Week of September 21, 2026

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Hello Neighbors,

I want to begin this week's update with a personal note. I am currently in India due to a family emergency. While I am away from Madison, I want you to know that I continue to be fully engaged in my responsibilities as your District 7 Alder.

I am attending City meetings remotely and continuing to work with City staff on District 7 constituent concerns and neighborhood issues. I remain available by email/phone and continue to follow up on issues that residents have brought to my attention.

I expect to be back in Madison next week and look forward to being back in the community and connecting with residents in person.

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time. Staying connected with District 7 and making sure residents' concerns continue to receive attention remains important to me.

🏛️ City & MMSD Meetings This Week

Here are some of the meetings I will be attending this week:

Common Council — Tuesday, September 22 at 6:30 PM

The Common Council will meet in a hybrid format. The agenda includes the Chief of Police's Quarterly Report, along with other items coming before the Council.

Board of Public Works — Wednesday, September 23 at 4:30 PM

The Board of Public Works will meet virtually. The agenda includes construction management items in several City districts.

Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District — Thursday, September 24 at 8:00 AM

I will also be attending the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) Commission meeting remotely on Thursday. As an MMSD Commissioner, I continue to stay engaged on issues related to wastewater treatment, water quality, regional infrastructure, and the long-term health of our waterways.

With Wisconsin Stormwater Week taking place this week, these issues are especially timely. Stormwater management, water quality, and protecting our lakes and waterways are responsibilities that extend beyond municipal boundaries and require regional cooperation.

  • Date: Thursday, September 24, 2026
  • Time: 8:00 a.m.
  • Location: Maintenance Facility Training Room, 1610 Moorland Rd, Madison
  • Hybrid attendance options are available for the public.
  • Agenda materials and meeting details are available through the MMSD Commission meetings webpage:
    MMSD Commission Meeting Agenda & Information

President's Workgroup on MPD Policies — Friday, September 25 at 5:00 PM

I am honored to be one of the four alders serving on the Council President's Workgroup on Madison Police Department Use of Deadly Force, De-Escalation and Body-Worn Cameras Policies and Procedures.

The Workgroup was established by Council President Sabrina Madison's Presidential Order. It will study and make recommendations regarding Madison Police Department policies and procedures related to the use of deadly force, de-escalation, and body-worn cameras, resulting in a final report and recommendations for legislation.

The Workgroup is also tasked with educating the Common Council on the current state of MPD policies and procedures, providing a forum for community feedback, and introducing legislation to implement its recommendations in March 2027.

I am grateful to Council President Sabrina Madison for establishing this important workgroup, and I want to thank the other alders who will serve alongside me. This is an important responsibility, and I look forward to listening, learning, engaging with our community, and working collaboratively as we take on this work.

The Workgroup will hold its first meeting virtually on Friday, September 25, with an introductory presentation.

Please note that this is not a complete list of City meetings. Residents can find additional meetings, agendas, public-comment information, and livestreams through the City's meeting schedule.

🏘️ Continuing Work on District 7 Issues

Even while traveling, I am continuing to communicate with City staff on several District 7 issues raised by residents, including neighborhood infrastructure, traffic and pedestrian safety, property concerns, maintenance issues, and other constituent requests.

I appreciate the City staff who continue to respond to questions and help move these issues forward. Some requests take longer than we would like, but I will continue following up and keeping residents informed.

If you have a District 7 issue that needs attention, please continue to reach out. I may be working from a different time zone this week, but I am still keeping up with District 7.

🍂 Leaving the Leaves This Fall

As fall approaches, I want to share a helpful resource from the Madison chapter of Wild Ones about “Leave the Leaves."

Fallen leaves provide important habitat and food for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife, while also helping retain moisture and return nutrients to the soil. There are several ways residents can manage leaves, including using them as mulch around trees and gardens, leaving some leaves on the lawn, and composting extra leaves.

At the same time, it is important to keep leaves out of streets and storm drains. Leaves in the street can break down and contribute nutrients to stormwater runoff, which can ultimately affect our lakes and waterways.

