Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger’s State of the City address on Monday had all the hallmarks of the annual speech, including reflections on past challenges and previews of what’s ahead for Vermont’s most populous city.
But the biggest news from the event was about something outside city limits. The Burlington International Airport, which is technically located in neighboring South Burlington, will be renamed for former U.S. senator Patrick Leahy, the mayor announced to thunderous applause.
Leahy, who left Congress in January after nearly 50 years, recently moved to Burlington with his wife, Marcelle. The former senator was home recovering from a back injury, so Marcelle addressed the crowd on his behalf.
“Patrick always strived to bring Vermont values to Washington,” she said. “His journey to share those values were always begun with his flight out of Burlington. His love for Vermont runs deep, and while he worked long and hard in Washington, he always looked forward to returning home.”
The announcement was topped off with prerecorded messages from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and President Joe Biden.
“Everyone who flies through will remember your tenacity, your service,” the president said. “You’ve done a hell of a job, buddy. God love ya.”
The news was also well timed: First Lady Jill Biden is scheduled to fly in to BTV on Wednesday to visit electric aviation company Beta Technologies, which is based at the airport. Beta founder Kyle Clark was in the audience on Monday and got a special shout-out from the mayor.
Also in attendance were U.S. Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Leahy’s successor, and newly elected Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.).
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a Burlington resident, was conspicuously absent.
Weinberger said Leahy’s support helped make the airport “an economic engine for our region.” Just before leaving Congress, the senator directed $34 million in federal funds to renovate and expand the facility.
The mayor delivered his remarks to a crowd that included his parents, past city council presidents and former city employees. Burlington City Hall Auditorium was dressed for the occasion: Red, white and blue bunting adorned the front of the councilors’ tables, which were decorated with small vases of freshly cut spring flowers.
The hour-long speech touched on some of Weinberger’s greatest accomplishments in his 11 years in office, including his success in rebuilding the city’s finances after the Burlington Telecom scandal. He also noted that two long-stalled projects — the Champlain Parkway and CityPlace Burlington — are now finally under construction.
Weinberger also spoke about housing, which was a main topic of last year’s address. He teased a new rezoning initiative, “Neighborhood Code,” that aims to encourage the building of duplexes, triplexes and “other small residential structures” that are currently prohibited in most city neighborhoods. The city will roll out the effort later this spring, the mayor said.
Another proposal would use the city’s Housing Trust Fund to help historically disenfranchised people buy a home and to build more permanently affordable housing. Weinberger said both would ease the housing crisis in Burlington, which has a vacancy rate of less than 1 percent.
But the mayor said the state needs to do its part, too. He called on lawmakers to stop studying Act 250, Vermont’s landmark land-use law, and go “all-in on building many more homes.” More than 800 are currently being built in Burlington, he said.
State legislators can also help reduce gun violence by passing reforms to require the safe storage of firearms and ban guns from bars, Weinberger said. Burlington voters supported charter changes to enact those policies, but lawmakers have let them languish for nearly a decade. Weinberger said such laws would have “made a difference” during a recent spike in gun violence.
Indeed, public safety loomed large in the mayor’s speech. He plans to ask councilors later this month to approve a plan that would help retain senior officers and to create a new assistant director position to oversee “alternative crisis response resources.”
He also promised to resolve the outstanding question on police oversight now that a proposal to create a new civilian review board failed on Town Meeting Day. Weinberger said the city’s existing police commission — which can only advise the police chief on disciplinary matters — should have a more formal role in reviewing complaints against officers.
Also on Monday, five city councilors were sworn in, including newcomers Tim Doherty (D-East District), Melo Grant (P-Central District) and Hannah King (D-Ward 8). Councilors unanimously chose Karen Paul (D-Ward 6) to serve another term as city council president.
“I am looking forward to a productive year, as I know you all are,” Paul said.
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