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Common Council

Week of October 27th

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Dear District 16 Neighbors,

I hope you’re doing well and enjoying the beautiful weather this weekend. There is so much happening in the world right now, and I would be remiss if I did not mention the impacts that the government shutdown is having on our communities in Madison. The laying off and furloughing of our federal workforce and looming pauses to essential programs like FoodShare is creating so much economic uncertainty for working families in Wisconsin. It is time for Congress to do their jobs and work together before the impacts of the government shutdown are further exacerbated.

Last week, I joined the Madison Fire Department for their promotional ceremony to celebrate the hard work of everyone in the department, from the support staff and apparatus engineers to our paramedics and lieutenants. I look forward to seeing the positive impact that Madison Fire continues to have and how our city government can best support them.

On Thursday, I joined Alders Martinez-Rutherford and Madison to tour the temporary men’s shelter on Zier Road. We had the opportunity to talk with staff from Porchlight who work there every day and hear more about the growing needs of the community. As our shelters continue to face record demand, the need to support our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness is increasing and we need to make sure that the permenant shelter is fully funded.

I also joined my colleagues on the Sustainable Madison Commission for a tour of the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) to learn more about how the city continues to improve our water quality and remove bacteria and harmful chemicals, as well as increase resiliency and lower energy consumption through innovative practices.

Thank you to everyone who came out to the first in-person meeting on the draft recommendations for the Southeast Area Plan. These events provide fantastic opportunities to help shape the future of the southeast side of Madison. If you missed it or want to learn more, check out the upcoming events below!

  • Sewerage District Tour
  • Alders Field, O'Brien and Martinez-Rutherford
  • Firefighter Promotion Ceremony
  • Gleam. LOVE.
  • Urban League

It was an honor to join leaders from across the city to celebrate the work of the Urban League at their Urban Cabaret at Monona Terrace. I want to extend a congratulations to Dr. Ruben Anthony on an incredible 10 years with the Urban League. I also want to congratulate Olbrich Botanical Gardens on another successful year of Gleam!

Finally, I hope to see some of you at my office hours tomorrow morning from 8:00-10:00am at Twisted Grounds on Cottage Grove Road. Office hours are a great opportunity to meet with me one-on-one and share your thoughts and hopes for the city.

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. I am eager to hear from you!

-Sean

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Shaping the Future of the Southeast:

SEAP Nov. 17th Flyer

I hope that you will join me on Monday, November 17th at 6:00pm for a presentation and discussion on the draft recommendations for the Southeast Area Plan. This public information meeting is a fantastic opportunity to hear directly from city staff regarding the plan recommendations for District 16, including future land use applications, improvements for dangerous intersections and streets on the high injury network, public transportation infrastructure, and more!

When: Monday, Nov. 17th, 6:00-7:30pm 
Where: Fire Station 14 - 3201 Dairy Dr, Madison, WI 53718
RSVP:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/building-the-southeasts-future-a-community-conversation-w-alder-obrien-tickets-1838244461669

If you would like to see the draft recomendations in the plan before coming to the event, you can find them here. Additionally, I would encourage you to check out the story map for the SEAP, as well as the interactive comment portal, which you can find here.

Supporting Food Insecurity Programs:

Earlier this week, Governor Evers announced that FoodShare funding would run out by November 1st, with October 27th being the last day that Congress can act to secure funding by midnight. In response, the Willy Street Co-op announced this week that they will be increasing their double dollars program until SNAP funding is restored. You can learn more about the program here: https://www.willystreet.coop/co-op-news/planning-for-a-temporary-increase-in-double-dollars-distribution/

The double dollars program is a critical element of our social safety net, and the program is funded 50/50 by the city and county. However, in the county’s last budget, they cut funding from $65K to just $10K. After discussions with the Community Action Coalition and Alder Evers on the Food Policy Council, I am happy to share that we have introduced a budget amendment to address the funding gap and make sure the program is able to continue. This amendment will be discussed at the Finance Committee meeting on Monday Oct. 27th at 4:30pm. I am proud to be one of the lead sponsors of this amendment to keep this critical program funded and operational.

