Recent violent crimes in downtown Burlington, including a stabbing earlier this month, have sparked conversation on how to keep the Queen City safe.

Monday night, city leaders threw out some strategies to tackle the issue.

The city council unanimously passed a resolution to create a committee to find more ways to support the homeless community.

The proposal asks the group to examine the resources the city has, and figure out how the state can help too. Independent Councilor Adam Roof pitched the idea, and says the task force will include service providers, city officials, police, and people who are homeless. Multiple business owners and community members were on board with the idea.

"You're just letting these people go and do what they want to do,” said Jerald Spencer, a Burlington resident. “There needs to be proper discharge planning, and also follow-up."

“I think we can do more and we can do better,” said councilor Joan Shannon.

"We are collectively committed to a thorough, thoughtful, and effective approach in working toward supporting you and eliminating homelessness,” said Roof.

Roof says the goal is to get a specific strategy on how to move forward by October.

The council also voted 10 - 2 to consider changing bad behavior in the downtown area from a civil to a criminal offense for repeat offenders.

This idea was put forth by Republican councilor Kurt Wright. It includes offenses that impact quality of life, like public drunkenness and public urination. Police Chief Brandon del Pozo says the department needs a stronger tool to make the disturbances stop, because there are people who just ignore the tickets they get for these kinds of violations.

Some at the meeting took the proposal as an attack on the homeless, though Wright and the chief insisted it was not.

"In many instances, people who enter our corrections systems have less options for those treatments and supports,” said Rep. Selene Colburn.

“We really need to incentivize better behavior from the troublemakers out there," said Jeff Nick, the chair of the Church Street Marketplace Commission. “The quality of life crimes that we see every day need some consequences.”

Nothing will change immediately. A committee will dive into the idea, and determine which offenses would be included and how many repeat violations would make it a crime.

The group is expected to come back to the council with suggestions by November.