Common Council

Updates March 2, 2020

1. 10 days away! Pinney Library Grand Opening |

2. Thursday: Alcohol license info session for an upcoming Grandview Commons coffee shop |

3. Rolling Meadows Neighborhood Association Meeting: MSCR and Parks programming for all ages |

4. Community input requested for City of Madison golf courses |

5. Two options for a new off-leash dog park |

6. Update: Dogs on-leash policies in city parks |

7. Prescribed burns planned at Broad Creek Blvd Greenway and Harrington Drive Pond |

8. Provide feedback to proposed Metro Route 32 changes |

9. The Dane County Census starts in March and many workers are still needed |

10. City meetings schedule |

1. 10 Days Away! Pinney Library Grand Opening

Save the date and celebrate the long-awaited new Pinney Library.

Join Library and City officials on Thursday, March 12 at 11 am for an official ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by the opening of the public library for its first day of service; celebrate with cake, coffee and tours of the new space. 

Drop in for a full weekend of events on Grand Opening Weekend, March 14-15. During Grand Opening Weekend, visitors can take tours of the new spaces, try out new technology, learn about art installations at the new library, hear performances by local musicians, share memories of Pinney Library and the surrounding neighborhoods, and create their own one-of-a-kind souvenir. 

Sign up for Pinney email updates

2. Alcohol license info session for an upcoming Grandview Commons coffee shop

Twisted Grounds, a cafe planning to open in April 2020 at 6067 Gemini Drive, has applied for an alcohol license that would allow them to serve beer and wine. 

You are invited to attend an informational session about their alcohol license application on Thursday, March 5, at the future location, 6067 Gemini Drive.

Twisted Grounds Alcohol License Informational Meeting
Thursday, March 5, 12-1 pm
6067 Gemini Drive
Madison, WI  53718

If you are unable to attend, you can email me with your thoughts and input or consider attending the March 18 Alcohol Licensing Review Committee meeting where they will consider Twisted Ground's application.

3. March 12 Rolling Meadows Neighborhood Association Meeting: MSCR and Parks
 

Rolling Meadows Neighborhood Association Meeting
Thursday, March 12, 2020, 7--8 pm
New Beginnings/Victory Hmong Alliance Church
602 Acewood Blvd
Special guests: Madison School & Community Recreation and City of Madison Parks Division

You don't want to miss this meeting. Featuring door prize drawings, a free week of camp, and MSCR goodies!

You'll hear about summer programming provided by MSCR & the City of Madison Parks Division, including:

• Art Cart
• Fit 2 Go
• Preschool, middle school and high school summer camps
• Movies in the Park
• Mobile Madison

See you there.

4. Community input requested for City of Madison golf courses
 

The City of Madison has a unique opportunity to evaluate both the golf and non-golf uses for its four golf courses through the work of the Task Force on Municipal Golf in Madison Parks. Madison Parks is hosting two meetings and offering an online survey to gather public input. At the meetings, staff will provide an overview, as well as the work completed to-date, including potential course closure scenarios. 

The survey is open February 28 - March 31, 2020.

Take the online survey.

Meeting 1
Thursday, March 5, 2020
6 – 7:30 pm
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Evjue Commons
3330 Atwood Avenue, 53704

Meeting 2
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
6 – 7:30 pm
Goodman Maintenance Facility
1402 Wingra Creek Parkway, 53715

Contact
Madison Parks (608) 266-4711 parks@cityofmadison.com

5. Two new off-leash dog park options 

The City of Madison is seeking public input on the location of a future off-leash dog exercise area on the city's east side. Two potential locations are under consideration, one will be selected:

• Option 1 OB Sherry Park PDF 

• Option 2 Eastmorland Park PDF 

A public meeting will be held at the below time and location where city staff will present the proposed options and seek input.

Thursday, March 19, 2020, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Commons Room, 3330 Atwood Ave.

If you are unable to attend and would like to comment on the proposed options, please contact Mike Sturm at (608) 267-4921 or msturm@cityofmadison.com. More info here.

6. Update: Dogs on-leash policies in city parks

As reported earlier, the Board of Park Commissioners has endorsed a proposed ordinance change and new policies that will allow on-leash dogs in most city parks. Under the new policies, dogs will not be allowed on or near playgrounds, athletic fields when activities are occurring, conservation parks, and in several other locations/circumstances. The proposed policies as currently written can be found here.

The proposed policies and ordinance have been updated over the past weeks and more tweaks could be proposed, but the changes are now expected to be considered by the Common Council at our March 3 meeting. 

7. Prescribed burns planned at Broad Creek Blvd Greenway and Harrington Drive Pond

The City of Madison Parks Division and Engineering Division will be conducting prescribed burns on areas of existing native vegetation. Prescribed burns are an important management tool for Wisconsin's native plant communities. Prescribed burns are the intentional use of fire, under specific environmental conditions, to manage and suppress invasive vegetation, and promote native vegetation.

Prescribed burns happening in our area include Broad Creek Boulevard Greenway and Harrington Drive Pond.

Further details can be found on the 2020 Prescribed Burns website.

8. Provide feedback to proposed Metro Route 32 changes

On Wednesday, March 11, Metro Transit and the City of Madison Transportation Commission will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. to discuss potential service updates proposed to go into effect in August.

Route 32 - Move service from Acewood Blvd. to Dempsey Rd.

Staff propose shifting service from Acewood Blvd., where there is low ridership, to Dempsey Rd. between Milwaukee and Cottage Grove Rd. 

Proposed route would also operate consistent, counter-clockwise service all day. Currently Route 39 reverses directions at different times in service.

Give Feedback

Interested persons are encouraged to attend the public hearing to give feedback. Consideration will be given to views and comments expressed at the public hearing as well as to all written comments received.

Submit Comments

• Fill Out Feedback Form

• Call: (608) 266-4466

• Email: mymetrobus@cityofmadison.com

Written comments can also be sent to: Metro Transit Public Hearing Comments, 1245 E. Washington Ave., Suite 201, Madison WI 53703.

9. The Dane County Census starts in March and many workers are still needed

The census is a count of all people living in the United States mandated by the constitution to occur every ten years. Distribution of $675 billion of annual federal funding is tied to data gathered in the census. That means that every person not counted could lead to a loss of $2,000 per year for critical services and infrastructure. Madison needs a complete and accurate count of everyone living in the city in order to receive our fair share of federal funding. Responses to the census are confidential, and the questionnaire will not ask about citizenship or immigration status. Find out more at 2020census.gov or cityofmadison.com/2020Census.

One of the critical parts of ensuring a complete count in the Madison area is having enough Census Bureau workers and having those workers be representative of the community where they are working. Carrying out the 2020 Census is a massive undertaking – 500,000 people must be hired nationwide. The tight labor market in Madison and Dane County has meant that the Census Bureau has lagged here – only about 46% of the needed workers have been hired.  These temporary part- or full-time jobs start at $22/hour, with flexible hours and paid training. Anyone who's 18 or older and has documentation to work in the United States can apply at 2020census.gov/jobs. 

10. City meetings schedule
 

City weekly meeting schedule

The Mayor's meeting schedule

The County weekly meeting schedule

District Reports