The City of Madison seeks input from citizens and neighborhood associations in as many ways as possible. All components of City government – the Mayor, the Common Council, City agencies, and City Committees, Boards, and Commissions – work together through many channels to ensure that City activities reflect the priorities and concerns of City residents.
Mayor’s Office
The Mayor, elected to a four-year term, is the chief executive officer of the City of Madison. The Mayor is responsible for proposing, promoting, and reviewing policies for deliberation by the Common Council; establishing administrative procedures; evaluating and implementing existing policies, programs, and procedures; and ensuring the provision of municipal services. In addition, the Mayor is authorized to appoint City agency heads and members of various Committees, Boards, and Commissions subject to Common Council confirmation.
The Mayor’s Office is a vital access point for citizens and neighborhood associations. Citizens who call or visit the Mayor’s Office are greeted by experienced staff who will answer questions about the various functions of the Mayor’s Office; arrange contacts with the Mayor or one of four Mayoral Assistants; explain and clarify the Mayor’s policy-making role; and suggest effective ways to obtain further information on given public issues.
Mayor’s Office
City-County Building, Rm. 403
210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 266-4611 Fax: 267-8671
e-mail: mayor@cityofmadison.com
Common Council Office
The Common Council, comprised of 20 Alderpersons elected to two-year terms, is the City of Madison’s legislative body. The Council addresses City issues presented for consideration by the Mayor, Alderpersons, and City Committees, Boards, and Commissions. The Council considers issues in the form of a general report, a resolution, an ordinance, or a public hearing. The Council determines the course of further City action by voting to reject, place on file, or approve a resolution or ordinance. Citizens and neighborhood associations can access their Alderpersons and learn about Common Council activities through the Common Council Office. Common Council Office staff will forward calls, letters, and voice mail to appropriate Alderpersons; explain and clarify the Common Council’s policy-making process; and suggest effective ways to obtain further information on given public issues.
Common Council Office
City-County Building, Rm. 417
210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 266-4071 Fax: 267-8669
e-mail: council@cityofmadison.com
Committees, Boards, and Commissions (CBCs)
The City of Madison has over 50 permanent Committees, Boards, and Commissions (CBCs). CBCs are comprised of citizens appointed by the Mayor with Common Council confirmation. CBCs serve several different functions in regard to City government: 1) to provide general policy review and advice (such as the Plan Commission, the Board of Public Works, and the Parks Commission); 2) to provide advice and recommendations in more specialized program or policy areas (such as the Day Care Advisory Board and the Pedestrian-Bicycle Subcommittee); 3) to hear individual cases and appeals (such as the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Equal Opportunities Commission); and 4) to promote certain aspects of Madison’s civic life (such as the CitiARTS Commission and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Committee). In addition, the City forms short-term Ad Hoc Committees as warranted to study specific policy issues (such as the Yahara River Parkway Steering Committee).
CBCs collectively comprise one of the most effective ways for citizens and neighborhood associations to influence City policies and activities. CBCs conduct the preliminary work of the Common Council, subjecting public issues to close scrutiny from a wide range of perspectives. All CBCs offer opportunities for citizens to provide public comment on the issues before them. Citizen input, in turn, is incorporated into recommendations to the Mayor, the Common Council, and City staff. Citizens and neighborhood associations can access and influence CBC activities by submitting written comments and by speaking at public hearings.
CBC membership and mission information is available in the City of Madison Government Handbook. To nominate someone for appointment to a City Committee, Board, or Commission, obtain a Committee Appointment Application from the Mayor’s Office.
City Clerk’s Office
City-County Building, Rm. 103
210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 266-4601 Fax: 266-4666
e-mail: clerk@cityofmadison.com
City Agencies
Each City agency (Departments, Divisions, Sections, etc.) serves specific functions relating to ongoing City activities. Agencies provide services to citizens; consider matters referred by the Mayor, the Common Council, and CBCs; prepare annual budgets; and conduct long- and short-range planning in their pertinent areas of City responsibility. The City of Madison Government Handbook contains descriptions of City agencies as well as staff names and phone numbers for specific areas of responsibility. The City of Madison Home Page contains an agency and staff e-mail directory.
