VNA Council Meeting Minutes
January 27, 2021
Council Members
o Sarah Bahauddin (present)
o Pat Scheckel (present)
o Ben Blitz (present)
o Bonnie Gruber (present)
o Hans Borcherding (present)
o Jim Corkery (present)
o Wendy Fearnside (present)
o Karie Krantz (not 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 February 24, 2021 meeting will also be via Zoom
Existing Business
o Madison Police presentation and discussion by Midtown District Captain Freedman and Lieutenant Berkovitz included discussion of the following:
o Most of the discussion was related to the recent bomb scare on Jefferson Street. The officers involved worked to inform only those residents the officers thought would be impacted by the issue so as to not cause any undue concern outside of the impacted area. The officers did go door to door to notify those potentially impacted. It was noted that officers generally lean towards not sharing information (with those not directly impacted) on active investigations for many reasons. The Reverse 911 system is legacy and is currently connected to landlines, although there are procedures that can be used to connect cell phones.
o The name of our neighborhood liaison officer will be provided to Tag Evers so that he can share this information with the VNA.
o The officers discussed the recent increase in car thefts and burglaries and reminded residents to lock their residences and vehicles, to not leave valuables in vehicles and to not leave vehicles running with the doors are unlocked.
o President’s comments – Sarah Bahauddin
o Sarah requested that all VNA council members provide bios for the VNA website.
o Treasurer’s Report and Vilas, Ink– Pat Scheckel
o The VNA budget for 2021 was previously distributed to the council members and was approved by all council members at this meeting.
o There is approximately $2,700 in the bank account. Pat indicated that insurance for the(3) Vilas neighborhood signs and liability insurance for events increased from approximately $1,000 to approximately $1,400 – based on this Pat suggested VNA shop for competitive offers before renewing next year.
o The submission deadline for the next Vilas, Ink newsletter will be February 22. The next Vilas, Ink will be printed mid-March and will be given to the block captains to distribute. Pat will be contacting area businesses to generate advertising in the newsletter.
o Block Captains - Roz Woodward
o Roz indicated she has welcome packets available to provide to new residents moving into the Vilas neighborhood.
o Social Report
o Sarah indicated a new Social Chair is still required and we should work to identify potential candidates for this position.
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 will develop a communication on the features of the new Listserv (including how to get digest summaries of postings) and suggested procedures to be used with each post (i.e. listing hundred block and street name)
o Monroe/Regent Streets Retail & Monroe Street Library News
o No updates
o District 13 Alliance – Dana Scheckel and Sarah Bahauddin
o Dana indicated that there are 10 members on this committee representing all neighborhoods within District 13. Dana indicated additional information will be distributed via the listserv as to how to contribute to a January 30th ethnic food drive for Bayview and the Triangle community associations.
o Joint Campus Area Committee
o No updates
o Edgewood Liaison Committee Report - Shawn Doherty, Craig Stanley and Sarah Bahauddin
o The Common Council denied EHS’s request to overturn the Plan Commission decision to deny lights for the athletic field.
o Next steps are unclear as to how EHS intends to proceed.
o Alder Update – Tag Evers was unable to attend as he had another meeting so he provided the following update for Sarah to present:
o The Truman Olson project received unanimous approval from Plan Commission and Urban Design Commission and awaiting final staff signoffs. We're looking at April or May for ground-breaking.
o I am working with Bayview Exec Director - Lexi London, City IT Director - Sarah Edgerton, and Library Director - Greg Mickells to address digital access on the Triangle. Virtual learning obstacles for Bayview families are enormous. The zoo is doing great work with some of our Bayview kids, but the challenge is still immense. The problem is three-pronged: access to the internet, access to devices, and digital literacy. If anyone is interested in helping out, please let me know.
o Plan Amendment for the new North/South Street on the Triangle goes before CDA on Thurs Feb 11. The amendment is to limit the northern half of the street, from Regent to Braxton, to ped/bike & emergency access only. We are working to get robust resident participation, which is hard during Covid due to limited digital access as discussed above. A number of alternative strategies are in place to get robust resident participation, which involves getting around the digital access issues discussed above.
o Alder Abbas and I are working with Deputy Mayor Christie Baumel on a new initiative to address the City's building sector. 48% of our total carbon emissions come from residential and commercial buildings.
o I've been asked by the Mayor to be on the steering committee for the Guaranteed Income pilot project based on a model that started in Stockton, CA where 125 families low-income received $500 per month for 12-18 months. The city will review the data against a control population to determine the impact. The city has been awarded a $500,000 grant to get started.
o Changes are being proposed to our zoning ordinance to reduce restrictions on multi-family housing. I support these changes. Our housing affordability crisis is due in large part to simple economics -- more people want to move here than we have places to put them.
o Vilas Park Master Plan - Wendy Fearnside and Ann Rivlin
o A Zoom presentation of the final Vilas Park Master Plan is scheduled for February 4th at 6:00 pm. More information on the meeting will be provided via the Listserv.
o VNA comments on the final Master Plan are to be submitted by 2/18. It is expected that the Board of Parks Commissioners will perform a final review and approval of the Vilas Park Master Plan in early March.
o Traffic Engineering is considering options, and is expected to make a decision in April or May, related to closure/partial closure of Vilas Park Drive for the summer of 2021.
o Bylaws update
o Sarah indicated the bylaws review and update work is to begin late March with a focus on elections and dues.
o Zoning Committee - Ben Blitz and Wendy Fearnside
o The committee is continuing work on an updated neighborhood survey. Ben expects the draft survey will be sent to the council for review prior to the next council meeting for comments and approval prior to issuing to the neighborhood in the Spring of 2021.
o Lucky’s 1313 Regent Street development has changed the bedroom mix within the building (more two-bedroom units and less studios and one-bedroom units), however the building exterior is to remain unchanged.
o A new business has applied for a liquor license in the former Cat Café at 1925 Monroe Street. The new establishment is to have a retail seafood focus with alcohol sales.
New Business
o 2021 Neighborhood Grant Program: The Department of Planning and Community & Economic Development, Planning Division, has a grant program designed to help neighborhoods build capacity and beautify public places. The grant program helps to improve the quality of life within neighborhoods, and the City as a whole. Email vnapresident@gmail.com for more info.
o Sally Lehner will be sending out more information via the listserv on the City’s Storm Drain Mural Program
o Sarah indicated we could use assistance with the following committees. Please email vnapresident@gmail.com if interested or for more information.
o Social chair or co-chair
o Election Nomination chair/co-chair
o Help with website and possible social media
o Listserv co-moderator
Adjourn
Next Meeting: 2/24/2021.