Officers, Members and Guests Present: Judy Amburn, Annette Czarnecki, Kirk Elliot (newsletter), Jeff Goldstein, Christina Kantor, Mike Kantor, Bob Lockhart, Maureen Quinlan (treasurer), Judy Robinson, Jeff Swiggum, Amy Turner (contact), Jim Winkle (web), Mary Wang, Jennifer Zahn (secretary emeritus)

1. Meeting convened at 6:35pm, Jim Winkle facilitating, Mike Kantor taking minutes.
   


2. Welcome and Introductions passed with a minimum of embarrassment.
   


3. More Thoughts on Block Captains. Annette Czarnecki said that in her work on the "Safe Lawns, Clean Lakes" campaign, she has noticed that other neighborhoods have more organization than we do, including "block captains." She would like to explore the possibility of adding more structure to our neighborhood association, which would help educational efforts such as the Safe Lawns campaign, as well as increasing membership and improving general communication with people outside of the monthly meetings.
   
   General discussion ensued. We are free to define what it means to be a "block captain" (or whatever term we decide on). Several people said the role seemed somewhat nebulous, even smacking of bureaucracy. Perhaps a concrete project^×such as a food drive^×would create a clearer sense of what block captains do, and attract volunteers. Jennifer toasted Bob Lockhart as a model de facto block captain, but also noted that our difficulty filling area rep positions does not bode well for recruiting block captains. Perhaps we need to consider whether our organizational structure is a good fit for the needs of the community.
   
   Conclusion: Judy Robinson will write something for the August newsletter to alert people that block captains will be discussed at the August meeting.
   


4. The Safe Lawns, Clean Lakes campaign will feature a speaker at the September meeting. Mindy Habecker of Dane County Extension will give a half-hour presentation at 6:30, with time for questions. Annette will provide refreshments. The agenda will be cleared of all dispensable business, and any indispensable items will be dealt with at the end of the meeting.
   
   Maureen Quinlan will be the point person for the painting of cautionary signs on storm sewers.
   


5. The Bahai Center is booked for the second Monday in November. Consensus seemed to favor changing to a different venue, rather than a different date. Possibilities abound, including Franklin School, the VFW, the Labor Temple, Cargo Coffee, the public library, and the Harambee center. Most of these charge money. Such a torrent of volunteers offered to check out various possibilities that I couldn^Òt keep track of them, but by the time anyone reads these minutes, the issue will presumably have been settled.
   


6. The intersection of the Wingra Creek Bike Path and Fish Hatchery Road is dangerous. Hair-raising stories of perilous encounters with cars had the attendees gasping and clutching their hearts. Past efforts to rouse the city^Òs car-bike coordinator to action have apparently had no effect.
   
   Conclusion: Jim Winkle and Christina Kantor will go to the next meeting of the city^Òs "Pedestrian, Bicycle and Motor Vehicle Commission," and see what can be done.
   


7. Kirk Elliott alerts us to http://www.earthday.net/footprint, a fun on-line environmental quiz, based on dividing the world^Òs resources evenly among the world^Òs people. This site also includes information on things you can do to reduce your "footprint," or environmental impact, on the earth.
   


8. The minutes of June^Òs meeting were approved, with one spelling correction.
   


9. Committee Reports

Contact Committee (Amy Turner)

• Community Yard Sale is August 24^th. Chris Kantor will compile list of participating households.
• Amy has city drawings and plans for the house-moving project (moving a historic house to 370 E. Lakeside), the Java Detour coffee place, and the St. Mary^Òs Hospital expansion. Anyone who wants to see these should contact her.
• The City of Madison Police Department provides us with information on tracking your children^Òs internet activity.
• The Madison Mallards are hosting a blood drive and inter-neighborhood blood-donating competition.
• On July 15^th at 6:30, St. Mark^Òs Church, there will be a meeting about planned development of the Gilson-Beld corner.

Bulletin (Kirk Elliott)

• Friday is the deadline for the next issue, which will come out during the first week of August.

Treasurer^Òs Report (Maureen Quinlan) We have $1454.04 in our account

• $362.92 membership
• $379.12 newsletter
• $245.25 signs
• $ 85.45 web site
• $381.30 community grant (Lunch Buddy/Mentor program)


10. Next Month^Òs Meeting: Monday, August 12^th, 6:30 pm, Baha^Òi Center, 324 W. Lakeside St.
    Next Month^Òs Fearless Leader^Å? When nobody volunteered, we punted, vowing to appoint a meeting facilitator at the start of next month^Òs meeting.
    
    
11. Meeting adjourned at 7:45pm.