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Week of September 1st

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Dear District 16 Residents,

Happy Labor Day Weekend! Thank you to all our unions and public workers for your service and dedication to moving our community forward. 

Unions are a critical part of our city, from the South-Central Federation of Labor and AFSCME to Firefighters 311, Madison Teachers Incorporated, the Madison Professional Police Officers Association, Teamsters, the Building Trades, and so many more. I hope you’ll take time this weekend to reflect on the importance of the labor movement and all that we have gained from it, as well as what still needs to be done to fully restore collective bargaining rights and ensure that all our workers can thrive. 

I’ll be at Labor Fest tomorrow afternoon at the Madison Labor Temple, and I hope to see you there! But let’s remember to support unions and workers all year long – not just on Labor Day.

There are a lot of events that are coming up over the next few weeks that I want to make sure are on your radar. You’ll find more information about those below, along with other updates on what’s happening in city government. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m eager to hear from you!

-Sean 

East & North Side Alders Meet and Greet  

North & East Alder meet and greet

I am so excited to welcome you to a meet and greet with me and the other East and North Side alders, including Alders Field (D3), Glenn (D18), Matthews (D12), Martinez Rutherford (D15), and Madison (D17). This will be a fantastic opportunity to get to hear more about our priorities, what we are currently working on, and what’s happening across the North and East Side. This will also be a great way to connect with likeminded folks who are working on city policy.

Where: MATC – Truax Campus 
When: September 3rd, 6:00-8:00pm 

Snacks and light refreshments will be available. Please make sure to RSVP ahead of time to ensure we have enough for everyone!

Adair’s Lounge Alcohol License Application Meeting

Rita Adair plans to open Bernell’s, a woman-centered sports bar, at 2513 Seiferth Road, formerly Red Rooster. Bernell’s would also serve food and offer live music. Proposed hours of operation are 9am-10pm on Sunday; 3pm-11pm on Monday through Wednesday; 3pm-12am on Thursday and Friday; and 9am-12am on Saturday. Ms. Adair has applied for a Class B combination alcohol license, which would allow her to sell beer, wine, and liquor, and an Entertainment License. The Alcohol License Review Committee will consider her applications at its meeting on September 17, 2025.

An informational meeting to hear more about Ms. Adair’s plans is scheduled for Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at 5:30pm at 2513 Seiferth Road. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback.

New Staff Joining #TeamCity

There have been several exciting additions to our city staff over the past few weeks. I hope you’ll join me in welcoming Metro’s New General Manager, Jamie Acton. Jamie most recently served as the Federal Transit Administration's Director of Planning and Program Development for Region 10 and led the Department of Public Transportation for the city of Anchorage. I look forward to working with her on the Transportation Commission, as well as discussing how to bring greater Metro services and public transportation options to District 16.

The city also welcomes Lydia McComas as our new City Clerk! Clerk McComas brings deep experience from her time in Hennepin County, MN where she most recently served as the Voter Engagement Division Manager. It's critical that we have a strong voice in the Clerk’s office to ensure our elections remain secure and fair.

Finally, please join me in congratulating John Patterson on being named Madison’s new Chief of Police! Chief Patterson has been with the Madison Police Department for 27 years and brings a wealth of knowledge from his time as Interim-Chief, Assistant Chief for Finance, and as a patrol officer. I appreciate his commitment to transparency, community-based policing, and data-driven policies. Chief Patterson and I have had many productive conversations, and he recently joined me on a tour of the Madison Police Training Facility on Femrite Drive in District 16. I look forward to continuing to grow our relationship.

Office Hours: 

I am excited to continue hosting office hours across District 16. They have been well received so far, with many folks stopping by to get to know me better and share their hopes and concerns for our neighborhoods. 

My next office hours will be on Monday, September 15th from 1:00-3:00pm at the H.O.P.E Center at the Meadowlands apartments (6834 MILWAUKEE STREET, MADISON, WI 53718).

If there are documents that you would like to send ahead of time, feel free to email them to me at district16@cityofmadison.com. I hope to see you there!

Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of September 1, 2025 

The City of Madison will be closed for observation of the Labor Day Holiday. All emergency services will be open. For emergencies, please call 911.

  • Emergency Water Issue: Call Madison Water Utility at 608-266-4665, 24/7.
  • Sanitary Sewer Back-up: Call 608-266-4430. An emergency crew will respond to your call.
  • Report a Problem: Report non-emergencies that can wait until the next City working day.

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 in a hybrid format on Tuesday September 2nd starting at 6:30pm. Agenda items of interest include:

    • Item #1 -  an honoring resolution proclaiming September to be National Recovery Month.

    • Item #45 –  Approving plans and specifications and authorizing the Board of Public Works to advertise and receive bids for Dairy Drive Temporary Campground Demo and Site Restoration. 

    • Item #61 - Authorizing the allocation of up to $2,000,000 of City Affordable Housing Funds to help the Madison Revitalization and Community Development Corporation (MRCDC) finance the rehabilitation and preservation of properties.

    • Item #66 - Amending Section 5.20 of the Madison General Ordinances to modify the Police Civilian Oversight Board appointment process.

  • Board of Public Works: The Board of Public Works meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 3, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items of intrest include: 

    • Item #4 - Change Order No.1 to Contract 8800, 2025 Safe Streets, to Parisi Construction, LLC, for $203,285.00.

    • Item #14 -  Accepting sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and sidewalk improvements constructed by Private Contract In 3030 Ohmeda Drive CSM, Private Contract No. 9082 

  • Community Development Block Grant Committee: The Community Development Block Grant Committee meeting will take place on Thursday, September 4, at 5:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include authorizing the allocation of approximately $3.5 million of combined City and Federal funds among seven non-profit agencies to support the provision of homeless services and housing resources beginning in 2026.

If you would like more information about becoming a member of a City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here.

Public Information Meetings (PIMs)

  • Public Input Meeting - Canter and Woods Farm Parks, Thursday, September 4: The City of Madison Parks Division is starting the design process for both Woods Farm Park and Canter Park on the northeast side of the city. Each park is approximately 5 acres. In anticipation of further growth in the neighborhood, a master plan is being put together to guide the development of these two existing parks. There will be public information meetings to discuss both parks.

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

  • From Council to Community: Meet your Eastside & Northside Alders!, Wednesday, September 3:Join us for an exciting event where you can connect with your local representatives in a casual setting. This in-person gathering will take place at Madison Area Technical College, giving you the opportunity to chat with your alders and learn more about their work in the community. Don't miss this chance to engage with the people who represent you and make your voice heard. We look forward to seeing you there! Please register in advance.

  • Live at The Glen | The Mike Schneider Polka Band, Friday, September 5: The Mike Schneider Band(link is external) has been entertaining audiences throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio since 1996. Since that time, Mike and his band have been nominated for 24 polka awards from five separate organizations. 

  • The 5th annual Madison Good Neighbor Gathering, September 7: The 5th annual Madison Good Neighbor Gathering is just around the corner! This year it will be on Sunday, September 7 from noon to 4 pm in Brittingham Park. Sponsored by DMNA, VNA, Greenbush, Bay Creek, Monona Bay, Triangle, and Bayview neighborhoods, local businesses, organizations and individual donors, this free event promises fun and exciting activities for all ages, including bouncy slides, a climbing wall, food trucks, a scavenger hunt, circus activities, educational tables, dance and music, and more. Kids who pre-register will get a gift bag. Click on the QR code to register here: Madison GNG

Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.

 

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District 16 - Alder O'Brien

Alder Sean O'Brien

Alder Sean O'Brien

District 16
Contact Alder O'Brien