Scott, Mulvaney-Stanak Announce Coordinated 14-Point Plan for Burlington
New 'Accountability Court,' Police Surge, and Service Reforms Target Repeat Offenders and Public Disorder
n a significant display of inter-party collaboration, Republican Governor Phil Scott and Progressive Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak have united to launch a 14-point short-term action plan aimed at addressing Burlington’s escalating public safety and livability challenges.
The plan, announced by the Governor’s office, was developed with input from business leaders, service providers, and state and local partners. It represents a new, multi-pronged strategy to combat the public drug use, retail theft, and repeat offenses that have plagued the city’s downtown core.
The plan’s core philosophy appears to be a dual-track approach: increasing accountability for a small group of prolific offenders while simultaneously expanding and reforming the service network meant to support them.
“I believe this collaborative effort will help Burlington turn the corner, so residents, students, visitors, business owners and their employees feel safe,” Governor Scott stated, adding he believes the model could be used elsewhere in Vermont.
Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak called the plan “a good step forward for community health and safety.” She emphasized that a “functioning legal system is crucial for community accountability” and that the plan complements her administration’s existing strategies, including rebuilding police services and investing in social service providers.
The initiative is designed to be operationalized over the next three to four months. Here is a breakdown of what the plan entails.
The Centerpiece: A New ‘Accountability Court’
The most significant action is the creation of a “Community Accountability Court,” a pilot docket in the Chittenden Criminal Division.
This court will specifically target a list, generated by the Court Clerk, of “individual offenders in Chittenden County with five or more cases.” This measure appears to be a direct response to widespread community frustration over a perceived “revolving door” justice system, where individuals are repeatedly arrested but face few immediate consequences.
To make this court functional, the plan details several key staffing and operational changes:
Special Prosecutor: The Governor will appoint a Special Prosecutor to handle these cases, in coordination with the Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs.
Dedicated Staff: The Judiciary will assign a specific judge to the docket, and the Defender General will designate a lead public defender to create a consistent team.
Pre-Trial Supervision: The Department of Corrections (DOC) will immediately implement its Pre-Trial Supervision program in Burlington to work with the court on appropriate cases.
Advisory Team: A multi-disciplinary team—including the Agency of Human Services (AHS), Department of Public Safety (DPS), Burlington Police (BPD), and local service providers—will be formed. According to the plan, this team will advise the court and help assess individual needs to facilitate services.
A ‘Carrot and Stick’ Approach: Services and Enforcement
The plan is carefully balanced between new enforcement measures and new pathways to treatment, directly addressing the complex intersection of substance use, mental health, and criminal behavior.
New Enforcement and Accountability Measures
Several points in the plan focus on increasing law enforcement visibility and ensuring compliance with city laws and treatment protocols:
State Police Presence: The state will offer law enforcement assets, including foot patrols and marked units, to create a greater and more visible police presence in Burlington, coordinated by the BPD Chief.
Ordinance Enforcement: The plan calls for enhanced enforcement of city ordinances. This will involve ticketing and using the City Attorney to charge violations, with referrals to Burlington’s restorative “City Circle Program.”
Provider Accountability: AHS will direct local service providers that receive state funding to “utilize law enforcement when appropriate for violent and disruptive behaviors” in and around their facilities.
Mental Health Compliance: The Department of Mental Health will work to “enhance orders of non-hospitalization (ONH)” to ensure patients comply with treatment and to follow up on non-compliance.
Expanded Services and Harm Reduction Reform
Alongside enforcement, the plan mandates a significant expansion and review of the city’s health and treatment services:
In-Facility Treatment: The DOC will immediately expand substance use treatment, including MOUD (Medication for Opioid Use Disorder), therapy, and recovery coaching, within certain facilities. This treatment will be available when required by a court order.
New Mobile Treatment Van: The state will work with the University of Vermont (UVM) to bring an additional mobile addiction treatment van online, which will be staffed to address both opiate and stimulant disorders.
Syringe Service Reform: In a direct response to public complaints about needle litter, AHS and the Vermont Department of Health will partner with local syringe service providers. The goal is to “enact research-based best practices” and explore “both incentives and accountability for disposal of those syringes.” The plan also calls for expanding current cleanup efforts with the city.
Revitalizing Downtown
The final component of the plan addresses the city’s physical environment and public morale, which have been impacted by long-term construction projects and a feeling of neglect.
The Agency of Transportation (AOT) will be offered as a consultant for current construction and traffic projects to help “quickly revitalize the Burlington downtown.”
Furthermore, the plan calls for the Governor, Mayor, City Council, and business community to coordinate with UVM and residents on a “mass volunteer clean-up and beautification effort” and to encourage more downtown events.
According to the Governor’s office, all stakeholders will engage in ongoing communication to review the plan’s effectiveness, “employing data to evaluate outcomes and determinants of success.” The announcement stressed that these are short-term actions, and the Governor will continue to advocate for medium- and long-term solutions, including housing and public safety legislation.