Campus costs
Enter the dragon
House panel confronts ‘eye-popping school construction costs
Exhibit displays dragonfly art based on years of insect observations
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POSTAL CUSTOMER
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #217 CONCORD, NH ECRWSSEDDM
South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977
the JANUARY 25, 2024
otherpapersbvt.com
VOLUME 48, NO. 4
City’s most senior councilor will not seek re-election Emery follows chair’s departure, leaving three open seats with no incumbents COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
Meaghan Emery, the vice chair of the South Burlington City Council and its longest-tenured member, announced she would not be seeking reelection in March, leaving three council seats up for grabs without an incumbent. Emery was first elected to the
council in 2008 and was later appointed the council’s vice chair in 2011, marking the first time in the city’s history where three women comprised a majority of the council while also holding every leadership position on the dais — chair, vice chair and clerk. “Being given the honor to be See EMERY on page 13
COURTESY PHOTOS
MLK kids The South Burlington high school social justice union along with students from the middle school’s SOAR programs gave their annual Martin Luther King Day presentation to students at all three of the district’s elementary schools. The South Burlington high school key club was also tapped to donate funds for every single 10th grader at the high school to make 1,500 necklaces for each elementary student and staff with photos of Martin Luther King. See more photos on page 10.
SB City approves $65 million budget Proposed tax rate increase lowered from 8.2 percent to 5.8 percent COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
South Burlington has approved and warned a final budget for Town Meeting Day that decreases an initially proposed tax rate of 8.2 percent to 5.82 percent by using American Rescue Plan Act money to fund some initiatives. Much of the city’s nearly $65 million budget — roughly $35.25 million — goes toward paying for general city operations and includes maintaining the same
level of municipal services, while increasing some investments in public safety initiatives. These include the reinstatement of the South Burlington Police Department’s youth services sergeant, the funding of a second ambulance, and an additional highway department position, according to city manager Jessie Baker. The remainder of the budget includes funding for the city’s See BUDGET on page 12