Meetings and Updates Week of September 11th

Meetings and Updates Week of September 11th

• Mayor's Proposed 2024 Executive Capital Budget Now Available
• City Meetings
  • Finance Committee Capital Budget Hearings 9/11 and 9/12
  • Public Safety Review Committee 9/13
  • Transportation Commission 9/13
• East District Coffee with a Cop 9/15 and 9/29
• Metro Transit Information Meetings on Proposed Service Adjustments
• Events Remembering 9/11
• Naturalist-in-Residence Event at Heritage Prairie 9/15
• Events & Announcements

Mayor's Proposed 2024 Executive Capital Budget Now Available

Last Tuesday, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway released her 2024 Executive Capital Budget along with the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) which details the current plan for the following five years of Capital Budget projects. Note that the Capital Budget includes spending on items like buildings, infrastructure, or equipment; that’s different from the Operating Budget (programs, contracts, and salaries) which will come out in another month. Along with expenditure and source information on routine budget items like streets reconstruction and parks facilities, the Mayor’s proposed Capital Budget and CIP includes some big investment in items related to transportation, affordable housing, and South Side public safety improvements. I highly recommend that interested folks check out the news release here, and for a little deeper reading, the Executive Summary of the 2024 Capital Budget is here. Finally, this budget webpage includes all of the individual sections of the proposed 2024 Executive Capital Budget if you want the full details.

From here, the 2024 Executive Capital Budget will be taken up by the Finance Committee in the coming weeks and then go to the full Common Council. This week Monday and Tuesday, the Finance Committee will meet for some normal business and then budget hearings during which Finance Committee members and guests will hear briefings from agency staff on their components on the proposed Capital Budget (see agenda and details below). Items in the proposed budget represent some big potential investments in Madison's future infrastructure and services. Please consider submitting public comments if you have input you'd like to share. I’m not appointed to the Finance Committee but will join those meetings and follow along throughout the process.

City Meetings

Finance Committee Budget Hearing 9/11

The Finance Committee meeting will take place on Monday, September 11, 2023 in virtual format at 4:30 PM. Agenda items include a briefing on the 2024 Executive Capital Budget and resolutions authorizing the Transit General Manager to apply for various Department of Transportation grants.

• Meeting Agenda
• Register for Public Comment
• Watch Online

Finance Committee Budget Hearing 9/11

The Finance Committee meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 12, 2023 in virtual format at 4:30 PM. This meeting will be a continuation of the briefing on the 2024 Executive Capital Budget that will take place on Monday, September 11, 2023.

• Meeting Agenda
• Register for Pubic Comment
• Watch Online

Public Safety Review Committee

The Public Safety Review Committee meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 13, 2023 in virtual format at 5:00 PM. Agenda items include Chief Barnes’ Quarterly Report, a report from the Madison Fire Department, and an update on CAREs program.

• Meeting Agenda
• Register for Public Comment
• Watch Online

Transportation Commission

The Transportation Commission meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 13, 2023 in virtual format at 5:00 PM. Agenda items include approval of procedural Title IV and Safety Pans for Metro Transit, a discussion of Safe Streets Madison, approval of Metro Transit stop Changes in the BRT corridor, and an update on the City’s Department of Transportation capital budget items.

• Meeting Agenda
• Register for Public Comment
• Watch Online

East District Coffee With A Cop: 9/15 and 9/29

From MPD’s PO Neal Crowder:

“Hello! We will have our monthly 'Coffee with a Cop' twice this month. First one will be at 10:00am-11:00am Friday September 15th in The East Police District Community Room at 809 S. Thompson Drive. Coffee will be provided for those who join us! For this event and future Coffee with a Cop events we will be continuing our efforts of adjusting when we hold our event to allow for more flexibility across the community. My hope is by adjusting the time for our Coffee with a Cop event we can fit more individual's schedules. Our next coffee day is scheduled for the end of the month on Friday, September 29th, 2023 from 10:00am-11:00am, location TBD. Please feel free to stop in at any time to participate. As usual, we are excited about this opportunity and ask that you spread the word to anyone who might be interested in this community event. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at ncrowder@cityofmadison.com.

