Week of December 25, 2023

Administrative offices are closed on Monday, December 25 for Christmas Day. Emergency services will be open; please call 911. Use Report a Problem for non-emergencies. The Office of the Common Council will resume regular work hours on Tuesday, December 26 at 8 a.m.

2024 Neighborhood Grant Program: Have you and your neighbors been thinking about making community improvements or strengthening your neighborhood group? The Planning Division will once again offer funding through the Neighborhood Grant Program for Leadership and Capacity Building and Community Enhancement projects. The application deadline is February 12, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. In late December, we will post updated grant materials on our webpage for 2024. In the interim, you can refer to last year’s  guidelines for assistance. Once you are ready to start an application, please contact the Planning Division at  Neighborhoods@cityofmadison.com, and share project ideas with your alderperson. We also invite you to attend an optional orientation meeting: Neighborhood Grant Program Orientation January 11, 2024

• Virtual, 12:00 p.m. via Zoom. Please sign up to receive an email with information about participating in the meeting.
• In-Person, 6:00 p.m., Madison Municipal Building, 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room 206. 

Announcements & News Releases

• Metro Service Reduced on December 24 & 25: Due to the holiday, Metro will follow Sunday schedules on 12/24 & 12/25. Service will end early on Sunday, 12/24.
• Starting December 27, 2023: Large Item Fees Waived for Resource Recovery Charge Ratepayers: Starting on Wednesday, December 27, 2023 and continuing through all of 2024, Madison residents who pay the Resource Recovery Special Charge will not be charged for items that require a fee when they make their required large item work orders.
• Parking Rates will Increase: Hourly and monthly parking rates will increase for some City garages and lots, starting January 1, 2024.
• Madison Parks 2024 Calendar: Buy a 2024 Madison Parks Calendar for just $10, including tax. You can buy calendars online, or from the Olbrich Botanical Gardens gift shop, Parks Lakeside Office, and Warner Park Community Recreation Center. 
• State Street Campus Garage, Lake Street Side, to close on December 27, 2023: The State Street Campus Garage, Lake Street structure, located at 415 N Lake St, will permanently close on December 27, 2023.  Staff is working with impacted Monthly Parking Permit holders to relocate them to alternative City facilities, or find…

Events

• Bird & Nature Adventures | Edna Taylor, Sunday, December 31:Join a naturalist for an easy family-friendly walk from Aldo Leopold Nature Center into beautiful Edna Taylor Conservation Park and enjoy a bit of nature education along the way. Walk will begin at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center, 330 Femrite Drive. Meet outside at the Children's Shack. Co-sponsored by Madison Parks, Madison Audubon Society , and Aldo Leopold Nature Center . No registration is required. No pets are allowed.

Streets Division Updates

• Large Item Fees Changing: Starting on 12/27/23, if you pay the Resource Recovery Special Charge, you will not be charged recycling fees for certain large items when you make a large item work order. 
• Leaf Collection Complete: Do not set out leaves for collection. All neighborhoods have received their last chance pickup opportunity. Curbside pickup will resume in the spring of 2024.
• Drop-off Site Hours: Drop-off sites are on winter hours. Check the hours before loading your car.  Drop-off site information is available at www.cityofmadison.com/DropOffSites.
• Winter Information: The City of Madison has a hub for all things winter from how to use salt correctly to winter recreation opportunities to free sand locations to snowplowing update email signups.  All of that is available at www.cityofmadison.com/Winter