Week of April 20, 2026

Dear Neighbors,

I hope you are enjoying the warmer weather and the signs of spring across our community. As we continue through April, there are many important updates, meetings, and opportunities to get involved here in District 7 and across the City.

This week is especially meaningful as we welcome new leadership, honor outgoing colleagues, and continue important conversations about the future of Madison.

🏘️ Neighborhood Engagement

I'm grateful for the opportunity to stay connected with our neighborhoods and hear directly from residents.

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Ice Age Falls Neighborhood Association Annual Meeting, and I was happy to be part of a thoughtful and engaging community discussion. These conversations are invaluable in helping shape our priorities and ensuring your voices are heard.

I'm also excited to share that I will be joining the WestHaven Trails Neighborhood Association Annual Meeting:

🗓 Wednesday, April 22
🕕 6:00 PM

This is another great opportunity to connect directly with neighbors, share updates, and hear about the priorities and ideas shaping the WestHaven Trails community. I look forward to continuing the conversation.

If your neighborhood association is interested in scheduling a meeting or inviting me to attend, please feel free to reach out. I'd be glad to connect and hear from you.

🌟 Lunch & Learn with the Mayor

I'm excited to invite you to join me for a special Lunch & Learn session with Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway:

Connecting D7: Questions & Answers with the Mayor
🗓 Thursday, April 23
🕛 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM (Virtual)

This is a great opportunity to:

• Hear directly from the Mayor about city priorities and upcoming initiatives
• Ask questions and share your perspectives
• Engage in a meaningful conversation about the future of Madison

I encourage all residents to participate and make your voice heard. Registration is required, please register here: https://www.cityofmadison.com/news/2026-04-14/date-correction-uncover-the-future-of-madison-a-qa-with-mayor-rhodes-conway-0

Image credit: City of Madison

🏛️ Common Council Meetings – Leadership Transition

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.

This Tuesday marks an important moment for the Common Council:

Common Council Organizational Meeting

🗓 Tuesday, April 21 – 12:00 PM (Hybrid)

• Honoring the service of outgoing alders
• Swearing in newly elected and returning alders
• Election of the Common Council President and Vice President

Common Council Meeting

🗓 Tuesday, April 21 – 6:30 PM (Hybrid)

The evening meeting will include discussion on updates to ordinances related to the Office of the Independent Police Monitor and the Police Civilian Oversight Board.

These meetings represent both a transition and a continuation of the work to serve our community effectively.

🌿 Updates & Notices

• Reporting Tree Damage:
  With this severe weather this past week, it is a good time to remind everyone how to report issues with trees along the road. If there is a tree emergency – like if a tree falls and blocks the road – call 911 or at least call 608-255-2345. Dane County Dispatchers will get to our on-call arborists to respond to the emergency. If there is some other less severe situation, then you can certainly use the report-a-problem to let us know of other concerns. 
• Public Health Closure:
  Public Health offices will be closed Tuesday, April 21 from 11:45 AM to 4:30 PM.
• Earth Day Challenge – April 25:
  Celebrate Earth Day in Your Local Park: Accept the Earth Day Challenge by joining your neighbors and friends in this year's Earth Day Challenge! Volunteer to help clean up your local park on Saturday, April 25!

🏛️ Boards, Committees & City Meetings

• Board of Public Works: The Board of Public Works meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 22, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include approving the roadway geometry for Regent Street, as well as approving public works projects in District 14 and District 16. 
  • 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

• Public Input Meeting - Cypress Spray Park, Monday, April 20: The City of Madison Parks is holding the first public input meeting for the Cypress Spray Park Re-Design! The meeting will be held at Centro, 2403 Cypress Way on April 20, 2026, at 5:30pm. Kids are encouraged to attend with an adult; we want to hear what they think sounds fun!
• Virtual Open House | District 15 Parks, Thursday, April 23 (This event occurs on multiple dates): Madison Parks is holding a series of virtual public input sessions for the Southeast Park Development Plan process coinciding with the City Planning Division's Southeast Area Plan.

