Meetings and Updates Week of October 9th

Meetings and Updates Week of October 9th

• City Meetings
  • Finance Committee Operating Budget Meetings 10/9 & 10/10
  • Public Safety Review Committee 10/11
  • Transportation Commission 10/11
  • Board of Parks Commissioners 10/11
• Mayor Releases 2024 Executive Operating Budget Proposal
• Reminder: Get Updated COVID and Flu Shots
• MPD Public Records Presentation & Discussion 10/23
• WisDOT Wants Your Input (North Stoughton Road Study)
• Events & Announcements

City Meetings

Finance Committee Budget Meetings

The Finance Committee meets twice next week, on both Monday 10/9 and Tuesday 10/10. Monday’s Finance meeting will take place in virtual format at 4:30 PM and will include a discussion about a resolution funding the funding gap for the Madison Public Market, appointments of various City employees, and agency presentations of the 2024 Executive Operating Budget. Tuesday’s meeting will focus on the 2024 Executive Operating Budget.

• Monday’s Meeting Agenda
• Register for Public Comment
• Watch Online
• Tuesday’s Meeting Agenda
• Register for Public Comment
• Watch Online

Public Safety Review Committee  

The Public Safety Review Committee meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 11, 2023 in virtual format at 5:00 PM. Agenda items include Chief Barnes’ Quarterly Report, a report from the Madison Police Department that includes an update on the strategic plan and recent gun violence, and a report from the Madison Fire Department with an update on CAREs.

• Meeting Agenda
• Register for Public Comment
• Watch Online

Transportation Commission  

The Transportation Commission meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 11, 2023 in virtual format at 5:00 PM. Agenda items include transferring parking enforcement and supervision from the Madison Police Department to the Madison Department of Transportation’s Parking Division, review and feedback on the Harvey Street Sidewalk Extension project, and the Starkweather (old Voit Property) Plat project.

• Meeting Agenda
• Register for Public Comment
• Watch Online

Board of Park Commissioners

Board of Park Commissioners meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 11th, 2023 in virtual format at 6:30 PM. Agenda items include making appointments to Parks subcommittees, authorizing the purchase off 305 S. Bedford from Dane County for future assemblage with Brittingham Park, an informational presentation of the Parks portion of the 2024 Executive Operating Budget proposal, and a discussion of a series of 2024 Parks fees: Olbrich Botanical Gardens fees, Shelter fees, Watercraft fees, Violation Ranges, Disc Golf fees, Dog Park fees, Lake Access fees, Cross Country Ski Permit fees, Athletic fees, Aquatics fees, Forest Hill Cemetery fees, Golf fees, Special Event fees, Recreation Services fees, Warner Park Community Rec Center fees, and Day Camps in Parks permit fees. Each of these items and fee proposals are linked from the meeting agenda below.

• Meeting Agenda
• Send Comments
• Watch Online

Mayor Releases 2024 Executive Operating Budget

On Tuesday October 3rd, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway released her proposed 2024 Executive Operating Budget at the Madison Central Library. I wrote this recent blog post with more information about what’s in the proposed 2024 Executive Operating Budget. The budget’s next steps include agency presentations to the Finance Committee on Monday 10/9 and Tuesday 10/10; see the top of this post for information about those meeting including agendas and ways to follow along.

Get Updated COVID & Flu Shots

I’m writing this blog post on my fifth day testing positive for COVID. It hasn’t been a fun week. I’m sharing in the hopes that it reminds all you to schedule or ask your doctor about your seasonal flu vaccine and next COVID booster vaccine!

Respiratory season is here and getting your shots is the best way to stay healthy. The updated COVID vaccines were created to more closely target currently circulating strains. Vaccines are one of our best tools to avoid ending up in a hospital or worse with severe illness. If you’re uninsured or your plan doesn’t cover vaccines, come get your updated COVID and flu shots at a Public Health vaccine clinic. If you have health insurance, most plans will cover COVID vaccines at no cost to you, as long as it is given at a pharmacy or healthcare provider who is in your network.

You can also order a new round of free at-home COVID tests on COVIDTests.gov.

Madison Police Department- Public Records Presentation and Discussion

Monday, October 23rd, 5:30pm-7:00pm at Madison Public Library, Goodman South Madison, 2222 S Park Street

MPD public records release wait times have gotten a lot of attention over the last few months. At my request, MPD records custodian Julie Laundrie gave me a tour of the records-processing area at the City County Building and showed me how their paper-driven and staff-intensive records release process that makes it hard to keep up with the huge volume of public records requests MPD receives. I also learned about MPD's plans to move to a less paper-driven process to manage requests. I highly recommend that folks interested in this topic attend this meeting on 10/23 to hear Julie speak and ask her any questions. From MPD:
"There will be a presentation on law enforcement public records and the laws that govern their release. Additional presentation on what to expect when you make a public records request from the Madison Police Department. There will be time for discussion and questions. Former Town of Madison residents encouraged to attend. Presentation and Q&A from: Julie Laundrie, Madison Police Department Public Records Custodian."

