District 13 Updates: East-West BRT, Financial Resources Hotline, Triangle Welcomes Donations

Hi Everyone,

Yesterday, I had my first Covid office hours. One resident stopped by to discuss the Vilas Park Master Plan, the draft for which was unveiled and discussed in detail yesterday in an online meeting for the Resident Resource Group and Community Partners Advisory Group. A public meeting to discuss the Plan is tentatively scheduled for Nov 16.

I’ve decided to hold office hours again next Friday – look for the Zoom link next week.

Here are today’s updates:

Madison East-West Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Planning Continues

What: Madison East-West BRT Planning Study – Project Development Kickoff Virtual Meeting
When: Thursday, October 22, 6 – 8 p.m.
Where: Zoom link located at www.MadisonBRT.com
Why: Join us to learn about the next phase of the East-West BRT planning study, Project Development. Review the progress completed to date. Learn about the process and outcomes for BRT Project Development. Share your perspective on BRT routes, station design, service plan, and economic development impacts. Learn about improvements to existing North-South Metro routes.

For more information, click here.

City of Madison Launches Financial Resources Hotline

Madison residents seeking help with financial concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic can contact a new, free hotline to be connected with a “Financial Navigator” – a person they can talk to about their financial concerns.

Financial Navigators are available at no cost to provide guidance, over the phone, to help residents access available programs and services to manage income loss and other financial concerns they may be experiencing. With one-on-one discussions, they will help to address personal financial issues, identify immediate steps to manage expenses and maximize income, and make referrals to other services such as bill paying assistance, government benefits and other programs that may come from future stimulus packages.

For more information, click here.

Furniture Donations Accepted at the Triangle

If you’re decluttering and have furniture or other household items that you no longer need, please consider donating them to our neighbors at the Triangle.

From Cindy Julius, president of the Triangle Neighborhood Organization:  "We in the Triangle would welcome donations of Furniture.  We are a Community of Elderly, Disabled and low income individuals. We have formerly homeless and also some people who come to our Community with just the clothes on their back. So you would not only be donating an item but helping people who have lost everything start over."

If you have something to give away, please consider contacting Cindy Julius at jaxer4588@gmail.com. 

(A special thanks to Lailah S. from Dudgeon-Monroe for this suggestion.)

City of Madison Unveils Secure Absentee Ballot Drop Boxes

The City of Madison Clerk’s Office has purchased 14 secure ballot drop boxes that are being placed at 13 Madison Fire stations and at Elver Park shelter.

The drop boxes are made for the sole purpose of ballot collection, and are manufactured with a minimum of ¼” steel. The seams are fully welded to prevent damage and tampering.

The last ballot box pick-up will occur by 5:00pm the day before Election Day, and the slots will be closed and locked at that time. Voters will be directed to drop their absentee ballot off at their polling place on Election Day if they still have it.

Anticipating that these boxes will be a very popular option for City of Madison absentee voters this weekend, the City Clerk’s Office has scheduled two pick-ups for each location this Saturday and Sunday: the first pick-up will happen by 1:00pm and the second pick-up will happen by 5:00pm.

For more information, click here. 

City Celebrates Major Solar Installation Milestone, Mayor Doubles GreenPower program

From the Mayor's office press release:

MADISON, WI – The City’s GreenPower trainees will be busy for at least the next few years installing solar panels on City buildings at a ‘rapid pace,’ according City of Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. At 9 a.m., Oct. 15, 2020, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway celebrated the City reaching its 1 Megawatt goal at Metro Transit, the latest and largest solar installation in City history. Rhodes-Conway spoke during a press conference about the project and what it means for the GreenPower Program expanding moving forward.

“Today we achieve our first goal, that we set for ourselves as a City related to solar energy,” Rhodes-Conway said. “In 2014, we adopted a budget to achieve the Madison Megawatt, which aimed to install one megawatt of solar energy on city facilities by 2020, and today we reach that goal.”

The solar panel installation on Metro Transit, located at 1101 East Washington Avenue in Madison, pushed the City past its one megawatt goal. The City now has 2.5 percent of its building electric use provided by solar power. The solar production offsets roughly 950 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, which is equivalent to the emissions of an average passenger vehicle driving 2.3 million miles. Twenty-six City buildings have solar installations, and there are more to come.

For more information, click here.

Lastly

I imagine many of you have seen the very sad news that Rockhound Brewery is closing next month.  The kitchen is closing Nov. 14, and a special brew, aptly named Last Call, is available for sale. We wish all the best to Nate Warnke and the entire Rockhound family during this difficult transition.

As you're well aware, the pandemic has been brutal for the hospitality industry.  I am working with the City Attorney’s office and Public Health to modify licenses for bars that are shifting their product mix more to food in hopes they’d be allowed to serve indoors at 25% capacity.

In the meantime, please consider ordering take-out from the many fine establishments in our district. Shop at our excellent local retail stores, many of which have safe, curbside options.

These are incredibly tough times. Let’s all do what we can to help keep our businesses open.

As the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, more challenges await us. We do best as we continue to look out for each other, lending a helping hand, keeping our hearts open in times of great need.

This is the glue that holds us together.

Enjoy the weekend.

Take care and stay safe.

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