Until further notice, Coffee with a Cop will be hosted by Neighborhood Patrol Officer (NPO) Neal Crowder who will be taking over these events for the remainder of the year. This is an in person event, there will not be an ability to attend virtually.”

Metro Transit Information Session - Proposed December Service Changes, Thursday,  September 24, 2023

We still haven’t seen how the new service operate on a full service day when UW, MMSD and other schools and campuses are all in session. With that first day coming on last Tuesday, we may see a need for other adjustments that Metro Transit will either try to work into service changes in December or else during our next driver pick in March. Like the adjustments that Metro recently made, these are not large-scale adjustments. A few of our routes have struggled to stay on time and others still need adjustments to better connect to other routes.

Staff will hold in-person and virtual public info sessions on Thursday, September 14 to provide complete details on proposed changes for service changes proposed to go in effect in December. Drop by to talk to staff at an informal in-person meeting from 5:30-6:30, or watch a virtual presentation later in the evening from 7pm-8:30pm. An official, virtual public hearing will be held in front of the Transportation Commission on Thursday, September 27. Official public hearing feedback can be submitted ahead of time by calling (608) 266-4466, emailing mymetrobus@cityofmadison.com, or by filling out an online form at mymetrobus.com/feedback. All feedback submitted ahead of time will be considered in the same way as feedback provided at the hearing itself.

Events for Remembering 9/11

• September 11th at 8:00am: Please join us at the Fire Fighters Local 311 Memorial on Monday, September 11th to commemorate the tragic events of 9/11. The ceremony will be led by our Honor Guard at Madison Fire Station 14, 3201 Dairy Dr.
• September 11th, 7am-1pm: 12th Annual 9/11 Never Forget Blood Drive!: The Madison Police Department, Madison Fire Department, and the American Red Cross, will once again be sponsoring the 9/11 Never Forget Community Blood Drive at the Garver Feed Mill, 3241 Garver Green. Register online.

Naturalist In Residence Event at Heritage Prairie, Friday September 15th

This Friday at 6pm, Madison Public Library’s Naturalist-in-Residence Program, I partnership with Madison Parks, is bringing Nature Writing and Meditative Walk event to Heritage Prairie right here in District 3. Madison-based doula, writer, agriculturist and mixed media artist, Qwantese Winters, is the 2023 Naturalist-in-Residence. Her work is centered around inspiring black folks to connect with the land, and heal from land-based trauma through the use of joyful engagement with nature, and land practices. Winters may be a familiar face to some, as she appears regularly on PBS Wisconsin’s Let’s Grow Stuff program to help folks learn to grow their own vegetables and herbs and provide helpful tips for beginning gardeners. Note that registration is required. Register for programs, browse Naturalist-in-Residence book lists, and explore more ways to get involved online at madpl.org/naturalist .

