Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of April 28, 2025

Dear Neighbors,

My first full week as an alder has been energizing and full of orientation activities. Even with a busy schedule, I was able to meet with a few neighbors and learn about their concerns. I am committed to working diligently to find answers and solutions for those facing issues.
Please feel free to reach out to me at district7@cityofmadison.com with any questions or concerns.

Meetings from the Past Week:

• Ice Age Falls Neighborhood Association Meeting (April 8, 2025)
  Note: This meeting took place the week before my swearing-in.
  A traffic safety issue was raised, and I plan to bring this to the attention of the City Staff.
• Westhaven Neighborhood Association Meeting (April 23, 2025)
  Unfortunately, I was unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict.
  Please don't hesitate to reach out if I can assist with any concerns.
• Fieldstone Heights HOA Meeting (April 27, 2025)
  A private park and HOA maintenance issue was discussed. I will work with City staff to explore possible options and next steps.

Image credit: Badri Lankella

Upcoming Meetings:

• Monday, April 28, 2025 – 4:30 PM: Sustainable Madison Committee Meeting (Agenda)
• Tuesday, April 29, 2025 – 9:00 AM: Meeting with Monona Terrace Staff
• Tuesday, April 29, 2025 – 5:00 PM: Meeting with MPD Acting Police Chief John Patterson and Team
• Wednesday, April 30, 2025 – 2:00 PM: Meeting with the Southwest Action Plan Team
• Thursday, May 1, 2025 – 2:00 PM: Meeting with the City Policy Team

If you have any questions or concerns related to these topics, please reach out before my meetings so I can bring your input to the appropriate city staff.

I look forward to hearing from you and working together to strengthen our community!

Sincerely,
Badri Lankella

Updates and Notices

Farmers' Markets: Find the locations and schedules for farmers' markets near you!

Boards, Commissions, and Committee Meetings

Note: This is not a complete list of meetings for this upcoming week. All meetings and their details can be found at the Meeting Schedule page.

• Finance Committee: The Finance Committee meeting will take place on Monday, April 28, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include approving the 2025 Neighborhood Grant Program recommendations, as well as an update on federal executive orders and directives to pause federal grants and loans.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Plan Commission: The Plan Commission meeting will take place on Monday, April 28, at 5:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include development-related requests in District 1, 4, 6, 9, 14, and 15.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online

If you would like more information about becoming a member of a City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here.

Public Information Meeting (PIMs)

• Metro Transit North/South BRT Public Information Meeting (Virtual), Wednesday, April 30: Come learn more about a proposed second Bus Rapid Transit route proposed to run north to south through the community. South Park St. will also be reconstructed in conjunction with North-South BRT. Information will be presented on both projects.
• Metro Transit North/South BRT Public Information Meeting, Thursday, May 1 (UW-Madison Student Activity Center): Come learn more about a proposed second Bus Rapid Transit route proposed to run north to south through the community.
• Metro Transit North/South BRT Public Information Meeting, Thursday, May 1 (Warner Park Community Rec Center): Come learn more about a proposed second Bus Rapid Transit route proposed to run north to south through the community.

