Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of July 3, 2023

***City Offices, including the Common Council Office, are closed on Tuesday, July 4, 2023: Administrative offices are closed on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, for Independence Day. Emergency services will be open; please call 911. You may use Report a Problem for non-emergencies.***

Meetings

• Board of Public Works: The Board of Public Works meeting will take place on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, in virtual format at 4:30 PM. Agenda items include consideration of a report of the City Engineer regarding the results of a review of water resources impacts and the necessity of permits for public works construction projects and consideration of a number of both private and public contracts, and more!

  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Public Market Development Committee: The Public Market Development Committee meeting will take place on Thursday, July 6, 2023, in virtual format at 5:00 PM. Agenda items include allowing the City of Madison to authorize a lease, operating agreement, and responsibility matrix with the Madison Public Market Foundation, as well as an update on the Public Market Project and more!
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online

Events: This Week

• Dane County Farmers' Market - Wednesday, July 5, 2023: The Wednesday Dane County Farmers' Market is located on the 200 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, between the Madison Municipal Building and the City-County Building. While more intimate than the Saturday Market, you will still find many of your favorite Dane County Farmers' Market members, as well as a full array of fruits and vegetables, eggs, cheeses, honey, maple syrup, bakery items, cut flowers, plants, and many specialty items.
• Parks Alive (Hammersley Park) - Wednesday, July 5, 2023: Parks Alive builds stronger neighborhoods and connects neighbors to their parks through fun, family-friendly activities, music, and free food. Events are held in parks across the city and throughout the summer. Connect with your neighbors and engage with your community at a Parks Alive event near you!
• Capitol City Band Concerts in the Park - Thursday, July 6, 2023: Old-fashioned band concerts in the park, "as American as apple pie." Familiar toe-tapping tunes, songs, polkas, broadway tunes, and the marches of John Philip Sousa. Music for all ages and all cultures. Relax, enjoy the music. Bring a friend. Bring a chair for listening comfort.
• Concerts on the Rooftop: The Whiskey Farm - Thursday, July 6, 2023: The Whiskey Farm is an Americana and folk rock band from Madison. Formed in 2010, they have released five studio albums, including their acclaimed 2022 record, Over These Green Hills. Winners of four Madison Area Music Awards and the national Songs for Social Change Contest, the band is known for their multi-instrumentalists and layered harmonies in lyric-driven songs.
• Summer Nights at Segoe - Friday, July 7, 2023: Summer Nights at Segoe will feature live music from 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM. Carts in Parks: The City of Madison Carts in Parks program continues in 2022 and will be regularly featured at parks around Madison! Food carts are scheduled at a variety of parks and community events through the summer. Many of the food carts accept credit for payment, but not all. Please plan accordingly. The exact food cart(s) and the schedule are subject to change. Weather may impact or cancel vending activities.
• Bird & Nature Adventures (Owen Conservation Park) - Saturday, July 8, 2023: History and Ecology with Lois Komai and Chris Sessions ~ Join experienced School Naturalists Lois Komai and Chris Sessions for a free fun, family-friendly guided tour to learn about the natural and social history of Owen Park or take a healthy nature walk on your own any day in July along easy hiking paths. Explore the woodlands and pastures that have been restored to oak openings and native prairies.
• Art Fair on the Square - Saturday, July 8, 2023, and Sunday, July 9, 2023: Art Fair on the Square is a nationally respected summertime event that attracts some 200,000 Midwestern art lovers each July. The fair features live music, entertainment, a range of dining options, as well as nearly 500 artists exhibiting paintings, prints, photographs, sculpture, jewelry, handmade clothing, accessories, and fine craft.

