BURLINGTON — The Burlington City Council voted unanimously to confirm former Colchester Police Chief Jennifer Morrison as its interim police chief as the department deals with the fallout from the social media scandal that lead to the resignation of former Chief Brandon del Pozo.
Morrison, who will start immediately, worked as chief in Colchester from 2013 to 2018 after working at the Burlington Police Department from 1990 to 2013. Morrison was named the BPD’s first female deputy chief in 2012.
Del Pozo resigned in December after admitting he had created an anonymous Twitter account to belittle local activist Charles Winkleman. Deputy Chief Jan Wright, who had been named acting chief following del Pozo’s departure, was put on administrative leave after she admitted that she, too, had used an anonymous social media account, a Facebook account under the name “Lori Spicer.”
Morrison’s appointment is expected to last for four to six months as the city conducts a permanent search, Mayor Miro Weinberger said in a memo to the council. She will make an annual salary of $131,005, equal to what del Pozo had been making.
Morrison faced questions from the council Monday evening before its vote to confirm her and her subsequent swearing-in.
In response to a question from Councilor Max Tracy, P-Ward 2, Morrison described her leadership style as clear and direct.
“I will be very open and clear with people about what I’m thinking,” she said. “I don’t play games, and I’m not a terribly political animal.”
Morrison said she would focus on internal operations during her first weeks in the job before making connections with other community members.
“My first week or two is going to be focused internally and steady the ship at One North Avenue,” she said. “That is job one, let there be no doubt.”
Weinberger said he tried to get Morrison to apply for the chief job when it became open in 2015, and that Morrison had done an excellent job in Colchester.
“Her tenure there was noted for being one of great transparency, as well as one in which she really was a leader for regional solutions for mental health, addiction and emergency response challenges,” he said.
Councilor Joan Shannon, D-South District, said when Morrison left the department, she heard from many residents who were upset that the city let her get away.
“We don’t often hear from people when they think someone has done a really good job,” Shannon said. “And that is absolutely what I was hearing from people. I think my only concern is your statements that you are not interested in the permanent position.”
Councilor Perri Freeman, P-Central District, asked Morrison if she has supported the Black Lives Matter movement as a police chief.
Morrison said she has not actively supported the Vermont Black Lives Matter movement during her time as a police chief.
“I have not supported the Black Lives Matter movement, if you gave me what their priorities were, I could clearly speak to each of them,” she said. “But in the interim I’m going to tell you I believe in the concept of procedural justice for all humans, for all contacts with police, and treating all humans with dignity and respect.”
Morrison takes the department’s helm after a tumultuous year for the department. The city is facing two excessive force lawsuits from four African American men, from incidents in which body camera footage showed officers pushing and tackling the men.
The department also faced scrutiny after Burlington resident Douglas Kilburn died days after being punched by Officer Cory Campbell. Attorney General TJ Donovan declined to file charges against Campbell, determining his use of force was “reasonable and justified.”
Morrison said she would not be seeking the full-time position, and said she could not serve past the six month time frame due to a medical procedure her husband has scheduled.
In its search for a permanent police chief, the city will follow the same process as it did during its 2015 search for del Pozo, according to Weinberger’s memo. The city will seek input from the community on skills and qualities it is looking for in a chief before posting the position description locally, statewide and nationally.
A search committee made up of members of the police commission, City Council, Burlington Police Officers Association and other community members will conduct initial interviews, and additional community members will participate in vetting of finalists. The City Council will then vote on the appointment.
CityPlace developer not meeting expectations
Consultant Jeff Glassberg gave a brief update on the CityPlace project, laying out developments over the past few months. Most recently, developer Brookfield Asset Management has taken the necessary steps to schedule a meeting with the city’s Technical Review Committee, a step in the permit revision process.
But Glassberg said that he was frustrated by the lack of public engagement efforts by Brookfield in recent months.
“It is despite repeated requests and effort,” he said “They have not done what we asked them to do, and what we expected they would commit to do. So there are further steps to take there.”
Brookfield is aiming for an August 2020 start to construction on the long-stalled project after a redesign.
The council then went into executive session to discuss its posture in upcoming negotiations with Brookfield about the development agreement.
Other issues: Train parking; BT settlement; new ambulance
In a second executive session, the council deliberated on the ongoing discussion around the overnight location for train parking. City Attorney Eileen Blackwood said the council would discuss “negotiations about a potential contract and/or probable litigation we would like to talk to you about.”
The Vermont Agency of Transportation is considering possible overnight parking locations for Amtrak trains when service returns to Burlington in 2021 or 2022, and a group of residents is opposing overnight parking at Union Station.
The Board of Finance also met Monday evening and discussed Weinberger’s proposal on how the city should spend the $6.5 million the city received in the Burlington Telecom sale.
Weinberger is proposing spending $1.5 million to settle remaining unfunded BT retirement liabilities, $1.4 million to reduce taxpayer costs for the city’s information technology and $1.6 million to create a reserve fund for special projects.
Weinberger proposed using the remaining $2.4 million to buy a 7.5% share in BT, which would entitle the city to a seat on the BT board. The full council is expected to discuss the BT investment at its Jan. 21 meeting.
Board members and Councilors Sharon Bushor, I-Ward 1, and Kurt Wright, R-Ward 4, said they wanted additional information from Schurz Communications, the new owner of BT, before reaching a decision.
The board also discussed a 3 cent increase to the Public Safety tax rate to operate and staff a third ambulance that would be housed in the New North End. The city would be raising its overall municipal tax rate 3.5% to fund the service.
The city would need to hire nine new firefighters to operate that ambulance. The board did not take action on the initiative, which will need to be approved by the full council no later than its Jan. 27 meeting to be on the March Town Meeting Day ballot.
