Updates December 14, 2020

1. Providing shelter to homeless families and tomorrow's virtual meeting |

2. Financial Navigators hotline for COVID-19 related concerns |

3. Madison Metropolitan School District Reopening Conversation |

4. Public feedback on Police Chief Search at Monday's Police and Fire Commission meeting |

5. Additional meeting highlights this week |

6. Where to get info on winter streets, parking, and snow |

7. Additional meeting highlights this week |

8. Winter activities in Madison parks |

9. Madison Metro updates |

10. Supporting greater Madison's recovery across music, equity, and economic development |

11. Free drive through flu clinic continues until December 19 |

12. City Engineering's newest podcast episode highlights Fleet's new building |

13. COVID-19 updates and resources |

14. City meetings schedule |

Providing temporary shelter to homeless families and tomorrow's virtual meeting

Tomorrow's virtual meeting: Hear from City Staff and the Salvation Army about providing temporary shelter to homeless families at the former Karmenta nursing home facility at 4502 Milwaukee Street

As the winter approaches, the Salvation Army is seeing increased numbers of families experiencing homelessness and is in need of high-quality shelter. Families were moved from the East Washington Ave Salvation Army facility to hotel rooms last spring to allow for social distancing, using CARES Act funding. The current facility was then reconfigured to continue to provide shelter to single women. Improvements to and expansion of the East Washington Ave facility were approved last year by the Plan Commission and will be underway soon. For all of these reasons, an interim location is needed for homeless families. 

A virtual neighborhood meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 15 at 6 pm, to hear from city staff and the Salvation Army about a proposal to temporarily site a family shelter at 4502 Milwaukee Street. You can join the virtual meeting using your computer, smartphone or tablet. 

You will receive login information after registering.

You can also join the meeting via telephone by calling 877-853-5257 (toll free). The meeting ID is 925 1589 9179.

Financial Navigators hotline for COVID-19 related concerns

If you're dealing with financial hardships because of COVID, the city now has some folks who can help. Sign up for a 30 minute session with a Financial Navigator who can prioritize financial concerns, identify immediate action steps, and make referrals to programs and services. 

Navigators can help with:

• Prioritizing daily living expenses, like housing, food, and insurance

• Maximizing income, by sharing referrals that offer benefit eligibility services, emergency cash assistance, and emergency loans

• Managing debt, from credit cards to student loans to child support

• Avoiding predatory scams

• Accessing other social services

• Budgeting for future loss of income

This is advice, not financial assistance like cash or a loan.

After the session, your Financial Navigator will send you a follow-up email outlining next steps and referrals.

Madison Metropolitan School District reopening conversation

On Thursday, MMSD will be hosting "A Conversation about our Process and Timeline for Reopening" on Facebook .  

MMSD's Reopening Plan website.

Public Feedback on Police Chief Search at Monday's Police and Fire Commission meeting

The Police and Fire Commission is discussing public feedback on the police chief search at its meeting on Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, at 5:30 pm. There will also be a public comment period at this meeting. If there is insufficient time available on Dec. 14 to hear oral comments from those members of the public who have registered, the PFC will likely set aside additional time after Dec. 14, so that any member of the public who wishes to offer public comment regarding this process can do so. Members of the public who wish to offer comment during the public comment period must register in advance using the City of Madison's Registration Statement Form available on the PFC's webpage: www.cityofmadison.com/PFC. 

Once completed, the form must be submitted to the following e-mail address: policechiefsearch@cityofmadison.com

The order of speakers will be based on the order of submission of the completed Registration Form. Based on the PFC's standard practice, each speaker will be limited to a maximum of three (3) minutes. The PFC is also receiving written feedback at policechiefsearch@cityofmadison.com.

Note: the PFC website also has video recordings of Q&A sessions with each of the four finalists.

Additional meeting highlights this week 

Updates on Small Business Recovery Programs

The Economic Development Committee will be receiving updates on the Small Business Equity & Recovery and the Downtown Recovery programs at its meeting on Wednesday.

Meeting details

Agenda

Register for public comment

Proposed Body-Worn Camera Policy and Recommendations

The Body-Worn Camera Feasibility Review Committee will be continuing its discussion of, and possible action on, a draft model policy and recommendations related to body-worn cameras at its meetings on Wednesday and Thursday.

Wednesday

Meeting details

Agenda

Register for public comment

Thursday

Meeting details

Agenda

Register for public comment

Winter recreation in Madison parks

Madison Parks are providing opportunities for winter fun and recreation, with a few adjustments this season for additional safety precautions due to COVID-19.

Info on winter streets, parking, and snow

The City of Madison winter website has a plethora of useful winter information. You can find info about:

• Snow emergencies, winter parking rules, and how to sign up for alerts to know where to park so your vehicle is not ticketed or towed. 

• The locations of where to get free sand for your sidewalks and driveways. 

• Winter recreation opportunities like ice skating and snowshoeing. 

• The proper way to spread salt to help minimize the effect it has on our environment and drinking water. 

The City's winter website is cityofmadison.com/winter

Madison Metro updates

Madison Metro will have reduced service on Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25.  

With winter approaching, Metro has posted 'BUS STOP CLOSED' signs at all locations that currently do not have active service so riders are not waiting at closed stops in cold weather. 

Supporting greater Madison's recovery across music, equity, and economic development

Greater Madison Music City (GMMC), a local music and creative network, has partnered with global consultant Sound Diplomacy to act on the recommendations of the 2019 City of Madison Task Force on Equity in Music and Entertainment and incorporate music into Madison's COVID-19 recovery planning.

Public Health Madison & Dane County free drive through flu clinic continues until December 19

The last day of the free drive through flu clinic at the Alliant Energy Center will be Saturday, December 19. The clinic, run by Public Health Madison & Dane County, provides free flu shots to anyone who lives in Dane County, regardless of insurance status.

City Engineering's newest podcast episode highlights Fleet's new building

New Everyday Engineering podcast episode: Fleet Gets a Brand New Home.  This episode discusses Fleet's new building and includes new information from Engineering's Jon Evans and Fleet's Mahanth Joishy. 

COVID-19 updates and resources

• Financial Navigators hotline

• Close Contacts Now have Quarantine Options

• COVID-19 vaccine not likely to be available to the public until Spring 2021 or later

• Tips for A Healthier Holiday Season

• What's Allowed in Emergency Order #10?

• UW-Madison's rapid testing

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

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

• COVID-19 recovery dashboard, a tool to track local indicators in order to better understand how our residents and community are doing throughout the pandemic.

• 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

City meetings schedule

City weekly meeting schedule

The Mayor's meeting schedule

The County weekly meeting schedule