City Budget Passes, Alternate Side Parking, City’s First Stormwater Utility Vegetation Plan and More!

City’s 2024 Budget Approved

The Common Council passed the City’s 2024 Budget on November 14. The budget will fund the north-south Bus Rapid Transit line, new bike and pedestrian paths, construction of the library’s Imagination Center, wage increases for city employees and several new staff positions. Alders also approved amendments to fund an expansion to the Warner Park community center and build a tunnel underneath John Nolen Drive for cyclists and pedestrians. Further highlights:

• Continued support to expand the CARES program, including investments in staffing and vehicles, to support the program’s growth. 
• A citywide public information officer to help engage and respond to residents about City services, which was a top priority of the City’s Neighborhood Resource Teams.
• Another annual increase to the City’s affordable housing fund, providing $94.5 million over six years – an increase of over 60 percent from the 2023 Capital Improvement Plan. 
• Continued investment in solar, geothermal, and electric vehicle charging projects and acquisitions, with the support of over $13 million in federal tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act.

City’s Alternate Side Parking

The City of Madison’s Alternate side parking is in effect each night from November 15 to March 15. The rule is enforced between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.

Vehicles should be parked on the odd house numbered side of the street between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. on odd numbered dates. Vehicles should be parked on the even house numbered side of the street between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. on even numbered dates.

If you park on the street within a  Snow Emergency Zone, you only need to follow the alternate side parking rules when a Declared Snow Emergency is in effect.  If you park on the street outside of the Snow Emergency Zone, you should follow the alternate side parking rules each night from November 15 until March 15 regardless of weather conditions.

Violations of the alternate side parking ordinance are punishable by a fine of $20.  

The fine increases to $60 during a declared Snow Emergency. Vehicles may also be towed. Towed vehicles are also assessed a tow fee on top of the parking violation.

City’s First Stormwater Utility Vegetation Management Plan

The City of Madison Engineering Division has a number of upcoming listening sessions scheduled to help inform and receive feedback from residents and the community regarding the new Stormwater Utility Vegetation Management Plan, a plan that will incorporate public input and technical expertise to inform vegetation goals and priorities.
The meetings are scheduled for:

• West Side: 6 p.m., Nov. 20, 2023, at  Sequoya Library, 4340 Tokay Blvd., Madison, WI 53711. Registration:  Eventbrite. This meeting will be held in-person, only. There is no fee or ticket required to attend.
• Virtual Option: 5:30 p.m., Nov. 28, 2023, via Zoom. Registration is required prior to the Zoom meeting. Registration:  Nov. 28, 2023 Public Information Virtual Meeting Registration 

The purpose of this plan is to create a resilient and sustainable framework for vegetation management on Stormwater Utility lands, reflective of anticipated climate change impacts and responsive to community concerns. The plan seeks to be evidence-based, utilize extensive public input and geographic information systems mapping, and incorporate vegetation, stormwater, biodiversity, and climate research. The Board of Public Works will conduct final review and acceptance of the plan.

Streets Division Updates

• Leaf Collection Winding Down: Don’t miss out on your final guaranteed leaf collection opportunity.  Be sure you know when your last set out date for leaf pickup is by going to  www.cityofmadison.com/YardWaste
• Thanksgiving Holiday Trash/Recycling Schedule: Make sure you know how the Thanksgiving holiday will (or won’t) affect your trash & recycling pickup schedule.  Get your collection schedule at  www.cityofmadison.com/CollectionSchedule.
• Alternate Side Parking Underway: Don’t start you day off on the wrong foot by getting caught parking on the wrong side of the road. Get all the tools you need about how you should be parking your car on the street during the overnight hours at  www.cityofmadison.com/Winter. 
• Drop Off Site Hours & Locations Change After Thanksgiving: Check the drop-off site hours and locations before loading your car.  The Olin Avenue location’s final day of operation is November 26. Winter hours start at the remaining locations later in the week, too.  Drop-off site information is available at  www.cityofmadison.com/DropOffSites. 

Public Feedback Meetings – Bus Rapid Transit N/S Lines

Community members are encouraged to attend a public meeting to learn more about the City of Madison’s proposed second Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line to run from the city’s north side through the downtown and south side, and ending in Fitchburg.

