Carla Occaso
The tent encampment set up behind a Montpelier church last fall will not continue this summer. That was the word from Deb Jerard, co-warden at the Christ Episcopal Church on State Street, speaking at the March 25 City Council meeting, who said the arrangement was too much for the few volunteers available.
Last August, 2025, the church agreed to allow a small grouping of tents covered in tarps on their back parking lot after city staff members required several unhoused people to dismantle and evacuate a nearby encampment on city property. They had been set up just across the parking lot from Christ Episcopal Church, at the edge of the river next to the bike path and across the river from Shaw’s supermarket. With nowhere else to go, church leaders allowed around 12 to 20 people to relocate on church property, between the church and the railroad tracks.
On Sept. 10, 2025, church leaders asked the city for, and received, $600 per month to help defray the costs of allowing the encampment. Expenses included a portable toilet, water, cleaning, laundry vouchers, and other basic needs. The campers were allowed to stay until November, when it was too cold to be outside.
Jerard told the city council there were too many problems for them to handle this year.
For one thing, she said, there were just two to three people volunteering each day, not enough to manage the situation. Further, she noted that the parking lot became a gathering place for others, some of whom became violent. Additionally, Jerard said drug deals and substance abuse was actively going on there. And while the police worked with them in an attempt to control the situation, Jerard said “basically it was a bit too much for our aging, declining church population.”
Keeping up with the trash alone was a challenge, and trash and belongings are still at the location, according to Jerard. And the neighboring businesses complained when there were fights and people got loud.
“This population needs a lot of supervision,” she said.
Elizabeth Parker, a member of Christ Church, echoed what Jerard said regarding the noise and drug activity.
“There wasn’t a night that I did not go down in the middle of the night when a person came in who was under the influence,” Parker told the council. And while church members were able to get several people into rehabilitation, there were others who did not.
“Something must be done. The time people are being exited from the hotels is coming,” Parker said. “We just don’t have the capacity to do anything this year.”
Parker noted that many of the unhoused people grew up in Barre and Montpelier but now have nowhere to stay. No action was taken.
Sprinkler Ordinance Could Loosen Up, Despite Fire Chief’s Warning
The city council approved language for an amendment to the existing sprinkler ordinance that will allow more residential units to be built without sprinkler systems. A reason for supporting this is that sprinkler systems are expensive, with a minimum cost of $30,000, according to Montpelier resident Kate Stephenson. And that extra expense is a potential hindrance to housing developers.
The council’s decision went against the urging of Fire Chief Derek Libby, who said sprinkler systems are critical for saving lives — especially in Montpelier, with only three firefighters on duty per shift (compared to 22 in Burlington). He said sprinklers reduce civilian deaths by 89%.
The second public hearing on the topic occurred during the March 25 regular council meeting. The goal of the ordinance amendment was to address a discrepancy between current city ordinances and new state exemptions adopted in late 2025.
City Manager Kelly McNicholas Kury and Planning Director Mike Miller said the state recently exempted “small apartments” (three to six units) from sprinkler requirements. Currently, Montpelier’s code is stricter, requiring sprinklers for all multi-family housing units. Staff members had recommended keeping the stricter rules for safety.
But the view toward safety changed following more discussion. Stephenson argued that new sprinkler systems can cost between $30,000 to $60,000 per unit, which can kill housing projects. She also noted that city water pressure is sometimes insufficient to even power the systems, although the city’s water pressure has been among the highest in the state.
Alyssa Schuren, chair of the Housing Committee, argued that Montpelier’s “exceptionalism” creates a barrier to building much-needed housing during a housing emergency.
Both Councilor Jim Sheridan and Zack Hughes of the Homelessness Committee said that safety should not be compromised for money, whereas Councilor Sal Alfano sought to encourage housing development. In the end, by a 5-to-1 vote with Sheridan voting “no,” city councilors agreed to direct the staff to prepare language for the second reading on April 8 that aligns Montpelier’s safety codes with the state of Vermont requirements for buildings with six or fewer units.
Tax Stabilization Discussed for New School of Montpelier
The council considered a tax stabilization agreement for The New School of Montpelier at 41 College Street. The agreement involves a six-year contract where the school receives a 50% discount on the increase in their tax bill resulting from property improvements.
In exchange, the school must create and maintain 20 additional full-time jobs. Councilor Ben Doyle noted the school serves high-needs students and the agreement helps build the “grand list” (total taxable property value) in the long run.
But residents Peter Kelman and Steve Whitaker characterized it as a “gift” or “forfeiture of revenue” that the city cannot afford during tight budget cycles. Councilor Pelin Kohn clarified it is not an abatement of current taxes, but a restructuring of future increases. In the end, councilors voted to discuss the tax stabilization agreement for The New School of Montpelier again on April 8.
DRM Contract Development to Advance
City councilors agreed to authorize City Manager McNicholas Kury to develop a contract with Downs Rachlin Martin, PLLC, (DRM) for legal services related to Country Club Road development. The motion states the council action is to develop the contract, not accept it. The contract will be brought back to council for approval once it is completed.
Planning Director Mike Miller said the approval of a contract with the law firm will help the city create an agreement between it and a future Country Club Road developer. Meanwhile, real estate advisors White + Burke continue to advance the RFP process, Miller said.
“We are going to make a decision in picking a developer and then we are going to need some expert legal opinions … in order to complete the process of the development agreement,” Miller said. He added that White + Burke had reached out to seven law firms, but only DRM responded affirmatively. Doyle said White + Burke made a good faith effort, and he suggested authorizing the city manager to come back with the agreement “for us to review and approve.”
Councilors unanimously agreed to direct the city manager to develop a contract with DRM. McNicholas Kury said after the council identifies the preferred developer, the attorney will start then.
In a written scope of services, DRM stated the firm will “represent the city in connection with the negotiation and drafting of the initial public/private partnership agreements with the project sponsor chosen by the city pursuant to the provisions of the Request for Proposals dated December 19, 2025.” Issues could include tax stabilization, development, and CHIP-related repayment agreements. Downs Raichlin Martin anticipates an assumed 25 to 50 billable hours that could cost between $10,000 and $20,000.
Council Accepts Women’s History Month Resolution
Montpelier city councilors unanimously approved a resolution honoring Women’s History Month. The resolution reads, “Whereas, the City of Montpelier, Vermont, recognizes and values the contributions women have made to our City throughout its history; and Whereas, the City’s history of elective leadership is distinguished by the significant contributions of Mayors Sally Rice, Ann Cummings, Mary Hooper, and Anne Watson, who collectively guided Montpelier for twenty-two of the last forty years.” The resolution also honored the current City Manager Kelly McNicholas Kury, Acting City Manager Kelly Murphy, and all five assistant city managers, half the city council (Cary Brown, Adrienne Gil, and Pelin Kohn), the superintendent of the Montpelier Roxbury Public Schools (Libby Bonesteel), and other female leaders.
The resolution goes on to express “gratitude and admiration for the extraordinary contributions of women to the civic, educational, and economic life of our community.”
