Election Results, City Budget Vote, COVID Spreads - D15 Update 11/9/20

Last Week

District 15 Election Results - District 15 voters showed up in force for the 2020 General Election with an overall turnout rate of 90% of registered voters. This beat the city's overall turnout of 85% and Dane County's 89%. The Lake Edge neighborhood's 93.3% (Wards 14 & 15) edged out Eastmorland's 92.5% (Ward 16). District 15 residents voted overwhelmingly for the Biden/Harris ticket (85%) over the Trump/Pence ticket (13%) and also strongly supported the MMSD budget referendum questions to exceed levy limits (69% & 72% in favor). The next election will be the Spring Primary Election on Feb. 16, followed by the Spring Election on Apr. 6. 

Shared Streets Survey - The cycletrack along Olbrich Park on Atwood that was put away for the winter was part of the city's Shared Streets Program. Please take this survey to share your feedback on the program and what you liked or didn't like about it.

COVID-19 Continues to Spread - In last week's update, I shared the rapidly increasing rates of new COVID cases and COVID-related hospitalizations. Those numbers have continued to rise, with now over 350 new cases/day on average and over 150 COVID hospitalizations in Dane County. Please do everything you can to restrict your interactions with those outside of your household. Hospitals are becoming stretched and more people are continuing to die from this serious pandemic across our state and in Dane County.

Other City Updates:

• Dane County Sees Record Disease Spread, Several Citations Issued Over Weekend
• As Cases Continue to Rise, Employers and Employees Advised to Reconsider Workplace Safety
• Madison Public Library Shifts Service Hours
• Public Health Madison & Dane County Free Drive Through Flu Clinic For All Regardless of Health Insurance Status
• Part with your Pumpkin After Halloween: Try Composting

This Week

E. Dean Public Information Meeting - I'm hoping that all of those that live in the E. Dean project area are able to attend the public information meeting on Monday at 6 p.m. via Zoom. You can register here and find more info at: https://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/dean-ave-east-and-allis-ave 

4502 Milwaukee Street at Plan Commission - As I mentioned last week, two items related to the former Karmenta property will be in front of the Plan Commission on Monday.

Item 7. Amending portions of Madison General Ordinance to allow Mission House as a Permitted/Conditional Use in the CC and CC-T Districts and Item 17. To change the zoning of property located at 4502 Milwaukee Street from SR-V2 (Suburban Residential-Varied 2) District to CC-T (Commercial Corridor-Transitional) District.

If both of these items pass, it would allow the former Karmenta site to be used as a 'Mission House' by an entity that is supported by the city. Specifically, this would allow for the possibility of Salvation Army to use the site as a family shelter for families that are experiencing homelessness. Many of these families are currently being sheltered in hotel rooms with CARES Act funding.

I have heard from residents that live near this site that are both in support and in opposition to allowing for this use at this site. I do support these proposed changes and appreciate the support that others have shared with me. If you would like to provide written or oral comment on these items to the Plan Commission, you can find links to email or register for comment at Monday's meeting here. 

2021 Budget - The 2021 city budget deliberations will conclude this week as the council meets on Tuesday-Thursday. Public comment is open and encouraged at the beginning of our deliberations on Tuesday evening. You can find the links to register and send email comments here. 

For the Capital Budget, I am a cosponsor and supporter on a number of amendments that are aimed at improving community services. These include adding funding to our Affordable Housing fund and our land banking programs, moving funding up for a permanent men's shelter, and adding funding for Crisis Response vehicle.

For the Operating Budget, I support creating a Director of Resident & Community Engagement position to improve access to local government and an increase to our COVID relief fund to help prevent evictions. I am also cosponsoring an amendment to fund PFAS testing and planning at the Dane County Regional Airport, Air National Guard 115th Fighter Wing Base, and surrounding area and another amendment that would shift the proposed furlough program for city employees from mandatory to voluntary.

Other City Meetings - There are a number of city meetings not highlighted in this update. You can find a full schedule of city meetings here.

Save the Date

Dempsey/Davies/Maher Public Information Meeting - December 2020 date TBD https://www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/davies-st-dempsey-rd-maher-ave-major-ave-reconstruction 

Neighorhood Meeting for Proposed Freymiller's Bar (formerly JoBeck's) - The virtual meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 19, at 6:30 p.m. You can join the virtual meeting using your computer, smartphone or tablet, or you can listen in via telephone. You will receive login information after registering at https://madisonwi.link/521virtual 

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