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Week of June 16th

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Dear Neighbors,

Alder O'Brien learning about Rusty Patch Bees

Happy summer! By now, most schools in Madison have recessed for summer break. Over the last few weeks, I had the privilege of seeing end-of-the-year presentations from students at Elvehjem Elementary and Senate Middle School.

Thank you to Ms. Bee and all the teachers at Elvehjem for inviting me to join their classes and learn more about pollinator species. I got to meet so many awesome 2nd graders, and they taught me how we can protect our pollinators in Madison – especially the Rusty Patch Bumblebee! And thank you to the 6th graders at Senate Middle School for teaching me about the dark history behind Native American boarding schools and some of the incredible authors that have come from them.

Earlier this month, I joined the Madison Fire Department and Local 311 for the graduation ceremony of Firefighter Class 62. Our city has an incredible and extremely dedicated fire department, and I can’t wait to see these graduates continue to serve Madison. Congratulations Class 62! We are cheering you on.

Firefighter class 62

Finally, thank you to everyone who joined me on the business walk of the Southeast Area Plan. It was great to spend the morning talking with local business leaders about their hopes and concerns for the east side. We were able to get valuable feedback on the Southeast Area Plan and provide opportunities for education on the redesign of South Stoughton Road. In July, there will be a public information meeting hosted by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation regarding the South Stoughton redesign. I’ll be sure to share more information as it becomes available and encourage you to attend.

As always, I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at events across the district. If there is something you’d like me to come to, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

And don’t forget to follow our official District 16 Facebook page for more updates!

-Sean

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.

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 (PIMs)

  • 2026 Budget Engagement Meeting - Public Safety, Monday, June 16: The meetings will feature an update of the 2026 budget process with Finance Director Dave Schmiedicke and presentations from the Madison Fire Department, the Madison Police Department, and Public Health Madison Dane County. The goal of these public meetings is to provide an opportunity for you to speak directly with City staff about your ideas, concerns, and priorities for Madison’s future.
  • Chapter 71:  Regulation of Icebound Inland Waters Public Information Meeting, June 17: Dane County will hold a public informational meeting where attendees can provide comments and learn more about the ordinance. The meeting will take place at the Lussier Family Heritage Center on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
  • 2026 Budget Engagement Meeting – Transportation, Wednesday, June 18: The meetings will feature an update of the 2026 budget process with Finance Director Dave Schmiedicke and presentations from Metro Transit, the Parking Division, and Traffic Engineering. The goal of these public meetings is to provide an opportunity for you to speak directly with City staff about your ideas, concerns, and priorities for Madison’s future.

Announcements and News Releases

  • The webpage regarding public comment on Chapter 71, Regulation of Icebound Inland Waters, is now live! A public information session, which will include time for public comment, has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 17th @ 6:00 pm. Public comments can also be submitted online through July 15th.
  • Key Voting Deadlines & Accessible Options for Voting : Absentee voting for the June 17 Special Election is coming to a close. Voters should be aware of some key deadlines: [posted June 13, 2025]
  • 2025 Vision Zero Safe Streets and Speed Management Projects: Since 2020, Vision Zero Madison has implemented safety improvement projects and speed management projects every year to further safe travel on City streets. These projects focus on Proven Safety Countermeasures like high visibility… [posted June 13, 2025]
  • Summer Fun for Kids, Sewer Explorers Event Friday: Does your little one love big trucks? Come be a Sewer Explorer and learn all about the City’s underground infrastructure directly from City Engineering Employees 1-2 p.m., June 13, 2025, at Hawthorne Library (mural alley), 2707 E Washington Ave.… [posted June 12, 2025]
  • Help Keep Madison Safe – And Have Fun Doing It! School may be out for summer, but the City of Madison Traffic Engineering Division is already looking ahead—and we need your help. We are now hiring school crossing guards for the upcoming 2025-26 school year, and there’s never been a better time to…[posted June 12, 2025]
  • Goodman Pool Opens at 12pm Thursday, First 500 Kids Admitted Free: The Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman Pool opens for the 2025 season on Thursday, June 12! Thanks to the generosity of Goodman's Jewelers, the first 500 kids receive free admission starting at 12pm! Honoring Irwin and Robert Goodman, John and Catherine… [posted June 12, 2025]
  • Mayor and Alders Introduce Steps to Create More Housing in Madison : These efforts are designed make it easier to build a range of smaller types of homes by expanding policies already in place in parts of the city and allowing property owners more flexibility. [posted June 11, 2025]
  • New art installation added at UW-Madison Arboretum: The City of Madison Arts Commission is proud to announce the installation of Preserve, a temporary environmental art installation, which is now on display at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum. [posted June 10, 2025]
  • Open House Set for Park & Open Space Plan Review: Parks and open spaces are essential to community health, wellness, and vitality. The Park and Open Space Plan (POSP) guides policies, planning, and resource allocations that support decision-makers, staff, and residents. It informs park development…[posted June 10, 2025]
  • Electronic Poll Books To Be Used During Special Election: Madison voters at the June 17th special election for District 1 Dane County Board of Supervisors will use electronic poll books instead of signing a paper poll book. [posted June 10, 2025]
  • Street Closure — West Washington Avenue: Starting Friday, June 13th at 7:30pm, Krupp General Contractors will close West Washington Avenue, between the Proudfit/Regent/West Washington intersection to the Vilas/South Park/West Washington intersection, to deconstruct the existing… [posted June 9, 2025]

