City-County Building
Common Council

Week of March 23rd

posted 

Dear District 16 Neighbors,

I hope that you had a wonderful weekend and were able to enjoy the beautiful weather on Saturday!

There is an important election coming up on April 7th where you'll have the opportunity to vote for the State Supreme Court, Dane County Judge, School Board, County Board, and Common Council. You can check your voter registration and see what's on your ballot at myvote.wi.gov.

The city is currently in need of poll workers! Compensation is $17/hour. Anyone 16 years or older can work at the polls, and UW students who let their professors know at least 2 weeks ahead of time are allowed to take time off class per UW resolution 856. You can sign up to be a poll worker online at www.cityofmadison.com/eo. If you have any questions, please reach out to madisonvotes@cityofmadison.com.

As the weather gets warmer and you're spending more time outside, I want to remind you about the city's Report A Problem tool. This form allows you to share information with the appropriate city department regarding damaged sidewalks, building code violations, overgrown plants or damaged trees, and so much more.

As always please, don't hesitate to reach out if there is any way I can be of service. I look forward to seeing you out and about in the community! 

-Sean 

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New Air Quality Monitoring Dashboard:

In 2022, the City of Madison received a grant for ~$430,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency under President Joe Biden to create a network of sensors to track and monitor air quality in Madison. Since receiving this grant, the city has installed 30 sensors at locations across the city to track and monitor our air quality. 

These sensors track particulate matter PM2.5 and smaller. Particulate matter pollution comes from a variety of sources. It can be emitted directly into the air from sources like wood stoves, forest fires, or blowing dust. It can also be created when other pollutants like nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), organic carbon or ammonia chemically react to form fine particles. Sources of these precursor pollutants include fossil fuel combustion in vehicles and power plants, as well as some industrial processes. Most of the time, vehicles are the main source of particulate matter in Madison. 

When inhaled, these small particles can travel deep into our lungs and some may even enter the bloodstream, where they affect our lungs and heart. Exposure to fine particles can have negative impacts on our health, both short and long-term, including reduced lung function and worsens asthma and heart disease. Across the United States and here in Wisconsin, data shows that communities of color and low-income communities face greater exposure to particulate matter and higher rates of lung and heart problems.

As part of the grant, the city has created an interactive dashboard to monitor our air quality in real time across the city.

Pedestrian Safety Plan:

The city is currently developing an update to its 1997 Pedestrian Plan. The plan will provide direction for policy, programs, and improvements that will increase safety, accessibility, and walking connections throughout Madison. Funding for this project is through the US DOT's Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program.

A public information meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 7 at 6:00pm to discuss the Draft Pedestrian Plan.

When: Tuesday April 7th, 6:00pm 
Register: https://cityofmadison.zoom.us/meeting/register/9WOm_npqTNGzMjJ-_NwdSQ#/registration

The meeting will include an overview of the planning process, key recommendations in the plan, a description of how the public can comment on the plan, and time for questions and answers. The draft plan document will be posted online prior to the meeting.

Office Hours:

I am holding another set of office hours this Saturday (March 28th) from 9:00 -11:00am at Twisted Grounds Coffee on Cottage Grove Rd. Office hours are a great way for us to get to know each other better, discuss specific problems happening in your neighborhood, or do a deep dive into policy and what the Common Council is doing. 

If you cannot make this set of office hours, I'll have another on April 9th from 4:00-6:00pm at the Ed Locke Public Library in McFarland. If there are any documents or items you would like me to review beforehand, please send them to district16@cityofmadison.com. I hope to see you there!

Brush & Yard Waste Pick Up:

As the weather warms up and we spend more time in our yards, please be sure you are separating your gardening waste correctly so that the city is able to collect it! 

Additionally, Madison has several drop off sites where you can take trash, recycling, brush, yard waste, electronics, large items, styrofoam for recycling, and cooking oil.  

Check my BRUSH set out dates:

Brush sticks, branches, and tree limbs you cut from trees, shrubs, or bushes. Brush must be:

  • Between 18 inches and 8 feet long
  • Less than 8 inches in diameter

Brush is ground up into wood mulch after we pick it up.

