Week of February 16th

Madison – McFarland Intergovernmental Agreement:

The final public information meeting (PIM) regarding the Madison-McFarland Intergovernmental Agreement is happening tonight, February 16th, at 6:00pm at the McFarland Municipal Center (5915 Milwaukee St, McFarland). 

The City of Madison and the Village of McFarland are considering whether to enter into an intergovernmental agreement to address issues of mutual concern surrounding our shared border and to plan for how growth may occur in the future. This agreement does not directly impact city services such as EMS, fire, police, etc. The City and Village previously had an agreement in place that expired in 2018. The intergovernmental agreement will not affect school districts or boundaries.

The intention is to share these concepts with community members and gather feedback from all involved before elected officials from Madison and McFarland determine whether to proceed with a formal process to draft an intergovernmental agreement. Both Madison and McFarland are committed to listening to impacted residents and we want to hear from you. The city has organized three public information meetings on this topic, with the final meeting taking place tonight.

Frequently Asked Questions
Meeting Recording

Final Meeting
Where: McFarland Municipal Center (5915 Milwaukee St. McFarland)
When: Monday February 16th at 6:00pm

Spring Primary! 

Tomorrow, Tuesday February 17th is the spring primary lection day! All Dane County residents have the Dane County Circut Court Branch 1 on their ballot. Please make sure to check your registration status before you vote. If you are not registered, you can register at your polling location on Election Day. Make sure you check your registration status, know your polling location and have a photo ID with you! Below are some helpful resources for voting. 

• Find your Polling Location
• Check My Registration Status
• Whats on my Ballot
• Voter ID Information
   

Updates and Notices

Seed Grants – Due February 20: The Mayor’s Office is now accepting applications for SEED grants. Any proposal that improves the local food system and makes food more accessible for City of Madison residents will be considered. Submit your application to the Madison Food Policy Council via email ( mfpc@cityofmadison.com). 

Near West Alders Meet & Greet: Join us for a casual meet-and-greet with Near West Alders Regina Vidaver (District 5), Tag Evers (District 13), and Bil Tishler (District 11), on Monday, February 23, 2026, at 6:00 PM. This event will take place in the community room at the Midtown District Police Station, 4020 Mineral Point Rd, Madison, WI 53705. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect, share your thoughts, and engage with your community leaders. Light beverages and refreshments will be provided. Please register in advance through Eventbrite! 

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.

• Transportation Commission: The Transportation Commission meeting will take place on Wednesday February 18th at 5:00pm in a virtual format. Agenda items if intrest include a discussion on traffic saftey on Park St. 
  • Meeting Details 
  • Meeting Agenda 
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Finance Committee: The Finance Committee meeting will take place on Monday, February 16, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include financing the development of up to 27 affordable owner-occupied housing units and funding five homeownership service programs.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Plan Commission: The Plan Commission meeting will take place on Monday, February 16, at 5:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include development-related requests in Districts 2, 12, 15, and 19.
  • 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)

• Park Badger Redevelopment Community Meeting (Virtual), Tuesday, February 17: The Community Development Authority and its private partners have released updated designs for the Park Badger redevelopment project, located at the northwest corner of South Park Street and West Badger Road on Madison’s South Side. A virtual session will be held on Zoom from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. Registration will be required to receive a link to the virtual meeting.
• Park Badger Redevelopment Community Meeting (In Person),Wednesday, February 18: The Community Development Authority and its private partners have released updated designs for the Park Badger redevelopment project, located at the northwest corner of South Park Street and West Badger Road on Madison’s South Side. The in-person session will be held from 12:30pm to 2:00pm at the Madison College Goodman South Campus on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.

Announcements and News Releases

• Building Community in Affordable Housing: Each year, the Community Development Division issues a competitive Request for Proposals to offer approximately $10 million in support to developers that aim to build affordable housing to serve Madison’s most vulnerable populations. In 2025, a total of 425 future rental homes received City subsidies, 260 of which will offer permanent affordability to those with qualified incomes. 
• Madison Fire Department Announces Timeline for Next Firefighter/EMT Hiring Process: The Madison Fire Department will be accepting applications for the position of Firefighter/EMT beginning April 1, 2026. The application period will close on May 26, 2026. [posted February 13, 2026]
• Intermittent Elevator Outages at Overture Center Garage on February 16: ProAxis will perform scheduled exterior maintenance on the elevator hoistway at the City of Madison Overture Center Garage on Monday, February 16, 2026, from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. The work includes replacing the header and window barrier on the… [posted February 13, 2026]
• City of Madison Celebrates Adult School Crossing Guard Recognition Week: The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has officially declared February 16–20, 2026, as Adult School Crossing Guard Recognition Week. The City of Madison is proud to recognize the 65 crossing guards who faithfully serve at intersections… [posted February 13, 2026]
• Community Development Authority updates plans for Park Badger redevelopment: The Community Development Authority and its partners have released updated designs for the Park Badger redevelopment project. [posted February 13, 2026]
• How to identify unmarked squad cars, officers: MADISON, Wis.— The Madison Police Department is making some changes to help members of the public identify staff as local officers. Our department has received a lot of questions recently on how people can tell the difference between MPD officers and… [posted February 11, 2026]
• Safer Internet Day: Being AI aware: The Madison Police Department is encouraging parents and guardians to talk to children about safe internet practices. In 2003, the European Union launched the first Safer Internet Day, and it has grown to more than 100 countries. The nonprofit… [posted February 10, 2026]
• Share your thoughts on Public Art for the Far West Operations Facility: The City of Madison and the Madison Arts Commission are seeking community feedback on a design proposal by The Milligan Studio for the Far West Operations Facility at 402 South Point Road. [posted February 10, 2026]
• Two-Time National Book Award Winner Jesmyn Ward Headlines Lunch for Libraries on May 5: MacArthur Fellowship recipient and New York Times bestselling author Jesmyn Ward is announced as the speaker for Madison Public Library Foundation's spring fundraiser, Lunch for Libraries, which will take place May 5 at Monona Terrace. [posted February 10, 2026]
• 2025 Housing Snapshot report published: The City of Madison’s Department of Planning, Community, and Economic Development has published its 2025 Housing Snapshot report, providing the latest insights into the city’s housing trends. [posted February 9, 2026]

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

• Wright Design Series: Innovations in K-12 Architecture Education, Monday, February 16: The next generation is becoming empowered to critically examine and actively shape the spaces around them. Discover how educators and designers are mentoring students across southern Wisconsin at this panel presentation. 
• Vaccine Clinic at Ezekiel Gillespie Middle School, Saturday, February 21: In partnership with Ezekiel Gillespie Middle School, Public Health is offering a variety of free vaccines on February 21, 2026 from 9am-11am. All vaccines are free for eligible individuals. Children six months and older who lack insurance, are under 19, and are either Alaskan Native or American Indian, as well as those with BadgerCare or most other types of insurance, can receive vaccinations at no cost.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Starkweather Creek Area, Saturday, February 2: Winter Wildflower Seed Planting ~ Join Naturalist Tara Dary for a free fun educational family friendly hands-on activity to learn about native Wisconsin  wildflowers seeds and take some home.  Did you know native wildflower seeds need to freeze and thaw or "cold stratify" to germinate?  Learn how to make Seed Bombs to toss on the ground or on snow to help seeds get started when it thaws.

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