Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of November 2, 2026
posted
Image credit: Bill Tishler
- Make Your Voice Heard – Vote on November 3rd! Election Day is November 3, 2026. Voting is an opportunity to participate in shaping the future of our community and the decisions that affect our daily lives. Make a plan to vote, encourage your friends and neighbors to participate, and make your voice heard!
For Madison residents, polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. You can find your polling location, check your registration, and review your ballot at MyVote Wisconsin. Wisconsin also allows same-day voter registration at your polling place - It's Pumpkin Time: Remember, you can put your pumpkins and other compostable seasonal decorations (corn stalks, hay, etc.) out for pickup along with your leaves. Remove wires, lights, candles, and other non-compostables before putting them into the leaves.
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.
- Board of Public Works: The Board of Public Works meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 4, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include Public Works and private contracts in Districts 1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 16, and 19.
- Board of Park Commissioners: The Board of Park Commissioners meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 4, at 6:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include an informational presentation from Big Top Events regarding proposed investments and Use Agreement changes at Breese Stevens Field.
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 Meeting (PIM's)
- Public Information Meeting - Odana Hills Golf Course and Park, Thursday, November 5, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: The community is invited to attend a virtual public information meeting as Parks staff provide an update focused on the park and clubhouse improvements. Advanced registration required to attend.
- Near West Kick Off Meeting: Join city staff for one of the Near West kickoff meeting! Choose the meeting option that works best for your schedule. There will be two virtual sessions and one in-person open house so you can learn more, ask questions, and share your thoughts. Not coming to a meeting? Share your thoughts on the Near West Area Plan - Your Ideas Map. To request interpretation, translation or a disability-related accommodation at no cost to you, contact 608-266-4635 or NearWestPlan@cityofmadison.com
- Virtual Meeting #1 - Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Registration is required.
- In-Person Open House: Thursday, November 5, 2026, 6-7:30pm. West High School Cafeteria, 30 Ash Street. Enter on Ash Street at the ground-level visitor's entrance left of the main stairs. Stop by, explore maps, ask questions, and provide feedback. A short presentation is planned for 6:15pm.
- Virtual Meeting #2 - Monday, November 9, 2026, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Registration is required. The virtual meetings will have the same format and share the same information.
Events
Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.
- Period Party Series, Monday, November 2: Public Health Madison & Dane County is partnering with Madison Public Library to host their annual Period Party event series in November.
- Bird & Nature Adventures | Tenney Park, Saturday, November 7: Waterfowl Wonders ~ Join Naturalist Paul Noeldner for a free family friendly guided walk on easy paths along Lake Mendota, along tge Lake Mendota shore, Tenney Lagoon and Yahara Riverway. Bring binocs or a camera! We will look for Canada Geese, Mallards and other waterfowl gathering for migration.
- Inspired by Wright, Sunday, November 8: Dive into “Inspired by Wright," a hands-on experience where you'll explore how geometric shapes influenced Frank Lloyd Wright's iconic architecture.
- Bird & Nature Adventures | Turville Point, Sunday, November 8: Fat Bears and Chonky Squirrels ~ Join amazing wildlife naturalist Kathlean Wolf for a free guided walk to explore beautiful nature trails at Turville Point. Wild critters are busy fattening up and hunkering down as days gets colder. Learn about wildlife and how they change their bodies and their environment in preparation for winter.
- Parks Alive Fall! Parks Alive builds stronger neighborhoods and connects neighbors to their parks through fun, family-friendly activities, music and free food. Events are held in parks across the city and throughout the fall. Connect with your neighbors and engage with your community at a Parks Alive event near you!
- District 11 Neighborhood Town Hall, Tuesday, November 17th at 6:30 p.m. You're invited to an in person Neighborhood Town Hall to discuss the proposed Odana Road redesign and upcoming changes to the Odana Hills Golf Course Clubhouse. City staff from Parks and Mobility & Infrastructure have been invited to provide information, answer questions, and gather feedback. The Neighborhood Town Hall is scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at 6:30pm, at the Odana Hills Golf Course Clubhouse, 4635 Odana Road
- District 11 Book Club: The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, Thursday, December 3 at 7:00 pm. The next District 11 Book Club will discuss “AI Snake Oil: What Artificial Intelligence Can Do, What It Can't, and How to Tell the Difference" by Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kapoor. Challenging the assumptions driving today's artificial intelligence boom, the authors argue that much of what we are told about AI's predictive power, objectivity, and inevitability is built on shaky foundations. Join us for a timely discussion about technology, trust, and whether today's AI boom is built on genuine breakthroughs or a modern-day snake oil sales pitch.
Our moderator for this free book club event will be Clinton Castro, who is an Assistant Professor in the Information School and Affiliate Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the UW–Madison.
Announcements and News Releases
- Researchers to review MPD use of force practices: To be responsive to community concerns regarding police use of force, the Madison Police Department has asked for an independent review of our use of force practices. Professors Ian Adams and Scott Mourtgos, both with the University of… [posted October 28, 2026]
- Put Your Pumpkins in Your Leaf Piles: It's pumpkin time, Madison! Spice up your curbside leaf piles with this season's jack-o-lanterns. Streets Division crews will collect pumpkins, gourds, hay, corn stalks, and other compostable plant decorations along with your leaves and other… [posted October 30, 2026]
- Men's Shelter Achieves LEED Gold Certification: The City of Madison Engineering Division is proud to announce the Men's Shelter Facility has achieved LEED© Gold certification from the U.S. [posted October 29, 2026]
- North and Near West Area Plan Outreach Ramps Up: Public engagement for the North and Near West Area Plans ramps up in November, with both Area Plans offering two virtual kickoff meetings in addition to in-person open houses. [posted October 28, 2026]
- Watch Public Information Meeting on Data Center Regulation: City of Madison staff updated community members on a draft framework for proposed zoning regulations regarding data centers. [posted October 27, 2026]
- 10/27/26 Overdose Spike Alert: Risk of Drug Overdose Increased in Dane County: Public Health Madison & Dane County is issuing a public health alert due to an increase, or spike, in drug overdoses in our community. [posted October 27, 2026]
- Madison Public Library Announces 2026 Naturalist-in-Residence; Programs Begin November 5: Qwantése Dourese Winters is the 2026 Naturalist-in-Residence this winter with the theme "The Tender Season". This program will take place from November 5 to December 21. [posted October 26, 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.