In-Person Meeting

Thursday, November 9
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
MainStay Suites at 5421 Caddis Bend

Virtual Meeting

Zoom – Thursday, November 8
6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Register online at MadisonBRT.com

Proposed features of the North-South BRT line are expected to include:

• Thirty-three stations, which have raised platforms, shelters, seating and bus arrival information
• Buses arriving every 15 minutes throughout the day
• Battery electric, larger buses with more seating capacity

City staff hope to receive input from the community on the project, specifically regarding station locations, routing on the far north and far south end of the proposed route, the use of ‘bus only’ lanes and any related walking, biking or roadway improvements.

2023 Bus Line Poetry Selections

The City of Madison is excited to announce the selected poets for the 2023 Bus Lines poetry project. The Madison Poet Laureate invites you to celebrate the poets on November 9 at 6:30 p.m. Poems by six poets were selected, including:

• “Land and People” by Rudy Bankston
• “To my children in our garden” by Daniela Chandler
• “Madison Metro” by Harmony, 3rd grader at Lincoln Elementary
• “Trees in the Wind” by Kael, 3rd grader at Lincoln Elementary
• “Remember” by Nola Pastor
• “Solid Gold” by Mary Louise Peters

City’s First Stormwater Utility Vegetation Management Plan

The City of Madison Engineering Division has a number of upcoming listening sessions scheduled to help inform and receive feedback from residents and the community regarding the new Stormwater Utility Vegetation Management Plan, a plan that will incorporate public input and technical expertise to inform vegetation goals and priorities.
The meetings are scheduled for:

• West Side: 6 p.m., Nov. 20, 2023, at Sequoya Library, 4340 Tokay Blvd., Madison, WI 53711. Registration: Eventbrite. This meeting will be held in-person, only. There is no fee or ticket required to attend.
• Virtual Option: 5:30 p.m., Nov. 28, 2023, via Zoom. Registration is required prior to the Zoom meeting. Registration: Nov. 28, 2023 Public Information Virtual Meeting Registration

The purpose of this plan is to create a resilient and sustainable framework for vegetation management on Stormwater Utility lands, reflective of anticipated climate change impacts and responsive to community concerns.

This plan seeks to be evidence-based, utilize extensive public input and geographic information systems mapping, and incorporate vegetation, stormwater, biodiversity, and climate research. We encourage public comment to help inform the plan. The plan will have a final acceptance by the Board of Public Works.
 

Free Breast Cancer Screening

One in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. Regular clinical breast exams and mammograms are crucial to saving lives. The Wisconsin Well Woman Program provides free breast cancer screenings for women with limited income and little or no insurance.

Streets Division Updates

• Pumpkin Disposal – Put them with your leaves for yard waste collection, or compost them yourself. You do not need to put them into the trash. Pumpkins and other compostable decorations like corn stalks and hay can all be collected as yard waste. Just be sure to remove any wires, lights, and any other non-compostable items.
• Yard Waste Collection in the Final Month – November marks the final month for yard waste pickup for most residents. Don’t miss your yard waste collection chances. Go to www.cityofmadison.com/YardWaste to get your set out dates.
• Drop-off Site Update – Drop-off site hours and locations change after the Thanksgiving holiday. Make sure you know where and when to go when the winter hours begin. Drop-off site information is available at www.cityofmadison.com/DropoffSites.
• Winter Information – If the threat of snow on Halloween got you thinking about winter, remember that all of the City’s winter information is available at www.cityofmadison.com/Winter. Sign up for plowing updates so you know what to expect on the roads, sidewalk clearing updates, parking text messages if alternate side parking applies to where you park your cars, and plenty of other useful winter info.
• Large Item Set Out Dates Reminder – When you schedule your large item collection, do not set the items out earlier than the set out date you select in your work order. Crews will not come by early. They collect items during the work week following the set out date you select. When you set out items early, you are accidentally contributing to neighborhood clutter – so please wait until your set out date before putting out items for collection.

Urban Forestry Update:

• Spongy Moth: Now is the time to take action against the spongy moth. Finding and destroying egg masses can kill up to 1,000 caterpillars that defoliate our trees – especially oaks – in the spring. You can find more information about how to take action on the City’s webpage: www.cityofmadison.com/SpongyMoth. Or, you can just watch this short video from the Wisconsin DNR and follow their recommendations.

Last Call to Update your Neighborhood Association profile on our City website!

If your organization has been formally recognized, it will be listed with a descriptive profile that neighbors, businesses, community based organizations, and educational institutions use to find out about your group. Please look for your group on the City website, review the profile, and update only the information that needs to be changed here. If you have any questions, please send an email to Neighborhoods@cityofmadison.com

Stay Active this Fall and Winter with Parks Activities!

