Common Council

Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of October 31, 2022

Meetings

• The Common Council will meet in hybrid format at 6:30pm on Tuesday, November 1.
  • Meeting details
  • Meeting agenda 
  • Watch online
• Many other committees meet the week of October 31, including the Finance Committee, Board of Public Works, Public Market Development Committee, Madison Public Library Board, and more. To see the full list of City meetings scheduled for the week, please consult the City meeting schedule.

Events

• MPD Community Academy: The upcoming Madison Police Department Community Academy will be held at various locations in the city from 5pm-7pm on Wednesdays in November. There is still room, but seats are limited. More information, including topics and how to sign up, can be found here.
• Van Hise and the history of eugenics at UW-Madison: The University Committee on Disability Access and Inclusion invites the public to join them for an evening with Kacie Lucchini Butcher, Director of the Public History Project, to reckon with UW-Madison's history of eugenics. The event takes place on Thursday, November 3, 5:30pm-7pm, at Union South, 1308 W. Dayton Street. Please email cdai@secfac.wisc.edu with any questions or to request an accommodation for the event. CART services will be provided. Facilities are wheelchair accessible. RSVP here.
• Teejop & Beyond: Celebrating Native Nations of the Great Lakes: Madison Public Library, in partnership with Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison, is welcoming a variety of Native artists, storytellers, and community leaders for a series of programs celebrating Indigenous people in and beyond Teejop (pronounced day-JOPE, meaning Four Lakes, or Madison). Eight Native presenters will lead programs highlighting both traditional and contemporary practices, stories, and community relationships. Upcoming programs include:

• October 29: Milkweed Soup Cooking Demo and Tasting with Rita Peters (Ho-Chunk) from Olbrich Botanical Gardens
• November 5, 19: Family History Writing Workshops with Sherman Funmaker (Bear Clan Elder, Ho-Chunk Nation)
• November 9: Indigenous Birth and Traditional Parenting presentation by Raeanne Madison (Crane Clan, Bois Forte Band Ojibwe Nation)
• November 12: Art Walk in Monona with Kristie GoForth (Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians)

Learn more by visiting the website and reading the press release.

• Memory book-making workshops: Pinney Library's Artist-in-Residence, Angela Johnson, is leading a series of 2-part workshops where seniors and others can create their own memory book. Using photos and stories, attendees will put together a one-of-a-kind memento for themselves or loved ones. Workshops are taking place across 3 different library locations in November, with the next one beginning Nov. 1 at Goodman South Madison Library. Learn more by visiting the website, and reading the artist bio.

Announcements

• Welcome Town of Madison residents to the City of Madison: On October 31, the City of Madison will start providing services to approximately 5,000 additional residents, 2,407 housing units and 835 parcels. All City agencies are getting ready for final attachment. Find more information here.
• Jeffrey Clay Erlanger Award: The City of Madison invites you to submit nominations for its annual Jeffrey Clay Erlanger Civility in Public Discourse Award. This award honors Jeffrey Clay Erlanger, who was an individual of integrity, passion, intelligence and civility. Jeff understood that thoughtful and caring people could have very different views on how to best address our community's many complex issues and problems. Jeff, who died on June 10, 2007, spent a significant part of his life committed to public service, focusing on constructive advocacy and civil debate, fairness, openness and effective representation. He embraced the similarities that unite us. The recipient of the Erlanger Award, and the person who nominated them, will each be able to designate a non-profit charity to receive $250. More information, including eligibility guidelines and nomination instructions, can be found here.
• Community Oriented Policing Services grant: Chief Shon Barnes is pleased to announce that the Madison Police Department has been awarded two grants by the United States Department of Justice through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant program. Learn more about the two grants and what they'll be used for here.
• Native Wisconsin seeds now available: Madison Public Library is excited to announce that, thanks to a very generous donation from the Dane County Land & Water Resources Department and Northside Naturalist Alex Singer, they now have native Wisconsin seeds available in their seed libraries! Native Wisconsin plant seeds are best sown in the fall and left to overwinter, so Madisonians can stop into one of the four participating libraries and pick up FREE seed packets! The library is also hosting hands-on workshops at Pinney, Meadowridge, and Lakeview libraries. Learn more by visiting the seed library website, and registering for one of the workshops.
• PSC provides decisions on Madison Water Utility's rate case: In December 2021, Madison Water Utility (Utility) filed a rate case application with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW). One of the primary goals was to obtain sufficient funding to maintain required levels of re-investments in water infrastructure on a timely manner. The Utility's last rate case was approved by the PSCW in 2020, in which the Utility was required to file a new rate case in two years to ensure rates are aligned with costs. The Utility is delighted to inform its ratepayers, the public, and all other interested parties that the PSCW has approved the Utility's rate case.

The PSCW approved the Utility's customer assistance program (CAP), marking the first approval of a water utility CAP in the state of Wisconsin. The City is leveraging this historic opportunity to introduce the Madison Customer Assistance Program, or "MadCAP", a comprehensive customer assistance program covering all six services on the Municipal Services Bill, including Water, Sewer, Stormwater, Urban Forestry, Resource Recovery, and Landfill. Learn more about MadCAP and the other PSCW approvals in the news release.

• Local input sought on public art and design concepts: On June 8, 2022, the Madison Arts Commission (MAC) selected Michael Ford, also known as the "Hip Hop Architect", to create the integrated public art component for a new parking structure planned for 2300 South Park Street. Michael Ford met with residents of South Madison on June 27, 2022, resulting in his initial draft art concepts. Michael also sought response from the public via the Madison Arts Commission's October 12, 2022 public meeting.

Michael has since refined his designs and is again seeking public input about his public art and design concepts by November 7 at noon. The results will inform his final design drawings which will then be submitted to the Community Development Authority (CDA) and City for approval. Respond to the survey here. Learn more about this initiative by reading the press release.

• PCOB announces Robert Copley as Independent Police Monitor: The Police Civilian Oversight Board (PCOB) is proud to announce that it has chosen Robert Copley as the Independent Police Monitor (IM). The responsibilities of the IM include oversight of the Madison Police Department's (MPD) compliance with internal policies and procedures. Read more here.
• City of Madison polling place listing: Several polling locations in the City of Madison have changed since the last election. The City Clerk's Office encourages voters to confirm their polling place before Election Day (November 8). You can look up your polling place address using the MyVote Wisconsin website or go to www.cityofmadison.com/WhereDoIVote. See a list of polling places here.
• In-person absentee voting starts Tuesday in Madison: In-person absentee voting will begin Tuesday, October 25, at several locations throughout the City of Madison. Click here to find out what you need to bring with you and where you can vote in-person absentee.
• Public test of election equipment on Saturday, October 29: The City of Madison Clerk's Office invites the public to observe its public test of election equipment this weekend. Prior to each election, the Clerk's Office staff tests its DS200 tabulators to make sure they will accurately count votes on Election Day. After testing each machine for accurate vote tabulation, Clerk's Office staff secure the ballot box and scanner with tamper evident seals that are marked with unique serial numbers. The Clerk's Office staff documents these serial numbers at the public test, and election officials verify the serial numbers as they open the polls on Election Day. The City of Madison public test of election equipment will be held at 2713 E. Washington Avenue, 9am until completed on Saturday, October 29.