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Common Council

Week of May 11, 2026

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Dear neighbors,

I hope everyone is enjoying the warmer spring weather and all the activity that comes with this busy season in Madison. I also hope college commencement ceremonies went well this weekend, and congratulations to all graduating seniors on this important milestone and achievement. Welcome as well to the many college students returning home for summer break. Best wishes to our high school students currently working through AP exams, and to all students, teachers, and families preparing for the final busy weeks of the school year. Thank you, as always, for staying engaged and connected with our community. Below are important updates, meetings, announcements, and events for the upcoming week.

🏡Madison Housing Week Success

Madison Housing Week was a tremendous success this year, featuring several informative and engaging events focused on housing affordability, development, homeownership opportunities, tenant resources, and the future of housing in our community.

I had the opportunity to attend one of the events and appreciated the thoughtful discussions and strong community participation. It was encouraging to see residents, housing advocates, nonprofit organizations, developers, and City leaders coming together to discuss solutions and partnerships that can help address Madison's growing housing needs.

Thank you to all the organizers, speakers, volunteers, and attendees who helped make Madison Housing Week such a valuable community effort. Expanding access to safe, affordable, and sustainable housing continues to be one of the most important priorities for our city.

Madison Housing Week
Image credit: Badri Lankella

🗑️Country Grove Park Basketball Court Closure

Country Grove Park Basketball Court Closure
Image credit: City Parks Division

Due to safety concerns, Madison Parks staff closed the basketball court at Country Grove Park earlier this week.

During a recent inspection, Parks staff discovered that the basketball poles are bowed and that one pole is leaning. As a result:

  • The basketball hoops have been removed from the backboards
  • Closure signage has been posted onsite
  • Parks staff are coordinating with the manufacturer and installation contractor to determine next steps

The basketball court will remain closed until further notice and will likely still be closed during the planned ribbon cutting event on May 21.

Safety remains the top priority, and I appreciate the Parks Division acting quickly to address the issue and prevent potential injuries. Updates will be shared as additional information becomes available.

🌿 Spring Cleanup: Final Spring Yard Waste Collection is Approaching

The Streets Division has announced that the final spring yard waste collection period is approaching for neighborhoods across Madison.

Important reminders:

  • Some neighborhoods have their final spring set-out date on Sunday, May 10
  • Other neighborhoods have their final set-out date on Sunday, May 17
  • Residents should check their specific collection date online using the City's yard waste lookup tool

After this final spring pickup, curbside yard waste collection will pause until the fall season.

Why does the collection pause?
The crews who collect yard waste during the spring transition to other important summer responsibilities, including road repair projects and other public works operations.

Residents still have options during the summer months:

  • Use one of the City's three year-round drop-off sites
  • Compost yard waste at home

Please remember:

  • Yard waste has been banned from Wisconsin landfills for more than 30 years
  • Leaves, grass clippings, and other yard waste should NOT be placed in trash carts
  • Yard waste should also NOT be placed in recycling carts

Thank you to everyone helping keep our neighborhoods clean and environmentally responsible.

🚧 John Nolen Drive Project Updates

Residents are encouraged to continue monitoring updates related to the John Nolen Drive reconstruction project, including road closures, pedestrian detours, and traffic impacts.

Upcoming impacts include:

  • Temporary pedestrian access closure along Broom Street beginning May 12
  • Railroad crossing work associated with the reconstruction project

Please allow extra travel time and use caution around construction zones.

🏛️ 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.

  • Finance Committee: The Common Council meeting will take place on Monday, May 11, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include recognizing up to $1,148,000 from Dane County for operations at the permanent men's shelter. 
  • Plan Commission: The Plan Commission meeting will take place on Monday, May 11, at 5:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include development-related requests in Districts 2, 3, 12, and 16.
  • Board of Parks Commissioners: The Board of Park Commissioners meeting will take place on Wednesday, May 13, at 6:30 p.m. in the boardroom of the Parks Lakeside Offices at 330 E Lakeside St. Agenda items include adopting the Southeast Area Plan and adopting the Southwest Area Plan.

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

📰 Announcements and News Releases

🎉 Community Events

  • Animal Cruelty Investigations and Response Workshop, Tuesday, May 12, 2026 (This event occurs on multiple dates): This free, two-day hands-on workshop is open to law enforcement, prosecutors, veterinarians and rescue and sheltering organizations. It aims to raise awareness about animal cruelty, forge key partnerships and empower participants to mitigate and prevent cruelty within their communities. Join us!
  • FOOT Madison Tango, Wednesday, May 13: Change of tune! Looks like we'll have a little more time to enjoy the wonderful dance floor in historic Normal Hall (the building we've incorrectly been calling the Olin Park Pavilion). Madison's Parks Division has delayed its renovations projects for a while, so we now can have a spring FOOT-Loose Dance Series.
  • Frank Lloyd Wright Trail Welcome Weekend, Friday, May 15- Sunday, May 17 (This event occurs on multiple dates): Monona Terrace is delighted to be part of the Frank Lloyd Wright Trail's Welcome Weekend, and we're offering additional tours as part of this special occasion.  Join us to learn more about Wright's controversial "dream civic center" and his indelible imprint upon the project.
  • Bird & Nature Adventures | Starkweather Creek Area, Saturday, May 16: Bike the Creek ~ Join Tara Dary and Friends of Starkweather Creek for a guided bike tour along the greenways, parks and yards beside Starkweather Creek.  Bring your bike or rent a B-Cycle at a nearby station at Goodman, Blue Plate Diner or Garver Feed Mill.
  • Learn to Play Ultimate, Saturday, May 16: Learn the basics of Ultimate - rules, scoring, movement, throwing, catching, strategies and more. This event is free to attend. Advanced registration is required. 
  • Sketch at The Glen & Forest Hill Cemetery, Saturday, May 16: Join Urban Sketchers Madison for a lovely day of creativity and artful expression.  Urban Sketchers - Madison is a group of local folk who enjoy drawing with a focus on sketching our city from life and sharing those sketches with others.
  • Bird & Nature Adventures | Warner Park, Sunday, May 17: Nature Writing ~ Join Naturalist Lynn Persson for a free guided walk to enjoy the natural areas at Warner Park.  Bring pen and paper.  We will take time to stop along the way to contemplate things.  Write down a few notes of draw a simple picture about what you see, how you feel, and the beauty around you.

  • Movie at The Glen | Goonies, Sunday, May 17: Help us kick off the summer season with The Glen's first movie night of 2026! Goonies is a classic movie from 1985 about a group of teenagers who find a map leading to a hidden treasure. They must overcome concealed traps, natural obstructions, and a gang of desperate thieves in their race for the loot. Join us for yard games, crafts, and socialization at 4pm.  The movie will begin promptly at 5pm.

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

💬 Staying Connected

Thank you to everyone who continues to attend meetings, share feedback, and stay engaged. Your input helps guide decisions and ensures we are building a community that reflects our shared values.

If you have questions, concerns, or ideas, please don't hesitate to reach out.

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

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Portrait of Alder Badri Lankella

Alder Badri Lankella

District 7
Contact Alder Lankella

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