Please keep signs off terraces; Near West Watershed study meeting tomorrow; Early in-person absentee voting 3/18-30; Announcements and Events

Hello neighbors,

Among other things I do in my life, I’ve been teaching fitness classes at the West YMCA for over 20 years. One of our participants wrote about how our group changed with the pandemic. I found her writing beautiful and touching, so wanted to share it with all of you.

As a reminder, with election season upon us, please be aware that it is a violation of Madison’s sign ordinance to place campaign signs in the public right-of-way. The public right-of-way includes the street and the terrace (area between the sidewalk and the street). When sidewalks are not present, the terrace extends 15 feet from the curb into the adjoining property.

Signs should not be placed in the median strip of boulevards or displayed on posts, trees, or other supports in any public street.

Public Information Meetings (PIM’s)

• Near West Watershed Study and the John Nolen Drive Watershed Study, Tuesday, March 18: A public information meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., March 18, 2025, via Zoom. Registration prior is required. This meeting will cover the Near West Watershed Study and the John Nolen Drive Watershed Study.
• Buffalo Trail, Barron Court, Green Lake Pass, Thursday, March 20: The March 20, 2025, meeting will also be held virtual via Zoom with an in-person viewing during the meeting hosted at the Midtown Police Station, 4020 Mineral Point Road.

Announcements and News Releases

• OIM Community Listening Session with JUSTDANE: The Office of the Independent Monitor, in collaboration with JustDane, invites members of the public to a community listening session on Friday, March 21, 2025, at 5 pm. This hybrid session is open to the public, but registration is required.
• Interim Police Chief Shares Vision for the Department: D7 Virtual Lunch and Learn with Madison Police Department Leadership: Alder Nasra Wehelie invites you to attend her final D7 Lunch and Learn, a unique opportunity to learn and engage with Interim Police Chief John Patterson and Captain Timothy Patton.
• Spring Break Travelers Urged to Check Measles Vaccination Status (link is external): Ahead of spring break travel, public health officials urge travelers to check their measles vaccination status.
• Madison Madness: Fill out a bracket to let us know what you want in your neighborhood: As we get closer to tournament time, the City of Madison is getting into the spirit with a new way for residents to share their perspectives during the ongoing Southwest and Southeast Area Plan process.
• Announcement Regarding Clerk’s Office : City Attorney Michael Haas will assume the role of Acting City Clerk on an interim basis and will oversee office operations to make sure that everything for the April 1 election runs smoothly.
• Madison Launches the Second Year of the Building Energy Savings Program: BESP requires large commercial buildings to benchmark their energy use annually and complete building tune-ups every four years.
• Absentee Voting in Care Facilities: Voters in qualified nursing homes and assisted living facilities will be able to cast their absentee ballots in a new initiative: this election, the City of Madison is setting up ExpressVote ballot marking devices for Special Voting Deputy visits at its largest nursing homes.
• Spring Election Media Kit Now Available: The Madison City Clerk's Office is releasing its media kit for the April 1 Spring Election. The media kit includes election statistics, key dates, and a brief overview of the election process.
• If you are mailing your absentee ballot back, please do so as soon as possible. Dropboxes are available if you prefer. All dropboxes are cleared daily by sworn election officials.
• Simpson Street Free Press hosted an online Q&A with school board candidates.
• The Urban League is partnering with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, the Tax Equity Funders Network, the Economic Security Project, and others to promote a new simple, secure, & FREE tool for filing your tax returns.
• TetraPAKMAN’s art installation now up at Central Library.

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

• In-Person Absentee Voting Begins, Tuesday, March 18: Early in-person absentee voting runs through Sunday, March 30.
• Public Test of Election Equipment, Saturday, March 22: The City Clerk's Office will test every tabulator, ballot style, and office on the ballot to make sure the tabulators will accurately tally votes at the polls on Election Day. The public test begins at 9 a.m. and runs until complete.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Edna Taylor, Saturday, March 22: Join a naturalist for an easy family-friendly walk from Aldo Leopold Nature Center into beautiful Edna Taylor Conservation Park and enjoy a bit of nature education along the way. Walk will begin at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center, 330 Femrite Drive. Meet outside at the Children's Shack. Co-sponsored by Madison Parks, and Aldo Leopold Nature Center. No registration is required. No pets are allowed.
• Mobile Vaccination Clinic: Badger Prairie Needs Network, Saturday, March 22: We're hosting mobile vaccination clinics throughout the county in partnership with community organizations!

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

Enjoy the spring weather!

Regina Vidaver