Ok – I’m going to try this . . . I’m going to track all contacts, including e-mails, phone calls, private meetings, appearances at meetings, snail mail and any other types of contacts. It is alot to keep track of without administrative assistance of some sort, but hopefully with the miracle of modern technology, I’ll be able to enter it all here whenever I can get on-line. To be clear, the lobbyists I’m tracking are those who are representing the interests of a business, for-profit or non-profit and may or may not be covered by the new ordinance. Lets try this for a month and see how it goes . . .
Further information on November contacts and the history on lobbying.
(If you’re keeping track, this looks like roughly 116 contacts this month and could actually be more than that as some of the phone calls and e-mails were more than one. I also missed some folks at that DMI meeting. I have also noted some lobbyists that attended meetings but I don’t think engaged in any lobbying activities. It’s hard to know who to list here, since hardly any of them are actually required to register as lobbyists.)
Thursday, December 1
Downtown Madison Inc Economic Development Committee
I didn’t write down names, but I remember the following folks being there:
Susan Springman, Executive Management Inc (likely exempt}
Bill Kunkler, Fiore Companies (likely exempt)
Allen Arntsen, Foley and Lardner (likely exempt?)
Susan Schmidt – staff lobbyist for Downtown Madison Inc (not exempt)
Kevin O’Driscoll – Todd McGrath & Associates (likely exempt)
Ron Tractenberg – contract lobbyist, I have no idea who he may or may not have been representing (exempt?)
Sharon McCabe (likely exempt)
Ed Clarke,VP Strategic Innovations Madison Area Technical College (likely exempt)
Tim Anderson – Schreiber/Anderson & Associates (likely exempt)
Orange Schroeder – Orange Tree Imports
I know I missed a few other folks who were in the room.
Economic Development Commission
Delora Newton ( lobbyist for Smart Growth Madison), Phil Salkin, lobbyist for the Realtors Association for Southeastern Wisconsin and Susan Schmidt , lobbyist for Downtown Madison Inc were all present for the discussion of Inclusionary Zoning, but none spoke. (None are exempt except I don’t think they actually engaged in any lobbying activities)
While I was there two gentlemen appeared on the Room Tax issue, JZ (Jason?) from a Fitchburg Hotel and another guy who I think represented the Fitchburg Chamber of Commerce. (ugh, this is why this is hard, I don’t even know these people) JZ spoke, the other gentleman just registered to answer questions. (both are likely exempt)
Recieved information on “twin homes” from Jeff Rosenberg at Veridian Homes. (likely exempt)
E-mails and phone calls from Chris Larent with Gorman and Company re: TIF for 800 E Washington Ave. (not exempt)
E-mail from Michael Christopher representing Pres House re: Inclusionary Zoning (not exempt, I believe)
Friday, December 2
Phone call from Chris Larent with Gorman and Company re: TIF for 800 E Washington Ave. (not exempt)
E-mail from Michael Christopher representing Pres House re: Inclusionary Zoning (not exempt, I believe)
Saturday, December 3
Letter from Thomas Smith, NC Directions re: paid sick leave. (likely exempt)
Sunday, December 4
E-mail from Terrence Wall, T Wall Properties re: paid sick leave (likely exempt)
E-mail from Susan Schmitz, staff lobbyist for Downtown Madison Inc (meeting summary from the Economic Development Commission meeting, is that lobbying?)
Monday, December 5
Testimony by Ron Tractenberg on behalf of Michael and Julie Schurr re: 5435-5436 Lake Mendota Drive.
(Note: This was a very light Plan Commission agenda, and the only one in December, so normally, there would be MANY more lobbyists that I talked to or heard from on a plan commission meeting day.),
Tuesday, December 6
Email from Brendon McGrath, McGrath and Associates re: marketing/advertising for Nolen Shores (exempt?)
Email from Chris Laurent, Gorman & Co re: article in paper (exempt?)
Meeting with Jeff Rosenberg, Veridian re: inclusionary zoning (exempt)
Wednesday, December 7
Email from Sheila Przesmicki, Executive Director, UNIDOS Against Domestic Violence re: paid sick leave (exempt?)
