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Common Council

Week of May 19th

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Dear District 16 Residents,

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend! Below you will find items of interest on Tuesday’s Common Council meeting agenda, as well as information about yard waste pick-up, property tax assessments, and the very first meeting of the Housing Policy Committee.

We continue to stay busy in District 16, and I want to keep you informed about what’s happening in our neighborhoods and across the city.

Groundbreaking of Imagination Center

On May 8th, I was honored to be part of the groundbreaking for the Imagination Center at Reindahl Park. This is an incredible achievement for the Madison Public Library system as they celebrate their 150th anniversary. The Imagination Center is a revolutionary blend of park and library to provide a unique third space for residents of the east side. There are so many people who have been involved in making this project come to life, and I am so excited for the grand opening in 2026. Madison’s public libraries are one of our city’s greatest treasurers, and the Imagination Center will be an amazing resource for so many of our neighbors on the east side.

This past week, I also toured the Dane County Landfill and Sustainability Campus with County Executive Melissa Agard. The Dane County Landfill is already at the forefront of research and technology, and the investment in the sustainability campus will continue to make that possible. However, I know that there are residents who have concerns about the expansion. That’s why it is so important that we continue to have open and regular dialogue between residents and leaders at all levels of government. I look forward to working across government with our partners at the county to make sure there is clear communication. If you want to learn more, there will be a presentation on the sustainability campus at the next Sustainable Madison Committee meeting on Monday May 19th.

  • Sean on landfill tour
  • County Executive Agard Speaking
  • Sustainability Presentations

On Thursday, I visited the Meadowlands Apartments for the opening of the H.O.P.E Center. In addition to a shared community space, the H.O.P.E. Center will offer programming this summer and throughout the year, from counseling and support for families to STEM classes and other educational opportunities for youth. The grand opening was a wonderful celebration of community, and I am so excited to see the impact of the H.O.P.E. Center for all those who call the Meadowlands home.

I hope that you have a great rest of your weekend and enjoy the lovely weather we’ve been having! It’s great to see so many people out and about across District 16. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

-Sean

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Sean O’Brien (he/him)
Alder, District 16 


Spring Yard Waste Collection Has Ended:

Spring yard waste collection has concluded for the year. If you still have yard waste, please take it to one of the city’s designated drop-off sites. Be sure to check the drop-off site webpage so you know which sites are open. Please do not put yard waste in your recycling or trash cans – it will not be collected by the city. Yard waste collection will resume in the fall, and brush collection will continue throughout the summer!

What is Yard Waste? Yard waste is weeds, leaves, grass clippings, and other plant debris that you rake or pull from your lawns or gardens.

What is Brush? Woody limbs and branches you cut from trees, shrubs, and bushes Brush collection continues through the summer months. More information about brush collection can be found at  www.cityofmadison.com/BrushCollection.

Open Book Property Assessments:

Property assessment notices were mailed out on Friday, May 16th and are also available on the city Assessor’s webpage. The “Open Book” period is an opportunity for property owners to discuss their assessments with city Assessor's Office before they complete the assessment to provide more information or file an appeal. If there are any errors, the Assessor’s Office will make corrections and are able to adjust your assessment. The “Open Book” assessment runs from May 19th to May 23rd.

Property owners may continue to file appeals from May 26th to June 2nd at 4:30 p.m. If that deadline is missed, they may attend an initial Board of Review hearing on June 3rd to file. However, they will need to attend in-person to do so. If you have any questions concerning property tax assessments, please contact the Assessor's Office at assessor@cityofmadison.com or (608) 266-4531.

Specific information about the appeals process is available on the Assessor’s webpage.

South East Area Plan Survey:

SE Area Plan Public Survey

The city is looking for residents to participate in a survey about the Southeast Area Plan! Some of you may have already received a postcard inviting you to participate, but for those of you who have not, I strongly encourage you to take the survey.  You can learn more about the Southeast Area Plan here. 

The feedback the Planning Division receives in these surveys is crucial in helping them shape plans that accurately represent the needs our neighborhoods.

 Be sure to take the survey by May 30th!


Workplace Discrimination Listening Session:

The City of Madison Equal Opportunities Commission announced a new series of public listening sessions to discuss workplace discrimination and empower individuals with the necessary tools to report it. The first session will be held on Wednesday, June 11, at 6 PM at the Central Library, 201 W. Mifflin Street, Madison, WI. Nearby off-street parking is free after 6 PM. The sessions are open to the public and refreshments will be provided. All are welcome to attend!

The Commission aims to build more equitable and inclusive professional environments across the City of Madison. “This is more than a conversation; it’s a step toward action,” said Deana Wright, a member of the organizing subcommittee. “We want to create a safe space where people can share their stories, learn about their rights, and how to use the reporting resources.” Input from these sessions will help inform future citywide strategies and resources for employees and employers.

Metro Ridership Update for April:

Congratulations to Madison Metro on seeing a ten-year record in bus ridership! It’s clear that when we make historic investments in our public transportation, we get historic results.

Check out the 2025 Metro Ridership numbers!

However, there is still more to do to increase ridership and make sure that District 16 is feeling the full effects of improved public transportation infrastructure. Additionally, we need to ensure that we are keeping our bus drivers and Metro Staff safe. That’s why I am proud to have sponsored a resolution to increase the penalties for attacking Metro bus drivers in Madison. Conversations are still happening about how we can take further steps to protect riders and drivers, and I look forward to being a part of them.

Boards, Commissions, and Committee Meetings

Note: This is not a complete list of meetings for this upcoming week. All meetings and their details can be found at the Meeting Schedule page.

Common Council: The Common Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 20, at 6:30 p.m. in hybrid format. Agenda items of interest include:

  • Item 4: A staff presentation by Finance: Overview of the City Budget & process.
  • Item 14: Approving an Interagency Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Madison Water Utility and the City of Madison Parks Division for the installation and maintenance of public water main facilities within a portion of Yahara Hills Park (West) located at 3901 Savannah Road.
  • Item 30: Accepting a Wisconsin Department of Health Service donation of naloxone (Narcan) and fentanyl test strips for overdose prevention for the Police Department’s Madison Area Recovery Initiative (MARI) and Patrol operations
  • Item 45: a resolution entering into an agreement with the City of Fitchburg, Dane County, and WI Dept of Transportation for the implementation of North-South Bus Rapid Transit on State and County Highways.
  • Housing Policy Committee: This is the very first meeting of the brand new housing policy committee! The Housing Policy Committee meeting will take place on Thursday, May 22, at 4:30 p.m. in Room 215 of the Madison Municipal Building at 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Staff will be giving a presentation on the status of Madison housing and efforts that the city is taking to address the housing crisis we are facing
  • Sustainable Madison Committee: The Sustainable Madison Committee meeting will take place on Monday May 19th at 4:30pm in a virtual format. Items of interest include a presentation on the new sustainability campus from staff at the Dane County Department of Waste and Renewables.

Public Information Meetings (PIMs)

Announcements and News Releases

Please visit the City news webpage to find additional news and announcements and to subscribe to receive notification of news releases as they are posted.

Events

Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calenda

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District 16 - Alder O'Brien

Alder Sean O'Brien

Alder Sean O'Brien

District 16
Contact Alder O'Brien