Patrick Crowley

When Burlington’s new mayor and City Council take their seats in early April, among their first orders of business will be tackling a multimillion dollar shortfall in the budget for the coming fiscal year. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the city has received over $27 million in funds from the federal government, which have helped bolster its budget. Now, all but about $1 million has been spent or dedicated, according to Katherine Schad, Burlington’s chief administrative officer.

No matter the results of Burlington’s Town Meeting Day elections, the City Council is set to undergo a major transformation. Eight of the council’s 12 seats are up for grabs this year, and four races feature no incumbent. Adding to the potential for a shakeup: If Councilor Joan Shannon, D-South District, wins the mayoral election on Town Meeting Day, her seat would then head to a special election.

As the first open race for Burlington mayor in 12 years enters its final phase, the two party-endorsed candidates — state Rep. Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, a Progressive, and City Councilor Joan Shannon, a Democrat — are each working hard to spread their message. They’ve appeared at back-to-back candidate forums and touted recent endorsements at press events, while campaign volunteers canvas Queen City neighborhoods. The message they’re spreading appears, on the surface at least, quite similar.