A day late, sorry. For all the talk about how the city council meetings go sooooo long, when is the last time one went past 10:00? Last night it was 1 hour and 16 minutes according to the video.
Actually, the first 12 minutes are nothing. So the meeting was barely longer than an hour.
Getting Started
Roll Call – Looks like Samba Baldeh and Marsha Rummel (excused) were missing.
Shiva Bidar suspends the rules that allow them to take items out of order and introduce items at the meeting. Passes.
Honoring Resolutions
Natalie Erdman – Retiring Director of Planning, Community and Economic Development.
Sheri Carter makes the motion commending Natalie Erdman for her Leadership to the City of Madison.
Erdman got a standing ovation and then then thanked the managers of the department, who she says really did the hard work. She thanks her husband for not complaining, says it was an honor to work with the city.
Mike Verveer apologizes for speaking, but he says that they usually take some time to say good-bye and Erdman was a big leaders in our community. He first met her when she worked at Alexander Company and he was very impressed with her. She seemed so brilliant and effective when she met with the neighborhood in often tense meetings. She was working on the Capital West project. He was immediately impressed and when he found out she was apply for the CDA Director position that had been under utilized for some time. Then we had a national search for a planning director that failed. Erdman did not apply, many had to twist her arm, there was a major recruitment effort. She was the interim but had no interest in the permanent position. It was a team effort, they really ganged up on her. He thanks Dan for not standing in their way. He says the rest was history. He talks about during the renovation when she had two different offices when her departments were all over the square. He thanks her for her service and commitment to the community.
Sheri Carter says to Natalie’s husband (Dan) that when Erdman was late getting home from CDA meetings it was her fault. She says the due to her leadership the staff has been top notch. They have been a partner and the backbone and sometimes a psychiatrist. She thanks the staff and their leadership.
Child Abuse Prevention Month
Barbara McKinney reads the resolution. Sharyl Kato from Rainbow talks about the issue. 700,000 children are abused in the Unites States. Approximately 1 out of 5 girls and 1 out of 20 boys will be sexually abused before they are 18. In Wisconsin we have over 78,380 reports of maltreatment. In her agency they served over 1500 children. She sometimes thinks what it takes for us to think about this, because if we don’t think about it, it won’t go away. We save $28 for each $1 we spend on prevention. She has a hand out on 100 ways to praise children and she hopes they think about that throughout the year. The other hand out is a simple explanation of the Coordinated Community Response.
Honoring UW Women’s Hockey Team
Bidar moves adoption. Rhodes-Conway whips out a Badger flag and reads the resolution. 4 of the players accept. They get a standing ovation. They come up with their trophy and say thank you. Pictures are taken.
Arvina Martin says that her daughter doesn’t like watching mom play sports, but she took her daughter to some games and she’s hooked. She has the shirts and knows the cheers. Thank you for being role models and the first sportspersons he daughter likes to watch.
Resolution affirming principles of and supporting United States ratifying the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
Rebecca Kemble reads the resolution.
Shiva Bidar says that the resolution is sponsored by the Mayor and all 20 Council Members.
19 people in support, not wishing to speak.
Leah P(sp?) speaks. She says CEDAW is an unparalleled effort to recognize the rights of women, however the United States has not recognized it. They have failed to ratify it in the last 41 years. She is part of a movement of over 40 cities that have adopted this as policy. This is an affirmation of my humanity and my womanhood, to exist, to love, to grow and to voice publicly and an unapologetically to make the darkness in their world abate and make the world feel a little bit brighter. But she is there not for herself, but for the women who have not been given the voice they so rightfully deserve. She stands here so the glass ceiling will be a barrier of the past. So they will be able to shoot for the stars. She asks everyone to think of the woman or girl that inspire them the most. Now imagine her in a world when all her basic humanity, aspirations and skills are valued so much that she is able to accomplish everything you want, she wants and more. That is what they believe CEDAW is about.
