Minutes

Tenney Lapham Neighborhood Association Council

September 6, 2006

FyfeÕs

 

Council Members Present:  David Waugh, Patrick McDonnell, Sandy Ward, Joe Brogan, Mary Jo Schiavoni, Bob Somerfeldt, Gigi Holland, Ruth Rohlich, Cheryl Wittke, Richard Linster, Nancy McClean.

 

Guests: Brenda Konkel and Jim Sturm

 

Call to order at 7:05

  1. Minutes of August 2 approved unanimously.
  2. City budget issues that we may want to communicate to Brenda.  Note that Brenda was not yet at the meeting when these were discussed.
    1. Transportation Management Plan
    2. Breese Stevens improvements
    3. Reynolds Park improvements

                                                     i.     Benches

                                                      ii.     Picnic tables

  1. Committee structures and activities
    1. Cheryl reminds committee chairs to set a few goals for next year and to make a list of budget needs
    2. Newsletter issues Ð Joe Brogan

                                                     i.     Joe suggested that TLNA create a fund for East High for $100 for the best essay and that the essay be published in the Newsletter.

1.     Similarly, he suggested $50 to $75 each for Marquette and Lapham for an essay or poetry contest.

2.     Joe moved and Sandy seconded allocating the funds.

3.     Pat advocated waiting to vote on the amount until other committees come forward with budgets.

4.     Joe withdrew his motion.

                                                      ii.     Joe will ask Gay to write another from page welcome article.  The last one was very well received. If others want to add a paragraph to the article, send it to Gay.  The newsletter deadline is September 15th.

  1. Fall social event and election  -- Richard Linster
    1. Oct. 19th at Christ Church
    2. Spaghetti dinner and annual meeting
    3. Richard is trying to line up some musical presentations by local youth.
  2. Park updates
    1. The Parks Department and the owner of the house next to Tenney Park have come to an amicable resolution to the dispute about his encroachment into the park.
    2. The bright lights at Tenney locks.

                                                     i.     Several people have questioned the accuracy of the assertion from John Schraufanagel (Dane County Dept of Public Works) that in 2 years the lumens will have decreased by about 50%.  Many believe that it will take much longer than 2 years.

                                                      ii.     The timing (on/off) has not yet been adjusted and the lights are on long past the locks closing.

                                                        iii.     Neighbors seem split on whether the lights are a problem. In fact the only complaint we actually know of has come from someone who is a lighting contractor.

                                                        iv.     Shields have not been added

                                                      v.     The Council decided.

1.     Ask Bob Shaw and David Waugh to work with Barbara Vedder to follow up on these issues

2.     Ask for resetting of the lights 4 times each year so that they go off shortly after the locks close.

3.     Ask for follow through on shielding of the lights.

    1. Tenney Park maintenance is deteriorating, particularly with respect to garbage being strewn around.  Mary Jo suggested establishing a your clean up plan for the days following Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day.
    2. Mary Jo Recommends that Ann Katz work on getting art into Filene Park near the successful display of Prairie grasses.
    3. James Madison Park and the CollinsÕ houses

                                                     i.     The plan included in the MayorÕs city budget was circulated.

                                                      ii.     The Mayor will form a committee to decide how to proceed

                                                        iii.     Our response to the MayorÕs plan is that it

1.     Needs to add language about Òremove the silosÓ

2.     Should specify that all proceeds go to the park

                                                        iv.     Discussion ensued about

1.     How much the Mayor underestimates the value of the homes

2.     Whether the homes should be moved or not

  1. Neighborhood Plan update
    1. Pat reported that the City Council resolution is being drafted by the city.
    2. Bob Shaw is putting the latest version of our plan on the web and asked that people read it.
    3. Pat circulated, as an example, the resolution that was passed for the South Madison Plan.
    4. Pat circulated a suggested list of the 8 top priorities action steps in our plan (attached to these minutes).  Mary Jo moved and Bob Somerfeldt seconded that we forward these to the Planning Department.

 

Adjourned by consensus at 9

 

Minutes submitted by Sandy Ward

 

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