Week of May 19th 2025

Dear Neighbors,

As we step into the week of May 19th, I'm excited to share the latest developments and upcoming events in District 7. Your continued engagement and feedback are invaluable as we work together to enhance our community.

Highlights from the Past Week

Monday, May 12, 2025 – 3:00 PM: Meeting with City Engineering Division

I met with the City Engineering Division to discuss pedestrian and traffic safety enhancements. We explored strategies to improve crosswalk visibility, implement traffic calming measures, and ensure safer routes for all residents.

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 – 6:30 PM: Listening Session at Elver Park Shelter

Thank you to everyone who attended the listening session at Elver Park Shelter. Your insights on neighborhood concerns, including public safety and community development, are instrumental in guiding our initiatives.

Thursday, May 15, 2025 – 8:00 AM: Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District Commission

I was honored to be sworn in as a commissioner on the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District. I look forward to contributing to discussions on wastewater management and environmental sustainability.

Image credit: Badri Lankella

Friday, May 16, 2025 – 2:00 PM: Meeting with United Way Public Policy Committee
I had a productive meeting with the United Way Public Policy Committee. We discussed shared priorities around affordable housing, child care access, and strategies to support vulnerable families in our community.

Looking Ahead

Here are some key meetings and events on my calendar for the coming week:

• Monday, May 19, 2025 – 4:30 PM: Sustainable Madison Committee Meeting
  This virtual meeting will focus on sustainability initiatives, including discussions on the Dane County Waste and Renewables' new sustainability campus and composting efforts, as well as the Dane County Climate Champions Program. (Agenda)
• Tuesday, May 20, 2025 – 6:30 PM: Common Council Meeting
  The Common Council will convene in a hybrid format to discuss various city matters. Agenda items include a presentation by the Finance Department titled "Overview of City Budget." (Agenda)
• Wednesday, May 21, 2025 – 4:30 PM: Board of Public Works Meeting
  This virtual meeting will address public works projects and infrastructure developments within the city.
  (Agenda)

• Saturday, May 24, 2025 – 9:00 AM: West Side Community Market

  I'll be visiting the West Side Community Market. It's a great opportunity to support local vendors and discuss community issues in an informal setting.

Get Involved

Your voice matters. If you have thoughts on city projects, neighborhood improvements, or any other concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. Together, we can build a stronger, safer, and more vibrant District 7.

Warm regards,

Badri Lankella
Alder, District 7
Email: district7@cityofmadison.com

Spring Yard Waste Collection Has Ended:

Spring yard waste collection has concluded for the year. If you still have yard waste, please take it to one of the city’s designated drop-off sites. Be sure to check the drop-off site webpage so you know which sites are open. Please do not put yard waste in your recycling or trash cans – it will not be collected by the city. Yard waste collection will resume in the fall, and brush collection will continue throughout the summer!

What is Yard Waste? Yard waste is weeds, leaves, grass clippings, and other plant debris that you rake or pull from your lawns or gardens.

What is Brush? Woody limbs and branches you cut from trees, shrubs, and bushes Brush collection continues through the summer months. More information about brush collection can be found at  www.cityofmadison.com/BrushCollection.

Open Book Property Assessments:

Property assessment notices were mailed out on Friday, May 16th and are also available on the city Assessor’s webpage. The “Open Book” period is an opportunity for property owners to discuss their assessments with city Assessor's Office before they complete the assessment to provide more information or file an appeal. If there are any errors, the Assessor’s Office will make corrections and are able to adjust your assessment. The “Open Book” assessment runs from May 19th to May 23rd.

Property owners may continue to file appeals from May 26th to June 2nd at 4:30 p.m. If that deadline is missed, they may attend an initial Board of Review hearing on June 3rd to file. However, they will need to attend in-person to do so. If you have any questions concerning property tax assessments, please contact the Assessor's Office at assessor@cityofmadison.com or (608) 266-4531.

Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of May 19, 2025

Updates and Notices

Parks: Find a park, beach, trail, golf course, and more.

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.

