Madison Public Market: An Attraction that Will Help Us to Build More Culture in Community

Well, the public market passed. Hallelujah.

For real. So this means that we will be going forward with all of the things that the City of Madison, the staff, the public market committee, the foundation and all of those who were vested in the commitment, through the Market, to make Madison the best place in the country, a city, that hears the needs of everyone, listens, and through trial and tribulations and when it’s at its best consciously works toward make space for others to build their dreams.

Speaking of which, I just learned this past week that gratitude and anxiousness cannot exist in the same space. 

Before the vote last Tuesday, I was nothing but anxious, loathing the world of politics and plain old tired, wanting be drama-free. My blood pressure shot up to 158 (when I’m always a cool 121) as I felt that if it failed, I failed; that I would have personally let so many folks down.

So I am grateful.  Grateful that we went beyond chaos and incredible actions to pass on a 15-3 vote. Thank you to Alders Duncan, Verveer, Vidaver, Rummel, Wehelie, Govindarajan, Conklin, Figueora-Cole, Evers, Rutherford- Martinez, Madison, Myadze and Harrington-McKinney.

You have to know that if this had NOT passed (which was more likely at the start) we would’ve closed the books on the Madison Public Market and I suppose the city would’ve gone on as they to do with whatever came next.

And  thank you for all of you that did not let me fail; the Alder of District 6  (whom I partnered with to pass the resolution that gives the Market the money the market needed to survive the will to kill it, frankly) and to the Alder of District 7 who, in action showed me, quietly, what leadership looks like. 

So in the end, thankfully, it was not about me, not about our egos, not about who was capable of doing what was necessary, but in fact it was about 15 years of work and our hope in community.  Not to mention the dozens and dozens upon dozens of folks, giving their heart and soul to something that will bear fruit, no doubt, in the future.

Thank you to all of you, all of the people that needed to come together to make this happen through years of long hard work by my predecessors Alders Abbas and Palm and the foresight of the former Mayors; Mayor Dave and Soglin.  And of course, grace.

Speaking of grace, I want to be sure to not only acknowledge but personally thank the Alders from District 5 and District 17 who had pushed forth a separate proposal for District 12 and yet still worked through and with the Dane County Board and staff to garner additional fiscal support which the Public Market and Foundation will need as they move ahead.

While it won’t be all the money they need, forever, it’ll work to get the ground cut and empower the Madison Public Foundation with the responsibility of realizing their dream:  Creating a makers space. I have faith that it will be a world-class facility, provide family-sustaining jobs, promote and support the development of local, small and micro businesses. 

An attraction that will help us to build more culture in community; a respite in the city that is estimated to serve 500,000 visitors a year.  Amazing!

Finally, I want to say congratulations to the Madison City Staff who have  been in the trenches on this issue for over a decade.  Unbelievable.

We don’t say it enough, but city staff is critical to the success of Madison. Period.