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District 3

Alder Erik Paulson

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Alder Erik Paulson

Contact Information

Council Office

Common Council Office:
210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd
Room 417
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: (608) 266-4071
Fax: (608) 267-8669
WI Relay Service

Alder Paulson’s Updates

Week of Dec 12: Snow clearing updates, new water bill online payment portal info, Amtrak station study, and more

December 10, 2022 2:54 PM

Multiple links for winter and snow clearing information, the new online water bill payment portal is now live, Amtrak Station study meeting recording, and other City meetings, events, and announcements

  • Winter Info: Clear your sidewalks (and get free sand), alternate side parking fines higher this weekend, sign up for snow plowing updates, and make sure you've winterized your pipes.
  • New Water Bill Online Payment Portal is open: if you had autopay set up, you have to set it up again!
  • Amtrak Station Location Pubic Meeting Recording available
  • City meetings: Police and Fire Commission, Dr. King Humanitarian Award committee, Common Council Execuitive Committee, Education Committee, Public Safety Review Commission, and more. 
  • Announcements: Members sought for the Truth and Reconciliation Working Group, Streets drop-off on Winter Hours, Metro Network Redesign passage and Transportation Demand Management, and more.

Fun fact: Sunsets in Madison start to get a bit later in the evening starting on Saturday Dec 10th - Saturday's sunset should be about 2.5 seconds later than Friday's. The days are still getting shorter - until Dec 21st we lose more sunlight in the morning than we gain in the afternoon, but the path towards more sunlight starts today.

A Blizzard of Winter Info

As we're digging out of our first signifcant snow of the season, a couple of reminders. 

Sidwalks needed to be cleared by noon on Saturday the 10th.  

The snow that accumulated on Friday, December 09. 2022 must be cleared from public sidewalks by noon (12:00pm) on Saturday, December 10, 2022. Prompt removal is always in your own best interest. If after removing the snow there is any ice on the sidewalk that cannot be removed, keep the sidewalk effectively sprinkled with sand or another suitable substance to prevent the ice from being dangerous. Do not rely on the outside temperatures to keep the public sidewalks free of snow and ice.
If possible, please help your neighbors that may be unable to remove the snow/ice.
Free sand is available at several locations around Madison. Learn more about snow rules and regulations. Visit the snow removal frequently asked questions.

Snow Emergency remains in effect - alternate side parking violation fines go up!

There is a declared snow emergency until the morning of Monday the 12th. Alternate side parking is always in effect during the winter in all of District 3, so for the most part this doesn't change anything for us - however, during a declared snow emergency, the fine for violating alternate-side parking goes up from $20 to $60. There will be crews out working overnight on Saturday night and on Sunday night, so please make sure your car is out of the way and crews have space to work. 

Get Snow Plowing updates. 

City Streets has a couple of ways for you to stay informed during the winter:

Finally, this is a good reminder to make sure your home is winter ready. 

  • Double-check outdoor hose bibs to make sure all hoses are disconnected and faucets are turned off and drained.
  • Make sure your basement is properly insulated and check for areas where cold air may be rushing in.
  • Insulate pipes in unheated areas like crawl spaces, unheated garages, and attics.
  • Leave some heat on in unused areas of your home.
  • If you leave home for a few days, keep your thermostat on at least 55 degrees and open any cabinets where sink plumbing is against an outside wall.
  • Never try to thaw a frozen pipe with an open flame! If you have frozen water pipes, please call 608-266-4661.
  • Ensure your furnace vents are clear of snow and ice. A clogged furnace vent can cause a backup of toxic carbon monoxide in your home.
  • Find the master shut off valve that turns the off water to your entire home – it's usually in the basement – and make sure everyone in the household knows where it is in case a pipe does freeze and burst.
     

The new Payment Portal to pay your City services bill (water bill, etc) is now live! 

Important: To protect your banking information, existing accounts will not be moved to the new system. If you use e-billing, set up auto-pay, or get high water use notifications, you'll need to create an account re-sign up for these features.

If you find it difficult to sign up, the City is offering a kiosk at the Water Utility (119 E Olin Ave) and a Customer Service Representative (CSR) will walk you through this process. You can also access a computer at any of the Madison Public Libraries and we have a set of step by step instructions available to guide you.

If you set up your auto pay using a checking or savings account, there are no service fees. If you use a credit or debit card, you will be charged $2.95 per payment. There is a $500 max limit for credit card payments. (Note: if you make a one-time online payment using a checking account and opt not to use auto-pay, there is a $1.95 fee for e-check service. There is no fee if you opt into auto-pay.)

You are always welcome to pay by mail or drop your payment off in person at the Madison Water Utility or the City Treasurer's Office.

Finally, any late fees on Municipal Services bills with due dates of December 1 – December 31, 2022 will be waived.

Recording of Public Meeting on Possible Amtrak Train Station Available

According to the City's Transportation Department, Wednesday's Public Information Meetings concerning possible locations for a potential future Amtrak station in Madison were very well attended. A recording of the virtual Amtrak Project Kickoff meeting is available here.

City Staff apologizes for not including a Question and Answer session for the virtual Kickoff meeting, but those who attended the in-person meeting that same day were able to ask questions. Staff was unprepared for the large number of virtual attendees (about 300!) and did not have the staffing and technology to facilitate Q&A. They note that there will second meeting in February when they will have Q&A capabilities for the virtual component.

In the meantime, they encourage residents to submit comments or questions to amtrak@cityofmadison.com.  Additionally, they will be preparing a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and will post those on the website soon. You can view the project website here.

Upcoming City Meetings

Police and Fire Commission: The Police and Fire Commission meets virtually on Monday, December 12 at 5:30 PM. Items on the agenda include the introduction of Robert Copley, the Independent Police Monitor, and status updates regarding hiring/recruitment from MFD and MPD. 

Humanitarian Award Commission, Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, JR.: The Humanitarian Award Commission meets virtually on Monday, December 12 at 6:00. An item on the agenda is finalizing and selecting the winners of the 2023 MLK Humanitarian Award Winners.

Common Council Executive Committee: The Common Council Executive Committee meets virtually on Tuesday, December 13 at 5:30 PM. An item of the agenda is authorizing a binding referendum question on the 2023 Spring Election ballot related to staggering terms for alders beginning with the 2025 Spring Election.

Public Safety Review Committee: The Public Safety Review Committee meets virtually on Wednesday, December 14 at 5:00 PM. Items on the agenda include a quarterly update from Chief Barnes, the Madison Fire Department/CAREs unit update, and a report from the Madison Police Department including information on recent gun violence and an update on strategic planning.

Education Committee: The Education Committee meets virtually on Wednesday, December 14 at 5:30 PM. Items on the agenda include an update on the MMSD Budget Amendment and continued discussion about the Driver's Ed program, and a discussion regarding feedback following communication of Education Committee priorities to MMSD, City and County elected bodies.

The complete list of all city meetings is upcoming week is here.

Events

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