Follow Imagination Center updates, Madison Fire would like your input, Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of April 27, 2026 and new business summaries

Imagination Center at Reindhal Park

• Visit the project's Flickr album to view progress photos during construction along with the live construction site camera. 
• Subscribe to the Imagination Center Newsletter. 

Madison Fire Seeks Community Input During Hiring Process

The Madison Fire Department is hiring its next class of Firefighter/EMT recruits, and community involvement is an important part of the process!

The department is seeking community members to be a part of interview panels during its 2026 Firefighter/EMT Combined Oral Board process. Community members serve alongside active MFD members to ask interview questions and provide feedback to hiring authorities. 

These Combined Oral Board interviews will take place the week of July 6 at the Protective Services Building of Madison College (1701 Pearson Street). The daily time commitment will be 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The number of days will depend on the number of candidates who advance to this stage of the hiring process. 

All panelists will attend interview bias training the morning of Monday, July 6 before the process begins.

Interested community members should submit an email of interest to Division Chief of Hiring & Promotions David Crossen at dcrossen@cityofmadison.com.

This is a chance to be a part of a very important step in selecting next class of Firefighter/EMTs serving our community!

Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of April 27, 2026

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.

• Finance Committee: The Finance Committee meeting will take place on Monday, April 27, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include authorizing a contract between the University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department and the City of Madison Fire Department for lake rescue and emergency medical services support.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Plan Commission: The Plan Commission meeting will take place on Monday, April 27, at 5:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include development-related requests in Districts 1, 3, 9, 13, 14, and 15.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online

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 Information Meeting - Eastmorland Park, Thursday, April 30: At this meeting City staff will present revised playground equipment options from manufacturers and seek input from the neighborhood. Attend the meeting to let City staff know which options you like best.
• Public Input Meeting - Odana Hills Golf Course and Park, Thursday, April 30: The City of Madison Parks Division is excited to announce a new partnership with Michael and Jocelyn Keiser and the Madison Parks Foundation. Through the Keisers' philanthropic vision and generous donation, there is an opportunity to reimagine, redesign and reconstruct Odana Hills Golf Course. As part of the planning process, the community is invited to provide input.

Announcements and News Releases

• Street Closures for Mifflin Street Block Party: Multiple downtown streets will be closed on Saturday, April 25th, for the Mifflin Street Block Party. This is an unpermitted event, and the Madison Police Department will be closing some streets to ensure the safety of those attending. [posted April 23, 2026]
• Street Closures for Crazylegs: Many downtown streets will be closed on Saturday morning, April 25th, for the University of Wisconsin's 44th Annual Crazylegs Classic run/walk. Street closures will begin at 9:45 am with race start times staggered to accommodate the walk… [posted April 23, 2026]
• Safety plans in place for Mifflin Street Block Party: MADISON, Wis. – Multiple city agencies are working together ahead of this year's Mifflin Street Block Party. Around 10,000 people are expected to attend the annual celebration. Building Inspection building inspectors started checking the area in… [posted April 23, 2026]
• Food Scraps Recycling Drop-off Returns to Madison Eastside Farmers' Market on Tuesday, April 28, 2026: Free food scraps recycling drop-off returns to the Madison Eastside Farmers' Market for the 2026 season! The first date food scraps will be accepted is Tuesday, April 28, 2026.Look for the free food scraps drop-off to drop off your coffee… [posted April 22, 2026]
• The Recycle Better Class Returns for 2026: The City of Madison Streets Division has partnered again with Sustain Dane to offer the Recycle Better class. The first class begins on May 6, 2026.By taking the recycling workshop, you can help your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers learn… [posted April 22, 2026]
• MPD hosting series of community conversations on public safety: MADISON, Wis. — The Madison Police Department is hosting a series of town hall meetings in every patrol district across the city. The goal is to directly connect community members with the officers and commanders who serve their neighborhood. [posted April 21, 2026]
• Alder Sabrina Madison and Alder Carmella Glenn Will Serve as New Council Leadership: Today, the Madison Common Council smoothly transitioned to new leadership with a single nomination for both President and Vice President. Outgoing President Alder Regina Vidaver nominated Alder Sabrina Madison from District 17 for President, and… [posted April 21, 2026]
• Earth Day Events This Weekend: This weekend join Madison Parks in celebrating Earth Day across the city. [posted April 21, 2026]
• Public Memorandum and Press Statement: Formal Response to Documented Misinformation, Continued Opposition to Proposed Ordinance Amendments to MGO 5.19 and 5.20 and Formal Notice of Active Violations of MGO 5.19(6)(b). [posted April 21, 2026]
• Full Closure of South Broom Street Starting on April 23: North Shore Drive will fully reopen by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, April 22.  The following morning, Thursday, April 23 at 5:00 am, South Broom Street will fully close between W Wilson Street and John Nolen Drive.  [posted April 21, 2026]
• Common Council Welcomes New Members Committed to Serving Madison's Future: On Tuesday, April 21, the Madison Common Council is excited to welcome two new alders: District 8 Alder-Elect Ellen Zhang and District 14 Alder-Elect Noah Lieberman! Both successfully won their campaigns in the spring election on April 7, 2026. [posted April 20, 2026]
• Public Art Installations continue at Madison Public Market: When these installations are complete, the Madison Public Market will showcase a vibrant collection of public art that reflect the diverse voices, histories, and cultures of the Madison community. [posted April 20, 2026]
• City-Wide WE READ Youth Voices Writing Contest Returns May 1 [posted April 20, 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

