Alder Meet & Greet, Envision Downtown Madison
postedTwo special events of interest this week, Downtown Alders Meet and Greet on Tuesday and Envision Madison Downtown Open House on Thursday.
Downtown Alders Meet and Greet
Tuesday 9/29, 6pm-8pm at MMoCA Rooftop Lounge
I and the three other downtown area alders (Ochowicz, Verveer and Zhang) will give brief updates and be available for group and individual discussion.
- 6:00 PM: Light networking
- 6:20 PM: Welcome and alder introductions in the following order:
- Karen Kapusta-Pofahl, Common Council Chief of Staff
- Alder Will Ochowicz, District 2
- Alder Mike Verveer, District 4
- Alder Davy Mayer, District 6
- Alder Ellen Zhang, District 8
- Dan McAuliffe, City of Madison Planning Division
- Karen Kapusta-Pofahl, Common Council Chief of Staff – Wrap up welcome
- 6:45 PM: Networking
- 8:00 PM: End of event
You can register for the event here: http://www.cityofmadison.com/downtownalders
Envision Madison Downtown Open House
Thursday 10/01, 5pm-7:30pm, Madison Municipal Building Room 215.
This public event will be jointly held by the City of Madison Downtown Area Plan project team and the Downtown Madison, Inc. (DMI) Downtown Strategy project team. We look forward to sharing progress updates and hearing your perspectives.
A presentation and question and answer period will begin at 5:30 p.m. This event is designed for you to come and go as needed within the 5:00-7:30 p.m. window. The gallery-style event will allow participants to review and discuss their thoughts and preferences with staff at their own pace.
Please register in advance at this link if you plan to attend in person to help us anticipate the number of participants.
A virtual option will also be offered via Zoom for those unable to attend the 5:30 p.m. presentation in person. You can join virtually using your computer, smartphone, or tablet, or you can listen in via telephone. You will receive login information after registering at this link.
Envision Downtown Madison is a strategic partnership between the City and DMI that will guide the future of downtown through two separate but coordinated efforts – the City's update to the Downtown Area Plan and DMI's new Greater Downtown Economic Investment Strategy.
Updates and Notices
- Brush and Yard Waste: Look up your set out dates for brush and yard waste collection. Separate yard waste from brush when you put it on the curb.
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 Finance Committee meeting will take place on Monday, September 28, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include 2027 Executive Capital Budget deliberations.
- Plan Commission: The Plan Commission meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 29, at 5:00 p.m. in Room 215 of the Madison Municipal Building at 215 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Agenda items include an update on the data center moratorium.
- President's Workgroup on Madison Police Department Use of Deadly Force, De-Escalation and Body-Worn Cameras Policies and Procedures: The President's Workgroup on Madison Police Department Use of Deadly Force, De-Escalation and Body-Worn Cameras Policies and Procedures meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 30, at 5:00 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include Madison Police Department's draft body-worn camera policy.
If you would like more information about becoming a member of the City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here.
Public Information Meetings (PIMs)
- Madison LakeWay Public Art Project Design Presentations, Thursday, October 1: The City of Madison and the Madison LakeWay Public Art Ad Hoc Selection Committee are holding a public meeting for the finalists to present their design proposals.
- Euclid Ave and Birch Ave Reconstruction, Thursday, October 1: Details on the project design, construction schedule, residential impacts, and special assessments will be discussed. The presentation will be posted on this website for anyone unable to attend.