Jump on a hayride; join a nature walk, and more. Checkout the Parks webpage to find out about the fun events and activities coming up this fall and winter in our Madison Parks.

Saturday, November 11
TIME: 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. (last ride begins at 9:40 p.m.)
MEETING LOCATION: Olin Park boat launch

Sunday, November 12
TIME: 4:30 – 8:00 p.m. (last ride begins at 7:40 p.m.)
MEETING LOCATION: Olin Park boat launch

The group Wisconsin Conservation Voters has recently launched a campaign in partnership with the City of Madison and Forward Together to share information about President Biden’s Affordable Clean Energy Plan. The Affordable Clean Energy Plan allows consumers – like you and your neighbors – to make major home purchases. Things like solar panels, electric appliances, energy efficiency measures, and much more are now available with major cost savings.

The created an easy to use toolkit [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YDkBePAexY6EsA9rcmuXgGL4e_LB_e-UpvwrmtbG2is/edit?usp=sharing] which will allow you to see all the ways you personally can save money.

One of the Affordable Clean Energy Plan’s biggest impacts is that it gives money directly to consumers for everything from solar panels for your home to energy efficient appliances to electric vehicles. Not only will it save money for folks like us now, but it will also make our communities healthier for future generations.

There are different benefits for everyone, and whether you own or rent your home will determine what’s available to you. Whether you want to make home upgrades now or save for major projects down the road, for the next 10 years, you can save money on things like home electric vehicle chargers, battery storage, home energy audits, energy efficiency measures, and so much more.

Check out this page from Wisconsin Conservation Voters [https://conservationvoters.org/clean-energy-plan] to see how you can take advantage of these benefits. While you’re there, sign up for updates and we’ll keep you posted as new benefits are rolled out. 

This is a historic opportunity to meet the climate crisis head on and save yourself money!

If you have any questions or are interested in receiving more information please contact Ryan at ryan@conservationvoters.org or Seth at seth@conservationvoters.org 

Please join me and Alder Barbara Harrington-McKinney of District 20 for a virtual Lunch and Learn focusing on public safety and mental health. Special guests include Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes, Madison Police Captain Kelly Beckett, and Madison Fire Assistant Chief Ché Stedman.

During this Lunch and Learn, attendees will get a citywide public safety update from MPD Chief Shon Barnes. MPD Captain Kelly Beckett will give safety updates specific to District 7 and District 20. MFD Assistant Chief Ché Stedman will talk about the Madison CARES program, which stands for Community Alternative Response Emergency Services (CARES).

The Madison CARES initiative was designed to uniquely serve the needs of the Madison community through careful consideration of available data and with invaluable direction from those with lived experience and those working in the mental health field. Assistant Chief Stedman will give insight into how the program is doing and how it has progressed over time.

This Lunch and Learn will serve as an effective way to inform and engage residents over the lunch hour. Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in a question-and-answer session with the speakers after the presentations.

To attend this Lunch and Learn, please register in advance at the following link: WWW.CITYOFMADISON.COM/LUNCHANDLEARND7.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me at district7@cityofmadison.com

Public Health Madison Dane County Public Health Dashboard

Public Health Madison & Dane County launched a new Dane County Respiratory Illness Dashboard. The agency designed the dashboard to help people track the latest trends in COVID-19, flu, RSV, and more during the winter respiratory season.

“Our COVID-19 dashboard has been immensely popular and we hope this new data dashboard gives people a broader view of what viruses are circulating,” said Janel Heinrich, director of Public Health. “You can use the homepage to get a quick idea of current trends, or look at every page to get in-depth information.”

On the dashboard, you can find trends by age, lab testing results, air sampler results, school testing results, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Stay Active this Fall and Winter with Parks Activities!

Jump on a hayride, join a nature walk, and more. Checkout the Parks webpage to find out about the fun events and activities coming up this fall and winter in our Madison Parks.

Mayor’s Operating Budget Release

On October 3, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway released her proposed 2024 Executive Operating Budget at the Madison Central Library. The City of Madison’s operating budget funds the numerous services, programs, and skilled staff that sustain high-quality City services and keep Madison a strong and vibrant community. The operating budget released on October 3rd complements the 2024 Executive Capital Budget, released in September, which funds City infrastructure, buildings, and other capital investments. Se executive summary HERE.

The 2022 data for the City of Madison’s Neighborhood Indicators Project (NIP) is now available!