• Common Council: The Common Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 20, at 6:30 p.m. in hybrid format. Agenda items include a presentation by the Finance Department titled Overview of City Budget.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Plan Commission: The Plan Commission meeting will take place on Monday, May 19, at 5:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include development-related requests in District 6 and District 10.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Housing Policy Committee: The Housing Policy Committee meeting will take place on Thursday, May 22, at 4:30 p.m. in Room 215 of the Madison Municipal Building at 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Agenda items include staff presentations on the role of the Housing Policy Committee, as well as Madison’s housing situation and the efforts of the City.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment

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 Meetings (PIMs)

• Davidson St, Park Ct, Maher Ave, and Gary St Reconstruction, Monday, May 19: A public information meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., May 15, 2025, via Zoom. Registration is required.

Announcements and News Releases

• Overture Center Garage Fiber Upgrade on May 19: For a brief period beginning at 7pm on Monday, May 19, the Overture Center Garage will experience a communication outage for the facility.  This anticipated outage is part of fiber upgrades for this location and will have an impact on parking… [posted May 15, 2025]
• Madison Celebrates 100,000 Street Trees : Today, the City of Madison reached an important milestone. There are now 100,000 trees lining the city’s streets and roadways. [posted May 15, 2025]
• The 2025 Spring Yard Waste Collection is Over, Curbside Set-Out Dates Return in the Fall: Do not set out yard waste for curbside collection. The Spring yard waste set-out dates for 2025 have passed for every neighborhood. At the time of this news release, Streets Division collection crews are still collecting from neighborhoods that… [posted May 15, 2025]
• Monona Terrace 2025 Art on the Rooftop Now on Exhibit: Monona Terrace’s 2025 Art on the Rooftop public sculptures are now on exhibit on Olin Terrace and the William T. Evjue Rooftop Gardens. [posted May 14, 2025]
• Chad Ruppel Named Madison’s next CDA Housing Director : Mayor Rhodes-Conway has appointed Chad Ruppel as the City of Madison Community Development Authority’s next Housing Director. [posted May 14, 2025]
• City of Madison to Host Community Listening Sessions on Workplace Discrimination: The City of Madison Equal Opportunities Commission announces a new series of public listening sessions to discuss workplace discrimination and empower individuals with the necessary tools to report it. [posted May 14, 2025]
• Residents of Southwest and Southeast areas invited to share perspectives in second community survey: The feedback the Planning Division receives in these surveys is crucial in helping them shape plans that accurately represent the needs of these communities. [posted May 13, 2025]
• BRT Powers Metro to Highest April Ridership Since 2015 : Madison’s Metro Transit is celebrating a major milestone: more than 1.3 million rides were taken in April, marking the highest April ridership in nearly ten years and signaling a powerful comeback for public transit in the region. [posted May 12, 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

• FOOT - Free Concerts in Olin Pavilion, Wednesday, May 21 (this event occurs on multiple dates): FREE concerts return to the Olin Park pavilion on Wednesdays in May from 6 to 8 PM. The Whiskey Farm - a highly danceable favorite on Wednesday, May 21.
• Volunteer at The Glen, Saturday, May 2 (this event occurs on multiple dates): Every month, we offer chances for people to volunteer at The Glen Golf Park. You can help make the park look beautiful by working on the land, managing it, and restoring areas that need attention. There are also opportunities to work on the detailed gardening and landscaping tasks that keep everything looking great. It's a chance to get involved, get your hands dirty, and make a visible difference in our community's green spaces.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Edna Taylor, Saturday, May 24: Join Naturalist Mary Binkley for a free fun fascinating family friendly guided walk on beautiful walking trails at Aldo Leopold Nature Center and Edna Taylor Conservation Park.  Help look for Signs of Spring and learn about what's happening!
• Mobile Vaccination Clinic: Badger Prairie, Saturday, May 24: We're hosting mobile vaccination clinics throughout the county in partnership with community organizations! All vaccines are free to those eligible:…
• Vegan Sausage Fest, Saturday, May 24: Vegan Sausage Fest returns for the third year! This year VSF will be held at Warner Park in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday May 24, 2025, from 12-4pm. Our goal is to share with the community that you can enjoy delish food without harming animals.

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