By Kolby LaMarche

At the Burlington City Council meeting Monday, April 14, the Mayor’s Office and Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform (VCJR) presented an updated draft proposal for the Overdose Prevention Center (OPC) pilot, commonly known as a “safe injection site,” to the City Council, finalizing the city’s plans for a supervised drug use facility. 

The council is expected to vote on the proposal at its April 28 meeting, following community feedback, as required by Vermont’s Act 178. The injection site, set to offer overdose response, harm reduction supplies, and connections to addiction treatment, aims to curb Vermont’s continuing overdose crisis. 

The Mayor and VCJR detailed a two-phase rollout: Phase 1 (8-12 months) includes a neighborhood assessment and site selection for a code-compliant facility, expanding existing peer support and medical services. Supervised consumption begins in Phase 2, adhering to Vermont Department of Health standards. 

The $1.1 million project, funded by the Opioid Abatement Fund, will cover staffing and facility costs, with Burlington managing disbursements. 

During the public forum, one resident, Suzanne Sugar, voiced her concerns, citing a study out of Canada that, Sugar says, showed increased public drug use and nearby deaths, misleading crime data, low recovery rates, and business impacts. 

Community engagement currently remains central to the City’s plans, with listening sessions promised to address concerns about safety and syringe litter. Data collection will track overdoses reversed and referrals made. The proposal also emphasized “health equity”, seeking to reduce, they say, emergency service strain and save lives. 

No final decisions were made at the meeting, but council members probed VCJR on site selection transparency and operational timelines. The OPC proposal builds on months of planning, with VCJR’s partnerships, including the Johnson Health Center.