Week of September 8, 2025

Hello District 7 neighbors,

I hope you had a safe and restful Labor Day weekend. Thank you to everyone who reached out with questions and shared updates over the past week. As always, I encourage you to stay connected, attend public meetings, and take part in the many community events happening across Madison.

Community Thanks & Updates

• Diary Drive Shelter: Thank you to all the constituents who reached out to me about the Diary Drive shelter item on last week’s Common Council agenda. Your feedback and engagement help ensure that community voices are at the center of these important discussions.
• Bodega Night Market: A big thank you as well to everyone who turned out to the Bodega Night Market. It was a pleasure connecting with so many neighbors and hearing your thoughts in person. Events like these remind me of the vibrancy and strength of our District 7 community.

• Upcoming Westside Alder Meet & Greet: Please join me and my colleagues for the upcoming Westside Alders Meet & Greet on Wednesday, September 10, at Vel Phillips Memorial High School. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with elected officials, ask questions, and meet your neighbors from across Madison’s westside districts. I look forward to seeing many of you there.

  

  Image credit: City of Madison

Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of September 8, 2025

Updates and Notices

• Yard Waste Collection Starts in October: Fall leaf and yard waste pickup will begin soon. You can look up your neighborhood’s set-out dates right now on the Yard Waste website.

Boards, Commissions, and Committee Meetings

Note: This is not a complete list of upcoming meetings. Please visit the Meeting Schedule page for full details.

• Finance Committee – Monday, September 8, 4:30 p.m. (virtual)
  Agenda includes appointments of Lydia McComas for City Clerk and Jamie M. Acton for Transit General Manager, along with a briefing on the Executive Capital Budget.
  • Meeting Details | Agenda | Register for Public Comment | Watch Online
• Finance Committee – Tuesday, September 9, 4:30 p.m. (virtual)
  Agenda includes the 2026 Executive Capital Budget.
  • Meeting Details | Agenda | Watch Online
• Board of Park Commissioners – Wednesday, September 10, 6:30 p.m. (virtual)
  Agenda includes an informational presentation on the Parks Division Capital Budget.
  • Meeting Details | Agenda | Register for Public Comment | Watch Online

Interested in serving on a City board, commission, or committee? Learn more here.

Announcements and News Releases

• Madison named a 2025 Climate Champion – The City of Madison was recognized twice as a Dane County Climate Champion. (Posted September 5, 2025)
• Tree Trimming – Milwaukee St – City Forestry will trim terrace trees near 2838 Milwaukee St. starting 9:00 a.m. Monday, September 8. Work should last about 3 hours. (Posted September 4, 2025)
• Final Chance for Curbside Brush Collection in 2025 – The last set-out date for brush varies by neighborhood, with some final dates on Sunday, September 7. (Posted September 3, 2025)
• Ironman Triathlon Road Closures – Road closures continue September 6–7 for the Ironman 70.3 and full Ironman events. (Posted September 2, 2025)
• 2026 Executive Capital Budget & CIP – Learn how the City’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan prepares us for the future. (Posted September 2, 2025)
• Call for Artists – The Madison Arts Commission is seeking artists for a public art project at the new State Street Campus Garage. (Posted September 2, 2025)

More news releases can be found on the City of Madison News page.

Events

• Fall Home Maintenance by Project Home – Tuesday, September 9
• Period Products 101 (Period Party Series) – Tuesday, September 9 at Goodman South Madison Library
• FREE Fall Fun at Aldo Leopold Park – Wednesday, September 10 (multiple dates)
• Cyclocross Practice Night – Wednesday, September 10
• Conservation Park Tour – Wednesday, September 10
• FOOT-Loose Dances – Wednesday, September 10 (multiple dates)
• Faces of Our Westside Districts: Meet and Greet Edition 2025 – Wednesday, September 10 at Vel Phillips Memorial High School
• 14th Annual “Never Forget” Blood Drive – Thursday, September 11
• Warner Family Fun Night – Friday, September 12
• Live at The Glen | Wisconsin Gagok Ensemble – Friday, September 12
• Southwest Area Plan Engagement – Allied Community Meal – Friday, September 12
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Owen Conservation Park – Saturday, September 13
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Turville Point – Sunday, September 14

Find additional events on the City of Madison Events Calendar.

As always, thank you for staying engaged and helping to make our district a strong, connected, and vibrant community. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

Best regards,
Badri Lankella
Alder, District 7
City of Madison

Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of September 8, 2025

Updates and Notices

Yard Waste Collection Starts in October: Curious about when the fall leaf & yard waste pickup starts? You can get your set out dates from the website right now.  Go to the yard waste website to learn when you will be able to set out your leaves and other yard waste for the fall pickup.

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 8, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include the appointments of Lydia McComas for City Clerk and Jamie M. Acton for Transit General Manager, as well as a briefing on the Executive Capital Budget.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Finance Committee: The Finance Committee meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 9, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include the 2026 Executive Capital Budget.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Watch Online
• Board of Park Commissioners: The Board of Park Commissioners meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 10, at 6:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include an informational presentation on the Parks Division Capital Budget.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online

If you would like more information about becoming a member of a City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here.