See City Agency Directory.
Public Meetings/Hearings
There is an important difference between public meetings and public hearings. While all public meetings are open to the public according to the State Open Meetings Law, citizen comments (written and oral) submitted at public hearings become part of the official public record. If you wish to speak at a public hearing, you will need to fill out a registration form that indicates your name and address, the agenda item you wish to speak to, and whether you will be speaking in support of or in opposition to the item. You can get an issue of concern scheduled for an upcoming public meeting or hearing by contacting the Committee, Board, or Commission chairperson or a representative of the City agency to which the issue pertains. Weekly meeting/hearing agendas are available from the City Clerk’s Office and are also posted in the hallway outside the Dane County Clerk’s Office, Room 112, City-County Building, 210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
City Clerk’s Office
City-County Building, Rm. 103
210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 266-4601 Fax: 266-4666
e-mail: clerk@cityofmadison.com
The City of Madison offers a wealth of information sources to help neighborhood associations access City government.
City Clerk’s Office
The City Clerk’s Office is the City’s record-keeping center, a vital access point for information on the history and current status of policies or proposals under consideration by the Mayor, the Common Council, and CBCs. Experienced City Clerk’s Office staff can refer neighborhood associations to the CBCs that are responsible for making recommendations on given public issues. In addition, City Clerk’s staff can provide the names of CBC members and chairpersons; minutes of previous Common Council and CBC meetings; and agenda of upcoming Council and CBC meetings.
City Clerk’s Office
City-County Building, Rm. 103
210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 266-4601 Fax: 266-4666
e-mail: clerk@cityofmadison.com
City of Madison Government Handbook
This vital document, produced by the Municipal Reference Service and the Common Council Office, contains extensive information on the various functions of the Mayor and the Common Council; the policy-making relationship between the Mayor and the Common Council; the functions and membership of City Committees, Boards, and Commissions; and the functions of City agencies including staff names and phone numbers for specific areas of responsibility. Copies of the Handbook are on file at all local library branches and are also available for a small fee from the Common Council Office.
Common Council Office
City-County Building, Rm. 417
210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 266-4071 Fax: 267-8669
e-mail: council@cityofmadison.com
City of Madison Home Page
“Surfing the City” on the City of Madison Home Page requires only a computer with a modem, a phone line, and an inexpensive software package. The range of City information available through the Home Page is constantly growing as City staff develop new ways to utilize this increasingly accessible technology. Important information available through the Home Page includes: City agency and staff e-mail directories; documents available from City agencies; U.S. Census statistics; Common Council agenda and minutes; City election schedules; Madison City Channel 12 schedules; City service information (including public transportation, public safety, public parking, recycling, day care, and senior services); and community resource information.
City of Madison Home Page
(http://www.cityofmadison.com)
Mike Simle, Information Services
Municipal Building, Rm. 203
215 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 261-9641 Fax: 267-0124
e-mail: msimle@cityofmadison.com
Madison City Channel (MCC-12)
The mission of the City’s local government television station (Channel 12 on the cable system) is to make local government accessible to Madison residents. MCC-12 fulfills this mission by carrying live and taped coverage of Common Council and CBC meetings as well as producing public affairs programs (such as “The Mayor’s Report”) that address issues facing Madison residents. MCC-12 also cablecasts meeting, event, and program information at the request of community-based organizations and neighborhood associations. To get your organization’s information on the Madison City Channel, contact the Madison City Channel Office.
