Voter registration day, Beware of folks asking for personal info, Public Information Meetings, Events & Announcements

Hello neighbors,

I'm a little late to the party, but today is National Voter Registration Day! I sincerely hope that if you are reading this message that you are registered to vote, and that you will encourage all of your friends and family to do so as well.

The Madison City Clerk's office is dedicated to ensuring that everyone has access to the ballot, and I was so inspired to be part of the press conference last week celebrating disability voting rights. It was wonderful to learn that Madison is well ahead of the curve in terms of providing ballots in braille, ensuring all of our polling places are accessible, and that everyone can use the Express Vote machines. Our voters with disabilities can request assistance from anyone to help them vote, with the exception of an employer or union representative. As a poll worker myself, I was also surprised to learn that poll workers are allowed to assist voters to fill out their ballot if so requested! I know that many of our polling places have changed as a result of the pandemic, but if you aren't aware of your polling place, you can find that out online. Sample ballots for the November 8 election are now available for public review.

In other news, I've just received word that there was someone going door to door in the neighborhood saying they were an AT&T fiber rep, requesting significant personal information, including date of birth, driver's license, and social security number. Please do not provide personal information like this at the door. If you are interested in enrolling in such services, please call the company of interest directly.

Upcoming public information meetings:

• Willow Creek Watershed Study – Thursday, September 29, 6-8pm. Please register in advance.
• South Owen Drive reconstruction (Scheduled for 2023) – Thursday, October 20, 6pm. Please register in advance.

Events:

• Monroe Street Festival: The 44th Annual Monroe St. Festival will be Saturday, September 24 from 9:30am-5pm.
• Join the Taste of the Market Brunch at the Monroe Street Farmer's Market on Sunday, September 25 at 10am. Enjoy a farm to table brunch that will showcase products from market vendors!
• Field trip to Donald County Park: On Saturday, September 24, 10am-12:30pm, you are invited to hike and explore Donald County Park, located in the Town of Springdale. All ages are welcome, and a free picnic lunch will be provided. Transportation is available – meet at the Catholic Multicultural Center, 1862 Beld Street, at 9:15am. If you are interested, please contact laura@cmcmadison.org to register.
• Homebuyer education classes: The City of Madison, in partnership with the Home Buyers Round Table of Dane County and Consumer Credit Counseling Service, want to share with you these HUD Approved Homebuyer Education classes occurring monthly through the rest of 2022. The next class is September 24, 8am-3pm, at the Villager Mall, Atrium entrance (2300 S. Park Street). Register for the free class here. If you have questions, please contact Maria Davila-Martinez; 608-266-6557.
• The Fair Housing Center of Greater Madison is offering a free online fair housing training seminar for owners and managers of rental properties, or staff operating residential programs, in Madison. 
  • Thursday, September 29, 2022 -- 8:30 – 10 a.m.
  • Wednesday, November 9, 2022 – 6-7:30 p.m.
  • Register for this free online seminar or call 608-257-0853.
• Madison Bach Musicians will be holding concerts on October 1 and 2 at the Holy Wisdom Monastery in Middleton.
   

Announcements:

• The City of Madison's Economic Development Division is accepting applications for the Business District Support Program. The goal of this program is to encourage greater economic activity in neighborhood business districts or commercial areas.
• Lenin Fierro Vision Zero Fleet Advocacy Award: The City of Madison is being recognized with an international award on September 21 by the United Nations-affiliated Together for Safer Roads, the leading global NGO focused on Vision Zero and eliminating the 1.5 million traffic deaths around the world annually. Mahanth Joishy, Superintendent of Fleet Service, will accept the Lenin Fierro Vision Zero Fleet Advocacy Award  at the TSR Annual Meeting on September 21 in New York City on behalf of the City of Madison and Madison's outstanding Vision Zero program launched by Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway in 2020.
• Library Takeover returns: From September 15 - October 15, Madison Public Library is accepting applications for the Library Takeover program. Teams of 3-4 people can apply to participate in the program, which includes a 4-session course on event planning and culminates in a finished and fully-funded program at the library in the spring of 2023.
• National Literacy Month: September is National Literacy Month. Here are a couple of ways you can celebrate by supporting adult literacy:
  • Volunteer as a tutor. Volunteer tutors make programs possible. Volunteers work one on one with students to help improve their literacy skills. Training is provided. Learn more about volunteering.
  • Sign up for classes. The fall semester has started! Contact Literacy Network at 608-244-3911 if you or someone you know is interested in improving English reading, writing, and/or speaking skills; becoming a U.S. citizen; or earning a high school diploma. 
• Appointments are available for updated COVID bi-valent boosters through Public Health Madison Dane County.
• Scout Troop 16 is selling Christmas wreaths. They will be going door to door, but you may also order by contacting Dan Vimont by October 18.
• National Drug Take Back Day: Safely turn in expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs at designated collection sites in Madison on Saturday, October 29th at any of the following locations:
  • Mt. Zion Baptist church, 2019 Fisher St.
  • East Terrace Drive UW Clinic, 5249 E Terrace Dr.
  • Elver Park, 1250 McKenna Blvd.

Take care,

Regina VIdaver