM with Mayor presiding AUTHORITY TO: L Appointed by the Board • act as trustees of public money of School Commissioners • establish accounting system * Ordinances relate to • provide monthly reports and external matters while Resolutions relate to annual audit internal matters PRINCIPALS • select official depository M Mayor, Chief • authorize budget line item Administrative Officer, changes President of City • be responsible for care and Council, and two control of public buildings Councilors elected by the City Council 2 AR 08:AR 08 Feb/11/09 2:53 PM Page 3 Annual Financial Report 2008 Mayor’s Message iscal Year 2008 for the City of Burlington there will be a $6 million impact on the Fincluded many significant accomplish- local economy. Since voter approval, the City ments and events. My administration again has moved forward with pre-development proposed a City budget that kept the mu- agreements with project partners the Ice nicipal tax rate level for FY09. This means Factor, Lake Champlain Community Sailing that the municipal tax rate has remained Center, and Green Mountain Children’s the same for FY07, FY08 and FY09, while Museum; performed extensive site work, the City continued to deliver effective and including environmental work; identified efficient government services. We moved potential funding sources; and commenced forward with a positive vote on the Moran preliminary architectural and engineering work Redevelopment Plan, completed the Zon- with the firm of Freeman, French Freeman. ing Rewrite, and initiated a comprehensive I’m pleased that we achieved such over- rewrite of the City’s Climate Action plan, whelming support for the Moran redevel- among many other things. opment project. Just as importantly, we did Over the course of this year the City so by bringing numerous residents, organi- Bob Kiss continued to deliver on the core values of zations, the City Council, City boards and Mayor government that Burlington has come to commissions, and many other stakeholders expect: putting people first, building a sus- into the process. Thank you to everyone who tainable community, and supporting participated in and contributed to this effort. democracy, civic participation, and a high quality of life. We should all acknowledge and appreci- ate the efforts of City staff, the contributions of Burlington’s for profit and non-profit business community, residents, the City Council, and numerous City commissions and Boards for their work in shaping a city we can be proud of. The entire community can share in Burlington’s accomplishments. While there are always challenges, Burling- ton has the ability to address them along with the optimism and goodwill to move forward and to build a better City. Moran Project partners sign pre-development Here are some highlights of the past agreements year: Building and Supporting a Burlington continued to be a good place Thriving Local Economy to do business – other highlights from the past year include: The City proposed a conceptual plan for • Economic development activities sup- the decommissioned Moran power plant ported the start-up of 39 new businesses, that was approved by 65% of voters in helped to retain/expand 49 businesses, March 2008. The Moran redevelopment and led to the creation of 370.5 perma- plan will revitalize the northern end of the nent FTE jobs (plus 1,318 construction Waterfront with an indoor ice and rock jobs) and retention of 443 permanent climbing facility, a children’s museum, out- FTE jobs. Burton Snowboards decided to door ice skating rink, splash water park, stay in the city and to purchase the struc- public park, café and restaurant, and reten- ture next to their existing building, keep- tion of the Lake Champlain Community Sail- ing 360 jobs here with 275 new jobs ing Center. The project will also result in expected over the next five years, and significant improvements at and near the Dealer.com purchased the remainder of site, including upgrades to the bike path, the former Specialty Filaments building road surfaces, and pedestrian walkways. on Pine Street, with 70 new hires and Eighty permanent jobs will be created and four new workforce training programs. 3 AR 08:AR 08 Feb/11/09 2:53 PM Page 4 City of Burlington,Vermont Mayor’s Message continued • The Church Street Marketplace was rec- predevelopment work for affordable hous- ognized with a prestigious award from ing at Browns Court. Forty housing units the American Planning Association as were rehabbed, with work ranging from one of “Ten Great Places in America.” new paint to emergency repairs to major The Marketplace continues to be a draw rehabilitation. for throngs of shoppers, diners and other Through CDBG support, over 1,100 visitors. homeless people (including families with • Community development block grants children and victims of domestic violence) leveraged over $78 million in private and had a safe, warm place to sleep. other public investment and supported We continued to pay attention to the the development or renovation of 38,880 safety and quality of our housing stock. The square feet of commercial space. Burlington Lead Program worked to reduce • At the airport, one of our most important lead safety risks to children in residential drivers of economic activity, there was a housing. The City’s Code Enforcement 4% increase in passengers leaving from Office continued to pursue high standards Burlington, and the addition of new for completing minimum housing code in- service provider Air Tran Airways. spections and investigating zoning violations. • The Westlake agreement will bring a new Building and Supporting hotel to the downtown and the highest- Community ever contribution to the affordable hous- The City supports citizen participation ing trust fund. through the Neighborhood Planning Assemblies (NPAs) and AmeriCorps VISTA efforts in numerous neighborhood associa- tions and community meetings. CEDO’s Americorps*VISTA program, in its four- teenth year, placed 36 members in 31 com- munity agencies. Those members managed 3,646 volunteers who performed 77,915 hours of service. The Center for Community and Neigh- borhoods developed the “We All Belong” initiative to foster greater inclusion in the community for all Burlington citizens. “We All Belong” will develop the capacity and leadership skills of underrepresented peo- ple while providing support to schools and Mayor Kiss with Senator Leahy, Ron Red- non-governmental organizations to meet mond and David White at annoucement changing needs of diverse populations. of Burlington named as one of the “Ten Great Places in America.” Neighborhood Planning Assemblies Building Safe, Affordable Over 1,600 people attended NPA meetings Housing this year with their neighbors to discuss is- sues of development, planning, elections, The City worked with the