District 13 Updates

Two items of interest, and a sad, sobering note.

Leaf Pilot Survey

This fall the Streets Dept ran a pilot program for Leaf Pick-up for most of you living in the Vilas & Greenbush neighborhoods.  Residents within the pilot knew which day their leaves were being picked up, which addressed one of the concerns residents have expressed in the past about the current system.

The city is evaluating the pilot and is looking to get feedback from participants.  If you participated, please take a moment to fill out the survey by clicking on this link.  

Yes, it's a busy time with the holidays and all, but please take a moment to offer feedback and do so by December 27.

Make 100% Sure You Are Registered to Vote

In response to Friday’s court ruling regarding the inactivation of voter registrations, the Madison City Clerk’s Office strongly encourages voters to verify their registration status.

Voters with online access may verify their registration by visiting https://MyVote.wi.gov . Toward the top of the webpage, they may select “Search by Name” or “My Voter Info” to search for their voter registration. The website will prompt the voter to enter their name and date of birth.

Once the voter’s registration information appears on the screen, the voter should look for a status of “You are Registered to Vote!” and should verify that the current address listed is accurate. If the voter sees a green button that says, “Click Here to Confirm Your Address,” that means the voter was included in the mailing the Elections Commission recently sent to all voters it believed may have moved. It is imperative that these voters click the green button to confirm their address, if accurate, or click the gray “Update Address” button to update their voter registration online.

Voters without access to the internet are encouraged to contact the City Clerk’s Office to verify their voter registration status.

Contacts

Maribeth Witzel-Behl, 608-266-4601, clerk@cityofmadison.com

Sadly...

As you've likely heard, a homicde occurred in District 13 on Saturday afternoon in the 1000 block of Spruce St.  A suspect has been arrested and there is thought to be no ongoing danger to the community.  

While this is just the third homicide to take place in Madison this year, this tragedy remains a great loss for our city.  (As an aside, the Focused Interruption Coalition funded principally by the City of Madison is arguably responsible for this reduction in our city's homicides, an indication that investments in public health directly impact public safety.) The loss of life, the impact on families and loved ones, and the unsettling impact on nearby residents are all to be thoughtfully considered.  Two lives, in some sense, were lost, as the offender now must deal with the consequences of such a senseless act.

My mind goes to the words of Father Greg Boyle, the founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest and most successful gang intervention program in the country.  Father Boyle speaks of "the lethal absence of hope" which is often at the root of crimes like what took place on Saturday.  

This loss of hope is also evident in the increase in suicides we see among young people, particularly young black people.

As we mourn the loss of life and puzzle over this tragedy, let us press forward with the hard work of creating hope for our young people.

Love is stronger than fear, stronger than death. 

May this holiday season bring peace and comfort to you all.