Stay vigilant, Family definition at Council Tuesday, Public Information Meetings, Announcements

Hello neighbors,

I want to make you aware of something, not to alarm you, but to keep you vigilant. Tomorrow, Saturday February 25, has been dubbed a “National Day of Hate” by anti-Semitic white supremacist groups. Online chatter, monitored by federal agencies, has described calls for supporters of anti-Semitic white supremacist groups to “shock the masses with banner drops, stickers, fliers, and graffiti” and take photos and videos of participants engaging in these activities to spread on social media. I want to stress that, at this time, authorities are not aware of any specific activities planned in Wisconsin to support this horrible agenda, but if you see anything worrisome, please do NOT confront individuals distributing propaganda, conducting banner drops, or spraying/stenciling graffiti. Please call 911 and report what you see. The Madison Police Department is aware of this initiative, and is ready and able to respond accordingly. And, if you can, try to do something with your day that is meaningful and loving. That will be the best defense of all.

“Family Definition” revision

Alder Evers and I have introduced an amendment to the proposed revision of the “family definition” to limit unrelated individuals renting in campus-adjacent neighborhoods to 3 (instead of 5), which would sunset as of January 1, 2026. The rationale for this amendment is that there are clearly different housing pressures in campus-adjacent neighborhoods, thus these areas could be ripe for more extensive housing speculation, which is much more likely to occur if units can be rented to 5 rather than 3 individuals. However, with the building of a significant number of housing units along Regent Street and downtown, we believe the potential for that housing speculation will diminish substantially once the new units are available for occupancy. The Common Council will take up this item on Tuesday, February 28.

Harvey Street & Schmitt Place

The City is planning to reconstruct Schmitt Place from University Avenue to Harvey Street and Harvey Street from Ridge Street to Schmitt Place. The project will include new asphalt pavement, curb and gutter, driveway aprons and new sidewalk. The project will also include the replacement of the sanitary sewer and storm sewer improvements. An online public meeting on this project will be held March 6, at 6:30pm. Please register in advance.

Bus Rapid Transit construction

Work is about to begin on Mineral Point Road, Whitney Way, and University Ave. starting the week of March 6, 2023. Construction will take place in stages between 2023 and 2024. An online public information meeting on March 14 at 6pm will provide information about road work, construction timelines, and effects on traffic. Please register in advance.

West and Capital High construction updates

• The pool is beginning to be dug at West High.
• The elevator shaft has been constructed at Capital High

Announcements

• The City of Madison is pleased to announce that applications are now open for art grants that provide support for projects that enrich the cultural landscape of the City. Deadline: March 15.
• Three Madison Public Library sites offer free tax services by appointment:
  • Lakeview (AARP) on the north side. Appointments are booked for the season, however, there’s a chance more appointments will open up. Call 608-246-4547.
  • Sequoya (AARP) on the west side. Appointments are available in March and early April.  Call 608-266-6385.
  • Central (VITA) downtown. Call 608-266-6300.
• Other sites offering free tax services are:
  • Goodwill  (VITA), various sites in South Central Wisconsin, Madison. Click here  to make an appointment.
  • Richard Dilley Tax Center  (UW Extension) at 2300 South Park St. in Madison. Click here  to make an appointment. 
• FREE HUD-approved homebuyer education class: Saturday, March 18.The City of Madison, in partnership with the Home Buyers Round Table of Dane County and Consumer Credit Counseling Service, want to share with you our next HUD Approved Homebuyer Education class of 2023 for the month of March! Check out the 2023 class schedule for monthly classes.
• Check out the City’s Fleet Biennial Report to see how Fleet is making our City greener and more diverse.

Take care,

Regina Vidaver