Week of March 23, 2026

District Niners,

• Spring is bursting out all over and so are ticks looking for a suitable host.  If you are not vigilant, you or your pet could be the host that they are looking for while you are venturing out into semi wooded or wooded areas.  Do consider inspecting yourself and your pet upon your return home as well as having a tick remover on hand for you and your pet.  Prevent tick-borne problems such as Lyme disease by using appropriate repellents, inspection and removal of ticks before they set up shop on you or your pet.
• Early voting begins on March 24, 2026 and ends on April 5, 2026.  Remember, your vote counts and every vote is consequential.
• Secure Voting Drop Boxes are ready for the return of your Spring ballot.  Do you know the location of your Secure Voting Box?  
• Updates and Notices
• Brush Collection Begins Soon! When does brush pickup start for your neighborhood? Check before you pile out your sticks and branches. Get the set-out dates on the brush collection website. 
• Yard Waste Collection Begins Soon.   Decomposition is occurring right before your eyes.      And no, Streets did not forget about spring yard waste pickup.   Check the dates for pick up in your area.  You don't want to be too late or too early. 

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, March 24, at 6:30 p.m. in hybrid format. Agenda items include extending the life of Tax Increment District #41 for one year for the purposes of the creation of affordable housing and improving City housing stock in the City of Madison
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Housing Policy Committee: The Housing Policy Committee meeting will take place on Thursday, March 26, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include an overview of the 2025 Housing Snapshot Report.
  • 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)

• MPD Presentation: Demonstrations and assemblies, Tuesday, March 24:  The Madison Police Department is hosting a presentation on a person's rights during assemblies and demonstrations. Part of these presentations will cover the ever-evolving Madison Method, which is our department's nationally recognized philosophy for policing large events, crowds and protests.
• Resurfacing Program 2026, Wednesday, March 25: The Annual Street Resurfacing Program is designed to improve the quality of your street and delay the need for total reconstruction. The City Engineering Division rates streets and curb & gutter every two years. A public information meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m., March 25, 2026, via Zoom. Registration is required. 

Announcements and News Releases

• Madison Community Transportation Academy, register by March 24:If you have ever wondered WHY our transportation system works the way it does or thought: h-u-u-m, there must be a better way?  Consider signing up for the Madison Community Transportation Academy. This free 10-week course is offered by 1000 Friends of Wisconsin to help bridge the gap between community members and decision-makers in transportation planning and provides participants with skills and knowledge to advocate for safe and accessible transportation solutions that work for everyone.
• Register Now for the Spring Roll Challenge: The RoundTrip Spring Roll Challenge takes place every April in honor of Earth Month. This fun, free initiative encourages people who live and work in Dane County to swap solo drives for biking, riding the bus, walking, rolling, and carpooling more often—and celebrates those already choosing sustainable transportation year-round
• Madison Madness Returns for Downtown Area Plan: The City of Madison Planning Division is bringing "Madison Madness" back as part of its efforts to collect community priorities and feedback for the Downtown Area Plan.
• Secure Drop Boxes Are Now Open: Madison's secure ballot drop boxes are now open for the April 7 election.
• Temporary Street Closure on Westbound North Shore Drive: If you are a regular user of the Westbound North Shore Dr., starting Monday, March 23, westbound North Shore Drive will close between John Nolen Drive and Bedford Street for reconstruction work as part of the John Nolen Drive reconstruction project. Turns  off John Nolen Dr. will not be permitted.
• A New Version of LINKcat Will Go Live on April 17: LINKcat will be offline April 12-16 as new features are added and others are changed during a software migration. The new version of LINKcat will go live on Friday, April 17. 
• MPD to host free spring break book fair for families on Monday, March 23: Madison, Wis. — The Madison Police Department's Community Outreach and Resource Education (CORE) team is inviting families and community members to attend a free book fair during spring break. The event is open to people of all ages.      If you and your family are remaining in town, consider taking advantage of this opportunity to engage with the MPD and keep the kids from reverting back to being feral.     

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

• 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, Thursday, March 26: 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament for middle and high school students is offered in partnership with the Circle of Friends. 
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Edna Taylor, Saturday, March 28: Learn about Maple Syruping ~ Join Naturalist Stephanie Briand for a free, fun and family friendly hike to learn how sap rises in trees with cool nights and warmer days and the history and science of maple syruping.
• Late Night Open Gym, Saturday, March 28: Basketball event for anyone 16 years old and up. Late Night Open Gym is offered in partnership with Public Health Madison & Dane County Violence Prevention Unit and the Circle of Friends. Take March Madness to a whole new level and play instead of sitting on the couch.

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

Your well-being

If you did not venture out over the weekend, you did not experience the very first sip if spring. Step outside and take a deep breath. Feel better now?

Until next time,

Be safe and be well.

Joann