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

  • Monday Mornings at The Glen, Monday, June 16, 2025 (this event occurs on multiple dates): Enjoy The Glen for a stroll, nature, workout or leashed dog walk from sunrise to 8:00 am. This is your time to enjoy a peaceful, quiet morning at The Glen Golf Park before golfing gets underway for the day. Tee times resume at hole #1 at 8:00am. Visitors should be alert for golf balls and golfers while exiting the course. There is no registration and no programmed activity.
  • Mobile Madison at Brittingham Park | Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Monday, June 16: Join Mobile Madison partners for an evening of fun. Enjoy free snacks, books, art activities, fishing games, fitness and more. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs for the movie in the park!
  • Parks Alive at Allied Park, Monday, June 16: Parks Alive is back this year with more of what you love! Visit your local park and share fun, family-friendly activities while building connections with neighbors and creating memories with friends. As always, free food, music and the occasional movie will be free. Come out, get active and enjoy your local green space this summer. June 16 Theme - Self-Care & Wellness
  • Lakeside Kids: Japanese Taiko Group - Beni Daiko, Tuesday, June 17: Join us for another exciting summer season of Lakeside Kids! – a free, interactive series featuring science, culture, arts and entertainment. Designed for kids ages 4+, this event provides hands on fun and learning in an engaging and dynamic setting.
  • Mobile Madison at Warner Park | Moana 2, Tuesday, June 17: Join Mobile Madison partners for an evening of fun. Enjoy free snacks, books, art activities, fishing games, fitness and more. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs for the movie in the park!
  • Parks Alive at Aldo Leopold Park, Tuesday, June 17: Parks Alive is back this year with more of what you love! Visit your local park and share fun, family-friendly activities while building connections with neighbors and creating memories with friends. As always, there will be free food, music and the occasional movie. Come out, get active and enjoy your local green space this summer. June 17 Theme - Self-Care & Wellness
  • Mobile Madison at Elver Park | Dog Man, Wednesday, June 18: Join Mobile Madison partners for an evening of fun. Enjoy free snacks, books, art activities, fishing games, fitness and more. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs for the movie in the park!
  • Parks Alive at Warner Park (Trailsway), Wednesday, June 18, 2025: Parks Alive is back this year with more of what you love! Visit your local park and share fun, family-friendly activities while building connections with neighbors and creating memories with friends. As always, there will be free food, music and the occasional movie. Come out, get active and enjoy your local green space this summer. June 18 - Self-Care & Wellness.
  • Make Music Madison (Multiple Locations), Saturday, June 21: Make Music Madison(link is external) is a free, citywide day of music every June 21. Make Music Madison is a part of Make Music Day(link is external), a celebration that occurs in 1,000+ cities across the globe. Madison began participating in 2013 and now boasts one of the largest events in the country. Parks, porches, restaurants, shops, worship spaces and more fill with music for all to enjoy!
  • Bird & Nature Adventures | Starkweather Creek Area, Saturday, June 21: Edible Plants. Join Naturalist Sean Gere for a free fun family friendly educational guided walk along Starkweather Creek to look for and learn about native plants and ways that humans and wildlife have used them.  Please note that no foraging is permitted in Conservation Parks.  Limited personal foraging is permitted in non-Conservation parks but please only take a small sample to taste because birds, bugs and other wildlife need wild foods to raise their young and survive.
  • Movie at The Glen | Moana 2, Sunday, June 22: Enjoy a warm-weather evening of fun at Movie at The Glen. Starting at 4 PM, join us for classic yard games and a hands-on boating demonstration and tutorial led by the experts at Brittingham Boats—a great chance to learn something new and get moving outdoors. As the evening winds down, grab your blankets and lawn chairs for a magical outdoor screening of Moana 2(link is external). Free, family-friendly, and full of feel-good vibes—don’t miss this memorable night at The Glen!
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District 16 - Alder O'Brien

Alder Sean O'Brien

Alder Sean O'Brien

District 16
Contact Alder O'Brien