This week marked the first meetings for Burlington City Council committees, where much of the problem-solving (or creating, depending on who you ask) of council happens. Among the 11 standing committees, Public Safety (PSC) is one of the heftier assignments. Crime, the opioid crisis, the unhoused crisis, and other issues are all part of this committee’s workload.

Public safety was arguably the hottest topic of last election season, across party lines. Now that it’s time to actually do the work of addressing public safety issues, you might expect to see Democrats and Progressives lining up—but you’d be disappointed. In the newly-appointed PSC, selected by Council President Ben Traverse (D-W5), there isn’t a single Democrat, despite the Democratic plurality on the council.

Last session, the PSC included then-Council President Karen Paul (D-W6, Chair), Melo Grant (P-Central), and Tim Doherty (D-East). They put forth a resolution declaring a public health and safety emergency. The resolution established recurring updates on the issue during council meetings, and two well-attended community forums on public safety.

This year, Grant chairs the PSC. She is a former Police Commissioner, which gave her a look behind the curtain at policing in Burlington. In the last few years, she’s gained a reputation as Police Chief Jon Murad’s most outspoken critic, opposing his appointment to the post as both a police commissioner and a councilor.

Grant has also been vocal about the numerous lawsuits brought against the City for police misconduct. Jeremie, Charlie, and Albin Meli recently received a $750,000 payout from the City in a suit alleging excessive use of force in a 2018 incident. The family of Douglas Kilburn, who died after being punched by police officer Cory Campbell, received a $45,000 settlement. The city still faces lawsuits alleging excessive force brought by Mabior Jok and the Austrian family.

Grant’s years of experience with these critical issues make her the clear pick to lead the PSC. 

The other Progressive on the PSC, newly elected Carter Neubieser (P-W1), has both acknowledged that the 2020 attrition vote came with some unexpected consequences, and criticized using public safety issues as “a political football.” Neubeiser, a long-time Progressive Party member, is an experienced operator in the world of politics and public policy. It remains to be seen if he’ll be a consistent ally of Grant in committee meetings, or try to bridge the chasm between Grant and Mark Barlow (I-North), the third member of the PSC.

Barlow is a conservative-leaning independent who ran in 2020, criticizing the vote to reduce the City’s police force by attrition as a “political decision” and identifying it as a product of failed Progressive policy. During his candidacy, Barlow asserted that he would not caucus with either party. 

So, where are the Democrats? 

Chair Grant requested that two Democrats serve alongside two Progressives. Adding a seat to the PSC would need approval by Council President Traverse, who declined to do so. But it’s notable that former committee member Tim Doherty is no longer serving, despite his credentials as a former criminal prosecutor, and current white collar criminal defense attorney. 

In response to the Burlington Eye’s inquiry about the absence of Democrats on the PSC, Traverse said, “I consider Mark to be a representative of our caucus on his committee assignments.” Barlow is quick to make the distinction that he is an independent, but Traverse must count Barlow as a close ally if he’s the sole representative for the caucus on the PSC. 

When asked for comment, Councilor Grant said: “I asked Mark Barlow to serve and he said yes, which I really appreciate, but he’s an independent. No one would call him a Democrat, especially not to his face.”

Grant and Barlow represent the ends of the political spectrum when it comes to community safety. Still, the PSC has a ton of work to do. The PSC may revisit the long-delayed discussion of police oversight, which was kept off the March 2024 ballot by a council vote at the eleventh hour. Councilors behind this delay, including Traverse and Barlow, indicated their intention to have the measure ready for the November ballot. We’ll see what the new PSC can deliver to the council; regardless, this committee will continue to be a site of rich debate across party lines and political ideologies.