Time for another sit in at the City-County Building? How hard is it to get some chairs?
You may have noticed that there are frequently people sitting on the stairs when you enter the City-County Building.
There was an elderly man sitting on the steps when I was there yesterday.
Why? Because there is no other place to sit. Of course, that violates the rules and people could get banned for doing it. The chairs were removed last October or November. Of course the City removed their benches from the Municipal Building several years ago.
This is Mary Jo’s attempt to get action, sent 4 days ago, with no response.
from: Mary Jo Walters <walters4wisconsin@gmail.com>
to: kolar.mary@countyofdane.com, (County Board Supervisor Mary Kolar – co-chair of the City-County Liaison Committee)
district19@cityofmadison.com, (Madison Alder Mark Clear, co-chair of the City-County Liaison Committee)
hendrick@countyofdane.com, (John Hendrick)
district6@cityofmadison.com (Marsha Rummel)
date: Mon, Feb 2, 2015 at 11:11 AM
subject: Request for chairs in the City-County Building.Good Day.
It has been made clear that there are currently no plans to fix, or purchase seats for the lobby or in any part of the building and that it is the job of the combined city-county committee that manages that building and that is why I am writing you. I have CC’d my local Reps.
As I waited in the lobby I heard verbal cruelty as expressed by standing end of day ride-share waiters. There words about homeless people and their smells were laughed about as they stood with no where to seat. They disdain and resentment toward those that feel safe laying on cement covered with cardboard. It is truly a hateful period of survival that we are currently living witness. Would chairs help them?
What is amazing to me is just how much I know government is paternal and punishes. The building is seen as a pathetic place to pay bills and employ people.
No chairs. Anywhere.
The last meeting I attended up in room 201. Workers stood for hours straight. It probably was impossible for them to sit on the floor. When after urgent requests by unabashed me, some beat up chairs were brought out. Is this how we want to treat people, that our local government is unwelcoming.
My request is to have this item added to the next agenda.
In europe they use chairs that are protected and urine proof, if smell is the problem. Also consider turning the 1st floor bathrooms into public showers, if smell is the problem. That all in the meantime of affordable housing downtown.
Ok. Thank you for very much for letting me know when you are going to take this issue of no seating in the city-county building. Thank you for reading this email.
All Best,
Mary Jo Walters
I’ve asked several elected officials about this issue, they all shrug their shoulders, mostly because they don’t make this level of decisions usually, the staff does. But . . . this isn’t the first time we have had to deal with this issue. Looks like we will have to fight this battle again.