For those interested in learning more, check out the Wild Ones Madison “Leave the Leaves" guide for practical tips on managing leaves this fall.

Leave the leaves
Image credit: Local artist Sarah Krajewski, via Wild Ones Madison

💧 Wisconsin Stormwater Week — September 19–27

This week is Wisconsin Stormwater Week, a statewide effort to raise awareness about stormwater pollution and ways residents can help protect Wisconsin's lakes, rivers, and streams.

One particularly timely topic is how fallen leaves affect stormwater. Keeping leaves out of streets and storm drains is a simple step residents can take to help protect water quality.

The Wisconsin Stormwater website also offers educational webinars and other resources throughout the week. Check out the Wisconsin Stormwater webinars and topics to learn more about stormwater management and water-quality issues.

🚨 Updates and Notices

  • Brush Collection Nearing the End: Check to see if you have a brush set out date remaining before you set out branches and sticks for pickup. 
  • Hispanic Heritage Month 2026: In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15-October 15, Madison Public Library will host a series of events highlighting the achievements and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans and celebrating Hispanic and Latino American culture. Throughout the rest of the year, upcoming events in Spanish or about Latinx culture and resources in Spanish will also appear on their “Hispanic Heritage Month 2026" website.

🌳 Public Meetings & Community Opportunities

🌿 Community Events

There are also several opportunities to get outside and connect with the Madison community this week, including:

  • Introduction to Bumble Bee Photography and Identification, Monday, September 21: Bumblebees are active well into the fall and this is a great time of year to observe them and the fall-blooming plants like goldenrods and asters that they pollinate.
  • FREE Fall Fun at Aldo Leopold Park with Ballet Folklorico Mexico and more, September 23 and 30 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.: Join the City's Leopold Arbor Hills Neighborhood Resource Team at Aldo Leopold Park for Ballet Folklorico (Mexico's traditional Aztec and Mexican dance), social dance lessons, ultimate frisbee, disc golf, mountain biking, and a light dinner served at 6:30 p.m.
  • Volunteer Workday | Seed Collection, Thursday, September 24: Join Madison Parks at Prairie Ridge Conservation Park for a large-scale seed collection event. Volunteers will help support the City's ecological restoration efforts by collecting seeds from native plants in a single, focused session. 
  • Fall Concert, Thursday, September 24: Free Fall Concert at Olin Park Pavilion hosted by Friends of Olin-Turville (FOOT). Ladies Must Swing (LMS), A Big Band In Tune. An all-female jazz band that will have you reliving memories and dancing in your chair.
  • Imagination Center at Reindahl Park Ribbon Cutting, Friday, September 25: Celebrate the opening day of the Imagination Center at Reindahl Park(external) with a ribbon cutting ceremony from 3:00 - 4:00pm.
  • Volunteer at The Glen, Saturday, September 26: We seek passionate individuals and groups committed to giving back to the community and connecting with the City of Madison golf courses. Gain experience, foster personal growth, and build relationships within the community. 
  • Bird & Nature Adventures | Edna Taylor, Saturday, September 26: Join a naturalist for an easy, family-friendly walk from Aldo Leopold Nature Center into beautiful Edna Taylor Conservation Park and enjoy a bit of nature education along the way.
  • Volunteer Workday | Planting, Saturday, September 26: Help improve Madison Parks by assisting with a general planting workday at Junction Ridge Park. Volunteers will help install native plants, flowers, shrubs, or other vegetation depending on the project. 
  • Movie in the Park | The Fifth Element, Saturday, September 26: Join Downtown Madison's Business Improvement District (BID) and Madison Parks for a free movie in Peace Park! 

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

📣 Stay Connected

As always, my goal is to keep District 7 residents informed, engaged, and connected with City government.

Please continue to share your questions, concerns, ideas, and neighborhood priorities with me. Whether it is a street or sidewalk issue, traffic concern, park improvement, development question, public safety issue, or something else affecting your neighborhood, I want to hear from you.

Thank you for staying engaged and for everything you do to make District 7 a strong and connected community.

In solidarity,

Badri Lankella
Alder — District 7
City of Madison

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