VNA Council Meeting Minutes
November 18, 2020
Council Members
o Sarah Bahauddin (present)
o Pat Scheckel (present)
o Ben Blitz (present)
o Lea Jacobs (present)
o Hans Borcherding (present)
o Jim Corkery (present)
o Wendy Fearnside (present)
o Karie Krantz (present)
Call to Order (meeting was conducted virtually using Zoom)
Approval of Minutes - previous minutes were approved.
Announcements
o Communications
o A reminder that our neighborhood web site is www.vilasneighborhood.com
o Email address for the VNA: vnapresident@gmail.com
o The Vilas Ink newsletters are now being posted on the web site at https://www.vilasneighborhood.com/vilasink
o The VNA December 16th meeting will also be via Zoom
Existing Business
o President’s comments – Sarah Bahauddin
o Sarah extended her thanks to all the committee chairs and committee members for their work the past year. Sarah noted the specific work and achievements of the Election Committee work to change to absentee voting, the District 13 Alliance work with community organizations, the Edgewood Liaison committee work including the associated neighborhood survey, the Vilas Park Master Plan committee work and the Zoning Committee work, including Lea Jacobs’ work as chair of the Zoning Committee.
o Treasurer’s Report and Vilas, Ink – Pat Scheckel
o Pat indicated there is approximately $2,700 in the bank account. Bills were paid including $1,000 for donations and $200 for Halloween costume prizes. Pat indicated some dues were to be transferred from PayPal and he expected some dues to be included with the VNA council ballots.
o Pat indicated he would be working on Vilas, Ink publication over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, so that it could be published in early December.
o Block Captains - Roz Woodward
o No updates
o Social Report - Lee Lazar
o Lee indicated voting for the Halloween costumes was still open.
o Listserv updates
o Brad Ricker indicated people can join the new listserv VilasNA@groups.io by e-mailing VilasNA+suscribe@groups.io, including your name and e-mail address.
o Brad reported that 136 individuals had already signed up for the new listserv and he expected 200 to 250 people when complete. He noted that there were 330 names on the previous listserv, but that several of those he suspected were inactive or had moved out of the neighborhood.
o Brad encouraged people to post on bit listservs until the end of 2020, after which the Yahoo listserv will no longer be active.
o Monroe/Regent Streets Retail &Monroe Street Library News
o No updates
o District 13 Alliance – Dana Scheckel and Sarah Bahauddin
o No updates
o Joint Campus Area Committee
o Doug Carlson indicated he has spoken with UW concerning the sound system rattling windows in the neighborhood at the last UW football game. He indicated UW will review this issue.
o Edgewood Liaison Committee Report - Shawn Doherty, Craig Stanley and Sarah Bahauddin
o Edgewood High School, DMNA and VNA met earlier this afternoon. EHS and DMNA exchanged proposals at this meeting. The good news is that discussions are ongoing, however no real progress was made on a compromise.
o The Common Council is to discuss EHS’s request to overturn the Plan Commission vote at their December 1st meeting.
o Alder Update – Tag Evers
o 2021 Operating and Capital budgets passed. Tag put forth amendments that passed increasing funding for affordable housing and COVID relief targeting eviction prevention and violence prevention.
o County passed their budget including amendment to include $1.35 million for the Truman Olson project.
o City is moving temporary men's shelter operation from Warner Park Community Center to the First Street Garage (future site of the Public Market). City and County have budgeted a combined $6million to establish a permanent shelter on East Side.
o Vilas Park Master Plan process has been frustrating. Lots of missed opportunities.
o Tag put forth an amendment to the Triangle Monona Bay Neighborhood Plan to limit the northern half of the new north-south public street to ped/bike only (with emergency vehicle access).
o 1224 S. Park project goes before Plan Commission on Monday.
o Lucky's got their Plan Commission approvals.
o Vilas Park Master Plan – Wendy Fearnside and Ann Rivlin
o Wendy and Ann facilitated a very good discussion on VNA’s draft position statement concerning the proposed Vilas Park Master Plan. A detailed summary of these discussions, as incorporated into the final position statement, will be issued via the listserv after it has been approved by the VNA council.
o Election Committee - Mary Clare Murphy and Lee Lazar
o Results of the election were reported and new council members for 2021 and 2022 are:
i. Sarah Bahauddin
ii. Pat Scheckel
iii. Ben Blitz
iv. Bonnie Gruber
o The new council met after the new members were announced and elected the following officers of the council:
i. Sarah Bahauddin - President
ii. Pat Scheckel - Treasurer
iii. Jim Corkery - Secretary
o Zoning Committee - Ben Blitz and Wendy Fearnside
o Ben reported that Lucky’s development was approved by the Plan Commission
o Ben indicated that the committee is working on an updated neighborhood survey. Doug Carlson is assisting with development of this survey. The draft survey will be sent to the council for review and approval prior to issuing to the neighborhood.
New Business
Adjourn
Next Meetings: 12/16/2020 and the 3rd Wednesday of each month in 2021.