• An Evening with SPD, Tuesday, April 28, 2026: Meet the officers serving the south side of Madison during this town hall discussion. South District Captain Harrison Zanders and Madison Police Chief John Patterson will be available to answer questions and address community concerns about public safety.
• Virtual Open House | District 15 Parks, Wednesday, April 29: Madison Parks is holding a series of virtual public input sessions for the Southeast Park Development Plan process coinciding with the City Planning Division's Southeast Area Plan. The meetings will include an overview of the planning effort's goals, a review of the neighborhood parks included, and an opportunity for area residents and park visitors to share their thoughts on future park improvements. The engagement sessions are organized by alder district, and the second series of meetings will focus on the neighborhood parks in District 15.
• MPD Presentation: Demonstrations and Assemblies, Wednesday, April 29: 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 the department's nationally recognized philosophy for policing large events, crowds and protests.
• Envision Downtown Madison Public Open House, Thursday, April 30: Envision Downtown Madison is a strategic partnership between the City of Madison and Downtown Madison, Inc. that will guide the future of Downtown through two documents – the new Greater Downtown Economic Investment Strategy and the City's update to the Downtown Area Plan. Join Envision Downtown Madison on April 30th between 5:00 and 7:30pm at the Madison Municipal Building to discuss the draft Shared Vision and Big Moves for the Envision Downtown Madison joint planning effort. Registration prior to attending is requested.
• Great Strides Madison, Saturday, May 2: Join Great Strides Madison for a day of celebration, community and fun! Bring hope and joy to those affected by CF and work towards a future where everyone can breathe easier.

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

Common Council New Business Summaries – April 21, 2026

Common Council New Business Summaries

Common Council New Business Summaries are short descriptions of items introduced at the most recent Common Council meeting. They come from the “Introduction of New Business for Referral Without Debate" section of the agenda, as well as any items introduced from the floor. This document should help readers identify items they are interested in as they make their way through City Boards, Commissions, and Committees (BCCs) and back to the Common Council for a decision.

Visit the registration page to register to speak on an item important to you. You may also register in support or opposition to the item. Instructions for registering are at the bottom of the page.

Items Introduced at the April 21, 2026, Common Council Meeting

Click on the file number hyperlink of the item you are interested in for more information about the item, including sponsors, action details, and the full item description. The sponsors are who are bringing the item to the Common Council. Action details provide information about the BCCs the item has gone to and the decisions that have been made. The full item description goes into further detail about the item.

Ordinances:

Ordinances are the laws for the City of Madison. Items in this section are newly proposed ordinances or changes that are being put forward.

92726 – This proposed ordinance would amend the Madison General Ordinances to create the Public Works Director position, retitle the head of the Streets Division as the Streets Division Manager, and make other changes consistent with these actions. This proposed ordinance will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Board of Public Works (4/22/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

92755 – This proposed ordinance would amend the Specific Implementation Plan for property located at 5817 Halley Way in District 3 to construct a five-story, 97-unit multi-family dwelling unit with outdoor recreation. This proposed ordinance will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Plan Commission (Public Hearing - 5/11/26)
• Common Council (5/19/26)

92756 – This proposed ordinance would rezone property located at 7901-7913 East Buckeye Road and 7102-7270 Maahic Way in District 16 and approve an amended General Development Plan and a Specific Implementation Plan for Dane County's Rodefeld Landfill to relocate and expand space for materials recycling. This proposed ordinance will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Plan Commission (Public Hearing - 5/11/26)
• Common Council (5/19/26)

Resolutions

Resolutions are individual matters, such as the approval of contracts or the setting of internal City policy, among other types of items. Items in this section are newly proposed resolutions.