WisDOT Wants Your Input (North Stoughton Road Corridor Study)

Links to their study on North Stoughton Road Corridor(by language; available through October 27)

• English
• Spanish
• Hmong

Events & Announcements

• East Side Farmers' Market, Tuesday, October 10, 2023: The Eastside Farmers' Market is Madison Wisconsin’s finest weekday farmers' market. Our goal is to bring the freshest Wisconsin grown food direct to the heart of the East side. Our vendor members are agricultural producers and food artisans who make value added products from Wisconsin's agricultural bounty.
• Understand & Maintain Your Furnace, Tuesday, October 10, 2023: Learn about what you can do to help maintain your heating system and what to ask for when your furnace is serviced by a heating professional. Plus we will have our training furnace on hand to review the components of a forced air furnace. And as always, bring your questions! Sponsored by MG & E. For more information or questions about this event contact Project Home at (608)246-3737 or contact them by filling us this form at https://www.projecthomewi.org/about/contact.html . You can also visit their website to learn more about the agency at: https://www.projecthomewi.org/ Be sure to re-confirm date and time of this workshop with agency.
• The Capitol View Farmers’ Market, Wednesday, October 11, 2023: The Capitol View Farmers Market is returning to the North Star Neighborhood! Join us each Wednesday (May 31-October 11, 2023) from 3:00-7:00pm to support local farmers and vendors, enjoy live music and food carts, and make the most of summer in Madison!
• Conservation Park Tour | Sandburg Woods, Wednesday, October 11, 2023: This 30-acre tract is extremely valuable to resident wildlife and migratory birds.  Renewed management efforts aim to restore and maintain herbaceous plant species while guiding forest succession. Meet at the Sandburg Park sign, 3151 Sunbrook Road (east of Sandburg Elementary School).
• HUD-Approved Homebuyer Education "Your Path to Homeownership" Three Part Hybrid Class) 2 of 3 (Oct. 5, 12, and 19), Thursday, October 12, 2023: Your Path to Homeownership is provided by La Casa de Esperanza, a Non-Profit HUD Approved Housing Counseling Agency dedicated to assisting individuals and families to increase income, build savings and gain assets. Our focus on financial wellness is supported by the Center’s programs and services which include; home buyer education and counseling, free tax services, employment coaching, financial coaching and access to financial workshops. Our people-centered approach supports our belief that everyone deserves an opportunity to work on their financial wellness.
• Acewood Conservation Volunteer Workday, Saturday, October 14, 2023: Madison Parks is seeking volunteers in conservation to assist in removing invasive buckthorn in Acewood Conservation Park. Participants will learn invasive plant identification and removal methods, as well as park history. Gloves and shovels will be provided, or bring your own. Bring water and wear closed-toe shoes. No restrooms onsite.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Owen, Saturday, October 14, 2023: Insect Superpowers with Marjorie Rhine ~ Join Master Naturalist Marjorie Rhine for a free guided walk or take a healthy nature walk on your own any day in October to look for and learn about fascinating insects you see on plants along the trails. Discover how insects play starring roles in samurai helmet design and Japanese art, textiles, haiku and anime (Japanese animation). Explore the superpowers of insects all around us on an insect safari. Learn about the special way dragonflies see, how honeybees communicate, how insects are crucial to our food supply and much more!
• Mayor Rhodes-Conway Remarks on Retirement of County Executive Joe Parisi: I want to thank County Executive Joe Parisi for his many decades of public service. From his years as an aide in the State Capitol, to his tenure as County Clerk, to his many years of service as County Executive, Joe has stayed true to his progressive values and love of community.
• Statement of Mayor Rhodes-Conway and Madison Alders on Proposed State Legislation Attacking Trans Youth: Madison is, and has been for a long time, a welcoming and supportive place for the LGBTQ+ community. In 1975 Madison became the first place in Wisconsin, and one of the earliest in the country, to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation. The City also created the State’s first domestic partnership registry in 1990 and became the first place in Wisconsin to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. More recently, the Common Council voted to declare Madison a sanctuary for trans- and non-binary individuals.
• Fall Leaves and Yard Waste Collection Begins Week of October 8, 2023: The Streets Division’s fall yard waste and leaves collection begins the week of October 8, 2023. All residents will receive three collection opportunities this fall, weather permitting.