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Week of August 4, 2025

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Dear Neighbors,

As August begins, our city is buzzing with activity from critical road and infrastructure work to Ride the Drive, Dane Dances, and National Night Out. We’re also seeing continued progress on housing, sustainability, and community safety efforts. Thank you for your continued engagement, and here’s what you should know this week in and around District 7.

🛣️ Construction & Street Closures

Several projects may impact your travel this week. Please plan ahead and be cautious in construction zones:

  • McKenna Blvd (Pilgrim Rd to Putnam Rd) – Closed beginning Monday, August 4 for resurfacing.
  • Brooks St & Drake St Intersection – Closed starting Monday, August 4 for asphalt replacement.
  • Buffalo Trail & N Eau Claire Ave – Closed through Monday, August 4 for the All City Swim Meet.
  • Nakoma Rd Area – Cherokee Dr has reopened; Manitou Way closed temporarily for sanitary work. Northbound traffic only continues on Nakoma.

🚛 Moving Days Alert: Daily trash/recycling cart pickups begin August 4 in the downtown student move-out area. Free electronics recycling is also available to all Madison residents.

🏛️ Key City Meetings This Week

City meetings are a great way to stay informed and involved. You can watch online or register to speak:

✅ Common Council Executive Committee (CCEC)

Tuesday, August 5 at 4:30 p.m. | Virtual
View Agenda & Join Meeting »

🏛️ Common Council

Tuesday, August 5 at 6:30 p.m. | Hybrid (Council Chambers and Zoom)
Agenda items include:

🏗️ Board of Public Works

Wednesday, August 6 at 4:30 p.m. | Virtual
Agenda includes updates on public works contracts in all districts.
View Agenda & Join Meeting »

🛣️ Public Information Meeting – Capital City Path Extension

Thursday, August 7 at 6:00 p.m. | Zoom
Project overview of the Vondron Rd to I-39/90 extension, coordinated with Dane County.
Register Here »

🎉 Events Around the City

🚲 Ride the Drive – Sunday, August 10

John Nolen Drive, Willy Street, and nearby parks transform into people-friendly spaces for walking, biking, and play! Enjoy food, music, and all-ages fun in a car-free environment.

👮 National Night Out – Tuesday, August 5

Celebrate community and safety with neighborhood gatherings across Madison. The main event is at Warner Park.

🎬 Movies in the Park

  • Sonic the Hedgehog 3 – Monday, August 4 at 6:30 p.m.
  • The Goonies – Sunday, August 10 (Showtimes at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.)

🎵 Live Music This Week

  • Louka @ Lake Vista Café – Wednesday, August 6
  • Little Priest Singers @ The Glen – Friday, August 8
  • Dane Dances @ Monona Terrace – Friday, August 8: Orquesta Salsoul Del Mad / Soul 2 The Bone

🌳 Parks Alive – This Week's Neighborhood Events

Events begin at 5:00 p.m. and include free food, games, music, and community connections:

  • Monday, August 4 – Allied Park
  • Tuesday, August 5 – Worthington Park
  • Wednesday, August 6 – Meadowood & Penn Parks

📰 City News Highlights

  • CARES Program Hits 10,000 Calls – Celebrating the impact of our community-based alternative emergency response team.
  • New Affordable Townhomes – Completed at Theresa Terrace, offering new housing options on the west side.
  • Electronics Recycling & Large Item Disposal Rules – In effect during August Moving Days. Visit Streets Division for full guidelines.

📣 Stay Connected

I want to hear from you! Whether it's about bike lane safety, transportation, housing, or community programs, your input shapes how we serve District 7. Reach out any time or stop by an event, we’ll likely cross paths at Ride the Drive!

With gratitude,
Badri Lankella
Alder, District 7

I have received emails requesting an increase in funding for the Dane County Humane Society (DCHS). These emails claim that there has been a decrease in funding for animal services over the past few years, which I know to be inaccurate. I want to remind everyone that the current and past budgets, dating back to 2012, are public records and can be accessed on the city's Finance website.

Attached is a memo that provides additional details. Click here for the full document.

SUMMARY:

  • Animal Services falls under the Madison-Dane County Public Health budget as required by state statutes and city ordinances.
  • Funding for DCHS is provided under a contract for services rendered, which is renegotiated periodically to ensure it meets current needs and costs.
  • The contract is based on a flat rate fee per service.
  • Additionally, pet license fees have also been increased to support the cost of animal services.