Email from Jason Weber, Interlink re: Inclusionary Zoning financing (exempt)
Housing Committee appearances and spoke in support of repeal of the inclusionary zoning ordinance:
Delora Newton, Smart Growth Madison, Inc. (not exempt)
Nancy Jensen, Apartment Association of Southcentral Wisconsin (not exempt)
Phil Salkin, Realtors Association of Southcentral Wisconsin (not exempt)
Meeting with Vicky Selkowe, Economic Justice Institute re: paid sick leave (exempt)
Thursday, December 8
Email from Jeff Rosenberg, Veridian re: inclusionary zoning (exempt)
Phone call from Chris Laurent, Gorman & Co, re: TIF for 800 block of E Washington. (not exempt)
Letter from City of Monona re: opposition to the barriers (er, “temporary diverters”) on Cold Spring Rd. (exempt)
Friday, December 9
I got my council mail today and it made me think of all the mail we get that is potentially “lobbying”. Today I received the following:
School Reform News from The Heartland Institute (exempt?)
“Higher Standard” newsletter from St. Mary’s Hospital regarding their development (exempt?)
MTI Solidarity newsletter (exempt), and
SEIU Local 150 re: paid sick leave (exempt)
Plus I recieved the BID December/January Newsletter via e-mail. (exempt)
Meeting with Alex Salutos re: Inclusionary Zoning/Affordable Housing programs (exempt)
E-mail from Jenifer Robinn Thompson, employee at Maduro re: and exemption to the smoking ordinance for Maduro. (exempt)
Saturday, December 10
E-mail with Jeff Rosenberg, Veridian Homes re: Inclusionary Zoning (exempt)
Letter from Owen McCusker, Executive Director Community Living Alliance re: paid sick leave (exempt?)
Visit from the Chamber of Commerce . . . ooops, I guess that doesn’t count, since it was only their door! 🙂 (My apologies for the inside joke! The Council Holiday party skit put on by the freshman made use of a door, borrowed from the Chamber of Commerce. This one, is definitely exempt!)
Sunday, December 11
Phone conversation with Jeff Rosenberg, Veridian Homes re: Inclusionary Zoning (exempt)
Monday, December 12
Email from Scott Dell, CPA, All Sat Digital re: paid sick leave (exempt)
Talked to Curt Brink, developer re: inclusionary zoning, misc. development issues (exempt)
Phone call from Chris Laurent, Gorman & Co, re: TIF for 800 E Washington (not exempt)
Emails with Alex Salutos, consultant re: inclusionary zoning (exempt)
Tuesday, December 13
Email from Jeff Tallard, Tallard Apartments re: inclusionary zoning (exempt)
Emails from Alex Salutos, private consultant re: inclusionary zoning (exempt)
Email from Nancy Kay Larson, Raw Materials, Interior Design Resource re: paid sick leave (exempt)
Private meeting re: Inclusinary Zoning with the following people:
Steve Schooler, Executive Director, Porchlight (exempt?)
Rita Giovannoni, Executive Director, Independent Living (exempt?)
Greg Rosenberg, Executive Director, Madison Area Community Land Trust (exempt?)
Eileen Mershart, Executive Director, YWCA (exempt?)
Marianne Morton, Executive Director, Commonwealth Development (exempt?)
Frank Staniszewski, Executive Director, Madison Development Corporation (exempt?)
Tim Radelet, Foley & Lardner (exempt?)
Dean Loumos, Executive Director, Housing Initiatives (exempt?)
Deniste Matyka, Executive Director, Project Home (exempt?)
Brian Miller, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity (exempt?)
People who appeared to answer questions on various actions before the Common Council:
Edwin Richards and Mary Peters, Cool Runnings Nikelwa, LLC, re: liquor license (exempt)
Eric Lawson, Executive Management, Inc re: rezoning and demolition for 12 story buislidng at 700 Block University Ave (130,000 sq ft retail, 73,500 sq ft office, 91,000 sq ft health center, 60,500 Activity Center, 430 residential units) (not exempt)
Brian Munson from Vandewalle & Associates for Veridian Homes re: rezoning for 702 S Point Rd (274 Single Family lots, 9 duplex lots, 4 Multi-family lots) (not exempt)
Ron Tractenberg paid third-party lobbyist for Miller Construction re: rezoning 3270 – 3276 Maple Grove Dr (42 condo units) (not exempt)
Adam Fink, Joseph Freed & Associates re: rezoning and demolition at 702 N Midvale Blvd (not exempt?)
Ken Saikai, Ken Saikai Design for Joseph Freed & Associates re: rezoning and demolition at 702 N Midvale Blvd (exempt?)
