Week of November 3, 2025: Staying Connected and Moving Forward Together

Dear Neighbors,

As we step into November, I want to thank you all for your continued engagement and community spirit. Your participation in city meetings, neighborhood projects, and local events helps us build a Madison that is equitable, safe, and sustainable for everyone. This week offers many ways to get involved, from sharing your voice at public meetings to enjoying family-friendly activities and nature adventures.

Image credit: City of Madison

Join Alder Badri Lankella for a virtual lunch-and-learn featuring Chief of Police John Patterson and West District Captain Timothy Patton from the City of Madison Police Department as guest speakers. During this session, they will provide updates on public safety, address concerns specific to the west side of the city and discuss the protocols in place for Halloween.

Participants will gain insights into community policing initiatives and learn how residents can engage with the police department. The speakers will also share information on traffic safety efforts, including school zones and speeding in neighborhoods, as well as any upcoming outreach or engagement plans from the Madison Police Department.

After the presentations, there will be a question-and-answer session with attendees. This lunch-and-learn session is your chance to engage, ask questions, and explore ways to strengthen trust and collaboration between residents and law enforcement.

Please register in advance. After you register, you will receive a confirmation email from the "Neighborhood 2" Zoom account. If you have trouble finding your confirmation email, please email Lorissa Banuelos, Community Engagement Strategist, at Lbanuelos@cityofmadison.com, and she will verify your order.

Event Details:
🗓️Date: Thursday, November 13
🕛Time: 12:00 – 1:00 PM
👮‍♂️Guest Speaker: Chief of Police John Patterson & West District Captain Tim Patton
💻Location: Virtual via Zoom. You can join the virtual meeting using your computer, smartphone, or tablet or listen in via telephone
®️Registration: Please register in advance at the following link.

🗓️ Updates and Notices

• 2026 / 2027 Trash and Recycling Calendars Now Available:
  You can contact the Streets Division to request a printed copy or download yours from the Streets Division website. Stay informed on collection days to help keep our neighborhoods clean and efficient.

🏛️ Boards, Commissions, and Committee Meetings

(Note: This is not a complete list. Full details are available on the City’s Meeting Schedule page.)

• Plan Commission
  📅 Monday, November 3 | 5:30 p.m. (Virtual)
  Agenda includes development-related requests in District 4 and District 14.
  → Meeting Details | Agenda | Register for Public Comment | Watch Online
• Transportation Commission
  📅 Wednesday, November 5 | 5:00 p.m. (Virtual)
  Discussion on the test removal of peak-hour travel lanes on Williamson Street.
  → Meeting Details | Agenda | Register for Public Comment | Watch Online
• Board of Health for Madison & Dane County
  📅 Wednesday, November 5 | 5:00 p.m. (Hybrid)
  Topics include restricting sales of hemp-derived cannabinoid products to those under 21 and prohibiting the sale of cats or dogs in retail pet stores.
  → Meeting Details | Agenda | Register for Public Comment | Watch Online

If you are interested in helping shape city policy, consider applying to serve on a board, commission, or committee. It’s a meaningful way to contribute to Madison’s future.

🌍 Public Information Meetings (PIMs)

• Southeast Area Plan – Public Meeting (Virtual)
  📅 Tuesday, November 4
  Join this second-phase discussion on the Southeast Area Plan to share your input on land use, transportation, and community priorities for the area.

📰 Announcements and News Releases

Here are some key updates from around the city this week:

• Feedback Wanted for Urban Design Code Update Project – Help shape Madison’s urban design standards.
• Nakoma Road Sidewalk Project Update – Road reopening and ongoing utility work.
• Closure of N 7th Street (Nov 3–7) for utility installation near E Washington Ave.
• Code Enforcement Officer Scott Strassburg named State Fire Inspector of the Year.
• City Accepts Donation of “Wisconsin Landscape” Mosaic Mural – to be displayed at Parks Lakeside Offices.
• Madison Region Receives Catalytic Grant to improve equitable access to nature.
• Madison Water Utility Rate Case – Application filed with PSC for rate adjustments.
• Lunch & Learn with Police Leadership – Join me and MPD Chief John Patterson & Capt. Tim Patton for a virtual session on public safety and community engagement.
• Food Cart Review Results Announced for 2025–2026 vending season.
• Housing Forward Proposals – New measures to expand housing options near transit.
• Crime in Madison Continues to Decline – Major crime reductions in 2025.
• Black Film Festival Coming to Three Library Locations Nov 13–15.
• Final Week for Food Scraps Composting at Farmers’ Markets – Bring your pumpkins, coffee grounds, and more!

