BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – The Burlington City Council Monday approved three measures aimed at improving public safety, including funding for more officers on Church Street, another charter change to ban guns in bars, and a crackdown on trespassing.
The council voted to designate $60,000 for more uniformed officers on and around Church Street. It’s a similar plan to last holiday season and is welcome news for business owners who have long called for a bigger police presence downtown.
After a heated debate, councilors also approved authorizing non-police officers to issue notices of trespass and tickets to folks engaging in bad behavior, like open drug use and shoplifting at a business or private property, including public urination and defecation.
“Of all places, it is not ok to be urinating and defecating in City Hall Park. It is a health hazard. It is not ok to be urinating and defecating on Church Street Marketplace,” said Councilwoman Joan Shannon, D-South.
Some councilors countered that issuing trespassing orders for that unfairly targetted unhoused residents. But others pushed back, citing the availability of public restrooms in the area.
The council also voted for another charter change which would ban guns in Burlington bars. It’s a renewed effort after Burlington voters overwhelmingly supported the charter change back in 2014, but that state lawmakers never signed off on.
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott and others have questioned how a ban on guns in bars would be enforced.