VNA Council Meeting Minutes
May 27, 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 June 24th meeting will also be via Zoom
o A presentation on Lucky 1313’s proposed expansion to include underground parking and apartments will be made to the Vilas and Greenbush neighborhood associations via Zoom on Tuesday, June 9th at 5:30 pm. Additional communications will be sent through the Vilas neighborhood listserv on how to join the meeting.
New Business
o None
Existing Business
o Treasurer’s Report – Pat Scheckel
o Pat indicated there is approximately $4,500 in the bank account and this is the most money VNA has had recently due to increase in the number of advertisers, increased (but still very reasonable) advertising rates and Pat’s editing of the Vilas, Ink newsletter.
o The Summer issue of Vilas, Ink will be posted on the VNA website.
o VNA directory - Pat Scheckel and Block Captains - Roz Woodward
o Colony Brands is currently printing our new neighborhood directory.
o Social Report - Lee Lazar
o Lee indicated the June potluck party is canceled due to Covid 19 gathering restrictions and the July 4th parade is still in limbo.
o Lee is working with Wingra Boats top see if a Boat Night can be arranged with attendees bringing their own food and drink. Lee is considering late July or August for this event – more to follow as the Lee’s plans and Covid restrictions develop.
o Listserv
o None
o Monroe/Regent streets Retail News
o None
o District 13 Alliance – Dana Scheckel
o The alliance has had (40) people volunteer for this effort (including (8) from the Vilas neighborhood) and only a few requests for services so far. There will be an essential items drive on June 7th for the Triangle community. More information to follow via the listserv. There may also be future drives.
o Joint Campus Area Committee
o Doug Carlson indicated there is a committee meeting on May 28th, but that nothing on the agenda directly affects Vilas. Doug reiterated that the Shell ice will go away after the new Natatorium is completed at the end of 2022. Doug also indicated that the back of the new South Endzone elevated seating will have a favorable façade.
o Edgewood Liaison Committee (Craig Stanley, Shawn Doherty and Sarah Bahauddin) Report
o The Edgewood High School athletic field lighting project was not agreed to by the Planning Commission. The project was “Put on File” which allows the high school to come back with revisions within (10) days. This project could come before the City’s Common Council in July.
o A discussion was held on the value, positives and shortcomings of the neighborhood survey regarding the lighting project. A number of good suggestions were made as to how to improve future surveys and how these surveys could be used to guide the VNA council’s decisions.
o Alder Update – Tag Evers
o There have been two recent crime incidents at the Amstar gas station and two crime incidents at Brittingham Park. Tag indicated he could ask a mid-town police representative to come to one of our meetings to discuss crime in our area.
o There is a District 13 Mask Brigade providing free masks to the Bayview and Triangle area residents.
o Tag indicated he has been getting positive feedback on the closure of Vilas Park Drive to motor vehicle traffic. He also indicated that traffic volume is currently too low to obtain any meaningful data on the impact of this closure on traffic in the surrounding neighborhood.
o There is an increase in the use of outdoor fireplaces, which has generated some neighbor complaints. Tag asked that people be cognizant of this impact on their neighbors.
o Alley reconstruction in the neighborhood is ongoing.
o Zoning Committee Update – Wendy Fearnside for Lea Jacobs
o Although the Lucky’s 1313 project is not within the boundaries of the Vilas neighborhood (it is the Greenbush neighborhood), it does impact the Vilas neighborhood, especially those living near the border with Greenbush. A discussion followed on ways to use Lucky’s project as a basis to effectively seek the Vilas neighborhood input so that we can more effectively respond when a project is directly in the Vilas neighborhood. Based on the discussions, it was also recommended that “the pulse” of the neighborhood be retaken over time by updating/distributing the neighborhood survey that was completed several years ago.
o Vilas Park Master Plan – Wendy Fearnside
o Wendy thanked everyone for their input so far on the Master Plan. Wendy indicted the purpose of the Master Plan is to develop guide work for the next 15 to 20 years – the likely implementation period.
o The survey is still open for input. So far Wendy has noted people like/dislike various pieces of each of the three concepts that were presented, although more people liked the current park layout more than any one of the proposed options. One item of concern noted was the large expansion of the parking area at the north entrance to the Zoo.
o Wendy is currently working to summarize all the input she has received so she can pass it on to the City.
o A request was made that Wendy provide a brief update each month as to the next steps in the Master Plan process.
o Wendy indicated the consultants will be working to review all the input so as to develop a single Master Plan concept for further review and input. A date for publication of this single concept has not been established.
o Wendy noted that an online June 22, 2020 public meeting will be held to discuss the Master Plan and feedback received to date. More information to follow via the listserv.
Other Business
o Mary Clare Murphy and Lee Lazar were re-appointed to the VNA Elections committee. There may be a need for remote voting in November so Mary Clare and Lee will need to research options.
Adjourn