January 5, 2026 blog post

District Niners,

The holiday shopping is over (or is it) with returns, re-gifting and of course the proverbial New Year's resolutions made by many.  Be realistic and minimize failing to keep many (or all) resolutions by committing to just one thing that you want to change or transform during 2026.  

Updates and Notices

John Nolen Drive Project: Get current information about road closures and construction updates for John Nolen Drive.

Boards, Commissions & 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, January 5, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include authorizing the Madison Police Department to accept training grants on an ongoing basis without requiring separate resolutions to accept individual grants.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Transportation Commission: The Transportation Commission meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 7, at 5:00 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include authorizing the application and acceptance of a Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant, which would fund planned safety improvements and identify additional needs at at-grade railroad crossings that support the proposed extension of the Amtrak Hiawatha service to Madison.
  • 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.

Public Information Meetings (PIMs)

• Playground Workshop, Tuesday, January 6: Madison Parks identified six playgrounds to be replaced in 2026. Neighbors are invited to attend a virtual playground workshop to learn more and share input.

Announcements & News Releases

• Happy New Year wishes from Mayor Rhodes-Conway:  I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to the dedicated employees of the City, and to our whole community.

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

• Girls' Mentorship Group, Tuesday, January 6: Join Keena Atkinson of R'oujie Wellness on Tuesday evenings at Warner Park Community Recreation Center! This free series is designed for females aged 11 to 18. Pre-registration is requested but not required.
• Vaccine Clinic at Meadowood Health Partnership, Friday, January 9: In partnership with Meadowood Health Partnership, we're offering a variety of vaccines on January 9, 2026, from 1pm-3pm.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Owen, Saturday, January 10: Critter Tracks ~ Join Naturalist Paul Noeldner for a free, fun, family and kid friendly guided walk to explore Owen Conservation Park.  We will look for bird and animal tracks and signs!  
• Candlelight Hike, Saturday, January 10: In partnership, Aldo Leopold Nature Center, Madison Parks presents this wonderful hiking event! Hundreds of softly glowing lights illuminate the trails through Aldo Leopold Nature Center and Edna Taylor Conservation Park.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Turville Point, Sunday, January 11: Snowflakes and Subnivean ~ Join Naturalist Andria Blattner with Friends of Olin Turville (FOOT) on a guided walk to discover the magic of winter at Turville Point.  Learn how snowflakes form and why snow is important to plants and animals over winter.

Your well-being

The DHS has posted an alert about a rise in the number of cases of influenza, and rates of COVID and hospitalizations trending upwards.  Remember, it is not too late to get vaccinated. 

Until next time, be safe and be well.

Joann