The NIP provides geographically detailed data for over 50 variables within seven topic areas. This includes measures such as total population, number of dwelling units, subsidized rental units, high mobility students and so on. It is supported by various data sources that range from city, county, state and federal data sources.

The 2022 Edition also includes a significant improvement. Data is now provided at two commonly used Census geographies – Tracts and Block Groups. Using Tracts and Blocks Groups makes it easier to compare results for areas across Madison, since these geographies generally contain a similar number of residential units. Additionally, the NIP’s local data can be considered within the context of other data reported at the Tract and Block Group geography.

Interested in learning more about NIP data and the NIP website? The City of Madison Planning Division offers free workshops to local organizations. Please contact Urvashi Martin at umartin@cityofmadison.com for more details.

NIP is a partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Applied Population Lab.

Streets Division Updates

• Leaf Collection is Ongoing: Get the dates when you should set out your leaves for pickup at www.cityofmadison.com/yardwaste
• Large Item Pickup: Large item collection rules changed a few years ago and now you need a work order to get on the crew’s pickup schedule. Learn more about the process at www.cityofmadison.com/LargeItem
• Brush Collection is Over: Do not set out brush for pickup. If you have brush that needs collection, you need to take it to a drop-off site instead.
• Food Scraps Schedule Change: The South Madison farmer’s market food scrap drop-off changed its schedule. More details about this schedule change can be found on our food scraps website.
• Recycle Right: Be sure you’re putting the right things in your recycling cart. Get the rules at www.cityofmadison.com/recycling. One quick tip for Halloween – candy wrappers belong in the trash, not your recycling carts.

https://mailchi.mp/publichealthmdc/public-health-quarterly-newsletter-973962?e=e734e35974

Lots Going on in our Immunization Program! Promoting Back to School Shots CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen visited our South Madison Clinic in August to promote back to school shots for kids.  Dr. Cohen’s visit came just as we released new data on Dane County students’ immunization status. While data showed that more than 9 in 10 Dane County students met all minimum immunization requirements in 2022-2023, more Dane County students were behind or waived one or more immunizations in that school year compared to the previous year.  To increase accessibility to shots for this new school year, we’re partnering with SSM Health, GHC, UW-Health, and Madison Metropolitan School District to offer free vaccines at schools on 6 dates this fall.

Fall 2023 COVID Vaccines are Here! CDC recommends everyone age 6 months and older get a fall 2023 COVID vaccine. The vaccination provides protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death among everyone, but especially among people most at risk, including adults 65 and older and people who are immunocompromised. You are eligible if it has been at least 2 months since your last COVID vaccination. Where you can get vaccinated Due to the end of the COVID emergency declaration, manufacturers are charging for vaccines, but you should still be able to get the vaccine free with insurance or through us, at Public Health Madison & Dane County:   If you have health insurance Most insurers cover the cost of vaccination, so if you have insurance, your vaccine should be free. Keep in mind you may have to use a pharmacy that accepts your insurance. Check with your insurance provider if you’re not sure. Most clinics and area pharmacies are offering the vaccine, though some may not have received their full shipment yet. Visit vaccines.gov to find a vaccinator near you. If you don’t have health insurance We can only vaccinate these groups of people, and the vaccination is free: People who do not have health insurance People whose health insurance does not cover vaccinations Children (6 months to 18 years) who are on BadgerCare, are eligible for BadgerCare, or who are Native American or Alaskan Native Visit our website, publichealthmdc.com/appt, to see clinic hours and book an appointment. Testing, What to Do If You’re Sick, and Answers to Common Questions We’ve written up a whole blog post, Your Fall 2023 COVID Cheat Sheet, with information and links on free rapid tests, what to do if you’re sick, and answers to common questions, like “How long are you contagious when you have COVID?”

New Resources for Preparing for Disasters and Emergencies Flooding, an extended power outage, a new infectious virus, and poor air quality from forest forest fires thousands of miles away. These public health emergencies have affected Dane County in the past five years. While we’ve responded to all of them, remember we all play a role to prepare for an emergency, stay safe while it happens, and recover after the emergency ends. We explain simple things you can do to prepare in our blog post and on our new emergency response webpages, and encourage you to sign up to get our public health emergency updates via email!