THE ASK:

DCHS is requesting to shift from a fee-per-service contract model to a per capita rate based on Dane County's population, which would effectively double the current budget.

THE DATA:

The following table illustrates the flat-fee contract agreement compared to actual costs over the past few years. The city only pays for actual services rendered, ensuring efficient use of resources. In most years, the actual costs were less than the budgeted amounts, leading to savings. When the budget exceeded the agreement, the contract was amended accordingly.

Contract vs Paid Amount
Image credit: Dane County Finance

Animals Admitted to DCHS

Animals Admitted
Image credit: Madison Dane County Health

Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of August 4, 2025

Updates and Notices

Ride the Drive: Join the fun at Ride the Drive 2025 on Sunday, August 10. Portions of John Nolen Drive and Willy Street will be closed to vehicles, and three downtown area parks will come alive with all-ages activities, food and entertainment.

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.

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)

  • Capital City Path Segment 4-6 (Vondron Road to I-39/90), Thursday, August 7: The City of Madison is in the planning/design stages for the Capital City Path – Glacial Drumlin Trail extension project in coordination with Dane County. The City portion of the project will extend the Capital City Path to the east-side of Interstate I-39/90. A public information meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., Aug. 7, 2025, via Zoom. Registration is required.

Announcements and News Releases

  • Alder Madison’s Library Tour this Saturday : Madison Public Library Board Member and eastside Ald. Sabrina Madison is visiting City libraries on Saturday, August 2, to chat with patrons and staff. [posted August 1, 2025]
  • August Moving Days: Free Electronics Recycling: If you are a City of Madison resident, your electronics and batteries are accepted for free at the Streets Division drop-off sites. Free electronics recycling includes televisions, printers, computers, and all other electronic gadgets.... [posted July 31, 2025]
  • August Moving Days: How to Set Out Appliances, Furniture, & Bags That Won’t Fit in the Cart: The student move out collections run from August 4, 2025, until August 22, 2025, within the downtown student move out area. In order for everyone to have a fast and safe move out, follow the below rules for the large items and bags of extra… [posted July 30, 2025]
  • Brooks Street and Drake Street – Intersection Paving Closure: Starting at 7:00am on Monday, August 4, Parisi Construction will close the intersection of Brooks Street and Drake Street.  This closure will allow for replacement of the asphalt within the intersection and is expected to re-open by the end of…[posted July 29, 2025]
  • McKenna Blvd – Utility Work Closure: Starting at 7:00 am on Monday, August 4, Parisi Construction will begin closing McKenna Blvd, from Pilgrim Rd to Putnam Rd.  This work is related to the 2025 Resurfacing Program. [posted July 29, 2025]
  • Street Closure for All City Swim Meet: Multiple streets will be closed this week for the annual All City Swim Meet event. Buffalo Trail will close between N Eau Claire Avenue and Door Drive starting at 7:00am July 29 and will reopen at 5:00pm on August 4. N Eau Claire Avenue will close…[posted July 29, 2025]
  • Update - Nakoma Road Sidewalk Project: Starting Wednesday, July 30th, Cherokee Drive at Nakoma Road will re-open to local and bus traffic. Manitou Way will temporarily re-close for sanitary work. Nakoma Road will continue to allow northbound traffic only. [posted July 29, 2025]
  • August Moving Days: Daily Cart Emptying in Student Move Area: Starting on Monday August 4, 2025, residents in the downtown moving days area can place trash and recycling collection carts out for daily pickup during the work week.  This will last until August 22, 2025.  This only applies in the…[posted July 29, 2025]
  • Theresa Terrace neighborhood celebrates completion of new town homes: The City of Madison is celebrating the completion of a new set of town homes that create more affordable housing options for families on the city’s west side. [posted July 28, 2025]
  • CARES Achieves 10,000 Calls for Service: The Madison Community Alternative Response Emergency Services (CARES) program responded to its 10,000th call for service last week, a milestone that further cements the program’s place as a valued service in our community. [posted July 28, 2025]
  • August Moving Days: Using the Large Item Work Order System in the Student Move Out Area: If you live in the student move out area,  the Streets Division large item work order rules will be different from August 4, 2025, until August 22, 2025.If you do not live in the student move out area, nothing changes for you. [posted July 28, 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

