A pro-Palestine resolution was kept off Burlington’s Town Meeting Day ballot on Monday after a Democratic majority on the city council decided the measure was too divisive.
The non-binding measure would have declared Burlington an “apartheid-free community” that supports ending “Israel’s apartheid regime, settler colonialism, and military occupation” of Palestine. About 2,000 registered voters signed a petition to place the item on the March ballot, more than the 5 percent required by state law.
The question was identical to one proposed in January — and met the same fate. The measure failed on a 5-5 tie vote, with five Democrats voting “no” and five Progressives voting “yes.” Councilor Mark Barlow (I-North District) was absent.
The vote was a foregone conclusion. Democrats, who have a functional majority on the council when including Barlow, said in a statement on Friday that they planned to vote down the measure over concerns that it would stoke both antisemitism and Islamophobia.
The vote was preceded by a pro-Palestine rally outside city hall and more than two hours of public forum. Nearly every chair was filled on the ground floor of the auditorium, with the audience spilling into the balcony. Most of the attendees supported the ballot item, toting Palestinian flags and red-and-white signs reading “Apartheid Free Community.” A few spectators sported yarmulkes.
Those opposed to the resolution argued that councilors had no place debating an issue they can’t influence. They said the resolution would make the city’s Jewish residents feel unsafe.
Those supporting it, including anti-Zionist Jews, said the council should respect the democratic process by putting the item on the ballot. They said the issue is relevant to locals, noting that three students of Palestinian descent were shot last year while walking down a Burlington street.
Progressive councilors — most of whom wore keffiyehs, the scarves that symbolize Palestinian identity — repeated many of the proponents’ same points. Councilor Gene Bergman (P-Ward 2), who is Jewish, rebutted Democrats’ argument that the measure is too divisive when voters regularly consider other divisive questions, such as elections.
Councilor Melo Grant (P-Central District) spoke to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. “What’s the body count that someone has [to see] in order to recognize that we have to take a stand on this?” she asked.
Democrats, however, doubled down on their earlier statements. Councilor Evan Litwin (D-Ward 7) said the measure is “aspirational and symbolic.” Councilor Joan Shannon (D-South District) said the city should find mediators to guide a discussion on the issue.
“I don’t believe that a binary, [accusatory] question is an opportunity to discuss,” she said. “I think that is an opportunity to divide, to draw lines in the sand.”
Also on Monday, public works officials announced a plan to trim $14.7 million from a wastewater bond proposed for the Town Meeting Day ballot. The new bond would be $175.3 million, down from $190 million.
The money would pay to upgrade the aging wastewater treatment system, which has gone decades without major repairs. Defunct equipment would be replaced, and additional tanks would be built at the city’s main treatment plant to use when existing ones break or need maintenance.
Another $21 million bond would rebuild the pump station on Main Street, which relies on 150-year-old pipes to distribute drinking water to the city’s east side, including the University of Vermont and UVM Medical Center.
Councilors are worried that the price tag is too high, with initial estimates showing that residents’ water bills could more than double over the next decade. But public works officials say the upgrades are necessary to protect water quality — and avoid hefty fines from state regulators.
At Monday’s meeting, water division director Megan Moir said the city could save $8.7 million by cutting back on upgrades related to “dewatering,” a process that removes moisture from solid waste and lowers the cost to dispose of it. If the existing equipment fails, however, the city would have to find another way to pay for the fixes, Moir said.
Another $6 million could be trimmed from the projects’ contingency line item, which is set aside for unexpected costs. The bond amount could drop further if the city wins various state and federal grants.
It’s unclear how these changes would affect water rates. Moir plans to deliver a detailed memo to councilors early next year.
She also plugged an upcoming town hall meeting on January 6, where officials will discuss the wastewater projects and a separate $20 million general obligation bond proposed for various infrastructure upgrades.
In other public works-related news, councilors approved a design concept for a new bridge to connect Burlington and Winooski.
The council voted 8-2 to endorse a plan for the bridge, which will replace the nearly century-old one whose crumbling sidewalks and lack of bike lanes make travel unpleasant and unsafe. Councilors Becca Brown McKnight (D-Ward 6) and Marek Broderick (P-Ward 8) voted no.
The new design will slightly widen the four travel lanes and add larger shoulders and walk-bike pathways on either side of the bridge. The intersection at Colchester and Riverside avenues and the dead-end Mill Street would also be realigned.
The bridge design has faced criticism from cyclists who say wider travel lanes will encourage faster driving. Some had pushed for a roundabout intersection.
On Monday, public works officials said the bridge needs wider lanes to accommodate trucks, buses and emergency vehicles. They pledged to look at other ways to calm traffic, including wider striping to create narrower lanes if cars indeed go too fast. The bridge’s new curved design may naturally slow traffic, they said.
Officials also ruled out a roundabout, saying one would fit in the intersection but would create too much congestion.
There was some discussion on Monday about creating a left-hand turn from Mill Street, which some councilors worried could be dangerous, especially during rush hour. City engineers, however, clarified that they only intended to explore the possibility of a left-hand turn and wouldn’t build one if it would be unsafe.
Largely funded with a federal grant, the bridge construction is slated to begin in 2027.
Councilor McKnight was disappointed with the design, which she said has inadequate infrastructure for bikes and pedestrians.
“I think it’s sadly a missed opportunity to create a structure that really is innovative and leads Burlington towards our transportation goals,” she said. “We just can’t continue catering to cars and trucks alone, and I want us to shift to a more human-centric model of transportation.”
At one point, Council President Ben Traverse (D-Ward 5) interrupted the discussion to announce that the UVM men’s soccer team had just won the national championship — the first-ever national title for a UVM team sport.
The roster includes Nash Barlow, son of Councilor Barlow, who missed Monday’s meeting to attend the game in North Carolina versus Marshall University.
The meeting resumed, with the cheers and whoops of revelers outside carrying into the council chamber.
Related Stories
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
