“This is about community support and making sure people like me who are women, and a mom of young kids are able to serve”
By Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First
BURLINGTON – Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak and her wife, who came under fire this week for accepting free home-cooked dinners from the community because they are busy doing their city jobs, is trying to defend the behavior.
Mulvaney-Stanak, who became mayor on April 1, and her wife, Megan Moir, the head of water resources for Burlington, had been quiet for more than 24 hours and avoided responding to press inquiries and public comments.
The silence broke Wednesday afternoon as the Mayor appeared to double down about having the home-cooked meals prepared for her family. Mulvaney-Stanak and her partner, Moir are paid a combined $250,000 a year by the city.
Mulvaney-Stanak issued statements to NBC5 (WPTZ-TV) in South Burlington and WCAX-TV in South Burlington defending her actions.
Vermont News First, which broke the story shortly after noon on Tuesday, is still waiting to hear from the Mayor and her chief spokesman, Joe Magee. They continued to fail to respond, including this morning, to requests in recent days for interviews. Mulvaney-Stanak was unable to avoid the meal issue when she sat down for a long-planned general interview with veteran local TV anchor Lauren Maloney for “What Matters This Week.” The public affairs program airs on ABC 22 and Fox 44 on Sundays.
“There are a couple nights a week where I am out really late and I wanted to make sure my family was supported,” Mulvaney-Stanak said in a small segment that aired on the newscast Wednesday night.
Mulvaney-Stanak, who was raised in Barre, also told Maloney that the free meal story has become a distraction.
“It felt like an unnecessary distraction from frankly the really big pressing issues… This is about community support and making sure people like me who are women, and a mom of young kids are able to serve,” according to the Mayor, who majored in political science at Smith College. The full interview will air Sunday on the two TV stations.
The story and the Mayor’s response has become a statewide news story. The former state legislator and head of the Vermont Progressive Party has found herself in the media across the state, including on the front page of the Caledonian Record in St. Johnsbury. The story has generated discussion and calls on the Morning Drive Show on WVMT radio in Colchester in recent days.
“I am proud to be the first woman and first mom with small children to serve as the Mayor of Burlington,” Mulvaney-Stanak told NBC5.
“Serving as an elected leader significantly impacts families given how much time it takes to do the important work of leading a city. This has been especially true for my family with the complex challenges facing our City in my first two months,” the station reported.
Mulvaney-Stanak gave no comparison how her predecessor, Mayor Miro Weinberger, his wife, who also worked, and their two young children were able to apparently survive without community meals being donated.
“Women, especially women with small children, are underrepresented in elected positions because of the lack of support that exists to help their families while they run for and serve in office,” Mayor Mulvaney Stanak said in her statement.
“I appreciate my family’s support in my new role as Mayor. I am also grateful to my friends and community for helping to support my family with home cooked meals while I am doing the important work of being Mayor,” NBC 5 quoted her as saying.
The specific website to donate meals to the Mulvaney-Stanak family was taken down late Tuesday afternoon about four hours after the Vermont News First initially circulated the news story.
ABC 22 and Fox 44 in Colchester reported Mulvaney-Stanak said she asked supporters to remove the website. It was unclear from her comments supporting the donated meal concept if an alternative private sign-up site would replace it.
Mulvaney-Stanak, who is a former director of the Vermont Living Wage Campaign, was elected Mayor in March and later resigned from the Vermont Legislature to take on the new role on April 1. Friends have said the job has been overwhelming for her, especially when she inherited a projected $13 million deficit from Weinberger, who was mayor for 12 years.
The Mayor also is dealing with a city that is considered unsafe by many because of the violent and senseless shootings, the out-of-control drug addicts and the aggressive panhandlers. Addicts often can be seen shooting up in front of shoppers and tourists. The Mayor also is dealing with a major homeless population that can be disruptive.
The sign up was through a website known as MealTrain.com and featured a picture of Mulvaney-Stanak, Moir and their two children.
The website also said people could donate food cards to DoorDash, Panera, Chili’s, Visa and more to the family.
“If you are able to support them to make the job of Mayor more manageable, please consider bringing them a meal,” the pitch letter sent by Rachel Siegel of Toward Liberation told possible donors.
“They have been SO grateful each time a meal comes and personally I felt great to be supporting our community indirectly by helping keep Emma and Megan nourished,” Siegel wrote in the letter that was obtained by Vermont News First.
MealTrain.Com says its national program is designed for “new baby, illness, surgery, loss, adoption, deployment, new neighbor, anyone.”
The meal website said there were about two dozen participants donating before it was shutdown. The organizer was listed as Jessica Oski, a former assistant city attorney and a lobbyist with over 30 years of experience. She is a Ward 4 Police Commissioner.
Access to the donation request and sign-up sheet appeared limited to those provided by organizers. It was entitled “Meal Train for Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak and Family.”
“I still feel the buzz of this 300+ person entourage in addition to all the many supporters who were less involved. What a wave of momentum. We helped get her elected, and we can keep helping her!” wrote Siegel, a former City Councilor.