Announcements and News Releases

• Madison named a 2025 Climate Champion: The City of Madison is proud to be named twice as a 2025 Dane County Climate Champion. [posted September 5, 2025]
• Temporary closure for Tree Trimming - Milwaukee St: Starting at 9:00am on Monday, September 8, City of Madison Forestry will begin trimming terrace trees at 2838 Milwaukee Street for routine maintenance.  This work is expected to take 3 hours. [posted September 4, 2025]
• Final Chance for Curbside Brush Collection in 2025: The Streets Division’s final curbside brush collection will soon get underway. The last date when you should set out brush for pickup varies by neighborhood. For some, the last set-out date for brush for the year is Sunday, September 7, 2025. [posted September 3, 2025]
• Road Closures for Ironman Triathlon - September 6 & 7: Several roads, in and around Madison's downtown, will be closed for the annual Ironman 70.3 Triathlon on Saturday, September 6 and full Ironman Sunday, September 7th. [posted September 2, 2025]
• 2026 Executive Capital Budget & Capital Improvement Plan: The City of Madison’s 2026 Capital Budget and five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) detail how we meet the basic needs of our residents and prepare for the future. [posted September 2, 2025]
• Committee Seeking Artists for State Street Campus Garage Public Art: The City of Madison and the Madison Arts Commission is looking for applicants for a public art project at the new State Street Campus Garage at 415 N. Lake Street. [posted September 2, 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

• Fall Home Maintenance by Project Home, Tuesday, September 9: 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.
• Period Products 101, Tuesday, September 9: Public Health Madison & Dane County is partnering with Madison Public Library to host the third annual Period Party at Goodman South Madison Library in September! This year, the program is expanding from a single-day celebration to a multi-session series where youth and families can go in-depth to learn about menstruation, puberty, period products, and more.
• FREE Fall Fun - Aldo Leopold Park, Wednesday, September 10 (this event occurs on multiple dates): The Leopold Arbor Hills NRT invites residents to build skills in mountain biking, ultimate and disc golf, and social dance! Instructors will provide lessons to people of all ages.  Come learn some skills and enjoy a light dinner afterwards. Registration is encouraged to help instructors prepare lessons, but it’s not required.
• Cyclocross Practice Night, Wednesday, September 10: In partnership with CORP (Capital Off Road Pathfinders), we offer practice cyclocross courses in select parks for one designated evening in the late summer and early fall.
• Conservation Park Tour, Wednesday, September 10: Conservation Park Tours are educational staff-guided walks held at various conservation parks on the 2nd Wednesday, May - October. Topics vary and include highlights of the past, present and future of the land.
• FOOT-Loose Dances, Wednesday, September 10 (his event occurs on multiple dates): Join FOOT (Friends of Olin Turville) every Wednesday in September for two hours of dancing fun, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, inside the historic Olin Park pavilion.
• Faces of Our Westside Districts: Meet and Greet Edition 2025, Wednesday, September 10: Join us for an engaging evening at Vel Phillips Memorial High School where you can meet and greet the amazing individuals who make up our vibrant community. Come and discover the diverse faces that make the Westside unique. This is your chance to connect with local elected officials, neighbors, and fellow residents from the Westside Districts.
• 14th annual 'Never Forget' Blood Drive, Thursday, September 11: Join the Madison Fire Department, Madison Police Department, and the American Red Cross for the 14th annual "Never Forget" community blood drive.
• Warner Family Fun Night, Friday, September 12: Join us at WPCRC for Warner Family Fun Night! Families can create art projects, watch a movie or win some prizes playing bingo!
• Live at The Glen | Wisconsin Gagok Ensemble, Friday, September 12: The term “gagok” translates directly to Art Song, a genre of Korean vocal music.  Since their founding in 2023, the Wisconsin Gagok Ensemble(link is external) has been dedicated to the promotion and performance of Korean Art Song in Wisconsin and beyond.  Soprano Youngjoo Hong, Mezzo Soprano Jessica Schwefel, and Pianist Susan Gaeddert curate programs of music by 20th and 21st century Korean Art Song composers.
• Southwest Area Plan Engagement - Allied Community Meal, Friday September 12: The Southwest Area Plan team is interested in hearing Allied neighborhood’s priorities for small community projects that could be built in their area! Allied residents are invited to the Allied Community Meal on Friday September 12, 5:30-7:30 p.m. to vote on their favorite type of community project and enjoy a meal sponsored by the City’s Allied Neighborhood Resource Team. This event will take place at 2370 Revival Ridge, indoors if it’s raining, outdoors if not.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Owen, Saturday, September 13: Explore Owen Conservation Park on gentle trails through historic oak openings on a hillside with an Ice Age kettle and along restored prairies with beautiful vistas on this high point overlooking the west side of Madison.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Turville Point, Sunday, September 14: Early Fall Migrants ~ Join enthused Bird Guides Melissa Kesling and Chuck Henrikson to have fun looking for tiny warblers in the trees, brightly patterned ducks and geese on the lake, and other fall migratory birds getting an early jump on their travel south for the winter.

Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.