Barbara Nichols is Vice President of United Nations Local Chapter. She says that by adopting the resolution they join 40 cities against all forms of discrimination of women. She says at the local level it helps address the interconnectedness of discrimination based on gender, race and other social factors. By adopting the resolution the council confirms it support to end discrimination. She has a petion signed by 185 people.
David Williams didn’t mean to speak, but he says that passing resolutions is all fine and good, but to win and implement these rights at every level, we have to engage in direct action in the streets and workplace, especially if Trump reverses Roe v. Wade to prevent having to engage in illegal action for reproductive rights.
Diane Brockhersh says something off camera I can’t hear. Music starts, women in pink and purple shirts get up and start dancing. (I think that’s the first time I’ve seen that in 20+ years!) You’ll have to watch the video for that testimony. Council and audience start clapping to the music. They get a standing ovation.
Bidar thanks the group for contacting them and the women on the council they are proud to join, the men are proud to join too. There is always a first on the council, and this was very enjoyable. We are breaking the chain.
Passes and more clapping.
Driver’s Licenses for All
Shiva Bidar reads the resolution.
3 people registered in support
Mario Garcia Sierra lives on the north side, he points out his neighbor and alder. The northside is his home, he has been in city for 16 years. For 14 years he has been a member of Votes de la Frontera. His life is different than people who don’t have access to the same resources he does, including a driver’s license. He has been involved in this organization because he believes in the dignity of every human person that lives in this community. He hopes they will adopt the resolution and this provision stays in Governor Evers budget. There is no reason why immigrants should not have a drivers license. We want everyone to know the rules of driving and no one wants to get into an accident with someone without insurance. This will lower everyone’s insurance premiums. He asks the to adopt the resolution but be a champion for immigrant and refugee rights. He welcomes the new faces and says it isa beautiful view from here.
Barbara Harrington-McKinney reads for someone who had to leave. Possession of a drivers license is crucial for independence and to get a job. many times it is a woman’s way out of an abusive situation or a way to avoid shame, humiliation or the thought of being a burden. Some young people need a drivers license to get a job or perform their job. However others need it just to maneuver in society. It would help if people without criminal records are afforded an opportunity to have a driver’s license. Many are subjected to threats and are brought into human trafficking because they cannot get a driver’s license. I, Earnestine Moss, support the drivers licenses for all in the Wisconsin state budget for all residents of Wisconsin.
Samba Baldeh asks to be added as a sponsor.
Bidar thanks Mario for being here and the council for supporting the resolution. This is a critical topic, not just for immigrants but for the communities that see the licenses revoked way too quickly. This is the most critical issue in the immigrant community. People can’t make it to appointments day to day because they are afraid of driving without a driver’s license because it is illegal to get one. She says she hopes this resolution makes a difference for safety and wellness for all communities across the state. She says 11:00 at the state capital is a day of action to support driver’s licenses for all. The Mayor and Chief Koval will be there, so there is wide support for this. She thanks people for being here and the Voces de la Frontera for their work. She points out a hand out at their seat.
McKinney wants to make sure all 20 alders are sponsors.
Christian Albouras thanks Mario Garcia Sierra and the council president. He is not blinded by the fact that this is in the purview of the state, but hopes this shows the city leadership our support. he says the fears people go through day to day are real and it might not be best understood by folks who don’t have that same struggle, but he is pleased this is before them.
Syed Abbas, as a first generation immigrant, thanks the sponsors and says that he knows he has friends that struggle and will benefit from this resolution. He was extremely happy when he saw that. When he was in New York he saw things in other states where people struggle.
Passes.
That was the first 56 minutes of the video.
Consent Agenda
Here is the consent agenda
Bidar-Sielaff said 6-8 were public hearing items, but the consent agenda only lists 6-7.
There were no items for exclusion, so this and the public hearings will be all they do for the evening.
Consent agenda passes
Public Hearings
6. They reopen the public hearing, in registrants. Council adopts without discussion.
7. & 8. Open public hearing, no registrants, close public hearing. Adopted without discussion.
Adjournment
For some reason they had Donna Moreland make the motion to adjourn. I guess they decided that is the job of the Alder form the 7th! (Steve King usually made the motion.)
