By Kolby R. LaMarche

Burlingtonians got a taste of what some would call political theater last night as Democrats and Progressives squared off over a recent letter from businesses demanding downtown change. 

Though the resolution’s requested actions were many, at the heart of the issue last night was Food Not Cops, a mutual-aid free meal program that currently operates in the City’s Marketplace Garage—something council Democrats were keen to put a question mark on.

The meeting, intended to tackle downtown business woes, became a battleground over values, with each side accusing the other of being politically divisive. Business owners concerned about safety and supporters of mutual aid organizations pleaded their cases to the City Council during over two hours of public comment.

Councilor Mark Barlow, a Democrat, insisted the program’s location hurt struggling shops and visiting shoppers. “I drive through this [parking garage] routinely… and I often note that above the second floor, there is nobody parking there… towers have been locked because of activities that have been taking place,” Barlow said.

Initially, a few council Democrats supported a Progressive-proposed amendment to strike language regarding the removal of Food Not Cops from the parking garage, an amendment proposed by Councilor Marek Broderick.

However, soon after the council voted and passed the amendment, Democrats requested a five-minute recess. Coming back, council Democrats reintroduced and passed language to relocate the lunch, undoing a prior amendment by Progressive Broderick to remove it entirely.

Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak interjected, cautioning councilors against legislating on the fly: “I know I have no vote, I have no role in your process… [but] you could table [the resolution] and have more dialogue with my office… I encourage you to pump the brakes.”

Both sides continued to trade barbs—business advocates called the program’s supporters blind to downtown’s decline, while defenders accused the council of pitting commerce against compassion.

While it passed, the 8-4 vote to pass the amended resolution left tensions high and unsettled. 

The resolution calls for the following actions to support local businesses and a vibrant, safe downtown:

• Relocate Food Distribution Service: Directs Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak to move the Food Not Cops free lunch program from the Marketplace Garage by July 14, 2025, citing its current location as unsuitable for both service recipients and garage users, aiming to address business concerns about safety and accessibility.
• Improve Traffic and Communication: Tasks the Department of Public Works with providing a cost estimate and timeline by June 15, 2025, for reopening Main Street to one-way westward traffic, enhancing construction signage, improving wayfinding maps, and exploring early opening of the Champlain Parkway Connector.
• Enhance Economic Strategies: Directs the Business and Workforce Development team to adjust marketing and PR efforts to promote downtown as safe and vibrant, provide quarterly updates on the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, and propose zoning or ordinance changes to support evolving business models like adaptive reuse and co-working hubs.
• Strengthen Public Safety: Instructs the Burlington Police Department to maintain a visible presence in downtown areas, prioritize community-oriented policing with de-escalation, improve responsiveness to business reports of harassment or theft, and use Community Service Officers to enhance safety during peak times.
• Improve Parking Garages: Calls for the Department of Public Works, in collaboration with the Burlington Police Department and Mayor’s Office, to enhance downtown parking garage safety, cleanliness, and accessibility through investments in lighting, security, maintenance, public art, and stricter enforcement of violations.