All residents of Ward 8 are invited to the Public Library on May 13, 6pm to choose an Interim Steering Committee (ISC) charged with organizing the new Ward 8 Neighborhood Planning Assembly (NPA). Students and permanent residents, citizens and non-citizens, renters, roomers, and homeowners – all who live in Ward 8 are invited. Refreshments will be served.
Ward 8 includes residents who live uphill from Memorial
Auditorium on the north side of Main Street, then Ward 8 turns south at Allen
House on Prospect Street to include UVM Redstone Campus. Every resident is counted equally in the decennial
census that forms the basis for city wards.
NPAs serve as organized, democratic
forums in each ward where residents can learn about city issues that affect
them, and advise elected and appointed officials of their concerns and needs. From parking issues to major building projects,
the NPAs offer an innovative way to be involved and make your ideas and opinions
heard.
Welcome Students: Internships,
work/study, and course credit for civic engagement are great ways for students to
make a contribution (and enhance a resume). UVM has been associated with the NPA
in Ward 1, and now ward 8 offers more opportunities for students to get
involved. Champlain College participates
in Ward 6 NPA, and Burlington College students are active in North End NPAs. Students have served on NPA steering
committees in every ward.
Welcome Community: As a first rung on the ladder of civic
engagement, NPAs tackle neighborhood issues and expand the pool of applicants
to boards/commissions, and of candidates for school board and city council. Many
civic leaders in Burlington started out working with their NPA on a neighborhood
issue. We hope residents typically under-represented in city government will
hear the welcome call, and come on May 13.
Together we can start the Ward 8 Neighborhood Planning
Assembly off strong -- inclusive, multicultural, and packed with new ideas
about how to make our city the very best that it can be.
Lea Terhune, All-Wards NPA. Info, call 658-1908.