Events & Announcements

• East Side Farmers' Market, Tuesday, September 12, 2023: The Eastside Farmers' Market is Madison Wisconsin’s finest weekday farmers' market. Our goal is to bring the freshest Wisconsin grown food direct to the heart of the East side. Our vendor members are agricultural producers and food artisans who make value added products from Wisconsin's agricultural bounty.
• Ready! Set! Market! Madison Public Market Open House, Tuesday, September 12, 2023: The City of Madison in partnership with the Madison Public Market Foundation invites the public to a celebration of progress for the Madison Public Market. The Ready! Set! Market! Open House will be held from 5-8 p.m., Sept. 12, 2023, at 202 N First Street, Madison, Wis., the City’s former Fleet Services Building, the future Madison Public Market location. The event will include a mix of vendors with food trucks and tents and tables, craft and pre-packaged food items. Local musicians will also perform live. City staff will offer tours during the event.
• Bartillon Shelter, Wednesday, September 13, 2023: The next public information meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., Sept. 13, 2023, via Zoom.Registration is required prior: Sept. 13, 2023 Public Information Meeting Registration . The latest progress floor plan from our Design Development stage: HERE PDF PDF . We will be presenting this at the upcoming public information meetings and to the Urban Design Commission.
• The Capitol View Farmers’ Market, Wednesday, September 13, 2023: The Capitol View Farmers Market is returning to the North Star Neighborhood! Join us each Wednesday (May 31-October 11, 2023) from 3:00-7:00pm to support local farmers and vendors, enjoy live music and food carts, and make the most of summer in Madison!
• Conservation Park Tour | Edna Taylor, Wednesday, September 13, 2023: Conservation Park Tours are educational staff-guided walks held at various conservation parks on the 2nd Wednesday, May - October. Event starting times vary, depending on the sunset. and typically last about 90 minutes. Walks are held rain or shine, free to attend, easy-paced, and family-friendly. No registration is required. Most locations do NOT have restrooms. As always, dogs and pets are prohibited in all conservation parks.
• Fall Home Maintenance, Wednesday, September 13, 2023: It’s getting colder, and winter will be here before you know it! At this class we will discuss how to prep your home for those frigid Winter months and the items you need to check on, each year, in order to keep your home safe and healthy. If you stay on top of these maintenance items, it will help you avoid problems and costly repairs down the road – and keep your home warmer this winter. Sponsored by MG & E. Be sure to re-confirm date and time of this workshop with agency. For more information or questions about this event contact Project Home at (608)246-3737 or contact them by filling us this form at https://www.projecthomewi.org/about/contact.html . You can also visit their website to learn more about the agency at: https://www.projecthomewi.org/
• Madison Night Market, Thursday, September 14, 2023: Madison Night Market is a celebration of Madison's unique and inspiring creative culture. The Market is presented by Madison's Central Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with the City of Madison. Partnerships with area arts and cultural organizations ensure this event is a citywide representation of this community’s talent. The Common Council will also have a resource table at the Madison Night Market, next to Lisa Link Peace Park. Learn more about the City of Madison Common Council and ways to get involved with local government!
• HUD-Approved Homebuyer Education, Saturday, September 16, 2023: Take the first step to owning a home, and join us in this Home Buyer Education Workshop. This FREE HUD-Approved homebuyer education workshop takes place in person and lunch is provided. For more details and to register, follow this link. This first time home buying workshop cover the following: how to find the right home, how to apply for a mortgage, credit improvement tips, how much you can afford, and more!
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Starkweather Creek Area, Saturday, September 16, 2023: Bike The Creek with Kacy Zander and Friends of Starkweather Creek ~ Join Kacy Zander and other Friends of Starkweather Creek for a guided bike tour or take a bike ride on your own any day in September to look for native wildflowers along the greenways, parks and yards beside Starkweather Creek. Bring your bike or rent a B-Cycle at a nearby station at Goodman, Blue Plate Diner or Garver Feed Mill.
• Willy Street Fair, Saturday, September 16 - Sunday, September 17: TWO days: round out the summer festival season with the best local vendors, food, bands, beer, and people! **Please leave your dogs at home--thank you!
• Hiestand Park Temporary Closure Notice September 16th and 17th: Hiestand Park will be closed due to a permitted event.
• Survey: Brayton Lot – Block 113 Future Redevelopment - RFP process: The former Brayton Parking Lot, (Block 113) in Downtown Madison is a 2-acre site in the First Settlement Neighborhood three blocks from the Capitol Square. The future of this site has been addressed in multiple City adopted plans over nearly 30 years. These plans have been consistent in their vision for the scale and massing of future buildings and several policy and regulatory measures have been put in place to realize that future. Now, the community has a unique opportunity to implement those plans, as the City starts to look for future development partners through a public process. Visit the City’s Brayton Lot block website for more information (adopted plans, PowerPoint presentation and more). Take the City’s survey to find out your priorities for the site. Survey closes on Sept 15.

• Fall Leaves and Yard Waste Set-Out Dates Now Available: The Streets Division’s fall yard waste and leaves collection begins the week of October 8, 2023 for certain neighborhoods.