Visit the City News webpage to explore more updates and sign up for notifications.

🎉 Community Events This Week

• Elver Bike n’ Boogie – Southwest Area Plan!
  📅 Tuesday, November 4
  Join the Park Edge/Park Ridge community for games, bike repairs, dancing, and a Day of the Dead–inspired meal while discussing local projects.
• Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) Training
  📅 Wednesday, November 5
  Learn life-saving principles for how to respond in crisis situations.
• Wellness Talks: Getting Older – Should We Care More About Our Nutrition?
  📅 Wednesday, November 5
  Discover how nutrition and physical activity support healthy aging.
• Learn to Nordic Walk
  📅 Thursday, November 6
  A free class in partnership with MadNorSki – learn how to turn your daily walk into a full-body workout.
• Understand and Maintain Your Furnace – Project Home
  📅 Thursday, November 6
  A practical workshop to prepare your home for the cold months ahead.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Owen Conservation Park
  📅 Saturday, November 8
  Explore oak openings, restored prairies, and learn about fall wildlife behaviors.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Turville Point
  📅 Sunday, November 9
  “Fat Bears and Chonky Squirrels” – a family-friendly guided walk about wildlife preparing for winter.
• Connecting D7: Learning Together with Alder Badri Lankella featuring MPD
  📅 Thursday, November 13 | 12:00 – 1:00 PM (Virtual)
  Join me for a virtual lunch-and-learn featuring Madison Police Department Chief John Patterson and West District Captain Timothy Patton. We’ll discuss public safety, traffic & school-zone efforts, and how residents can engage with the police department. Don’t miss this opportunity to ask questions and build stronger community-police collaboration.
  → [Register in advance]

Additional upcoming events can be found on the City Events Calendar.

🤝 Closing Thoughts

Each week brings opportunities to engage, learn, and make a difference. Whether it’s attending a public meeting, joining a community event, or simply staying informed, your involvement strengthens our neighborhoods and our city’s shared future.

Let’s keep working together for safer streets, greener parks, affordable housing, and a Madison that continues to lead with compassion and collaboration.

Stay warm, stay involved, and have a wonderful week ahead!

Warm regards,
Badri Lankella
Alder, District 7

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.

• Plan Commission: The Plan Commission meeting will take place on Monday, November 3, at 5:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include development-related requests in District 4 and District 14.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Transportation Commission: The Transportation Commission meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 5, at 5:00 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include reviewing the results of the test removal of the peak-hour travel lanes on Williamson Street.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Board of Health for Madison and Dane County: The Board of Health for Madison and Dane County meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 5, at 5:00 p.m. in hybrid format. Agenda items include restricting the sales of hemp-derived cannabinoid products to those under the age of 21 and prohibiting the sale of cats or dogs in retail pet stores.
  • 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 Meetings (PIMs)

• Southeast Area Plan Public Meeting: Virtual Option, Tuesday, November 4: Residents, community organizations, businesses, and others are invited to join in the second phase of the planning for the Southeast Area Plan with a series of public meetings in the coming weeks.

