Week of January 12, 2026

District Niners,

The importance and need for planning reared its head (yet again) in the form of transportation woes. Unlike today, I relied on the bus for getting me back and forth to work throughout my working years (in Madison) and experienced delays, the bus never showed up, waited for another bus that took me out of my way, freezing to death, no printed or electronic schedules, no shelters, etc.  It is apparent now that public transportation did not adhere to recommended manufacturer maintenance schedules or did not have one of those insurance plans (as seen on TV) that protects your vehicle against a loss or before it breaks down.  The consequences, to name a few, are many, ranging from service disruptions and delays for riders or erosion of trust and dependability in the system (to get you from point A to point B), having to plan for alternative modes of transportation (return to driving your own car), increased auto traffic, being late for appointments or work, etc., etc. Diagnostics and planning (for buses) require looking down the road to anticipate problems, knowing the repair history and the acquisition of spare parts before you get there.  Perhaps a “My Chart” for buses is in order.  I am very mindful of the technology used in buses today.  It is totally different from the bus repair shop years ago.  We must assess, plan and anticipate potential problems before situations such as those occurring for today’s ridership. Why depend on a system when it is not reliable, especially during Wisconsin winters.  Again, we can and we must do better.

Updates and Notices

Metro Service Riders:  Stay informed by signing up for Metro Rider Alerts. Watch for canceled trips in Metro’s bus tracker or on third-party apps like Google Maps and Transit. Also, feel free to contact our customer service staff with any questions.

Boards, Commissions & 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, January 13, at 6:30 p.m. in hybrid format. Agenda items include creating a temporary moratorium on the issuance of zoning certificates for data centers and telecommunications centers of more than 10,000 square feet of floor area.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Plan Commission: The Plan Commission meeting will take place on Monday, January 12, at 5:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include development-related requests in Districts 4, 5, and 9.
  • 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.

Announcements & News Releases

• 2026 Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award Honorees: Dane County Executive Melissa Agard and City of Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway proudly announced this year’s recipients of the City-County Humanitarian Awards honoring Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 
• Lake Street Closure for Crane Removal: From Monday, January 12 to Friday, January 16, N Lake Street will close between University Avenue and State Street.  Do take heed if you find yourself in and around that area.
• IM Report - Dec 17, 2025: During the December 17, 2025 meeting of the Police Civilian Oversight Board, Interim Independent Monitor, Meeka Glass provided an update to the board but was unable to share detailed information due to a technical issue. H-m-m-m.
• 2025 Housing Tracker Year in Review: New homes surpass annual average, focus on affordability: The City of Madison’s Housing Tracker shows steady progress toward the goal of adding 15,000 new homes of all types by 2030, with its latest update providing preliminary year-end totals for 2025. 

Events

• Girls' Mentorship Group, Tuesday, January 13: Join Keena Atkinson of R'oujie Wellness on Tuesday evenings at Warner Park Community Recreation Center! This free series is designed for females aged 11 to 18. Pre-registration is requested but not required.
• Neighborhood Grant Program Workshop, Wednesday, January 14: The Planning Division will host the Neighborhood Grant Program again in 2026. If you have a project idea and want to ask questions or are simply interested in learning more about the program, please join us for this workshop! This will be a hybrid meeting.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Starkweather Creek Area, Saturday, January 17: Otter Go Sledding Party ~ Join Naturalist Paul Noeldner and Friends of Starkweather Creek for a free family friendly sledding party and nature walk or go sledding on your own to embrace the joy of winter!  Some sleds will be provided, please bring a sled if you have one.  Don't want to travel to the eastside...consider Elver Park.  Sledding is for all (kids, adults (seniors) alike).  Recall the TV ad where seniors who "watched" and imagined the thrill of downhill sledding by kids.  One senior took it upon herself and ordered cushions for sleds to make the downhill lumps and bumps ride smoother.  What fun!
• Candlelight Snowshoe Walk, Saturday, January 17: Join Madison Parks, Friends of Urban Nature, Wild Warner and the Friends of Cherokee Marsh(link is external) in this free, family-friendly event at Warner Park. See the park by candlelight and warm up by the fire. Great aerobic exercise.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Warner Park, Sunday, January 18: Enjoying Winter's Art ~ Join Wild Warner Naturalist Kathlean Wolf for a free guided walk or take a walk on your own to enjoy contrasts in the landscape, fallen leaves exposing the shapes of trees, dried summer plants creating snow-capped sculptures and ice and frost forming fantastic scenes.
• When the ice gets thicker, begin to think about adding ice-fishing for outdoor escapes to prevent cabin fever.  Forget the cold...bundle up and get some fresh air.

Your well-being

Until next time, be safe and be well

Joann