Common Council

Updates October 12, 2020

1. New 25 mph speed limit on Milwaukee Street |

2. Cottage Grove Road (I39 to Sprecher) work nearing completion

3. Voter registration online and by mail ends on Wednesday |

4. Leaf and yard waste collection begins this week |

5. City budget process continues |

6. Halloween information |

7. Prescribed burns at Broad Creek Blvd Greenway this fall |

8. Meeting highlights week of October 12, 2020 |

9. Other updates |

10.  Walk-tober Promotes Health, Safety and Fun |

11. COVID-19 updates and resources |

12. Safe voting and more on the Madison Votes podcast |

13. City meetings schedule |

Speed limit lowered on Milwaukee Street

Starting today, the posted speed limit on Milwaukee Street from just east of Fair Oaks Avenue to Thompson Drive changed from 35 mph to 25 mph to promote safety. Similar to the recent East Washington changes, digital signboards are temporarily placed in the area to remind drivers of the speed limit changes.

In the last 5 years there have been 9 people seriously injured in traffic crashes on Milwaukee Street. Two of the people seriously injured were walking across Milwaukee Street. Lowering the speed that people are driving is a key factor in changing the severity of the outcome of a crash.

Cottage Grove Road (I39 to Sprecher) work nearing completion

According to the most recent update, work is nearing completion and the traffic signal is expected to be activated before the end of October. 

Voter registration online and by mail ends on Wednesday

This Wednesday, Oct. 14, is the final day to register to vote online or by mail prior to the Nov. 3 Presidential Election.

The City of Madison Clerk's Office encourages voters to check their registration at myvote.wi.gov . Anyone who has moved – even to a new apartment in the same building – will need to update their voter registration.

Voter registration is available at all absentee voting sites through the Friday before Election Day (Oct. 30) and at the polls on Election Day. 

Leaf and yard waste collection begins this week

For the fall of 2020, all neighborhoods of Madison have assigned days when they should set leaves and yard waste out for curbside collection. 

The leaves and yard waste collection schedule available at www.cityofmadison.com/yardwaste.

Enter your address into the form provided to learn the dates when you should set out leaves and yard waste for pickup.

City budget process continues

The mayor introduced her 2021 Operating Budget on October 6, and the Finance Committee will vote on amendments on October 26. Both the Capital Budget and the Operating Budget will be discussed and voted on by the full Common Council on November 10 and 11. 

While the operating budget largely includes reductions and cuts across most units, one crucial investment proposed is the Violence Prevention Unit within Public Health Madison and Dane County. 

The below graphic explains the key differences between the Capital and Operating Budgets. 

Halloween information

Public Health guidance for Halloween and other information:

• Public Health Madison & Dane County Halloween Tips

• Wisconsin Department of Health Services: Halloween

Prescribed burns at Broad Creek Blvd Greenway this fall

The City of Madison Parks Division and Engineering Division will be conducting prescribed burns on areas of existing native vegetation on Broad Creek Boulevard greenway. Prescribed burns are an important management tool for Wisconsin's native plant communities. Typically these burns occur in the spring, however given uncertain conditions surrounding the pandemic this past spring, most burns were not completed as planned. The timeline for these burns to occur is between October 19 and November 30. Fall weather is difficult to predict, so burns may not occur at all if correct weather conditions do not arise.

Meeting highlights week of October 12, 2020

The Finance Committee will be discussing the 2021 Executive Operating Budget.

Tuesday Meeting

Meeting details

Meeting agenda

Watch online

Golf program update at Board of Park Commissioners

At its Wednesday meeting, the Board of Park Commissioners will receive an update on the city golf program. 

Meeting details

Meeting agenda

Watch online

Give input on Metro Transit service

The Transportation Commission is hosting a public hearing on current Metro Transit service at its meeting on Tuesday.

Meeting details

Meeting agenda

Watch online

Discussion on evictions during COVID-19

At its meeting on Thursday, the Landlord & Tenant Issues Committee will be discussing possible ways to respond to evictions under state law. 

Meeting details

Meeting agenda

Register for public comment

Other updates

• Madison Public Library offers virtual learning assistance for parents and children

• Drive-thru flu clinic for people without insurance

• Council Confirms Police Civilian Oversight Board Members

• Public Health Madison & Dane County Statement on Statewide Public Health Orders to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19, October 7

Walk-tober Promotes Health, Safety and Fun

The City of Madison is promoting a new event, Walk-tober, to motivate people to get out and walk for transportation and for health during the month of October. 

"Walk-tober is meant to celebrate walking and encourage people to get out," said Pedestrian Bicycle Administrator Renee Callaway. "The event also intends to increase awareness of the value of walking to our residents, visitors, neighborhoods and city both as transportation and as recreation."

This new month-long event, Walk-tober, offers a handful of planned and independent opportunities:

• new walking route ideas each week

• a walking challenge

• a reading list

• a school challenge

• activities you can do on your own or with your own household

Visit Walk-tober for all the details.

COVID-19 updates and resources

• Madison COVID-related news and service updates, Español: COVID-19 and Hmoob: COVID-19

• Public Health Madison and Dane County COVID data and orders

• Dealing with job loss

• Childcare, food, jobs, housing and low-cost internet access 

• Community-aggregated COVID resources

• From the City's Economic Development Division: Business & Non-profit Information Covid-19, including Streatery Program

• WI Dept. of Health Services Cases by Neighborhood (Census Tract)

Safe voting and more on the Madison Votes podcast

If you want to learn more about elections, you can now listen to tips about voting in the city of Madison.

Search for "Madison Votes" on the iTunes podcast app and in Google podcasts. You'll be able to find episodes about what precautions the City Clerk's Office is taking at the polls on Election Day and hear about the life of a ballot. If you want to know more about how to register to vote or how to request an absentee ballot, this podcast series is for you, too! There's something available for every city of Madison voter. Listen here.

Also from the City Clerk's Office, find answers to your top 10 voter ID questions.

City meetings schedule

City weekly meeting schedule

The Mayor's meeting schedule

The County weekly meeting schedule