Announcements and News Releases

• Feedback Wanted for Urban Design Code Update Project: The City of Madison’s Planning Division is looking for public feedback as it evaluates the City’s decades-old urban design goals and guidelines. [posted October 31, 2025]
• Nakoma Road Sidewalk Project Update: Starting Friday, October 31, Nakoma Road will fully re-open to traffic, from Tumalo Trail to Manitou Way, by the end of the day. Utility work will resume with a full closure on a small portion of Manitou Way, near Nakoma Road, and last for…[posted October 31, 2025]
• Closure of N 7th Street Starting Monday, November 3: From Monday, November 3 until Friday, November 7, RG Huston will close N 7th Street, between E Washington Avenue and E Mifflin Street, for utility installation for the development project at 2430 E Washington Ave. [posted October 30, 2025]
• Madison Code Enforcement Officer Named State Fire Inspector of the Year: The Madison Fire Department celebrates the recognition of veteran Code Enforcement Officer Scott Strassburg as Fire Inspector of the Year. [posted October 30, 2025]
• City of Madison Accepts Donation of Historic Mosaic Mural for Public Display: The "Wisconsin Landscape" mosaic will be displayed in the boardroom of the Parks Lakeside Offices at 330 E. Lakeside Street. [posted October 30, 2025]
• Madison Region Awarded Catalytic Grant to Strengthen Equitable Access to Nature: The Madison region has been awarded a catalytic grant through the Nature Everywhere Communities initiative, a partnership of the Children & Nature Network, the National League of Cities, and KABOOM!. [posted October 29, 2025]
• Public Notice to All Customers of Madison Water Utility: Madison Water Utility has filed an application with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) to increase water rates. The increase is necessary due to a 10.3 percent increase in gross plant investment and a 6.2 percent increase in… [posted October 29, 2025]
• Join Alder Badri Lankella for an Engaging Lunch and Learn with Madison Police Department Leadership: Alder Badri Lankella invites you to a virtual lunch-and-learn featuring the newly sworn-in Chief of Police John Patterson and West District Captain Timothy Patton from the City of Madison Police Department. This is a unique opportunity to hear first…[posted October 29, 2025]
• Results announced for 2025 City of Madison Food Cart Review: The City of Madison’s annual Food Cart Review, which helps determine where food vendors will be located for the next vending season, has been completed and the final scores have been tallied. [posted October 29, 2025]
• Latest Housing Forward proposals adjust TOD requirements, allow new housing type : The latest measures being introduced to the Common Council on October 28 focus on creating a new option for the city’s neighborhoods and making more efficient use of Madison’s most-traveled corridors. [posted October 28, 2025]
• Crime in Madison Continues to Decline: Today, City of Madison officials provided an update on public safety. Police Chief John Patterson says in 2025 there have been “significant and impressive reductions” in all of the major crimes tracked by the Madison Police Department. [posted October 27, 2025]
• Black Film Festival Coming to Three Madison Public Library Locations November 13-15: MADISON, WI – The Black Film Festival, created by the Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development, will be hosted within Madison Public Library locations for the first time this fall. [posted October 27, 2025]
• Final Week for Food Scraps Composting at Farmers’ Markets: This is the final week for you to bring scraps to a farmers’ market drop-off site. The sites will accept pumpkins, pumpkin innards from your carved jack-o-lanterns, coffee grounds, eggshells, and other husks, peelings, and so on from fruits and… [posted October 27, 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

• Elver Bike n' Boogie - Southwest Area Plan!, Tuesday, November 4: The Southwest Area Plan is coming to the Park Edge/Park Ridge area to ask residents about public projects they'd like to see built in their neighborhood. We'll have bike games, bike repairs, a dance party and a Latinx style meal in the spirit of Day of the Dead.
• Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) Training, Wednesday, November 5:  You can make the difference in your safety and the safety of others in that first three minutes. Learn the principles of what to do if an active shooter incident happens and increase your chance of survival through the lessons taught during this free training.
• Wellness Talks: Getting Older – Should We Care More About Our Nutrition?, Wednesday, November 5: This talk will cover the evolving research on nutrition as we age. As we get older, we may think some changes in our health are inevitable. However, good nutrition and remaining active can help us keep strong enough to keep doing all the things we enjoy.
• Learn to Nordic Walk, Thursday, November 6: Turn your walk into a full-body workout with Nordic walking! We've partnered with Madison Nordic Ski Club (MadNorSki) for a free class.
• Understand and Maintain your Furnace by Project Home, Thursday, November 6: Don’t let a cold house or unexpected repair bills ruin your winter! This comprehensive course empowers you to take control of your home’s heating system. Learn everything from the basic components of your furnace to troubleshooting common issues.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Owen, Saturday, November 8: Explore Owen Conservation Park on gentle trails through historic oak openings on a hillside with an Ice Age kettle and along restored prairies with beautiful vistas on this high point overlooking the west side of Madison.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Turville Point, Sunday, November 9: Fat Bears and Chonky Squirrels ~ Join amazing wildlife Naturalist Kathlean Wolf for a free guided walk on easy nature trails at Turville Point.  Wild critters are busy fattening up and hunkering down as days gets colder.  Learn about wildlife and how they change their bodies and their environment in preparation for winter.

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