Clean Up Continues, Madison Forward Fund, Building Energy Savings, Rain Gardens

Hi Everyone,

Hope you are enjoying the weather while managing to stay cool.

Here are this week's updates:

The Clean Up Continues

The Streets and Urban Forestry Division have been hard at work cleaning up from last week's big storm. An update on the clean-up operations and directions for residents on what to expect for brush collection from the curb can be found here and here.

Madison's Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Launches

Last year, the Mayor appointed me to the Madison Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Advisory Task Force. Over the past year, the Task Force has been preparing to launch a guaranteed income pilot called the Madison Forward Fund. Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 21, I'll be joining the Mayor and members of the Task Force in a press conference being held at the Villager Mall Community Room, 2300 S. Park Street, at 1pm. 

Council Vice President Jael Currie and Dr Katherine Magnuson from UW Madison Institute for Research on Poverty will also give remarks providing their perspective on this historic study and investment in Madison's most vulnerable residents. 

The Madison Forward Fund will give 155 randomly chosen eligible Madison families an unconditional cash gift: no strings attached. The families that are chosen to participate will receive $500 dollars a month for 12 months to use however they see fit. Application is open June 21-July 3. Interested in applying, finding out if you're eligible, or learning more? Visit the Madison Forward Fund website or contact Blake Roberts Crass, MFF Program Manager at broberts23@wisc.edu or 608-515-8047.

Announcing a New Buiding Energy Savings Program

For the past year, I've been working with Alder Syed Abbas and the Mayor's office to develop a policy to cut carbon emissions in commercial buildings. The result is the new Buidling Energy Savings Program to help commercial building owners identify opportunities to increase the energy efficiency of their buildings. The need for this is evident in the fact buildings currently account for one third of community-wide greenhouse gas emissions.

Details about this program will be revealed at a media event being held Wednesday, June 22, 1pm, at the Central Library's Patio/Green Roof, 201 W. Mifflin St.

Tour the Dudgeon School Park Rain Gardens 

During the last year the Dudgeon Monroe Neighborhood WATER team and its partners have been busy promoting water stewardship. One activity was last September's installation of rain gardens (1600 square feet) at the Dudgeon School Park and the site of Wingra School. The Team invites you to tour the rain gardens this Saturday, June 25th (2 to 4 PM) and other nearby locations with practices that help prevent stormwater from reaching nearby beautiful Lake Wingra. Phil Gaebler, Water Resource Engineer, Madison City Engineering Division, will be leading the tour.  Join your neighbors in learning about what's being done in our community to help protect Lake Wingra. Meet at the playground of Wingra School, 718 Gilmore St.

That's all for now.

Take care and stay safe,

Tag