By VDC staff

The Church Street Marketplace Commission of Burlington is asking Gov. Phil Scott for continued State Police patrols, state help opening a 100-bed homeless shelter, the return of Burlington’s Accountability Court and development of a new state mental health facility, warning that some downtown businesses may be only months away from closing.

In a letter to Scott, the nine-member commission described downtown Burlington as “essentially in a state of emergency” and said business owners, employees and property owners are reporting that “time is running out.”

The commission thanked Scott for deploying Vermont State Police troopers to Burlington but said more state action is needed.

“Immediate, substantive and collaborative action must be taken as soon as possible,” the commissioners wrote.

The commission made four requests: continued deployment of State Police in Burlington; state support for the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity’s effort to open a 100-bed, year-round, low-barrier emergency shelter by this winter; restoration of the Accountability Court in Burlington; and an Agency of Human Services plan for a state mental health facility to replace or expand upon services once provided by the former Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury.

The commissioners said the first three measures could produce immediate results while demonstrating that state and city officials consider conditions downtown a priority.

The commission also argued that Burlington’s problems have statewide economic consequences, citing Chittenden County’s contribution to state tax revenues and Burlington’s role in Vermont tourism.

“A crisis in Burlington is a crisis for the State,” the letter said.

The commission offered to work with the Scott administration to implement the proposals and urged the governor to give the requests immediate attention.