Pigs ok'd; Metro updates; East Wash CLOSED Sat; Tree survey; Events & Announcements

Hello neighbors,

At tonight’s Common Council meeting, the ordinance allowing dwelling units to house a single pet pig within Madison limits passed. Please note that pigs allowed under this ordinance must be:

• Less than 24 inches at the shoulder
• Under 300 pounds
• Fully vaccinated
• Microchipped
• Spayed or neutered
• Licensed with the State of Wisconsin through DATCP
• Leashed when off-premises

Should anyone have concerns regarding the safety or well-being of any pet kept by a neighbor, or on the cleanliness or smell of the area where any animal is kept, public health should be contacted.

Updates from Metro:

With the recent redesign of all Madison Metro routes, a few of the routes have struggled to stay on time and others still need adjustments to better connect to other routes. Metro is seeking feedback on potential adjustments:

• September 27, 6pm, Transportation Commission Public Hearing. Official public hearing feedback can be submitted ahead of time by calling (608) 266-4466, emailing mymetrobus@cityofmadison.com, or by filling out an online form at mymetrobus.com/feedback. All feedback submitted ahead of time will be considered in the same way as feedback provided at the hearing itself. Stops proposed for removal to facilitate rapid bus transit can be found here.

Madison Metro is also interested in hearing feedback on the accessibility of the new routes and stops. Please provide honest feedback!

Metro Staffing Update

Metro is experiencing similar driver shortage issues like a number of transit systems locally and around the country. Extra buses are being planned for busy corridors and on school routes. There are drivers in training now that will be on the street in October. It takes 2-3 months to get drivers through pre-employment testing and training, and Metro is making good strides to have more drivers on the street soon.

East Washington Ave CLOSED Saturday September 23

East Washington Ave will be fully closed in both directions between Blair Street and Webster Street directions for resurfacing from 7am Saturday until 6am Sunday.

City Tree Survey Underway

Representatives from a company named Davey will begin performing terrace tree inventory work for the Urban Forestry section of the Streets Division. This is contracted work to update our understanding of the terrace tree canopy. Workers will note the size and species of trees on the terrace on a tablet computer they will have with them. They will not have tools, nor will they be performing work that could be mistaken for pruning or tree removal. They will not be leaving any marks on the trees, either. The survey work will take several months to complete, and will work from East to West.

Events

• September 20, 10am: Medicare: What you need to know to protect yourself from fraud, Zoom.
• September 20, 11am: Ribbon cutting for the Jeff Erlanger accessible playground at Rennebohm Park.

• September 20, 5-7pm: Cyclocross Practice Ride | Olbrich Park. Check out this free, temporary cyclocross course to practice your biking skills. You will need a bike with knobby tires, such as a mountain bike style and a good-fitting helmet.
• September 21, 10am, and every Thursday until October: Hoyt Park Nature Walks – meet at the main parking lot.
• September 21, 12-12:45pm, and every Thursday until December 14: Meditation at Monona Terrace: Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace, and balance that benefits both your emotional well-being and your overall health. Anyone can practice; it’s simple, inexpensive and doesn’t require any special equipment. Join this free, weekly 45 minute online program. Advance registration is required.

• September 22: World Car-Free Day. Walk, bike, or bus to get around!

• September 22, 8-11pm: Mad Lit: Where Arts and Culture Shine. Mad Lit is a free, outdoor concert series at the top of State Street featuring live music and highlighting local musicians, artists, and businesses owners of color.
• September 22, 6:30-9pm: Feeding Our Bellies, Feeding Our Souls: The Mother's Mental Health Moment: A Free Mother’s Multicultural Mental Health Dinner, 1055 East Mifflin St. Topics will cover building mental resilience, destigmatizing mental health, and more. Dinner and child care provided.
• September 23, 8am-10pm: Volunteer Day at The Glen. The Glen Golf Park is establishing an ongoing volunteer program that helps volunteers learn, grow personally and gain professional experience.
• September 23, 10am-12pm: Create scribble characters with Annie at the Monroe Street Library! Kids, bring your grownups along.
• September 23, 4-8pm: Summer Nights at Westmoreland Park. Summer Nights at Westmorland Park features and exciting family friendly line-up of entertainers and musical performers.
• September 26, 10:30am: Growing Voices, an interactive music class for children birth to 5 and their parents, Monroe Street Library.
• September 30, 10am-4pm: Regent Neighborhood Art Walk. Support the artistic pursuits of your neighbors! Rain date: October 1. Pick up a map at 201 Virginia Terrace.
• October 19-22: Wisconsin Book Festival, Madison Public Library.
• October 21, 10am: Friends of Hoyt Park workday. Help plant native shrubs.
• October 31, 8:30am-1pm: The Community Housing Task Force of WI, in partnership with Bader Philanthropies and the Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin, is hosting a conference regarding the state of housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Wisconsin. Please register by October 13.

Announcements

• CARES to Offer Weekend Service: The Madison Fire Department announces the expansion of the Madison Community Alternative Response Emergency Services (CARES) program to include weekend service.

• Fall Leaves and Yard Waste Set-Out Dates Now Available: The Streets Division’s fall yard waste and leaves collection begins the week of October 8, 2023 for certain neighborhoods.
• UW-Madison has applied to renew its Bicycle Friendly University status. Now that the Fall 2023 school year has begun for most campuses, the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) is reaching out about the Bicycle Friendly University (BFU) Campus Survey, which is an important part of the BFU evaluation process. Please fill out this survey by October 10 to help inform the final award decision.

Be well,

Regina Vidaver