VNA Council Meeting Minutes
September 23, 2020
Council Members
o Sarah Bahauddin (present)
o Pat Scheckel (present)
o Ben Blitz (present)
o Lea Jacobs (not present)
o Hans Borcherding (not 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 October 28th meeting will also be via Zoom
Existing Business
o Treasurer’s Report and Vilas, Ink – Pat Scheckel
o Pat indicated there is approximately $3,600 in the bank account. Bills were paid including $600 for printing Vilas, Ink.
o Block Captains - Roz Woodward
o Roz is coordinating delivery of the printed version of the Fall Vilas, Ink newsletter and a flyer on VNA absentee voting procedures. Delivery is expected in early October via the block captains.
o Social Report - Lee Lazar
o Lee drafted a letter concerning suggested Covid 19 guidance for Badger Football game gatherings in the neighborhood. The council unanimously approved this letter which will be distributed via the listserv.
o Bethany Nelson provided potential ideas for Halloween to be followed due to Covid 19. More ideas will be shared via the listserv.
o Monroe/Regent Streets Retail & Monroe Street Library News
o Tag reported that some Madison library branches may open based on a model the St Paul, MN library system is using. Tag indicated he is not sure what is in the Mayor’s executive budget relative to libraries. Hearings on the budget will be held in November and Tag encouraged neighborhood members to speak at this meeting voicing their support of the Monroe Street Branch.
o District 13 Alliance – Dana Scheckel and Sarah Bahauddin
o The essential items drive for the Bayview Apartments community was very successful.
o Plans are being made for an essential items drive in conjunction with Neighborhood House. Additional information will be posted to the listserv prior to this drive.
o The group is now meeting monthly. One item of discussion by the group is appropriate responses to the racist flyers that were distributed in the neighborhood over the summer.
o Joint Campus Area Committee
o No update.
o Edgewood Liaison Committee Report - Shawn Doherty and Sarah Bahauddin
o Mike Elliot, President of Edgewood High School, has deferred their request for stadium lighting until the December Common Council meeting.
o Liaisons met to discuss next steps. It was agreed to expand conversations beyond just noise concerns only, i.e. number of night games to be played, enforcement procedures, etc. Desire is to continue to meet with Edgewood High School to find a compromise solution. Shawn indicated she can provide meeting notes from the liaison meetings if any one is interested in reviewing them.
o Alder Update – Tag Evers
o Lucky 1313’s proposed parking/apartments expansion is on the Plan Commission’s October agenda. Tag noted this approval is separate from the beer garden proposal which requires a City Ordinance change, which he does not support based on neighborhood feedback.
o Vilas Park Drive will be open for traffic for two weekends to accommodate access during the Democracy in the Park events.
o Tag indicated the County turned down the developer’s funding request for the housing/grocery store project at the Truman Olson site. The developer is evaluating this impact on the project.
o Tag indicated there is an impending homelessness crisis due to Covid 19 related evictions (the evection moratorium is scheduled to end December 2020.) Tag also indicated Cares Act funds that allowed for homeless individuals and families to be housed in hotels are running out. Tag is working with other council members on potential solutions.
o Tag indicated the leaf removal pilot that was Implemented last year will continue this year. Tag reminded people not to put leaves in the street because of the detrimental effect on the area lake’s water quality.
o Vilas Park Master Plan – Wendy Fearnside and Ann Rivlin
o The draft Master Plan is to be issued to the Resident Resource Group and the other Community Partners in October. A meeting is planned with these groups prior to distribution of the draft Master Plan to the wider community.
o Election Committee - Mary Clare Murphy and Lee Lazar
o Absentee Vote 2020. An article will be included in the Fall Vilas, Ink newsletter and a flyer will be distributed in the neighborhood on the procedures for absentee voting.
o A Motion was made that VNA approve the Absentee Voting procedures that were previously approved at last meeting (Bylaws require approval at two meetings.) Motion passed by all VNA council members present.
o Mary Clare will include a note in the flyer indicating that VNA dues amounts are suggested only and that a fund is available for those that dues are a hardship, such that we are encouraging all neighbors to vote.
o Lee Lazar is starting nominations process for the 2021 VNA Council and he requested that all neighbors reach out to identify people interested in serving. Lee will reach out to those on the council whose terms expire in December 2020 to determine if they are interested in continuing to serve.
o Zoning Committee - Sarah Bahauddin
o Lea Jacobs has resigned as chair of the committee – Sarah thanked Lea for all her work on the committee over the past year. Sarah asked that Ben and Wendy be co-chairs of the committee, which they accepted and the VNA council approved.
o Ben noted that outdoor seating for bars/restaurants on Regent Street has not caused issues at his residence.
o DMNA’s development guidelines were discussed. The VNA zoning committee will review and discuss these guidelines to determine if VNA should prepare a similar document for our neighborhood. Tag indicated these type of guidelines assist Alders in understanding the thoughts of neighborhoods when development proposals are being reviewed.
o Tag indicated the Plan Commission is reviewing their guidelines related to what Developers can do by right and what requires a variance or special permission.
New Business
Adjourn
Next Meetings: 10/28, 11/18 (election), 12/16