VNA Council Meeting Minutes
May 26, 2021
Council Members
o Sarah Bahauddin (present)
o Pat Scheckel (present)
o Ben Biltz (present)
o Bonnie Gruber (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 website 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 23, 2021 meeting will tentatively be at Sarah Bahauddin’s house. Final location to be posted on listserv.
Existing Business
o Treasurer’s Report and Vilas, Ink – Pat Scheckel
o There is approximately $5,200 in the bank account, with no major changes in the past month.
o The next Vilas, Ink will be published online early June.
o Pat noted that $250 has been allocated for the Good Neighbor Gathering on September 25th at Brittingham Park.
o Sally Lehner has received the grant from the City to paint storm drain murals (tentatively scheduled for July 18th) by the stone arch bridge in Vilas Park. She requested $150 from the VNA Council (and was unanimously approved) for art supplies, craft supplies and snacks for this event.
o Block Captains - Roz Woodward
o No updates
o Social Report – Bethany Nelson
o The VNA social chair has an e-mail address: socialchairvilas@gmail.com.
o A virtual book club will be held in June with The Feather Thief book as the basis. More details to follow via the listserv.
o The Vilas neighborhood block party is being planned for late summer. More details to follow.
o Bethany suggested a neighborhood social event to provide meals around a holiday for the DIAS women’s shelter. More details to follow.
o Listserv updates
o No updates
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 The Camp Randall south end zone project is to begin in earnest after the 2021 football season is complete.
o Edgewood Liaison Committee Report - Shawn Doherty, Craig Stanley, and Sarah Bahauddin
o No updates
o Alder Update – Tag Evers provided the following updates:
o A buffered bike lane is to be provided as a part of the Cedar Street extension that is a part of the Tuman Olsen site project.
o The Truman Olsen and the Bayview projects are to break ground in June.
o Tag is continuing his work to improve digital access in low income neighborhoods.
o Tag indicated concerns have been raised about the proposed zoning changes resulting in less opportunity for neighborhood input on development projects. Tag is working to address this issue, while also not burdening the project development process.
o Hunter Lisko, Madison Police Department neighborhood liaison officer provided an update:
o A rash of burglaries continues with many thefts from unlocked vehicles and unlocked garages.
o Hunter indicated MPD has a communication effort around “Lock it, Light it, Hide it, Remove it, Close it, Report it.”
o Hunter indicated there is a website to review a neighborhood’s crime heat map. https://communitycrimemap.com/?address=Madison,%20WI
o Vilas Park Master Plan - Wendy Fearnside and Ann Rivlin
§ No date has been established for when Vilas Park Drive will close between the stone arch bridge and the shelter.
o Signs will be posted in Bear Mound Park informing about the City’s slacklining and hammock usage policies.
o Zoning Committee - Ben Biltz and Wendy Fearnside
o The neighborhood survey will be sent to the neighborhood in May. Hard copies of the survey will also be distributed and a note about the survey will be included in the next Vilas, Ink newsletter. Ben thanked Doug Carlson for his assistance with development of the survey.
o Hotel Red is still on the market for sale.
o Construction at the Lucky’s site is expected to start this summer.
New and Other Business
o Mary Clare Murphy, Wendy Fearnside and Bonnie Gruber have provided significant work on revisions to the VNA Bylaws. They have completed a detailed review and have put together several discussion topics for the VNA Council to consider.
o Several items, including conflict of interest, restrictions on only elected council members voting, vacancies and absentee voting were discussed. This bylaws committee will continue working on discussion topics and will provide a “track changes” version of the bylaws so that the council can review the proposed changes.
o Further discussion will occur at the next council meeting.
o It was noted that the changes need to be voted on (and approved) by the September VNA Council meeting if they are to be in place prior to the next election cycle.
o Sarah indicated we could use assistance with the following committees. Please email vnapresident@gmail.com if interested or for more information.
o Election Nomination chair/co-chair
o Help with website and possible social media
o Listserv co-moderator
Adjourn
Next Meeting: 6/23, likely in person at a location TBD.