City Meetings and Updates Week of January 19
posted- City Meetings:
- Finance Committee 1/20
- Transportation Commission 1/21
- City Services on Holiday Schedules Monday for MLK Jr. Day
- Trash and Recycling Schedules
- Metro Transit Schedules
- City Offices Closed
- New "Common Council In Focus" Newsletter Launched Last Week
- Door Creek Park Shelter Ribbon Cutting & Winter Celebration 1/24
- Events & Announcements
City 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 Tuesday, January 20, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include a cost sharing agreement for the construction of the Madison LakeWay Community Causeway improvements, and a resolution approving a Transportation Alternatives Program agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for construction cost sharing and State Design Review costs for the Capital City Pedestrian/Bike Path extension through the Southeast Side.
Transportation Commission
The Transportation Commission meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 21, at 5:00 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include a resolution opposing the expansion of the Beltline (US 12/14/18/151) within the City of Madison and Supporting Improved Multimodal and Local Connectivity Across and Along the Corridor (I’m a cosponsor). Here’s the staff presentation with more conformation about this WisDOT study and its potential impacts on Madison residents.
WisDOT’s current design concept would have a significant impact on Madison residents via the addition of new raised “weave” structures that carry traffic lanes above-grade over other lanes, adding another general-purpose lane along the entire Beltline, adding a flex lane west of Verona Road, and the displacement of dozens of homes and commercial businesses due to the expanded width of the highway. The study also recommends new local street and path connections under/over the Beltline. Public comments about the study can be submitted to WisDOT through the end of January – here is the project’s Public Involvement webpage and here is WisDOT’s public comment form.
City Services on Holiday Schedules Monday for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Trash and Recycling Schedules
No Trash & Recycling Collection or Drop-off Sites on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 19, 2026):There will be no trash, recycling, large item pickup by the Streets Division on Monday, January 19, 2026, in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr holiday. The drop-off sites and Streets Division offices will also be closed.
If your trash and recycling is collected on Mondays by the Streets Division, place the scheduled cart (or carts) out for collection by 6:30am on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. If you don’t know how the holiday will cause your trash & recycling to be delayed, check your collection schedule.
The City of Madison drop-off sites will be closed on Monday, January 19, 2026 for the holiday.
Metro Transit Schedules
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Service: Due to the holiday, Metro will operate Saturday schedules on Monday, January 19.
City Offices Closed
Observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day: City of Madison offices are closed on Monday, January 19, 2026, in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. All emergency services will be open. In case of an emergency, please call 911. For non-emergencies, please visit the following webpage for contact information.
New "Common Council In Focus" Newsletter Launched Last Week
There's a new way to stay on top of City of Madison business and the programming and work of the Common Council's Office. The Council's Office staff have worked hard to put together a new newsletter called Common Council In Focus, which they describe as "a new initiative from the Office of the Common Council, will launch on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. This publication aims to keep you informed about topics being considered by the Common Council, opportunities to engage with alders, and other timely updates."
It will feature topics such as descriptions of recently-introduced legislation ("New Business Summaries"), Common Council news releases, and engagement events. You can sign up to receive these using the "Subscribe" button on this news release, or on the Council Office's email lists website.
I will continue to write these weekly updates blog posts to share news about City business, legislation, and community events that are of interest to District 3 residents. I expect there will be some overlap between the contents of my blog posts and this new Common Council In Focus newsletter.
Door Creek Park Shelter Ribbon Cutting & Winter Celebration Next Saturday
Door Creek Park Ribbon Cutting & Winter Celebration, Saturday, January 24: Join City leaders, partners, and friends for a ribbon-cutting and winter celebration at Door Creek Park right here on the Far East Side!
When: Saturday, January 24th from 10am-noon
Where: Door Creek Park, 7035 Littlemore Drive
Schedule
- 10:00am: Ribbon cutting inside the pavilion
- 10:30am – 12:00pm: free equipment use – skis, snowshoes, and ice skates – depending on amenities open
- 10:30am – 12:00pm: Learn to Classes, free and provided by Madison Nordic Ski Club
- Plus ice skating with games and prizes and free popcorn!
Food Carts (!!!)
- Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food
- Runnin' on Empty
- Tacos El Cucuy
- Tom's Travelin' Coffee
Weather Updates
Parks will do their best to host the ribbon-cutting portion as planned, regardless of which amenities are open. However, if we have inclement weather, Parks will reschedule for Sunday, January 25, 2026, at the same time. Some of the offerings may be altered or changed.
Events & Announcements
- City of Madison Strengthens Commitment to Sustainable Building Standards : The City of Madison has raised its green building requirements for all City-owned facilities. [posted January 15, 2026]
- MPD seeking to learn lessons from ALCS shooting response: MADISON, Wis. – The Madison Police Department has requested a formal review of its response to the deadly shooting at Abundant Life Christian School. The request comes with the utmost respect for the victims, survivors, their families and all… [posted January 12, 2026]
- Enjoy a Free Fun Weekend in Madison's Parks: Madison Parks, in partnership with Dane County Parks, is offering a permit-free weekend on Saturday and Sunday, January 17 and 18, 2026. Activities typically requiring a permit are free to use this weekend! Dogs in Parks In addition to the… [posted January 14, 2026]
- Prevent Lung Cancer by Testing Your Home for Radon: A cancer-causing element known as radon can be found at high levels in roughly half of the homes tested over the past five years in Dane County. [posted January 12, 2026]
- The Office of the Common Council Launches Its First Resident Newsletter: The "Common Council in Focus" newsletter, a new initiative from the Office of the Common Council, will launch on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. This publication aims to keep you informed about topics being considered by the Common Council… [posted January 12, 2026]
- Bird & Nature Adventures | Edna Taylor, Saturday, January 24: Critter Tracks ~ Join Naturalist Paul Noeldner for a free, fun, family and kid friendly guided walk to explore Aldo Leopold Nature Center and Edna Taylor Conservation Park. We will look for bird and animal tracks and signs!
- Learn to Cross-Country Ski, Saturday, January 24: Join us for a free cross-country ski workshop at Door Creek Park, hosted by Madison Nordic Ski Club (MadNorSki)! This requires advanced registration, is free to attend and part of the Ribbon-Cutting and Winter Celebration.
- Kiddie Basketball Clinic, Saturday, January 24 (This event occurs on multiple dates): This basketball clinic is designed for boys and girls in kindergarten through 3rd grade. Kids will learn the fundamentals of dribbling, shooting, passing and game-play.
- Sound and Sense Immersion, Sunday, January 25: Sound and Sense Immersion is a 2-hour gentle and restorative meditation, light, aromatherapy and sound bath journey through the elements.
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. Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.
