Honoring the Life and Legacy of Former District 17 Alder Joe Clausius

Honoring the Life and Legacy of Former Alder Joe Clausius

I want to take a moment to honor former Alder Joe Clausius, who passed away earlier this month. Joe served District 17 on the Madison Common Council from 2007 to 2015, and even after leaving office, he stayed involved and committed to making Madison better.

Though I didn’t know Joe long, I appreciated the conversations we did share. He helped me to understand the history of the district and was supportive of my serving as alder for the district—something that meant a lot to me. He genuinely cared about the residents across District 17, and you could see that in everything he worked on, from parks and neighborhood improvements to economic development on the east side.

One thing I’ll always remember and appreciate is how much Joe believed in the Imagination Center. He was the first Alder to push for the early planning of this project, and now, it's finally being built. I hope he knew that his efforts planted seeds that are now growing into something truly special for our community.

At tomorrow’s Common Council meeting,  I’ll be reading a resolution honoring Joe and his many contributions. I’ll also read it again at his upcoming memorial service. If you knew Joe or were impacted by his work, I invite you to send me a note or register to speak to the resolution during the Council meeting. Your voice and reflections are welcome.

• Meeting details

• Register for public comment (agenda item 3)

   

With gratitude,
Alder Sabrina Madison
District 17 

Resolution text: 

Title Honoring and Celebrating the Life and Work of Former-Alder Joe Clausius

WHEREAS, former-Alder Joe Clausius passed away on June 1, 2025, at the age of 78; and,

WHEREAS, former-Alder Clausius studied political science at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, before becoming a lobbyist and underwriter at American Family Insurance until his retirement in 2004; and,

WHEREAS, after retirement, he decided to serve as an alder in District 17 - first being elected to the Madison Common Council on April 3, 2007, and serving until 2015; and,

WHEREAS, during his tenure, former-Alder Clausius served on the Affirmative Action Commission, Board of Estimates, Board of Park Commissioners, Central Park Design and Implementation Task Force, Committee on Employee Relations, Garver Feed Mill Criteria and Selection Committee, Long Range Planning Subcommittee, Madison Parks Foundation Board, Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) Task Force and the South Capitol District Planning Committee; and,

WHEREAS, former-Alder Clausius worked on District 17 issues related to economic development and job creation with the construction of 2 new hospitals; UW East Hospital and the Madison Rehabilitation Hospital, the opening of Wilde East Towne Honda, Madison's first minority owned new car dealership, and bringing the Hy-Vee Grocery Store to the east side, turning a blighted area on East Washington Avenue into a neighborhood shopping and gathering place; and,

WHEREAS, former-Alder Clausius supported several rebuilding and improvements on the east side for residents convenience and safety; resolving water quality issues at both Well 15 and Well 29, constructing the East Towne traffic roundabout and improving north Lien Road, installing permanent electronic speed boards at both Sandburg and Hawthorne School crossings, and the creation of the Bartillon Drive extension to Madison College and the airport; and,

WHEREAS, former-Alder Clausius fully supported the construction of the new splash pad at Reindahl Park for east side residents (and his 9 grandchildren) and worked to establish the Madison Parks Foundation to preserve the City's outstanding parks system for future generations; and,

WHEREAS, since leaving the Common Council, former-Alder Clausius continued to be involved with the City of Madison, as he served on the Board of Public Works from 2017 until his passing; and,

WHEREAS, he also was the Vice Chair of Madison Parks Foundation and was a supporter of the Reindahl Park Splash Pad, Warner Park Community Recreation Center, Madison Skateboarding Park, and Imagination Center at Reindahl Park; and,

WHEREAS, his dedication to his community could further be seen through his involvement as the Vice President of the Clarendon Hills Homeowners Association, a volunteer coordinator for the Madison Concerts on the Square, and a member of the Dane County Youth Commission; and,

WHEREAS, prior to serving Madison, former-Alder Clausius also served for eight years as a City of Sun Prairie alder, laying the foundation for his lifelong public service; and,

WHEREAS, he had a strong sense of community involvement, often saying: “being active in your community is not only rewarding but also an obligation;” and,

WHEREAS, former-Alder Clausius was known as a generous mentor to fellow council members, always willing to offer guidance and support to those entering public service; and,

WHEREAS, former-Alder Clausius worked to make his community a better and safer place for all and reliably did this work with a joyful energy and grateful heart; and,

WHEREAS, former-Alder Joe Clausius, through his hard work and dedication, faithfully and with honor served the City of Madison;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and Madison Common Council honor and celebrate the life and work of former-Alder Joe Clausius.