TLNA Council Meeting
Minutes
January 12, 2006
Present: Sandy
Ward, Patrick McDonnell, Bob Shaw, Carol Trone, Bob Sommerfeldt, Nancy McClean,
Susan Baumann-Duren, Cheryl Wittke (Chair).
Call to order at 7:05
I.
Minutes of Dec. 1 and Dec. 15 approved.
II.
Meeting dates:
Due to conflicts (e.g. County Board meetings) we will move our meetings
to the first Wed. of each month. Questions and comments
III.
Area Representatives.
a.
Michelle Kohler will no longer be an Area Rep. Sean Gutknecht
will take over as Area A Rep.
b.
Issues related to voting.
i. When
there are co-representatives from an area can both vote?
ii. There
was consensus that if only one of the co-reps comes to a meeting then that
person can vote even if they arenÕt the one who is the ÒofficialÓ rep.
iii. What
is less clear is what to do when both come to a meeting. Can they both vote?
iv. Precedent
would suggest that both can vote but it is not clear that this practice is
consistent with the TLNA bylaws.
v. Also,
how do we count the quorum? Do
both count toward a quorum, and if so, shouldnÕt they both vote?
vi. We
will ask Richard Linster for his views on these matters.
vii. Bob
Sommerfeldt mentioned that some OMP residents do not like the TLNA bylaws that
only Council members vote at Council meetings. Their practice had been that any member could vote at any
meeting.
IV.
Dues and membership issues.
a.
Ideas were generated as to how to use newsletter articles to
attract more active participation in our association.
i. Sandy
will pull together an article that describes the Council activities in the past
3 months.
ii. Carol
will write an article about opportunities for involvement.
iii. The
deadline for submission is roughly March 15th.
b.
There was discussion about raising the dues but we decided to
hold further discussion and decisions until Richard Linster is present.
c.
A question was raised as to whether we could better reach
potential members if we mailed the newsletter rather than hand delivering it
because so many outer doors to apartment buildings are locked and there is no
place to drop off the newsletter.
No decision was make because we first want to get clear on our budget.
V.
Budget issues
a.
Nancy distributed a summary of budget issues. These are:
i. Where
do TLNA funds come from?
1.
Membership dues
2.
Advertising in the newsletter
3.
Grants (e.g. the Neighborhood Plan Grant)
4.
Events (e.g. spaghetti dinner)
5.
Donations/bequests
6.
Fund raising (e.g. auctioning off the balustrades from the old
Mifflin St bridge over the Yahara)
ii. Where
does the money go?
1.
Newsletter printing
2.
Other printing
3.
Community gardens
4.
Charitable giving
5.
Special events costs (e.g. the cost the spaghetti dinner)
6.
Neighborhood plan (a one-time cost in 2006)
7.
The monument
8.
Committee project expenses
iii. Who
have we given to in the recent past and /or who do we want to give to?
1.
Foundation for Public Schools ($500 to Lapham, $500 to East
Athletics, and $100 to OÕKeefe.
2.
Art walk $100
3.
EINPC $100
4.
Safe Community Coalition $100
5.
Tenant Resource Center $100
6.
Salvation Army $100
7.
Business Improvement District $100
b.
Cheryl distributed a list of actions recommended to develop
financial internal controls for the TLNA Council.
i. These
are:
1.
All deposits, withdrawals and transfers will be made by the
treasurer.
2.
All checks against TLNA accounts will be written by the
treasurer. Checks written in
amounts over $400 require 2 signatures.
Signatories are treasures, president, vice president and secretary (the
Officers of the Council).
3.
Requests for reimbursements for budgeted expenditures should
be accompanied by receipts or other proof of purchase unless other arrangements
have been made in advance.
4.
Cash contributions collected at neighborhood association
events will be counted by both the person collecting the funds and the
treasurer or a proxy at the conclusion of the event, amounts reconciled and
deposited by the treasurer.
5.
President will review bank statement each month, sign, and
date it.
ii. P.
McDonnell moved and C. Trone seconded adoption of these recommendations. All in favor.
c.
The TLNA Corporation is the non-profit arm of the TLNA
i. Rob
Latousek the President of the corporation. Bob Shaw will invite him to come to the next meeting to give
the Council an update on the corporation.
ii. S.
Baumann-Duren will invite Bob Kasdorf (attorney) to come to that meeting too.
d.
Nancy volunteered to create a membership database
e.
S. Bauman-Duren moved and P. McDonnell seconded that TLNA join
Downtown Madison Inc. All in
favor.
VI.
School issues.
a.
Carol offered to organize a forum for School Board candidates.
b.
P. McDonnell moved and S. Ward seconded that TLNA sponsor the
forum and hold it at Lapham school.
VII.
Next steps in Neighborhood Plan to be taken at the potluck
dinner next week.
a.
Cheryl would like the leaders of each section to select 3 or 4
top priorities from among the action steps.
b.
P. McDonnell pointed out that selecting priorities works for
sections 2 to 6, but not for section 1 (Zoning, land use, and redevelopment).
c.
A discussion ensued regarding the plan as a basis for future
negotiations with developers and the city.
Meeting adjourned at 9:05 by consensus
Minutes submitted by Sandra Ward