Providing Funding to Community Organizations  Healthy Communities Fund We’re currently accepting proposals from people, communities, and organizations who work to address health and racial inequity in Dane County. A total of $14,000 is available. Applications are due no later than October 29, 2023. Learn more about this opportunity on our new Funding Opportunities webpage. PFAS Outreach Funding This summer, we offered grants to community organizations who can help connect with people about PFAS. We awarded a total of over $32,000 to four projects:  East Madison Community Center Catholic Multicultural Center The Hmong Institute Kennedy Heights Community Center You can learn what these organizations will be doing with their funding on our new webpage!  Learn About Future Funding  Want to be in the loop for future funding opportunities?  Bookmark our new Funding Opportunities webpage and check it often. We list current funds right at the top.  Get an email when we have a new funding opportunity: Visit our webpage and choose “Public Health Funding Opportunities” under “Special Topics.”

Quick Notes

Community Health Assessment Released We released our 2023 Community Health Assessment (CHA) in July. A CHA is an analysis that identifies the health needs, concerns, and resources within our community. Along with our partners, we conducted it through community engagement, data collection and analysis, working closely with our Steering Committee. We’ll use the insights from the CHA to develop our Community Health Improvement Plan.  Hot Temps Extended Beach Monitoring Season Unseasonably warm temperatures in early September led us to extend the beach season past Labor Day weekend, but we’re now officially done monitoring beach water quality for the year. There are many factors that contribute to the water quality of our lakes, and there are days where we have to close a beach for swimming. This fall and winter, you can help protect our lake water quality by keeping leaves out of gutters and limiting how much salt you put on icy sidewalks and driveways. Learn how!  Summer Outreach We had a great summer at festivals and events, spreading the word about health and safety! Here are a few shots of us out and about in the community.

Stay Connected We’re so happy to have you on our list to get The Pulse! Click the blue bar below to see what other communications you want to get from us, including funding and grant opportunities. To stay up to date on our work throughout the year, follow us on social media and subscribe to our news releases, newsletters, and blog. Links below!

Sign Up For Public Health News Releases, Newsletters, and Blog

The Streets Division’s fall yard waste and leaves collection begins the week of October 8, 2023.

All residents will receive three collection opportunities this fall, weather permitting.

The exact dates when you should set you should set out leaves and yard waste for pickup can be found on the Streets Division website, www.cityofmadison.com/yardwaste.

For more yard waste collection information and other streets related topics, please join me at my Lunch and Learn on October 12th at noon.

https://cityofmadison.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrdO-hqjssGNJMhoffQPLXgXgx7Qs1Dk1T

Greetings District 7 Residents,​

On Monday, September 18th, the Plan Commission gave a conditional approval for the Ryan Funeral Home Development project (watch a recording of the meeting). The item was supposed to come back to the October 3rd Council meeting, however it has been referred to the October 17th Council meeting. The final approval will be scheduled for November with the Urban Design Commission (more information to follow for the Council meeting on October 17th and the Urban Design Commission meeting in November).

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Best,

Nasra H Wehelie
Madison Common Council – District 7 Alder
district7@cityofmadison.com

BUDGET:
The Finance Committee will consider and vote on 16 budget amendments to the 2024 Executive Capital Budget on Tuesday September 26th at 4:30pm (Agenda item 23 on the Finance Committee agenda; Legistar #79467). 

2024 Capital Budget by agency.
Executive Summary PDF PDF  pdf  by project elements. $266.5 Million proposed.
Finance Committee Capital Budget Amendments.

METRO REDESIGN ROUTE ADJUSTMENTS:
Wednesday, September 27, 2023; 6:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting

On Wednesday, September 27, Metro Transit and the City of Madison Transportation Commission will hold a public hearing at 6pm to discuss possible service change adjustments to go into effect in December.

Adjustments being considered include:

• Routes A, B, C: Running time adjustments to balance trip times between time points
• Routes B and C: Additional buses added to help running times
• A-Sheboygan shuttle elimination (due to proposed Route R connection)
• Routes J & O: Adjustments to improve weekend efficiency
• Route R: Add connection to Route C for extension to UW Hospital (after 7 pm on weekdays and all-day on weekends)
• Route 75: New short-turn trips added to McKee and Maple Grove
• Schedule adjustments to better serve UW Hospital shift changes
• South Transfer Point: Adjusted arrivals/departures for better connections
• Potential peak service route additions pending fall ridership review

REVIEW EARLY INFORMATION PRESENTATION PDF  pdf 

REGISTER HERE:
https://www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/committees/meeting-schedule/register

LUNCH AND LEARN WITH ALDER WEHELIE:
On Thursday September 28 at noon, I am having an informational session on the city budget with Finance staff. If you are interested in joining the virtual meeting, please Register for Lunch and Learn on the city budget with Alder Wehelie