Vermont League of Cities and Towns
Equity Committee Meeting
February 21, 2023 – Via Zoom
Draft Minutes
Members Present: Co-Chair Elaine Wang, VLCT Board member Co-Chair Lucrecia Wonsor, Jay Furr, Joy Dubin-Grossman, Alyssa Johnson, Ellen Kaye, Joe Major, Kathleen Ramsay, Amanda Smith, Sasha Thayer, Al Voegele, and Deborah Wright
Others Present: VLCT staff: Executive Director Ted Brady, Abby Friedman, Jessica Hill
Agenda Item #1: Call to order by the Chair. Elaine Wang called the meeting to order at 12:14 p.m.
Agenda Item #2: Additions and deletions to the agenda. Elaine suggested changing the agenda to accommodate introductions of new members. Ellen requested time to discuss the Declaration of Inclusion.
Agenda Item #3: Approval of the January 17, 2023, minutes. Al motioned to accept the minutes of the January meeting. Deb seconded the motion. The motion was adopted unanimously.
Agenda Item #4: Introductions. Committee members shared their names, titles, affiliations, what made them eligible to be on the committee, and something about why they wanted to be on the committee. Elaine requested that Ted reissue a survey on when the best time for the meeting would be to accommodate the requests of new members.
Agenda Item #5: Executive Director Update. Ted provided updates about the Board’s adoption of the Equity Committee’s 2023 work plan, an update on the Welcoming and Engaging Communities Cohort, and reminded committee members of the Department of Health’s Health Equity Pilot program mentioned at the last meeting. Elaine asked Ted to share a link to the committee Sharepoint site to keep members up to date on happenings. Several committee members asked if we could focus a future meeting on brainstorming on how to get some of the workplan work moving. Ellen shared that the Town of Berlin was considering a modified version of the Declaration of Inclusion that included language she felt was inappropriate. A discussion about the committee’s interest in the Declaration of Inclusion occurred.
Agenda Item #6: Equity Committee Nominations. Because Ted had to leave at 1:15, the committee agreed to take up the nominations before member updates. Ted presented three nominations to the Equity Committee that came in after the deadline: Alburgh Planning Commission Matthew LeFluer, Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Planning Commission Senior Planner Sarah Wraight, and Vermont Center for Independent Living Information, Referral & Assistance / Equipment Distribution Specialist Nick Morlan. The committee discussed the three nominations.
Al moved to recommend all three candidates be appointed to the committee by the VLCT Board of Directors. Joy seconded the motion. Amanda spoke in favor of the motion. Ellen asked whether municipal experience is necessary, and Ted explained that the charter included municipal experience as one of many types of experience desired. The motion was adopted unanimously.
Agenda Item #7: Member updates (moved to after Equity Committee nominations). Members provided updates on the equity work being done around the state and in their communities.
There was no other business.
Al motioned to adjourn the meeting. Ellen seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 1:32 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Ted Brady
VLCT Executive Director