Meeting Minutes-Nov 2019
Sunset Village Neighborhood Association
Madison, WI 53705
Meeting Minutes
Date of Meeting: November 21, 2019
Meeting Location: Madison Public Library-Sequoia
Attendees: Sue Reynard, Liz Vowles, Ulrike Dieterle, Brian Andersen, Ken Raffa, Anne Badey Raffa, Peter Krug, Bev Flanigan, Rich Kedzior, Tom Popp, Tom McHugh, David Thompson, Liz McBride
Meeting Opening: The meeting was brought to order at 6:30 p.m.
Sue Reynard: State of SVCA
Bank Balance: As of now, the bank balance is holding steady.
Membership: We have 60 people who have paid membership money in the calendar year 2019 and 40 additional people who have paid since August, 2018.
Ice Cream Social and Halloween Parade: Both events had very strong turnouts and will be continued in 2020.
There is now a Little Library at Sunset Park.
Circulating Ideas:
Bev Flanigan was contemplating how we could recruit new members. Her suggestion was to host a wine and cheese get together possibly at the EVP site on Mineral Point Road near Glenway St. during the evening hours. The Westmorland Neighborhood Association did this and it was quite successful. Ken Raffa suggested that we partner with Westmorland the first time we hosted. Some of us were willing to volunteer as well.
Ken Raffa proposed a resolution that Sunset Village send a letter of appreciation to Mike Koval thanking him for his many years of service as an officer and Police Chief. The resolution passed unanimously. Ken volunteered to draft the letter along with Sue Reynard.
Ulrike Dieterle: Garage Sale
The SVCA Garage Sale will be held on August 7 and 8, 2020. She felt it would never be too early to mention this in our upcoming newsletters and SVCA minutes so that people can begin sorting and getting ready.
David Thompson: Climate Change
He would like SVCA to unite on climate change and become actively involved. Perhaps if it started as a grass roots effort, public officials would get involved. The suggestions would have to be practical for us. Ulrike mentioned Citizens Climate Lobby as a resource to contact. David offered to write an article for our newsletter as well as run a workshop on Composting.
Tom Popp wants salt use diminished during snowstorms. David Thompson proposed a resolution that Sunset Village become a low salt zone. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
Ulrike offered to talk about rain barrels.
Liz McBride talked about the value of rain gardens.
Peter Krug is running a course on the Paris Climate Agreement. It is a Plato Course held for six consecutive Fridays. The first one is January 10 from 10:00 a.m. until noon at Oakwood West. There is no sign up. Just come.
Officers nominations and election process:
This is currently our slate of officers for the upcoming election:
Ulrike Dieterle Co-President
Sue Reynard Co-President
Rich Kedzior Treasurer
Anne Raffa Secretary
Ken officially nominated the group of volunteers and Liz Vowles seconded this. Information on voting will be in our next newsletter. People can contact the secretary, Anne Raffa, with their vote. They can call and leave a message or email her. Her phone no. is 608-238-3266 and email address: dancinthrulife14@gmail.com Anne will present the final tally at the February meeting.
Friends of Hoyt Park: Anne Badey Raffa
Back by popular demand are two winter events. The Family Sledding Party will be on Sunday, January 12 from 1:00 to 3:00p.m. at the Main Shelter. The Full Moon Owl Walk will be on Saturday, February 8 at 5:30 at the The Main Shelter.
There is a meeting on Tuesday, December 10 at the First Baptist Church, Fellowship Hall at 6:00 pm. The discussion centers on Capital High School moving into the MSCR Hoyt facility and what that would entail as well as the planned referendum in 2020. Future meetings will be scheduled as well. Look for these to be posted on the List Serve.
Important Date:
Next SVCA Meeting: February 20 at Midtown Police Station
Guest Speaker: Dr. Karen Oberhauser
Karen is Director of the UW-Arboretum and has held this post since 2017. She is also a professor in the UW Entomology Dept.
Her work is largely focused on ways in which human activities affect monarch butterfly habitats in Canada, the US and Mexico. She is widely considered to be the world authority on applying Citizen Science to protecting monarch butterflies.
Karen gave an excellent presentation about the biology and conservation of monarch butterflies complete with a power point of vivid photographs. She discussed their life cycle and migratory habits, and reasons for their decline such as changing agricultural practices, increased use of herbicides, and increased real estate development in the US, and increased logging in Mexican overwintering habitats. Karen discussed how we can encourage their comeback and get more involved. As Citizen Scientists, we can grow milkweed in our yards and common spaces, and gain a better understanding of the impact of climate change on monarchs.
Minutes submitted by:
Anne Badey Raffa, SVCA Secretary
Dancinthrulife14@gmail.com