Coronavirus/COVID-19 Update - 3/16/20

Coronavirus/COVID-19 Update

Yesterday, I shared information related to Coronavirus/COVID-19 and its local impact in this blog post. The situation continues to develop including a declaration of a State of Emergency today by Dane County Executive Parisi. Additional closures have been announced including the closure of all Madison Public Libraries and Olbrich Botanical Gardens.

Most city meetings have also been canceled for this week including the public meeting regarding an Eastside Dog Park. The Alcohol License Review Committee will hold a limited meeting for non-controversial items, but will not take up the item related to Visions Nightclub (this item will be referred to the April meeting.)

The Common Council will hold our meeting with a number of modifications including greater separation between members during the meeting and limited staff and public presence in the council chambers. Anyone wishing to provide public comment on an item is encouraged to send their comments in via email to allalders@cityofmadison.com in lieu of an in-person appearance. One critical item on our agenda is an ordinance change that would allow us to meet via telephone or online in the future. 

The appeal of the Plan Commission decision regarding 3930 Milwaukee Street (proposed Amazon Distribution Center) will be referred to the March 31 meeting at the request of the applicants and will not be taken up tomorrow. You can read more background on this issue here. Those interested in this item may also want to consider watching this Frontline episode that gives some additional context to Amazons global strategy and to that of the East Madison proposal.

Two other items that I am sponsoring on this week's Common Council agenda include: Creating the Ad Hoc Task Force on the Structure of City Government (TFOGS) Final Report Implementation Work Group and a resolution In support of state legislation to allow police officers and firefighters to make workers' compensation claims for post-traumatic stress disorder under expanded circumstances.

City of Madison News Releases

• Madison Public Libraries to Close March 17
  March 16, 2020 | All Madison Public Library locations will be closed beginning Tuesday, March 17.  Programs, meetings, private events, and...
• Mayor Rhodes-Conway Statement on City of Madison Actions on Coronavirus
  March 16, 2020 | The City of Madison has been working around the clock since before the first Dane County case on February 5th to slow the...
• Voter Registration "Closes" Wednesday
  March 16, 2020 | Wednesday, Mar. 18, is the final day to register to vote online or by mail prior to the April 7 Spring Election.
• Public Health Issues Order Closing Schools and Imposing Countywide Directive to Stop Holding Gatherings of 50 or More People
  March 15, 2020 | This is a county-wide directive to close schools and stop gatherings of 50+ people, effective March 16, 2020 at 12:01am.
• New Madison Resident Tests Positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19)
  March 13, 2020 | Another person in Dane County has been diagnosed with novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).
• Madison Police Message to the Community
  March 13, 2020 | The Madison Police Department continues to work with our city, county, state and federal partners to provide you with the...
• Madison Public Library Cancelling Most Library Programs Until Further Notice
  March 13, 2020 | Madison Public Library is committed to the health and safety of our staff and the public, and are working closely with the...
• Trash & Recycling Collection Services to Begin Earlier Starting March 16
  March 13, 2020 | The Streets Division will start refuse and recycling collection services at 6:30am beginning on March 16, 2020. All...
• Election Accessibility
  March 10, 2020 | The City of Madison has moved 13 polling locations since the 2016 Presidential Election. 8 of those polling place changes...

Madison Commons Media Digest

• Wisconsin cases of COVID-19 increase to 27, Elizabeth Beyer, Wisconsin State Journal, March 15.
• UW-Madison epidemiologist Malia Jones urges 'cocooning,' closures to prevent COVID-19 spread, Abigail Becker, CT, March 14.
• Wisconsin Department of Health Services COVID-19 website with updated information.
• U.S. Census monitoring coronavirus, encourages online participation in 2020 Census, Abigail Becker, CT, March 12.
• The math of the epidemic: When coronavirus is growing exponentially, everything looks fine, until it doesn't, Megan McArdle, Washington Post, March 10; Why outbreaks like the coronavirus spread exponentially, Harry Stevens, WaPo, March 14.
• Eken Park Resistance hosts virtual gathering opposing F-35s, "A Public Affair," WORT-FM, March 13.
• Wisconsin utilities ordered to maintain residential service during health emergency, Chris Hubbuch, WSJ, March 14.

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