92387 – This proposed resolution would approve the second revised preliminary plat of Hill Valley on property generally addressed as 1050 S High Point Road, 1051 S Pleasant View Road, and 902 Landmark Trail in District 1. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Plan Commission (4/27/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

92388 – This proposed resolution would approve the revised final plat of First Addition to Hill Valley on land generally addressed as 1051 S Pleasant View Road and 1050 S High Point Road in District 1. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Plan Commission (4/27/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

92398 – This proposed resolution would approve a Certified Survey Map of property owned by the City of Madison and located at 802-818 W Badger Road in District 14. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Common Council (5/5/26)

92475 – This proposed resolution would amend the Police Department's 2026 Adopted Operating Budget and authorize the application and if awarded, the acceptance of a FY2025 USDOJ Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant for $88,319. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Finance Committee (4/27/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

92578 – This proposed resolution would authorize the purchase of goods from Action Target for the Madison Police Department indoor shooting range located at 5702 Femrite Drive in District 16. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Finance Committee (4/27/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

92598 – This proposed resolution would amend the Madison Police Department's 2026 Adopted Operating Budget and accept a Wisconsin Violence Prevention Program grant award in the amount of $59,650 for an eight-month Gun Violence Reduction Initiative. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Finance Committee (4/27/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

92602 – This proposed resolution would approve a Certified Survey Map of property owned by OM Land, LLC located at 1910 Roth Street and 1201 Huxley Street in District 12. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Plan Commission (6/1/26)
• Common Council (6/9/26)

92609 – This proposed resolution would authorize the recreation of position 4582 into two new Library Assistant positions, as well as authorize the conversion of a part-time position into a full-time Library Clerk 1 position at Sequoya Library. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Finance Committee (4/27/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

92719 – This proposed resolution would authorize the City's execution of a lease for a 36-month term beginning June 1, 2026, between the City of Madison and Oakleaf Properties I LLC for the property at 2041 S Stoughton Rd in District 16 for Clerks Office storage. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Finance Committee (4/27/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

92734 – This proposed resolution would authorize the appointment of City employees to the condo associations for the State Street Campus Garage development and the Madison Public Market. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Finance Committee (4/27/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

92736 – This proposed resolution would authorize a purchase of 3M Scott cylinders for self-contained breathing apparatuses used by the Madison Fire Department. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Finance Committee (4/27/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

92743 – This proposed resolution would create new or modify existing classifications for position placement in the Streets Division operating budget. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Finance Committee (4/27/26)
• Personnel Board (4/22/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

92747 – This proposed resolution would authorize recreating the vacant position of a 1.0 FTE Administrative Assistant in Compensation Group 20, Range 14 to a 1.0 FTE IT Specialist 1 in Compensation Group 18, Range 6 within the Madison Police Department. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Finance Committee (4/27/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

92748 – This proposed resolution would amend the 2026 Water Utility Capital budget to include $1,635,000 of additional budget authority to the Unit Well 12 Reconstruction project in District 11. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Finance Committee (4/27/25)
• Water Utility Board (4/28/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

92754 – This proposed resolution would create a new classification series of Program Specialist 1-2 in CG 18, Range 10 and 12 respectively, delete position #892 of EO Investigator 3 and recreate it into the new classification of Program Specialist 2 in CG 18, Range 12, and reallocate the employee. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Finance Committee (4/27/26)
• Personnel Board (4/22/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

92760 – This proposed resolution would authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to enter into a contract for with KL Engineering to provide professional engineering and landscape architecture consultant design services and construction administrative services for the Warner Park Southeast Recreation Area Improvements. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Board of Public Works (4/22/26)
• Finance Committee (4/27/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

92761 – This proposed resolution would authorize an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Madison and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department for lake rescue and emergency medical services support. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Finance Committee (4/27/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

92762 – This proposed resolution would approve an agreement between the City of Madison and the Madison Area Technical College that specifies the parameters under which MATC administers their Emergency Medical Services Program for City of Madison Fire Department's Emergency Medical Services Division students, which includes Firefighter-EMT recruits and Firefighter-Paramedic students. This proposed resolution will go to the following BCCs on the following dates:

• Finance Committee (4/27/26)
• Common Council (5/5/26)

Providing Public Comment on Items:

You can register to speak at a BCC meeting on issues and agenda items important to you. You can also register in support or opposition to the item without speaking.

1. Go to the meeting registration page.
2. In the “Meeting" drop down select the BCC that you want to register for.
   1. Important Note: You can only register if the BCC has posted its agenda.  This is usually a few days ahead of the meeting.
3. Choose the agenda number that matches the item you are interested in.
4. Choose to register support or oppose the agenda item, if you would like to speak, if you are representing an organization or another person, and provide your contact information.

You can request interpretation, translation, and accommodations for any committee meeting. To do this, go to the meeting schedule page and select the BCC you are interested in. In that page there will be an “Interpretation & Accommodations" header with directions for that meeting.

If you would like to provide written public comment on an item to your alder, find your alder here. If you would like to send your feedback on the item to all alders, write to allalders@cityofmadison.com.