After a policy change brought about violence and an increase in arrests made last year, the Mifflin Neighborhood Association aims to assert a stronger voice in the organization of this year’s Mifflin Street Block Party.

A meeting of the association Monday incorporated member feedback as well as information from a meeting between Mayor Paul Soglin and University of Wisconsin students earlier this week. 

Among the primary concerns from members were event safety in light of the two stabbings that took place at the 2011 block party and potential new ways for funding the event.

Associated Students of Madison member Rachel Lepak said the current plans are still in their preliminary stages and no dates for a future meeting have been set since the meeting with Soglin Monday. She said student involvement in planning the Block Party was a significant issue at Monday’s meeting.

Mifflin Neighborhood Association Chair Larry Warman said he is hopeful a group involving students, the mayor, police and alders can be consolidated to meet and discuss the party plans further.

“It’s encouraging that students are taking the lead, but they need to know the mayor and the community are on their side, and that’s why we’re here today,” Warman said.

Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said under previous University of Wisconsin administrations, there have been concerns over the involvement of student organizations in the block party.

However, Verveer said he hopes the administration in Bascom Hall will change their feelings on this issue.

“The mayor says when he is able, he will have conversations with Chancellor Ward and others about [student organization involvement],” Verveer said.

Student organization involvement would likely include elements like fees, permits and other responsibilities, Verveer said.

Funding Mifflin raised several concerns during the meeting.

Andrew Mackens, a UW student and member of ASM, said many different safety measures would be enforced during this year’s block party, including a no open-container policy.

However, he said students do not want to see Mifflin become commercialized or ticketed like Freakfest, which draws on students to pay entry fees to help cover sponsorship costs.

Mackens said the mayor had offered the idea of groups such as Greenpeace having booths at the Block Party, as well as having food vendors pay a fee to sell on Mifflin Street the day of the event.

Verveer said policing costs and portable toilets, proposed after an overwhelming consensus from student surveys, would require a source of funding.

He said Soglin and the city may chip in some funding for the block party if adequate funding cannot be found through money to food vendors or other organizations.

“We want students, the police and the city to collaborate and propose [a plan] to the outside community to see if they want to make changes,” Lepak said.

Warman said the next association meeting will take place Feb. 23, and after that will meet as often as needed to prepare for Mifflin, which is tentatively scheduled to take place May 5.

Victor Villacrez of Hovde Properties, a downtown real estate company, said he hopes students can try to smooth out the nature of the block party in order to save the event.

“I challenge the student group to try to make something that will work in the longer term,” Villacrez said.