Education

Burlington School Commissioners' Corner: Burlington High School and Burlington Technical Center Campus Construction Update 05/06/2024

From Burlington School Commissioners' Corner:

Board Chair Clare Wool meets with Brian Leet, Senior Project Manager, and Jane Pickell, Director of Interiors, from FFF Architects about the BHS/BTC campus contruction to provide updates on the project.

Thanks to our partners at Whiting-Turner, you can get up close to the BHS/BTC project. Check out the incredible time-lapse here.

For more information visit: www.bsdvt.org | www.fffinc.com

Neighborhood Media Internship Program: UVM Palestine Solidarity Encampment 05/03/2024

Join the Neighborhood Media Interns on an eye-opening journey as they venture into the heart of their community to capture a powerful demonstration of solidarity. In this captivating video, they take you to the grounds of UVM, where a spirited encampment has emerged, echoing with voices of support for Palestine.

As the camera rolls, the interns capture the vibrant scene unfolding before them. Tents adorned with colorful banners and Palestinian flags dot the campus grounds, symbolizing the resilience and unity of the movement. People of all backgrounds gather, their faces alight with passion and determination, as they stand in solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Committee on Appropriations - Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law 05/03/2024

Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law at the House Committee on Appropriations.

Later on Friday, the House Appropriations committee met to have a walkthrough of the bill. The committee asked questions about the mechanics of the bill and how it would practically be applied to situations like school boards and Town Meeting day. Ultimately, the committee voted the bill out favorably 10-0-2.

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Committee on Government Operations - Testimony of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law 05/03/2024

Testimony of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law at the House Committee on Government Operations.

On Friday morning, the House Government Operations committee did a walkthrough of Draft 4.1, the most recent version of the bill. The committee voted to move the bill out of committee favorably 9-2-1. A link to the most recent version of the bill and committee meeting are below. Chair McCarthy pointed out there were some concerns brought forward about the retention of records following meetings - the bill as voted out of committee is silent on this topic, cities and towns want clarity about how long they must keep records.

S.55: Draft 4.1:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/House%20Government%20Operations/Bills/S.55/Drafts,%20Amendments,%20and%20Legal%20Documents/S.55~Tim%20Devlin~%20Draft%204.1,%205-2-2024~5-3-2024.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont Senate Committee on Appropriations - Walkthrough of H.657 Modernize Vermont’s Communications Taxes and Fees 05/02/2024

Walkthrough of H.657 a bill meant to modernize Vermont's communications taxes and fees at the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

On Thursday, the Senate Appropriations committee met to have a walkthrough of the bill from Senator Chittenden. Senator Chittenden brought up the first "chunk" of the bill, about changing a monthly tax on phone lines from a percentage - said this was uncontroversial. This got several questions from Senator Sears, who was concerned about the implications to low-income people - Senator Chittenden explained further how the tax functioned. The committee had to adjourn for the budget conference committee, so Chair Kitchel said up front that they would not be voting today.

H.657: As Passed By the House:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/Senate%20Appropriations/Bills/H.657/Drafts,%20Amendments,%20and%20Legal%20Documents/H.657~Maria%20Royle~As%20Passed%20By%20the%20House~5-2-2024.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Committee on Government Operations - Testimony of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law 05/02/2024

Testimony of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law at the House Committee on Government Operations.

On Thursday, the House Government Operations committee met to discuss a new draft of the bill. Legislative counsel walked the committee through Draft 2.2 - the new draft of the bill still includes VAN in the Working Group member list. The committee discussed exemptions to the in-person meeting requirement for certain bodies proposed by S.55. On THURSDAY afternoon, the committee reconvened and a walkthrough of Draft 2.3 (which is almost the same at 2.2) - the most recent changes include redefining “undue hardship”, redefining “state nonadvisory public bodies”, allowing CUDs to not have a physical meeting local until 2025, among other technical changes.

S.55, Draft 2.3:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/House%20Government%20Operations/Bills/S.55/Drafts,%20Amendments,%20and%20Legal%20Documents/S.55~Tim%20Devlin~%20Draft%202.3,%205-2-2024~5-2-2024.pdf

May Day: A Celebration Of Worker Power 05/01/2024

From the organizer:

Celebrate International Workers' Day at Battery Park in Burlington alongside local unions and labor activists, with live music, speeches, and food from People's Kitchen!

May Day is a fun, family-friendly festival of worker power. Cosponsors include the Vermont AFL-CIO, Teamsters Local 597, the Howard Center Union, the Burlington Education Association, UVM Graduate Students United, UVM Staff United, AFSCME Local 4802, UE Local 208, and the Vermont IWW.

For more information visit: www.actionnetwork.org/events

Voices of Vermont: Student Encampments, Burlington's Budget Deficit, and May Day 05/01/2024

Hosts Sandy Baird and Steve Goodkind discuss ongoing student encamptments and protests, as well as the budget deficit in the City of Burlington. Sandy also discusses May Day.

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Republican Caucus - Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law 04/30/2024

Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law at the House Republican Caucus.

On Tuesday, Representative Higley presented an update on the bill to the House Republican Caucus. Representative Higley said the committee was considering an amendment to allow CUDs not to comply with open meeting law requirements due to their vast geographic jurisdiction

S.55: Draft 1.3, 4-11-2024:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/House%20Government%20Operations/Bills/S.55/Drafts,%20Amendments,%20and%20Legal%20Documents/S.55~Tim%20Devlin~%20Draft%201.3,%204-11-2024~5-1-2024.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont Committee of Conference - Approval of VAN FY25 Request 04/30/2024

Approval of VAN FY25 Request at the Committee of Conference.

Later on Tuesday, in a blink-and-you-missed it moment, the CoC closed (approved) the language about VAN in Section E.232 of the budget:

Sec. E.232 SECRETARY OF STATE; VERMONT ACCESS NETWORK BUDGET (a) The Office of the Secretary of State shall request that Vermont Access Network submit a proposed operating budget required to maintain its current level of operation and programming. The Office of the Secretary of State shall include the proposed operating budget as part of its fiscal year 2026 budget presentation. (Line 102 in the Document linked below).

The CoC uses a document to track items they have to resolve - differences between the House and Senate versions of the FY25 budget as passed. The VAN appropriation difference can be found on Line 19 of this document, which can be found here:
https://ljfo.vermont.gov/assets/Uploads/de4906780b/GENERAL-376517-v1-H_883_-_FY_2025_Budget_Committee_of_Conference_-_Gray_Out_Document.pdf

Featured Story

Applications Now Open for the Spring 2025 Cohort of the Neighborhood Community Media Internship Program

Town Meeting TV is excited to announce that applications are now open for the Spring 2025 cohort of the Neighborhood Community Media Internship program. Join up to 8 other youth to engage in interesting media making projects! This paid media internship opportunity is designed for youth aged 16-20 who are eager to gain professional experience in the audio-visual field and develop a deeper understanding of their local community. The group will meet under the leadership of Town Meeting TV's Travis Washington from the end of January 2025 to the beginning of June 2025, on a schedule agreed upon by the whole cohort. Click here to apply!