D13 Resident to Receive Jeffrey Erlanger Award, D13 Bridge Repair, Winter Salt Awareness Week
postedHi Everyone,
It’s been a challenging week. I’m neither shocked nor awed, just more determined than ever to stand up for our shared values.
Here are this week’s updates:
District 13 Resident to Receive the Jeffrey Clay Erlanger Civility in Public Discourse Award
I’m very pleased to announce District 13 resident Madelyn Leopold will be honored at this Tuesday’s Common Council meeting as the recipient of the 18th Annual Jeffery Clay Erlanger Civility in Public Discourse Award.
Madelyn is well deserving of this award based on her stellar commitment to our parks, particularly her insistence we place due emphasis on public access to our natural areas. Please click here to read the resolution.
Tuesday’s Council meeting will also feature resolutions honoring Shon Barnes for his impactful four-year service as chief of our police department, celebrating February as Black History Month, and a resolution mourning the loss of life and injuries suffered from gun violence and urging the Wisconsin State Legislature to enact common sense gun control.
Council Meeting info:
District 13 Bridge Scheduled for Repair
The Board of Public Works will meet Wednesday, January 29, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include plans and authorization for the City to advertise and receive bids to make bridge repairs at three bridges, including to the bridge between Chandler Street and Braxton Place over South Park Street. Here’s a link to the repair plan images for each of the three bridges.
Additional agenda items include an informational presentation on the Sauk Creek Greenway Corridor Plan.
Board of Public Works Meeting info:
Winter Salt Awareness Week is January 27th-31st
We’ve not had a lot of snow yet this winter, but I’ve still seen a lot of salt on District 13 sidewalks during my daily walks with Bella. While salt can be an effective tool to maintain safe pavement conditions, its use has very real consequences and we must all be careful not to overuse it.
One teaspoon of salt per five gallons of water is enough to kill aquatic life, which should help us understand why our lakes, including Lake Wingra and Monona Bay in District 13, are under tremendous stress. Residents and businesses can make meaningful contributions to salt pollution reduction by learning about smart salting practices
Winter Salt Week is an annual event organized by Wisconsin Saltwise and serves as an opportunity to educate our residents and businesses on smart salting practices, including specific instructions regarding correct methods of application so as to not overuse. This webpage has a list of programmed educational events.
In the meantime, please shovel more and salt less. If you must hire a contractor to clear your sidewalk, please ask them to forgo, or at least reduce, their use of salt. And please remember to sweep up and dispose of the excess salt from your sidewalk once it warms up and the pavement is clear.
More than once in recent days Bella has limped in obvious discomfort from walking on a sidewalk with too much salt. There are times when I have to cross the street to avoid certain sections of the sidewalk so as to protect her paws.
Please look out for our pets, our lakes and our drinking water by reducing salt use. Thank you!
Announcements and News Releases
- Second Round of Youth Climate Action Funding : The City of Madison’s Sustainability Program is excited to announce a second round of funding for Youth Climate Action projects. [posted January 23, 2025]
- Community Feedback Invited for Madison LakeWay Schematic Design: As part of the Madison LakeWay development initiative, Madison Parks invites the community to provide feedback on the proposed lakeshore and path features along the John Nolen Drive causeway. The area under consideration encompasses 0.6 miles of…[posted January 21, 2025]
- Madison Arts Commission Announces New Call for Existing Works of Art: Madison’s Public Art Program is establishing a list of pre-qualified visual and public art for upcoming municipal projects.[posted January 21, 2025]
- Absentee Ballots for the Spring Primary are in the Mail, Tuesday, January 28: Check the status of your absentee at My Vote Wisconsin(link is external). If you do not have an absentee request on file, you may request an absentee using the My Vote Wisconsin(link is external) website.
- Voter Registration for the Spring Primary Closes Wednesday, January 29: Wednesday is the last day to submit a voter registration form online (link is external)or through the mail.
- Groove & Glide, Friday, January 31: Make the most of winter at a Groove and Glide event! Experience the fun and beauty of ice skating under the lights with fun music and games. All ages and experience levels are welcome. Grab your friends, a date, or family, and have fun on the ice.
- Family Winter Prom, Saturday, February 1: Put on your dancing shoes and join us at Monona Terrace for Family Winter Prom 2025! The evening will have fun music, light refreshments, crafts, and a photo station. Family Winter Prom is a dance perfect for children 13 and under with an accompanying adult. Tickets are just $5 per family.
- Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.
Lastly, resilience will be key as we work together on a local level to affirm our shared values.
In that vein, please check out this inspirational video of Pete Buttigieg giving his final address as the 19th Secretary of Transportation.
That's all for now.
Take care and stay safe,
Tag
Alder Tag Evers
District 13
Contact Alder Evers