Shelter Friends of Dane County:

Earlier this week, community leaders from across the city came together to launch Shelter Friends of Dane County – a group dedicated to raising funds for the Permanent Men’s Shelter on Bartillon Drive.

Currently the shelter is facing a significant funding gap that would prevent it from being fully operational. The city has provided a historic $1.7 million towards operations of the shelter, while the county is contributing just under $600,000. There are several important amendments before the county board which would increase funding for our social safety net, and I would encourage you to reach out to your County Board Supervisors to share your thoughts.

The Shelter Friends of Dane County has been established to privately fundraise to close the remaining gap so that the shelter can meet its full potential and be operational 24/7/365. I hope that you will consider supporting this cause if you are able. You can learn more at www.shelterfriendsdaneco.org.

Leaf & Yard Waste Collection Schedule:

The city is offering three different pick-up dates for yard waste and leaf collection. Please make sure to check the dates for your respective neighborhood. Yard waste includes plant material such as leaves, weeds, twigs, and grass clippings and must be placed on the terrace or on the grass by the curb. Waste should be at least 4 feet away from obstructions such as fire hydrants, trees, cars, mailboxes, and utility poles. You can find more information about yard waste pick up here. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!

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, October 28, at 6:30 p.m. in hybrid format. Agenda items of interest include:
    • Item # 1 – 90520 – Recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month (I am a sponsor).
    • Item #47 – 90176 – Tire contracts for Madison Metro Busses (I am a sponsor).
    • Item #68 – 90193 – Approving applications for federal funding for transportation alternatives (I am a sponsor).
    • Item #78 – Relating to changes to the Transit Overlay Districts (I am a sponsor). *For introduction only*
    • Item #79 – 82 – proactively re-zoning several properties across the city (I am a sponsor). *For introduction only*
    • Item #83 – 90557 – Updating city ordinances to create allowability for cottage courts to be built (I am a sponsor). *For introduction only*
    • Meeting Details
    • Meeting Agenda
    • Register for Public Comment
    • Watch Online
  • Finance Committee: The Finance Committee meeting will take place on Monday, October 27, at 4:30 p.m. in hybrid format. Agenda items of interest include:
    • Item #4 – 90249 – Amendments to the 2026 Operating budget.
      • Amend. #1 – Increasing three community connector positions to 0.8 FTE with the TOAH being $0.82.
      • Amend. #2 – Increasing the City of Madison’s contribution to the Double Dollars program to fill the funding gap created by a reduction in County funding, with the TOAH being $0.12 (I am a sponsor).
      • Amend. #3 – A competitive RFP process for downtown programming.
      • Amend. #4 – Increasing the contribution to the Business Improvement District with the TOAH being $0.13.
      • Amend. #5 – Adding one full time position as Surveyor to the Engineering Department, with the TOAH being $0.71.
      • Amend. #6 – Increasing the Data Analyst position in the Office of the Independent Monitor from 0.6 FTE to 0.8 FTE, with the TOAH being $0.19.
      • Amend. #7 – Adding 1 FTE to the Parks Division, with the TOAH being $0.65.
      • Amend. #8 – Adjusting the budget to reflect changes made by the County.
    • Meeting Details
    • Meeting Agenda
    • Register for Public Comment
    • Watch Online
  • Board of Public Works: The Board of Public Works meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 29, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include the updated Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan.

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)

  • Southwest Area Plan Public Meeting: Virtual Option, Wednesday, October 29: This meeting will provide an overview of issues and opportunities in the planning area and offer a chance to review and comment on draft plan actions. Presentations at the virtual meetings will be followed by discussion and feedback.
  • Public Input Meeting - Canter and Woods Farm Parks, Wednesday, October 29: 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.
  • Southwest Area Plan Public Meeting: Virtual Option, Thursday, October 30: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.

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 calendar.

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District 16 - Alder O'Brien

Alder Sean O'Brien

Alder Sean O'Brien

District 16
Contact Alder O'Brien