Check my YARD WASTE set out dates:

Yard waste is plant material you rake or pull from your lawn or garden:

  • Leaves, weeds, grass clippings, and garden trimmings
  • Twigs less than 18 inches long
  • Pumpkins, crab apples, vines, corn stalks, and pinecones

Yard waste is taken to a facility to be turned into compost.

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, March 24, at 6:30 p.m. in hybrid format. Agenda items of intrest include: 
    • Item #1 - Proclaiming the Week of April 20 through April 26, 2026 as Arbor Week (Im a sponsor) 
    • Item #2 - Declaring March 31, 2026, to be Transgender Day of Visibility in the City of Madison. (Im a Sponsor) 
    • Item #41 - Authorizing the Mayor and the City Clerk to execute Amendment No. 1 to the existing Purchase of Services contract between the City of Madison and MSA Professional Services, Inc. for engineering services for the Starkweather Creek Watershed Study. (District 3, District 12, District 15, District 16, District 17, District 18) (I'm a Sponsor)
    • Item #66 - Amending Subsections 5.19(6) and (8) and creating Subsection 5.20(11) of the Madison General Ordinances to add public reporting requirements for the Office of the Independent Monitor and Police Civilian Oversight Board. (For Introduction only) 
    • Meeting Details
    • Meeting Agenda
    • Register for Public Comment
    • Watch Online
  • Housing Policy Committee: The Housing Policy Committee meeting will take place on Thursday, March 26, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include an overview of the 2025 Housing Snapshot Report.

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)

  • MPD Presentation: Demonstrations and assemblies, Tuesday, March 24: The Madison Police Department is hosting a presentation on a person's rights during assemblies and demonstrations. Part of these presentations will cover the ever-evolving Madison Method, which is our department's nationally recognized philosophy for policing large events, crowds and protests.
  • Resurfacing Program 2026, Wednesday, March 25: The Annual Street Resurfacing Program is designed to improve the quality of your street and delay the need for total reconstruction. The City Engineering Division rates streets and curb & gutter every two years. A public information meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m., March 25, 2026, via Zoom. Registration is required. 

Announcements and News Releases

  • Madison Community Transportation Academy, register by March 24: If you have ever wondered WHY our transportation system works the way it does or thought, there must be a better way, we encourage you to sign up for the Madison Community Transportation Academy. This free 10-week course is offered by 1000 Friends of Wisconsin to help bridge the gap between community members and decision-makers in transportation planning and provides participants with skills and knowledge to advocate for safe and accessible transportation solutions that work for everyone.
  • Register Now for the Spring Roll Challenge: The RoundTrip Spring Roll Challenge takes place every April in honor of Earth Month. This fun, free initiative encourages people who live and work in Dane County to swap solo drives for biking, riding the bus, walking, rolling, and carpooling more often—and celebrates those already choosing sustainable transportation year-round
  • Madison Madness Returns for Downtown Area Plan: The City of Madison Planning Division is bringing "Madison Madness" back as part of its efforts to collect community priorities and feedback for the Downtown Area Plan. [posted March 19, 2026]
  • Secure Drop Boxes Are Now Open: Madison's secure ballot drop boxes are now open for the April 7 election. [posted March 17, 2026]
  • Temporary Street Closure on Westbound North Shore Drive: Starting Monday, March 23, westbound North Shore Drive will close between John Nolen Drive and Bedford Street for reconstruction work as part of the John Nolen Drive reconstruction project. During this closure, no turns will be permitted from John… [posted March 17, 2026]
  • A New Version of LINKcat Will Go Live on April 17: LINKcat will be offline April 12-16 as new features are added and others are changed during a software migration. The new version of LINKcat will go live on Friday, April 17. [posted March 17, 2026]
  • MPD to host free spring break book fair for families on Monday, March 23: Madison, Wis. — The Madison Police Department's Community Outreach and Resource Education (CORE) team is inviting families and community members to attend a free book fair during spring break. The event is open to people of all ages and is designed… [posted March 16, 2026]

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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Portrait of Alder Sean O'Brien

Alder Sean O'Brien

District 16
Contact Alder O'Brien