Today I attended two of the committee meetings that the council is sifting through regarding the Yahara Parkway Plan. It has already passed through six committees and there are three more as of this writing. Kudos go out to Ed Jepsen and David Wallner for their participation. I would urge anyone interested in the passage of this Plan to attend the Plan commission evening meeting on July 6 (please feel free to contact me about the time), and more importantly the Common Council meeting of July 7. You can come at 8 PM that evening even if you don't wish to speak and register in support. The adoption of this Plan will, indeed, be one of the most important events to come about for the neighborhood as well as the entire Isthmus area during my tenure.

An update on housing issues: I met with Linda Grubb, the new head of Building Inspection, and she has agreed to do a survey of the buildings located in the Tenney-Lapham and Old Market Place neighborhoods. At the minimum, 100 buildings will be inspected, beginning with the most obvious worst cases. The second tier will involve buildings with a lesser degree of problems and which have not been inspected within the last five years. Even better news is that this policy will be continued on an ongoing yearly basis, making this a targeted area for housing standards scrutiny. In addition, a new stricter code is almost certain to come about very shortly because of the efforts of the neighborhood and me.

Safety issues: Some residents in the neighborhood have voiced their concerns regarding several disturbing incidents which have occurred lately. I've contacted Captain George Silverwood for information and have arranged a meeting which will already have been held by the time the newsletter is distributed. George, Neighborhood Officer Sue Armagost and I will be meeting with neighborhood residents. A request was also made regarding the basketball court/parking lot area of James Madison Park regarding possible drug-dealing. Both George Silverwood and Si Widstrand of the Parks Department have responded and this issue was recently discussed at an Old Market Place Neighborhood association meeting. I suggested a certain period of time of consistent monitoring. All the parties involved decided, including the concerned individual, that the parking lot was the real problem and Captain Silverwood, Old Market Place Neighborhood, and I are asking for diligent parking enforcement of the parking lot. As to the issue of a pit bull having caused serious injuries, one to a resident holding a cat in her arms and the other the killing of a cat itself, I have been in constant communication with both Animal Control and the Public Health Department as well as the neighbors involved. The dog was impounded and is near the end of the Health Department's investigations. I was just informed this week (of June 15 ) that the dog will no longer be living in the Tenney-Lapham neighborhood. I'll be giving updates. I want to thank all of the residents who called me, including TLNA President Richard Linster. This has been an example of neighbor networking at its best.

Please keep in contact with me and enjoy the summer weather!

-Alder Barbara Vedder email: district2@council.ci.madison.wi.us 249-8428


Back to the July/August Table of Contents