Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of September 7, 2026

Labor Day is not only a time to relax and enjoy time with family and friends. It is also an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the people whose hard work strengthens our community every day.

Image credit: City of Madison

Today, I want to thank the many individuals whose dedication helps make Madison such a vibrant place to live, work, learn, and visit. Whether you maintain our streets and parks, serve as a first responder, assist residents at our libraries, support city operations, or work behind the scenes to keep essential services running, your contributions have a meaningful impact on our community.

Public service is more than a profession. It is a commitment to serving others and helping improve the quality of life for everyone who calls Madison home. I am deeply grateful for the professionalism, expertise, teamwork, and dedication you bring to your work every day.

As we celebrate Labor Day, I extend my sincere appreciation, both as a City Alder and a lifelong Madison resident, to all City employees. Thank you for your service, your commitment, and the countless ways you help make Madison a stronger and better community.    - Alder Bill Tishler, District 11

Updates and Notices

• The City of Madison Administrative offices are closed for the Labor Day holiday. All emergency services will be open; please call 911.
  • Emergency Water Issue: Call Madison Water Utility at 608-266-4665, 24/7.
  • Sanitary Sewer Back-up: Call 608-266-4430. An emergency crew will respond to your call.
  • Report a Problem: Report non-emergencies that can wait until the next City working day.
  • No Trash, Recycling, or Other Collections on Labor Day (9/7/26); Drop-off Sites Also Closed: The Streets Division will not perform trash, recycling, brush, or large item collection on Monday, September 7, 2026, in observance of the Labor Day holiday. The drop-off sites and offices will also be closed.

Boards, Commissions, and Committee Meetings

Note: This is not a complete list of meetings for this upcoming week. All meetings and their details can be found at the  Meeting Schedule page.

• Common Council: The Common Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 8, at 6:30 p.m. in hybrid format. Agenda items include appointing Devine Nzegwu as alder for District 1, authorizing the Economic Development Division to administer a Williamson Street Business Stabilization Support Program, and transferring $28,500 from the contingent reserve to the Office of the Independent Monitor.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
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• Board of Public Works: The Board of Public Works meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 9, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include city engineering seeking approval of plans, specifications, and assessments for Parman Terrace, adopting the City of Madison Pedestrian Plan and adopting the City of Madison Safe Routes to School Strategic Plan. 
  • Meeting Details
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  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Board of Park Commissioners: The Board of Park Commissioners meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 9, at 6:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include adopting the Southeast Area Park Development Plans.
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  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online

If you would like more information about becoming a member of the City board, commission, or committee, please visit  the page linked here.

Neighborhood Events

• Live at the Glen: Tony Castaneda Latin Jazz Band, Friday, September 11: Wisconsin's premier Latin Jazz Band for over 20 years,  Tony Castañeda and his band have been honoring and keeping alive the music of what some call the Golden Age of Latin Jazz. Don't miss this great event, from 6-8pm at the Glen!

Image credit: Westmorland Neighborhood Association

• Westmoreland Summer Nights, Saturday, September 12: Join your neighbors for Dog in Soup (4:30-5:30), Los Chechos (Latin blend – cumbia, ska, reggae) (5:45-6:45pm), Mama Digdown's Brass Band (New Orleans-style second line brass) 7-8:30pm, finishing with a Drone Light Show: 8:30 sharp. Expect a high-energy, end-of-summer night, with food trucks galore, that turns the park into a festival.
• District 11 Book Club: Author Talk with Christof Spieler “Transportation and the Shape of Cities" Wednesday, Sept 23rd at 7pm at the Sequoya Library: Drawing from his new book, Christof Spieler will discuss how transportation shapes cities, with a focus on Madison's evolving transportation network. The book examines the five major nodes of U.S. transportation, from walking and bicycling to automobiles, trains, and transit, and explores how they influence urban design and community development. The District 11 Book Club is a free community discussion group, hosted by Madison District 11 Alder Bill Tishler, that explores the intersection of urban planning, city growth, transportation, environmental stewardship, and public policy. All are welcome to attend, and prior reading of the book is not required.
• Public Open House at the Odana Hills Golf Course: Thursday, September 24, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., the Parks Division will host a in-person Public Open House at the Odana Hills Golf Course clubhouse to discuss the multi-million-dollar redesign of the golf course and clubhouse, funded through a private donation. The project will begin in fall 2026, require closure of the course through 2027, and culminate with the opening of a redesigned 18-hole golf course and new clubhouse in the spring of 2028.
• The Bicycle Film Festival will be at the Barrymore on Thursday, October 1, starting at 6:30pm.
• Week Without Driving, October 1-8, 2026: This fall, organizations across the Greater Madison area are inviting residents to participate in the Week Without Driving, returning October 1-8, 2026. The event encourages people to experience what life is like without relying on a personal vehicle, a daily reality for an estimated 30-40% of Dane County residents.
• On Sunday, October 4th, the Ride for Your Life event will honor the life of Sasha Rosen. This bike ride and walk will start at Brittingham Park, and end at the State Capitol, with bikes riding through Madison's neighborhoods.

Announcements and News Releases

• Street Closures for IRONMAN Weekend – September 12–13: Several streets in and around downtown Madison will be closed for IRONMAN events on Saturday, September 12, and Sunday, September 13.
• Gregory McClain Appointed Civil Rights Director: McClain has more than a decade of experience in advancing racial equity, social justice, equal employment, and public health initiatives.
• Madison Fire Places 10th Ambulance Into Service: A tenth Madison Fire Department ambulance is now in service, stationed in downtown Madison.
• Common Council Executive Committee Unanimously Recommends Devine Nzegwu as the Interim Alder for District 1: During the Common Council Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday, September 1, the committee unanimously recommended Devine Nzegwu as the interim alder for District 1, to serve until the Spring 2027 election.
• Smart Trips Challenge Is Here: Try a New Way to Get Around This September: Bike, ride the bus, carpool, walk or roll your way to prizes during the 2026 Smart Trips Challenge!
• CARES Celebrates 5 Years Providing Alternative Emergency Services in Madison: Madison's Community Alternative Response Emergency Services program, popularly known as CARES, turns five years old on September 1, 2026.

Please  visit the City news webpage to find additional news and announcements and to subscribe to receive notification of news releases as they are posted.