Madison City Channel
Municipal Building, Rm. 210
215 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 266-6501 Fax: 267-0124
e-mail: citychannel@cityofmadison.com
Municipal Reference Service
The Municipal Reference Service (MRS), a branch of the Madison Public Library, provides City and County elected officials and staff with library research on municipal government topics. MRS personnel can also help citizens find answers to questions about City government issues and City documents and reports. The Municipal Reference Service (with the Common Council Office) also produces the City of Madison Government Handbook.
Municipal Reference Service
City-County Building, Rm. 315
210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 266-6316 Fax: 266-6305
e-mail: mrs@cityofmadison.com
Public Libraries
The City’s public library system, including the Municipal Reference Service, provides a wealth of City information accessible to citizens and neighborhood associations in all parts of the City. Visit your local branch library to find out what’s available.
Madison Public Library
Central Library: 201 W. Mifflin St.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone, general information: 266-6300
Phone, hours recording: 266-4811
Fax: 266-4338
e-mail: library@cityofmadison.com
MMB = Madison Municipal Building, 215 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., 53703
CCB = City-County Building, 210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., 53703
|
AGENCY |
ADDRESS |
PHONE |
FAX |
|
|
Affirmative Action |
130 MMB |
266-4082 |
267-1142 |
|
|
Assessor |
101 CCB |
266-4531 |
266-4666 |
|
|
Attorney |
401 CCB |
266-4511 |
267-8715 |
|
|
Building Inspection |
LL-100 MMB |
266-4551 |
266-6377 |
|
|
City Clerk |
103 CCB |
266-4601 |
266-4666 |
|
|
Civic Center |
211 State Street |
266-6550 |
266-4864 |
|
|
Common Council |
417 CCB |
266-5071 |
267-8669 |
|
|
Community and Economic Development |
LL-100 MMB |
266-4222 |
267-8739 |
|
|
Community Development Block Grant |
380 MMB |
267-0740 |
267-8739 |
|
|
Community Services |
225 MMB |
266-6520 |
261-9626 |
|
|
Comptroller |
406 CCB |
266-4671 |
267-8705 |
|
|
Engineering |
115 CCB |
266-4751 |
264-9275 |
|
|
Equal Opportunities Commission |
500 CCB |
266-4910 |
266-6514 |
|
|
Fire |
325 W. Johnson Street |
266-4420 |
267-1100 |
|
|
Housing Operations |
318 MMB |
266-4675 |
264-9291 |
|
|
Human Resources |
501 CCB |
266-4615 |
267-1115 |
|
|
Information Services |
GA-4 CCB |
266-4454 |
267-0124 |
|
|
Library, Central Branch |
201 W. Mifflin Street |
266-6300 |
266-4338 |
|
|
Madison City Channel |
210 MMB |
266-6501 |
267-0124 |
|
|
Madison Metro |
1101 E. Washington |
266-4469 |
267-8778 |
|
|
Mayor |
403 CCB |
266-4611 |
267-8671 |
|
|
Parking Utility |
100 MMB |
266-4761 |
267-1158 |
|
|
Parks |
120 MMB |
266-4711 |
267-1162 |
|
|
Planning Unit |
LL-100 MMB |
266-4635 |
267-8739 |
|
|
Police |
GR-22 CCB |
266-4923 |
266-4855 |
|
|
Public Health |
507 CCB |
266-4821 |
267-8682 |
|
|
Public Works |
115 CCB |
266-4620 |
264-9273 |
|
|
Senior Center |
330 W. Mifflin Street |
266-6581 |
267-8684 |
|
|
Streets |
East: 4602 Sycamore West: 1501 W. Badger Rd. |
246-4532 266-4681 |
246-5804 267-1120 |
|
|
Traffic Engineering |
100 MMB |
266-4761 |
267-1158 |
|
|
Transportation |
100 MMB |
266-4761 |
267-1158 |
|
|
Treasurer |
107 CCB |
266-4771 |
266-4666 |
|
|
Water Utility |
523 E. Main Street |
266-4651 |
266-4426 |