Events: Save the Date

• Comprehensive Plan Interim Update (2023) Public Meeting - Thursday, July 13, 2023: The City of Madison is currently working on an Interim Update of its 2018 Comprehensive Plan. The Interim Update is focused on the Generalized Future Land Use (GFLU) map. The Goals, Strategies, and Actions as adopted within the original six Elements of the Comprehensive Plan will not be revised. The City is updating the GFLU map to reflect land use recommendations from neighborhood, area, and neighborhood development plans adopted between summer 2018 and summer 2023. In addition to these administrative updates, the public has the opportunity to propose GFLU map amendments through this online application. Learn more about the process to revise the GFLU map by reviewing the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document. A virtual public meeting has been scheduled for July 13 at 6 PM (registration required). Staff will provide an overview of the Comprehensive Plan Interim Update and answer questions.
• Virtual Public Meeting - West Area Plan - Tuesday, July 18, 2023, and Wednesday, July 26, 2023: Join us at a virtual public meeting to see what we've heard thus far via surveys, interactive mapping, and previous public engagement, and to review and provide feedback on initial plan recommendations. See details for these meetings, also in the Events section of the Planning Division's webpage.
• In-Person Public Meeting - West Area Plan - Wednesday, August 2, 2023: Join us at Rennebohm Park to see what we've heard thus far via surveys, interactive mapping, and previous public engagement and to review and provide feedback on initial plan recommendations. The meeting at the park will include food for purchase and some fun outdoor activities. We look forward to meeting folks in person and discussing the plan!

• Disability Summit: A Community-Led Movement for Disability Justice - Thursday, July 27, 2023 - Saturday, July 29, 2023: This event is a platform for visioning and developing a city-wide agenda that will direct the work of the Disability Rights and Services Program and ensure all City programs include the voices and needs of the disability community. This event is open to the public, and City staff are encouraged to attend. Visit our upcoming events page for more information. 

• Community Implementation of the Standard Response Protocol & Standard Reunification Method - Wednesday, August 2, 2023: The Dane County Sheriff's Office will be partnering with Dane County Emergency Management and the Office of School Safety (OSS) for a 2-hour training on Standard Response Protocol (SRP) & Standard Reunification Method (SRM) Incident preparedness overview for Public Private Partners. OSS will present a comprehensive school safety model and introduce SRP & SRM to community members. The training will be held on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM at Blackhawk Church, 9620 Brader Way, Middleton, WI.

Announcements

• Plan Ahead for Farmers' Market Saturdays; City to Close Capitol Square to Traffic: Anyone planning to visit downtown Madison on a Saturday this summer should plan to park and walk a bit further to get to the Dane County Farmers' Market on the Square; the eight blocks immediately surrounding the square will be closed to motor vehicles.
• This July, Celebrate Park and Recreation Month: Madison Parks and Madison School & Community Recreation (MSCR) are celebrating National Park and Recreation Month - Where Community Grows throughout July, and you're invited!

• Increased Need for Crossing Guards as the City of Madison Prioritizes Safety: The City of Madison Traffic Engineering Division is currently facing an increased need for crossing guards throughout the city.

• Have a Say: Help Us Interview Firefighter/EMT Candidates!: The Madison Fire Department seeks community members to serve on our upcoming Firefighter/EMT interview panels. It's our way of giving voice to the community as we seek the best possible individuals to serve our city as a member of the fire department.

• Maliha Nu'Man Named City of Madison's 2023-24 Youth Poet Laureate: During a ceremony earlier this month at Pinney Library, the City of Madison, the Madison Arts Commission, and Madison Poet Laureate Angela Trudell Vasquez celebrated the accomplishments of Madeleine Bohn, who served as Madison's first Youth Poet Laureate. Afterwards, Trudell Vasquez publically announced and welcomed Maliha Nu'Man as the second Madison Youth Poet Laureate.
• A Wild Rumpus Returns this July to Offer A Unique Play Experience in the Park: MADISON, WI -- Madison Parks and Madison Public Library bring you A Wild Rumpus: An Anji Play Experience at two parks July through August.

• How to Help Your Trees During the Spongy Moth Outbreak: According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, we are seeing a very high number of spongy month caterpillars throughout the state. We are experiencing the same outbreak here in Madison. The population boom is due to a variety of environmental factors that have made conditions favorable for this species to thrive.

• No Streets Division Collections on Tuesday, July 4, 2023: There will be no trash, recycling, brush, or large item collection on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, in observance of the Independence Day holiday. The Streets Division drop-off sites will also be closed.
• Water Conservation Tips: Water Utility asks for wise use of outdoor water. Check out tips for conserving water this summer: https://www.cityofmadison.com/water/sustainability/conservation-tips.
• Free Summer Metro Bus Pass Program for MMSD Students: For the third year, the City of Madison is giving every Madison Metropolitan School Districts Middle and High School student a free Metro bus pass for the summer. This summer, Metro has made 7,000 passes available to MMSD students.