Body Worn Cameras, HCRI funds, Trace the Line Conversations, Upcoming Events & Job Opportunities

The council voted on Tuesday to accept the Final Report and Model Policy from the Body-Worn Camera Feasibility Review Committee. The vote was simply an acceptance of the report; this vote didn't call for any further action.  I appreciate the work of the committee and the public's interest and engagement on this topic.  As I have expressed in multiple occasions, I do not support the implementation of Body Worn Cameras.  The evidence supports those opposing its implementation as well as those supporting it.  Hence, my focus has been on the cost of a potential rollout and the additional operating budget costs of the pilot. My colleague, Alder Currie (District 16), posted her thoughts earlier this week on Body Worn Cameras (and the situation at Reindahl Park). I support and stand by her views on these topics and encourage you to check it out.

Housing Cost Reduction Initiative (HCRI) funds

We also passed a resolution to accept this funds, please share this information to anyone who may benefit from these services.

• These funds are used to support the City's down payment assistance program Home Buy the American Dream. Every two years the City submits a grant to the State to supplement funding for this program. You can find a summary about the program here: Home Buy the American Dream. To apply the applicant should notify their first mortgage lender who will collaborate with the City in completing the underwriting package.
• The City also sponsors education classes with the Home Buyers Round Table.  The classes cover the lending process and all down payment programs available to low-to-moderate income buyers. If someone is looking for a first mortgage lender, go to the Members section of the HBRT website. The lenders listed there are folks who work with down payment programs and can help guide the client through the process.

Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of July 12, 2021

Reindahl Park Encampment and Alternative Emergency Sheltering

The City-County Homelessness Issues Committee will be discussing a resolution directing City staff to enforce ordinances at Reindahl Park and a resolution on a proposed emergency shelter tiny house village at its meeting on Monday.

• Meeting Details
• Meeting Agenda
• Register for Public Comment

For additional information about additional meetings scheduled for this week, please consult the City Meeting Schedule online here

Events, activities, seminars, etc.

• Downtown Madison businesses are excited to share the return of Maxwell Street Days to State Street.  This year's event, now in its 44th year, expands from three days to four, July 15 – July 18.  Click here for hours and a list of the 60+ participating businesses.
• The Madison Senior Center welcomes guests back to the building on July 13, 2021, at reduced capacity.  Read more here.
• Upcoming, public-facing COVID-19 mobile vaccine clinics, as organized by Public Health Madison & Dane County:
  • Monday, July 12: Jason Glenn Hair Salon, 12pm-7 pm
  • Monday, July 12: Mercado Marimar, 11 am-1 pm
  • Thursday, July 15: Lussier Community Center, 2pm-4 pm

Vaccination appointments and walk-ins are also available at multiple public health clinic locations. Please see the Public Health website for details.  You can find details and see a map of all upcoming public clinics on the Public Health website.  Public Health Madison & Dane County's COVID-19 Data Snapshot is released every Thursday. You can read their weekly blog post for a summary of the week's data. For a weekly summary of talking points around COVID-19 in Dane County, please check out Public Health's hot topics document in their Google Drive.

• The murals that filled State Street in the wake of last summer's push for racial justice showed how art and activism can intertwine. On Thursday, July 15, from noon to 1 p.m., Trace the Line Conversations will focus on the state of the arts in Wisconsin, the impact of COVID-19 on the arts and how the intersection of arts and activism offers a springboard for desperately-needed conversations in our communities.
  • The lunchtime virtual event will feature Zach Brandon, president of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce and Mark Fraire, Director of Dane Arts. Panelists also include Alejandro Miranda Cruz, co-founder of Madison-based Bravebird Films and director of the feature film Trace the Line, and Greg Hatton, the film's cinematographer.
  • Trace the Line was shot in Madison during 2020 with a diverse cast and crew -- more than 50 percent BIPOC and women. The film focuses on the experience of two artists to depict how people from different walks of life experienced racial unrest and the pandemic. This event is the second in a series of Trace The Line Conversations that put the spotlight on leaders from a broad range of communities to sustain the movement for a more just society.
  • The first conversation featured leaders from Kenosha, Minneapolis and Chicago who discussed bridging the gap, Black excellence and trauma and not being a bystander.
  • To attend, please RSVP here:  https://www.tracethelinefilm.com/conversationeve

Announcements, press releases, press conferences, etc.

• The City of Madison is rapidly restoring in-person access to City services, while maintaining increased access online and via phone.  To learn more, read this update on opening of City service desks.
• The City of Madison is excited to announce the launch of the Carts in Parks Vending Pilot Program this summer into fall! This program will provide daily food cart vending in 20 parks around Madison, support community-driven micro vending markets, reduce the barriers to vending in city parks, provide greater food access, and enhance our community gathering spaces.  Read more here.
• The food scraps recycling program at the Streets Division drop-off sites will end on July 17, 2021.  After that date, residents who had been using the food scraps program should instead place the food scraps into the trash, or find alternative composting options, such as available private services or composting appropriate scraps in backyard bins.  Read more here.

Save the Date

• After a year of virtual events, the Madison Night Market is returning, and this year the event moves ONTO State Street!  Vendors showcase handmade products, local art, artisan gifts, prepackaged foods and fresh produce. The event includes live music, special visiting food carts and pop-up restaurant experiences. The Market will run from 4pm – 9pm on August 19, September 16, October 22, and December 16.  Learn more here.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Job Opportunities: Please post/forward the open and competitive job announcement within your circles.