🌎 Planning & Sustainability Updates

• The City is updating the All Ages and Abilities (AAA) Bike Network Plan, creating a long-term vision for safe and accessible biking infrastructure
• Continued efforts are underway to strengthen sustainability, transportation, and community planning initiatives across Madison

📰 Announcements and News

• Watch Out for Scammers, Storm Cleanup, and More Severe Weather: The recent severe storms in Madison caused considerable damage to many homes and vehicles this week. [posted April 16, 2026]
• Draft AAA Bike Network Plan: The City of Madison is updating its All Ages and Abilities Bike Network Plan. The plan will provide a long-term vision for development of a network of paths and low-stress on-street bikeways for biking and micromobility. [posted April 16, 2026]
• DATE CORRECTION: Uncover the Future of Madison: A Q&A with Mayor Rhodes-Conway!: Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway will join Alder Badri Lankella on Thursday, April 23, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM for a virtual session to discuss the city's priorities and answer residents' questions. This session will take place virtually via Zoom. [posted April 14, 2026]
• Mural Naming Contest: The Madison Senior Center is excited to ask the community to help name their new mural! [posted April 13, 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.

🎉 Community Events

• Coffee with a Cop - South District, Monday, April 20: Coffee with a Cop is a chance for community members to connect with the officers who serve their city. Officers can speak about recent cases to department wide initiatives to lower crime in our community.
• Wisconsin Virtual TB Summit, Tuesday, April 21, 2026 (This event occurs on multiple dates): Join local, state, and national tuberculosis experts as they share their work to understand and improve care for people diagnosed with TB in our community. 
• Coffee with a Cop – East District, Tuesday, April 21: Coffee with a Cop is a chance for community members to connect with the officers who serve their city. Officers can speak about recent cases to department wide initiatives to lower crime in our community. 
• Learn to Nordic Walk | Door Creek Park, Tuesday, April 21: Turn your walk into a full-body workout with Nordic walking!  We've partnered with Madison Nordic Ski Club (MadNorSki) for a free class.
• Connecting D7: Questions & Answers with Mayor Rhodes-Conway, Thursday, April 23: Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway will join Alder Badri Lankella on Thursday, April 23, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM for a virtual session to discuss the city's priorities and answer residents' questions. This session will take place virtually via Zoom.
• Volunteer at The Glen, Saturday, April 25 (This event occurs on multiple dates): 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.  
• Vaccine Clinic at Sugar Creek Elementary School, Saturday, April 25: 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 | Edna Taylor, Saturday, April 25: Do You Hear a Frog? ~ Join Naturalist Doug Davis for a free guided family friendly walk on the beautiful nature trails along the prairies, woodlands and ponds at Aldo Leopold Nature Center and Edna Taylor Conservation Park.
• Earth Day Challenge, Saturday, April 25: Celebrate Earth Day with your neighbors and friends by volunteering to clean up your local park! Join this community-wide volunteer effort to help make a difference. Accept the Earth Day Challenge with Madison Parks!
• Save Soil Walkathon, Saturday, April 25: Join the Save Soil Walkathon to raise awareness about protecting and restoring soil. 

• Bird & Nature Festival 2026, Sunday, April 26: The 2026 Bird & Nature Festival is a free, family-friendly event celebrating Madison Bird City, Arbor Day and Earth Day.  See live birds by Open Door Bird Sanctuary and visit nature displays throughout the day.

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

🚧 Looking Ahead

As we move toward the end of April, we will continue to see:

• Increased construction and infrastructure activity
• More community engagement opportunities
• Continued focus on sustainability and neighborhood investment

I will keep sharing updates that matter most to District 7.

Stay Connected

Thank you for staying engaged and involved in District 7. Your participation helps shape the future of our community.

Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions, concerns, or ideas.

Warm regards,
Badri Lankella
Alder, District 7
City of Madison