Announcements and News Releases
- Public art installation to debut as part of Imagination Center at Reindahl Park grand opening: The Passage of Being was selected by the Madison Arts Commission in partnership with the Parks Division and Madison Public Library through a robust public engagement process. [posted September 25, 2026]
- Temporary Closure of the 300 Block of W Dayton Street for Crane Operation: On Monday, September 28 and Tuesday, September 29, between the hours of 7:00 am and 5:00 pm, the 300 block of W Dayton Street will close to through traffic for a crane operation by Roofed Right America. Access will be maintained to all driveways and… [posted September 25, 2026]
- W Doty Street Lane Closure on Sunday, September 27: On Sunday, September 27, the 10 block of W Doty Street will have a travel lane closed for a crane operation. A single travel lane will remain available during the closure. Drivers should anticipate some delays when traveling through the area. W Doty… [posted September 24, 2026]
- Grant from Madison Community Foundation to Accelerate Police Body-Cam Deployment: Madison Community Foundation will award the City a $350,000 grant to cover the software and civilian personnel costs associated with implementing the program. [posted September 24, 2026]
- North and Near West Area Plans to Kick Off in November: Work on Madison's next two area plans, the North Area Plan and the Near West Area Plan, is underway and you can get involved with the process with a series of kickoff events in the coming months. [posted September 24, 2026]
- Brush Collection Extended into Fall for 2026: The Streets Division's will collect small brush piles this fall along with separated piles of leaves and yard waste. The brush piles must be kept separate from your leaves and yard waste. You must also follow all other brush collection… [posted September 24, 2026]
- Temporary Closure of the 400 Block of W Gilman for Crane Erection: From Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27, the 400 block of W Gilman Street will be closed to access from University Avenue and Frances Street for Findorff to erect a tower crane at the site of a private development project. Two-way… [posted September 22, 2026]
- "Unload, Lock, and Separate": Public Health Launches Awareness Campaign for Safe Gun Storage(external): Public Health Madison & Dane County announced a new campaign urging gun owners in Dane County to practice safe gun storage at home. [posted September 22, 2026]
- Street and Lane Closures – Mid Town Rd (westbound direction), Waldorf Blvd: Starting Wednesday, September 23, and continuing through Wednesday, September 30, Speedway Sand and Gravel will close Mid Town Road in the westbound direction between Carns Drive and Waldorf Boulevard. [posted September 21, 2026]
- MPD to create new section focused on organizational accountability and professional development: MADISON, Wis. – The Madison Police Department is creating a new section that will focus on use of force, professional development, accountability, and transparency. The Service Excellence and Outreach Section will be added early next year and is part… [posted September 21, 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
- Fall Home Maintenance, Tuesday, September 29: Is your home ready for winter's chill? Don't wait until the first snowstorm to discover a leaky roof or a frozen pipe! This Fall Home Maintenance class will empower you to proactively prepare your home for the harsh winter months, saving you money and headaches down the road.
- Framing Our Future: Downtown Alders Meet & Greet, Tuesday, September 29: Come join us in person for a casual and fun Meet & Greet with the Downtown Alders! This is your chance to chat, share ideas, and get to know the folks shaping our community's future.
- Fall Fun Series, Wednesday, September 30: Come for Ballet Folklorico Mexico and lessons in mountain biking, frisbee and social dance! A light dinner will be offered as well. Spanish interpretation provided.
- Volunteer Workday | Owen Conservation Park, Wednesday, September 30: Join the Friends of Owen Conservation Park for a hands-on stewardship opportunity focused on removing invasive Porcelain berry. Porcelain berry is an aggressive vine that grows quickly and smothers other vegetation, severely decreasing diversity and number of native plants.
- Envision Downtown Madison Open House #3, Thursday, October 1: Join us Thursday, October 1, 2026, for Envision Downtown Madison's third public open house. Learn about potential public and private sector initiatives and ideas that could advance Big Moves and keep downtown Madison a thriving place, as well as the draft land use framework to guide future developments.
- Bird & Nature Adventures | Tenney Park, Saturday, October 3: Seeing the Small Stuff ~ Join Naturalist Julie Melton for a fun family friendly stroll to enjoy nature in early fall at beautiful Tenney Park by Lake Mendota.
- Bird & Nature Adventures | Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park, Sunday, October 4: Weather Wisdom ~ Join UW Atmospheric Science emeritus professor Steve Ackerman for a free fun family friendly stroll on easy paths at Cherokee Marsh. Enjoy early fall in the woodlands, prairies and marsh while learning fascinating facts about weather and climate change.
Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.