Announcements and News Releases

• City of Madison Honors Community Development Partners, 50 Years of Community Services: Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Community Development Division Director Jim O’Keefe joined several alders and City staff in thanking the dozens of community non-profits for their work. [posted April 25, 2025]
• Safety plans in place for Mifflin Street Block Party: MADISON, Wis. –  The city of Madison has spent months preparing for this weekend’s Mifflin Street Block Party. The celebration typically draws thousands of people to the 400 and 500 blocks of the street and surrounding area. For months,… [posted April 25, 2025]
• Street Closures for Mifflin Street Block Party: Multiple downtown streets will be closed on Saturday, April 26th, for the Mifflin Street Block Party. The Madison Police Department will close some streets to ensure the safety of those attending this unpermitted event. Street closures will begin… [posted April 24, 2025]
• Street Closure for New Chabad Jewish Center Grand Opening: The 1700 block of Monroe Street, from Grant Street and Garfield Street, will be closed on Sunday afternoon, April 27th, for the New Chabad Jewish Center Grand opening event. The street closure will begin at 12:30 pm and the streets will reopen by 3… [posted April 24, 2025]
• New Round of Youth Climate Fund Projects : The City of Madison is proud to announce funding for 17 new youth-led projects to address climate change, support grassroots community engagement, and spur innovation in the green economy. This second round of projects includes initiatives to create community gardens, educate students on bike repair, and reduce food waste. [posted April 24, 2025]
• How Community Development Block Grant and City Funds Have Supported Education Opportunities: Literacy and education have a direct, tangible effect on the health of a community. [posted April 24, 2025]
• Street Closures for Crazylegs: Many downtown streets will be closed on Saturday morning, April 26th, for the Crazylegs Classic run/walk. Street closures will begin at 9:50 am with race start times staggered to accommodate the walk and run portion of the event. Allow extra time if… [posted April 23, 2025]
• How the Community Development Division Supports Local Childcare: The City of Madison's Community Development Division supports a variety of childcare providers across the city while also offering accreditation to offer a sense of trust and peace of mind to parents. [posted April 23, 2025]
• MPD adopts amnesty policy to prevent underage drinking citations during medical emergencies: MADISON, Wis. – The Madison Police Department is introducing a new policy that shields people from underage drinking citations if they call for help during a medical emergency. The Amnesty Through Responsible Action program goes into effect Tuesday.… [posted April 23, 2025]
• How Community Development Block Grant Funds Support Madison Homeowners: The City’s CDBG unit within the Community Development Division helps allocate those funds through a variety of contracts and programs that have benefited residents of all backgrounds across Madison. [posted April 22, 2025]
• Madison Arts Commission seeks community input on public art at Park Badger development: The Madison Arts Commission is inviting community members to share their vision for public art that could be incorporated into the Park Badger Redevelopment as part of the City of Madison’s Percent for Arts Program. [posted April 22, 2025]
• Food Scraps Recycling Drop-off Returns to Eastside Farmers’ Market on April 29, 2025: Free food scraps recycling drop-off will be back this year at the Eastside Farmer’s Market. The first date food scraps will be accepted is Tuesday, April 29, 2025. Look for the free food scraps drop-off tent at the market to drop off your coffee… [posted April 22, 2025]
• MPD hosts egg hunt, offers free family photos: MADISON, Wis. -- The Madison Police Department hosted a special Easter egg hunt for kids who live at the Harmony apartments. Dozens of kids participated in the fun. Residents were also given the chance to have free, professional family photos taken… [posted April 21, 2025]
• City of Madison Celebrates National Community Development Week: The City of Madison is celebrating National Community Development Week (April 21-25, 2025), highlighting the impact that projects supported by the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program has had on the Madison area. [posted April 21, 2025]
• City-Wide Youth Voices Writing Contest Returns May 1; Kick-Off Event Scheduled for April 26: MADISON, WI – The WE READ Youth Voices Writing Contest will open for submissions on May 1, 2025 with the opportunity for youth 18 and under to get published and to win up to $500 in cash prizes thanks to support from the Madison Public Library Foundation(link is external). [posted April 21, 2025]
• Equipment Upgrades Occurring this Week at City-Operated Garages: Starting on Monday, April 21, contractors will be upgrading payment equipment at City-operated garages throughout the week.  Garages will operate as normal during the process though there is a potential for some delays during peak hours when… [posted April 21, 2025]
• Roots Cause Sanitary Sewer Overflow, City Teamwork Leads to Fast Cleanup : An area on the east side of the City of Madison is clean after 300 gallons of sewage overflowed Friday morning.   The City of Madison Engineering Division received a report of wastewater spilling from a sanitary access structure at the… [posted April 21, 2025]

Please visit the City news webpage to find additional news and announcements and to subscribe to receive notification of news releases as they are posted.

Events

• City Visioning for Economic Development Planning, Tuesday, April 29: Join the City of Madison(link is external), EQT By Design(link is external), and 4th Economy(link is external) for an interactive workshop reimagining economic development. We're shifting our approach to put community members' needs first while building an inclusive and sustainable vision for our shared economic future. Learn about our strategy and what lies ahead.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Tenney Park, Saturday, May 3: Nature-expert guided walks in Tenney Park along Lake Mendota and the Yahara River Parkway bike path through the Madison Isthmus are free, family-friendly and held the first Saturday of each month, from 1:30-3pm. The walk begins at the Tenney Beach parking lot, 1330 Sherman Avenue. No registration is required. No pets are allowed.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Cherokee Marsh, North, Sunday, May 4: Cherokee Marsh is Madison’s largest conservation park with three units - North, South, and Mendota. Each month, year-round we explore the north unit's beautiful trails through the woodlands, wetlands, and restored prairies along the Yahara ‘Catfish’ River.

Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.