Seemingly paid people appearing at the City Council meeting on various items:
Dar Ward, Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin re: Comprehensive Plan and Central Park (exempt)
Heather Mann, Urban Open Space Foundation re: Madison Comprehensive Plan (exempt)
Phil Salkin, Realtors Association of Southcentral Wisconsin re: Madison Comprehensive Plan (not exempt)
Walter Ostrenga, Chief of Police, City of Monona re: barriers on Cold Spring (exempt)
Peter McKeever, Monona City Council re: barriers on Cold Spring (exempt)
Bob Van Etten, Fire Chief, City of Monona re: barriers on Cold Spring (exempt)
Letter from Chief Glenn Linzmeier, Town of Blooming Grove Fire Department re: barriers on Cold Spring (exempt)
Email from Kris Grutzner, BID Manager, Downtown Madison Inc, re: parking on the square (exempt?)
Email from Jeff Rosenberg, Veridian Homes re: inclusionary zoning (exempt)
Email from Greg Rosenberg, Madison Area Community Land Trust re: inclusionary zoning (exempt?)
Registrations from:
Michael Sertich, Bulk Petroleum re: Acquiring land at 2609 E Washington Ave for E Washington reconstruction, including potential condemnation (exempt?)
Ron Trachtenberg, representing Anheiser Busch re: Keg registration (not exempt)
Ron Trachtenberg, representing Mr. & Mrs. Emerick re: Attachment of land from Middleton to Madison (not exempt)
Wednesday, December 14
Email from Susan Schmitz, Downtown Madison Inc. re: parking on the square (not exempt)
Meeting with Chris Laurent, Gorman & Co re: TIF and IZ for 800 E Washington (not exempt), IZ in general (exempt)
Thursday, December 15
Phone message from Gary Gorman, Gorman & Co re: TIF for 800 E Washington (not exempt)
E-mail from Jeff Rosenberg, Veridian re: Inclusionary Zoning (exempt)
E-mail from Andrew Millar, Studio 924 on Johnson St re: plowing – or lack thereof (exempt?)
Friday, December 16
Meeting with Tripp Widder, Chris Laurent, Pat Mullins all representing Gorman & Co re: TIF for 800 E Washington (not exempt)
Phone call with Gary Gorman, Gorman & Co re: TIF for 800 E Washington (not exempt)
Saturday, December 17
Email from Chris Laurent, Gorman & Co re: TIF for 800 E Washington (not exempt)
Sunday, December 18
E-mail from Dave Redick, Badger Ventures of Wisconin re: paid sick leave (exempt)
Monday, December 19
None, I really did take the day off.
Tuesday, December 20
Email from Jody Glynn Patrick, Publisher, In Business Magazine re: paid sick leave (exempt)
Email from Phil Salkin, Realtors Association of South Central Wisconsin re: Inclusionary Zoning and marketing (not exempt)
Email from Randy Bruce, Knothke & Bruce working for Great Dane Development re: condo project at 627 E Mifflin. (not exempt)
Wednesday, December 21
None
Thursday, December 22
None
Friday, December 23
mail from Adam Jacobson, Data Collections, Chamberlain Research Consultants re: paid sick leave
Saturday, December 24
None
Sunday, December 25
None
Monday, December 26
None
Tuesday, December 27
email from Jeff Rosenberg, Veridian Homes re: skinny streets
phone message from Chris Laurent, Gorman & Company re: TIF for 800 E Washington Ave
e-mail from Jenny Gile, unknown company re: renting Collins House kitchen facilities (exempt?)
e-mail from Tenant Advocacy Group re: paid sick leave (exempt? I don’t think anyone who signed is paid)
Wednesday, December 28
I picked up my mail today from the council office and it had been at least a week, perhaps two, since I picked it up so there were the following items in the mail:
Holiday greeting cards from Eppstein Uhen, Tweedee Productions, Meriter (from their lobbyist, Liz Schumacher) – (exempt)
Newsletters from Madison Teachers Union, Baxter and Woodman (consulting engineers), Privatization Watch (Reason Foundation), 4C’s Childcare, MSCR (exempt?)
Solicitation to become a member of the Urban Open Space Foundation (exempt)
Memo from Linda Fox, Economic Policy Institute analyzing the City of Madison Paid Sick Leave Ordinance (exempt?)
Report from Insitute of Women’s Policy Research on Paid Sick Leave (I don’t know who sent it) (exempt?)
Letter from Terrance Wall, T Wall Properties bcc’d on letter to Mayor Dave re: thank you for TIF for Kipp for the Center for Industry and Commerce plus a description of Tribecca Village in Middleton and potential similar project yet to be developed for Madison with a request for TIF for a similar new project and help finding a site (not exempt if a project happens)
Phone conversation and e-mails with Chris Laurent, Gorman & Co re: TIF for 800 E Washington
Thursday, December 29
Meeting with Jeff Rosenberg, Veridian Homes re: Inclusionary Zoning (exempt)
Friday, December 30
None
Saturday, December 31
None
