Jo Ruth

Active, blatant drug dealing. Guy selling crack (white substance in a baggie), literally holding it up showing it to the customer in the car (silver Audi a4 wagon full of stuff, white male driver with glasses) in front of me. I was with my 3 daughters. Literally I was driving the mile or so between church street, likely one of the biggest tourist destinations in the state, and UVM the biggest university in the state. How is this acceptable???? Why is it ok that can people sell crack in broad daylight with plenty of cars and people around so brazenly because they have no fear of punishment?? This is SHAMEFUL and disgusting that the city is just being surrendered to crime. Article in the free press about a study being done because so many of the needles THEY ARE GIVING OUT are being littered and putting landscapers and others at risk of HIV and Hepatitis. The fact that I had to see this with my daughters makes me want to move far away. I hope you straighten this mess out. It’s sick.

Many people actively using drugs in public at this parking garage. Why is this illegal behavior allowed to continue?

Close to a dozen people openly using drugs on the Bank street side on the parking garage behind Handy's two people actively shooting up right at the entrance. Unable to safely walk through to get to my car. Called dispatch they said they would "try and send someone"

Couch (and trash atop couch) on greenbelt for several days. Today was being used by individuals using needle drugs.

Please bring the trash cans back to the baseball dugout in Leddy Park. People drink and eat in the dugout In the winter time and make trash. On Sunday there was one bag of beer cans. On Monday there were two bags of cans. On today Tuesday, there are three bags of cans.
Perhaps you can just put a trashcan and recycle bin inside the dugout for the winter? Because people are definitely using it to get out of the rain and cold. That shouldn’t be a crime, but littering is, and let’s help people out by giving them a trashcan.

We parked overnight at Hotel Vermont last night, using the city garage adjacent to the hotel. We were parked in the first spot, on the first level, just after the “15 min. Parking” spaces, just inside the gate. It was very close to the hotel entrance. We came out this morning to find that our locked car had been broken into, the door bent slightly, items stolen, and the icing on the cake was a ticket on the windshield! The car was properly registered through the hotel. The Hotel Vermont appropriately said that they would take care of the inappropriate ticket. On further looking, the hotel rep said that the ticket issuer apparently misread and entered the letter “O” from my actual license plate as a number zero, which is wrong and so it looked as if I hadn’t paid. I certainly hope this ticket is canceled immediately. I filed a police report about the theft of items (totally approx. $1000). The person working at the garage this morning said that there are cameras, that were hopefully in use, that may be viewed by the police. I have been highly concerned about the increasing crime in Burlington and have a general fear of parking garages anyway- I rarely use them, and only if my husband is with me. I will now hesitate to even come into town for the day, let alone overnight and, I can say, I will never, ever park in a garage in Burlington again.

Madame Mayor, is this what you mean when you wish to provide services to the street people (many of which are not homeless but just come downtown to buy and use drugs and party). How about providing some support for the homeowners who have live with this chaos and clean up.

Parks Department: Pomeroy Park needs to have some enforcement monitoring. Recently There have been groups of 2, 3 & often more unhoused individuals using the park to sleep off their drugs & using the children’s playground for their bathroom needs as well as using drugs right in the park ! This photo only shows remaining drug paraphernalia . Oh and campfires as well! This must be addressed asap. Pomeroy Park is a very active wonderful neighborhood park filled w/children all ages all day long. Cmon Burlington.

Needles left after this gathering. Church staff/other volunteers are good with picking up however, this is a drag to see this street turn into a no-risk stoop to do drugs. New people all the time, not sure where they are coming from.

Encampment on Buell street sidewalk next to church has been growing over the weekend. Ground now littered w syringes, sidewalk blocked and not available for use, this morning open use of drugs and needles. Children and families walking to school and preschool. Clear this encampment which is interfering w public use of the sidewalk and parking.