Hello Neighbors,
At Tuesday's City Council meeting, we were joined by members of the Vermont Air National Guard who shared an update regarding the F-35 operations that fly over Winooski. VTANG outlined the efforts they make to reduce noise during takeoffs and landings as well as other clarifying operational standards. In addition to these updates, VTANG also mentioned their ongoing community commitments, such as COVID-19 pandemic response (testing and vaccine clinics) and emergency fire and rescue services (including the recent event last week).
During the public comment portion of the agenda item, we heard from dozens of our neighbors about how the F-35 operations impact their daily lives. I want to thank all those who attended and engaged in a respectful dialogue about this emotional and contentious issue. I continue to be proud and inspired by our community's dedication to the public process. I also want to thank VTANG for listening to our residents, for their ongoing service, and to recognize their sacrifices during the anniversary of 9/11 this weekend.
While VTANG wasn't able to answer every question raised by participants, I have submitted a complete list of the questions to their team who will send us an official response in the coming weeks. The meeting minutes and recording are now available for viewing, and we'll add these resources to our 'Learn More About Sound Mitigation' page, located under the 'How Do I' menu. We'll also share a news update with these resources on our website and to our Front Porch Forum and social media accounts.
In other news, the City Council narrowed our City Manager candidate pool down to 2 very strong finalists. Unfortunately, one of our candidates withdrew from consideration as they accepted an offer for another position. Our remaining candidate will be introduced to the public at our next Council meeting on Monday, September 20th. They will present to the public that evening and we encourage community members to attend and ask questions. The meeting will also be recorded for those who cannot join live, and we hope you will share your thoughts on what you'd like to see in our next City Manager. Public input is a very important part of this process. Even though we have only one final candidate, the search process will be extended if need be after considering public feedback.
As always, feel free to reach out with any questions you may have.
Mayor Kristine Lott
klott@winooskivt.gov / 802 766 1988