January Office Hours, Old Middleton Road and Craig Ave and Highlights for the Week of January 3, 2022

January Office Hours

I will be hosting office hours this week on Thursday (January 6) from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. I will be using Zoom (with video): REGISTER

Please use the registration above to get the Zoom link. When you register, you'll also get an e-mail reminder on the day of Office Hours. You can register in advance or the day of.

Note: I have set it up so I can only meet one person at a time. If I'm meeting with someone else, there will be a small waiting period in a meeting lobby. If you don't want to use Zoom, I will be answering calls (608-912-0000) during this time as long as I'm not speaking with someone else. 

If you have a question, concern, or topic of interest that you would like to discuss, but Thursday doesn't work for you, you can e-mail me.

A [virtual] Public Hearing will be held at the Board of Public Works meeting on Wednesday for the Old Middleton Road and Craig Ave Resurfacing project. You can learn more on the project page: Old Middleton Road and Craig Avenue Resurfacing | Engineering

• Meeting Details
• Meeting Agenda
• Register for Public Comment

• An 89-foot diameter temporary walking labyrinth will be constructed from recycled holiday tree branches this winter, and will be free and open to the public. How Lovely Are Thy Branches is coming to Olbrich Park Beach in Madison WI, January 2 through March 1, 2022. Read more here, including how you can donate your holiday greenery for the labyrinth.

• The City of Madison is one of many municipalities in the United States looking for creative, healthy, and safe solutions to help community members experiencing unsheltered homelessness find a path forward, especially during the pandemic. The City of Madison constructed its Dairy Drive Sheltered Campground in record time, from buying and selecting the land, to working with Seattle-based Pallet to build 30 temporary structures with heat, air conditioning and electricity. The City’s newest and first approach to constructing a sheltered campground is the first in the Midwest of its kind. Everyday Engineering Podcast Host Hannah Mohelnitzky interviews City of Madison Community Development Department Director Jim O’Keefe and City of Madison Engineering Division Facilities Management Section Manager Bryan Cooper to talk about how the City approaches this work and is able to complete a project of this size in such a short amount of time. Learn more on the new Everyday Engineering Podcast episode: Creative Solution to Unsheltered Homelessness: Dairy Drive. You can also listen on RSS feed/Google Play/other podcast options in addition to iTunes.

• Following updated COVID-19 recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), Public Health Madison & Dane County is adopting new guidelines for the length of isolation and quarantine. Learn more here.

• Due to the sensitive grounds throughout the entire property, and to ensure an on-time 2022 opening, the Glenway Park grounds are CLOSED to the public. This includes walking, cross-country skiing, sledding, and snowshoeing. Read more about the reasons for this closure in a Parks Division blog post, and find alternate locations to enjoy outdoor winter activities here.

• As Temps Plunge, Protect Your Home's Water Pipes: More Information.

• The Streets Division provides two rounds of curbside collection for Christmas trees. The first round will begin on January 3, 2022 with the second and final round beginning on January 18, 2022. Collection will be weather dependent. Do not place wreaths, evergreen rope, garlands, and boughs out for tree collection. These belong in the trash. They contain wires or metal that can damage wood chipping equipment. More details can be found here, including information about how you can donate your tree for a public art installation, “How Lovely Are Thy Branches,” at Olbrich Park. Learn more about the art installation here.

• On December 20, Public Health Madison & Dane County issued Face Covering Emergency Order #6 PDF , effective at 12:01am on January 3, 2022, immediately after the current order expires. The Dane County Order requires face coverings among people ages two and older when in most enclosed spaces open to the public where other people are present. The order will expire on February 1, 2022. Read more here.

• Nearly 150 Omicron cases have been identified in Dane County as of December 21. This indicates rapid growth of Omicron from the initial three cases that were first identified on December 16. The number of Omicron cases is expected to continue rising quickly as more cases are sequenced. Everyone should get vaccinated and boosted, monitor themselves carefully for symptoms, and get tested before gathering with others for the holidays, especially if gathering with people 65 or older, immunocompromised people, or people with chronic health conditions (like heart problems or diabetes). Learn more here.

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  Effective January 1, 2022, District 19 got slightly bigger due to redistricting! You can learn more on the City Planning’s Redistricting website. 

  • PDF map of new boundaries.
  • Interactive map of new boundaries.
  • City’s redistricting process.

Get Winter updates:

Call the Winter Parking Hotline: (608) 261-9111 | Winter Text Alerts | Winter Email Lists | RSS Feeds | Winter Facebook | Winter Twitter

If you have questions, comments, suggestions, etc., feel free to reach out: district19@cityofmadison.com

-Keith F