Hello neighbors, here are a few updates about what's happening in Winooski.
We're still in the process of hiring a new City Manager. Back in April, we appointed the City Manager Search Committee (including myself, Deputy Mayor Hal Colston, members of staff, community organizations, and residents) to add more perspective to this important process. The City received 20 applications for the position, 10 of which met the criteria set by the Search Committee. 6 were selected for interviews and 1 withdrew from the process. The Search Committee recommended 3 finalists to the City Council, who will conduct their interviews at the end of August. In September, we will have finalists participate in a public forum to get input from community members before making our final hiring decision. Stay tuned for an update on a future public forum and how you can participate. I am excited about the quality of candidates we have seen and look forward to selecting our future manager!
At Monday’s City Council meeting, we approved a grant application for up to $10,000 in funds that could be used to make some much-needed upgrades at the library. We also made several appointments to our policy advisory commissions. I want to personally thank our new members as they begin to serve in these positions and to recognize those who will continue to serve here in Winooski.
During the meeting, we also approved a funding application for the housing development project at Main St. and Mansion. You might recall a developer had planned to build a 70 unit market-rate apartment complex at that property. After much back and forth with neighbors and the Development Review Board, the project was reduced to 54 units, and permits were approved. A new developer has acquired the project and will be building a mix of market-rate and low to middle-income units. This project will add much-needed housing that also meets our goals of more economic integration and a range of options across the income spectrum. It will also have lower parking and traffic impact than the original project plans.
As always, you can view any of our meeting items via our website's agenda center. Join us for our next City Council meeting in September.
Finally, The City of Winooski and the Winooski School District are excited to announce that the ‘Winooski School District Newsletter’ is now 'The Winooski Newsletter' - be sure to check out the August edition here. Every month, you can visit the 'About' section on our website to see the current issue or check your residential mailbox, as this is sent directly to your doorstep! This publication is brought to you in partnership between the City of Winooski and the Winooski School District, featuring our municipal, school, and community updates. There are so many exciting things happening in Winooski, and we hope that our residents and visitors enjoy this updated version.
Feel free to reach out anytime -
Mayor Kristine Lott
klott@winooskivt.gov / 802 766 1988