VNA Council Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, October 19 2022, at 7:00pm – via Zoom
Term Ending 2022
Sarah Bahauddin – President
Ben Biltz
Bonnie Gruber
Pat Scheckel (absent)
Term Ending 2023
Rachel Bennett, Treasurer
Regan Botsford, Secretary (absent)
Doug Carlson
Wendy Fearnside
7:01 Call to Order
● Meeting Rules: Stay on mute unless talking
● Approval of August Minutes
● Announcements
o Join the listserv: Send an email to VilasNA+subscribe@groups.io
o Website: vilasneighborhood.com
o Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vilasna
o Donations: (Dues no longer required for membership): https://www.vilasneighborhood.com/take-action
7:05 Social Report: Bethany Nelson
Book Club to meet December 1, led by Sarah. Discussing Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles.
Halloween. Trick or treating map is being filled out. Party on 1800 block of Adams, as well. Rachel will communicate with Samip about getting the donation box to the party. It would be nice if photos of good costumes were taken by anyone present at the party so we can then put on our Facebook page, etc..
Considering December party at Garth’s with cookies and hot chocolate
Hot chocolate event
Considering some kids’ activity for the holidays
Considering charity event but will look different from last year.
7:10 Alder Report: Tag Evers
There is some interest from some in banning dogs from Forest Hill Cemetery. If you support walking dogs in the park or have strong feelings either way, you can mailto:pacommission@cityofmadison.com.
Part 2 of the information sessions about Glenway Woods is pending on 10/21/22. More information is at https://www.cityofmadison.com/calendar/glenway-woods-listening-session-2
It’s budget season and the Budget Committee (which Tag is on) is planning the operating budget
Tag is also on the education committee. There is a need for youth employment and in contrast to years ago, drivers’ education is no longer taught and paid for in school. There is a budget item being considered to help low-income students get their drivers’ license, and Tag is trying to find a way to augment that, as it is an equity issue. Long-term it would be good to get drivers’ ed back in MMSD. Discussion ensued. Note: there is currently financial assistance but it only covers approximately 120 students.
TOD is still being considered. Tag notes that Dudgeon-Monroe is more in favor of increasing density and feels less strongly about mandating owner-occupancy, but he knows many in Vilas feel differently.
City is in the process of redefining how many people can live under 1 roof (e.g. 5 unrelated people). The status quo is likely to change but there will be limits. Doug asks that if specific options are being discussed, then it would be great if they could be forwarded to the VNA to discuss. Discussion ensued.
7:25 Existing Business
Nomination Committee: i.e. Brad Ricker, Wendy, and Sarah.
Sarah and Pat are not running for re-election. Candidates who are running so far are Lee Lazar as well as Bonnie. Wendy notes that a relative lack of interest this year compared to the past (i.e. Vilas Ink, which Pat has done). Encouragement is given to connect with neighbors and encourage them to run. Nominations will be accepted up until the morning of November 6.
Election Committee: Mary Clare Murphy
First, the VNA council voted to waive in-person voting due to COVID
On 11/6/22, a Sunday, ballots and candidate information will be distributed via email. A paper flyer will be distributed in the next couple of weeks with election information and requesting any changes in neighbors’ contact information.
Voters will have from 11/6/22 to 11/16/22 to put their votes in a lockbox at Mary Clare’s house or Roz Woodward’s house
Wendy asks what percentage of Vilas residents are on the Vilas listserv, and if ballot information (not the ballots themselves) could be sent via listserv in future years. Brad notes that there are 179 people on the listserve but some of those are in the same household, and there are 724 housing units in Vilas as of the 2010 census.
The election committee needs 3 people in addition to Mary Clare. That will include Eileen Thomas and Gera Bodley, and Mary Clare will ask Dana Scheckel to be the 4th.
Mary Clare recommends possibly changing dates of election in the future, as the proximity to national elections may decrease participation.
Council voted unanimously to approve election committee with Mary Clare as chair
Zoning Committee: Ben Biltz and Wendy Fearnside
Laura Garden liquor license: thanks to Doug and Tag for attending a long ALRC meeting. Committee voted 4 to 3 to approve the license with the conditions requested by the VNA. It has not gone to Common Council yet.
TOD overlay is still under development in the planning division and is expected to go to Common Council in November and then go back to planning division for a hearing. Wendy notes there was not agreement at our VNA meeting nor at the district 13 meeting and we will not take a position on this issue since we are so clearly divided.
● Treasurer’s Report: Rachel Bennett
Checking account balance is $4863.70 and we have a positive balance of $229.05.
● Vilas Ink: Pat Scheckel: In need of new editor
● District-13 Alliance – Dana Scheckel and Sarah Bahauddin
○ September 11: Good Neighbor Gathering- Canceled due to bad weather. The $250 we donated from this year will be held over to next year.
● JCAC and Stadium: Doug Carlson (No report)
● Edgewood Liaison Committee: Sarah Bahauddin, Shawn Doherty, and Craig Stanley (No report)
● Zoo Liaison Committee Report: Bonnie Gruber and Ann Rivlin
There was a meeting about the new giraffe display which will be further to the west (the fence). One feature is that spectators will be at eye-level to the giraffes.
It was agreed that meetings, currently monthly, will decrease
It has not been clarified who is responsible for the parking lots and parking problems (parking lot belongs to city, inside the fence belongs to county). Discussion ensued.
7:50 Other Business:
Wendy proposes coming up with ideas to discuss with potential council members about what the VNA may discuss now or in the future. For example, the Vilas Park Plan has been created but is still to be acted upon, and she thinks that will generate a lot of interest.
Sarah notes that certain issues tend to generate wide interest (e.g. Edgewood), and it sounds like Vilas Park may also, but it’s hard to know when these issues will surface.
Wendy notes there are other potential issues, such as if/when the building the library is in gets razed and redeveloped, etc..
Sarah notes that our next meeting will be a “year in review” and focused on the election.
Adjourn: meeting ended at 8:00 pm
Upcoming Meetings: Nov 16*, and Dec 14*