  • Monday Mornings at The Glen, Monday, August 4, 2025 (This event occurs on multiple dates): Enjoy The Glen for a stroll, nature, workout or leashed dog walk from sunrise to 8:00 am. Tee times resume at hole #1 at 8:00am. Visitors should be alert for golf balls and golfers while exiting the course.
  • Movie in the Park | Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Monday, August 4: Grab a blanket or a lawn chair and join us for a free movie in the park! Movie: Sonic the Hedgehog 3(link is external) (2024) PG 1h 50m, Showtime: 6:30pm.
  • National Night Out, Tuesday, August 5: National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. The Madison Police Department will be hosting neighborhoods across the city with the main event being outside Warner Park on August 5.
  • Homebuyer Education Course Part 3 of 3, Tuesday, August 5: This HUD-Certified Homebuyer Education Course assists aspiring homeowners with making informed decisions and to potentially qualify for specialized loan programs.
  • Live @ Lake Vista: Louka (singer-songwriter/guitarist), Wednesday, August 6: Join us at Lake Vista Café on the rooftop overlooking lovely Lake Monona for live music in a relaxed atmosphere. Louka Patenaude is a veteran of the Madison music scene and is a performing guitarist, teacher, songwriter and composer. His music is grounded in acoustic roots with influences from jazz, classical and old world Mediterranean traditional music.
  • Brat Fry Friday, Friday, August 8: Come join us for lunch at the links!  The grill will be fired up from 10am-3pm for a delicious afternoon treat.  Brats are $5.00 each or choose to make it a meal and add chips and a soda for $8.00 or chips and a beer for $10.00.  This event is open to all to participate!
  • Live at The Glen | Little Priest Singers Ho-Chunk Drum Band, Friday, August 8: Madison Parks Foundation is proud to present Live at The Glen! Enjoy live music on the patio at The Glen Golf Park. Little Priest Singers(link is external) are a southern/Ho Chunk family drum based in Wisconsin Dells.  Come out to hear a variety of Ho Chunk music as the family drums and sings songs from their heritage.
  • Dane Dances: Orquesta Salsoul Del Mad /Soul 2 The Bone, Friday, August 8: Dane Dances is a free, family-friendly event held every Friday evening in August on the beautiful Monona Terrace rooftop. The much-anticipated summer music series promotes inclusivity for all ages and is a great way to get down and dance with your friends, family, or coworkers.
  • Bird & Nature Adventures | Owen, Saturday, August 9: Being in Nature ~ Join Naturalist Sheila Knorr and learn how just being here nourishes your mind and body.  Be curious about what is out here with you and share what sparks your imagination... There are no wrong answers.  
  • Ride the Drive 2025, Sunday, August 10: Since its inauguration in 2009, Ride the Drive has continued to celebrate Madison’s commitment to healthy living by focusing on the environmental and economic impacts and the importance of social integration. Imagine thousands of happy, healthy people coming together to experience parks and open streets in a single, one-day, free, community event.
  • Movie in the Park | Goonies, Sunday, August 10, 2025 (This event occurs on multiple dates): Grab a blanket or a lawn chair and join us for a free movie in the park! Movie: Goonies (1985) PG 1h 54m, Showtimes: 10am and 12pm.
  • Bird & Nature Adventures | Turville Point, Sunday, August 10: Summer Birds.  Join other bird lovers for some fun Group Birding at Turville Point!  Note that access to the Turville Point parking lot should be open even with Ride the Drive going on.  Follow cool shady woodland paths through restored oak openings past the hilltop prairie and along the Lake Monona shoreline.  Going birding with a group is a great way to find more birds.  More experienced birders in the group can help beginners spot hidden birds and learn to identify them by sight and sound.

Parks Alive Dates!

Parks Alive builds stronger neighborhoods and connects neighbors to their parks through fun, family-friendly activities, music and free food. Events are held in parks across the city and throughout the summer. Connect with your neighbors and engage with your community at a Parks Alive event near you! Events start at 5:00 p.m.

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

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District 7 - Alder Lankella

Alder Badri Lankella

Alder Badri Lankella

District 7
Contact Alder Lankella

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