Here’s a round up of interesting tidbits – business schmoozes the council & lobbies for the upcoming budget?, Urban Design Commission musings, more Edgewater (are you sick of it yet?), Peace Park transplants, naive reporters, Alder disrespects hard working neighborhood volunteers, Madison a good place to raise a family and . .. .
PEACE PARK TO REMOVE PANHANDLERS – WHERE WILL THEY GO?
Channel 3000 reports it will have an ATM so they won’t be able to panhandle there any more. In the great tradition of the City of Madison, we don’t solve problems, we just move them! Looks like Alder Rummel voted against the project at Urban Design for that reason.
Neighborhood meeting coming up:
Sept. 29 at 7 p.m.
Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel
BUSINESS SCHMOOZARAMA
At the end of the last council meeting, Alder Bruer announced the annual schmoozarama with the business community. He started to read off all the sponsors when the alders grew impatient and interrupted. But, it got me thinking . . . and I started digging around. Here’s who the sponsors were last year:
– Accelerate Madison
– African American Black Business Association
– The City of Madison
– Downtown Madison, Inc.
– East Capital Neighborhood Association
– East Johnson Business Association
– Far Eastside Business Association
– Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce
– Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau
– Greater State Street Business Association
– Hilldale Merchants Advisory Board
– Latino Chamber of Commerce
– Madison Area Business Consultants
– MAGNET
– Monroe Street Merchants Association
– Northside Business Association
– REALTORS Association of South Central Wis.
– Small Business Advisory Council
– Smart Growth Greater Madison
– South Metropolitan Business Association
– Wisconsin Restaurant Association
Bruer says there are even more this year.
And here’s the invite we got in 2008:
Alders, Mayor, Mayoral Staff and Department/Division Heads,
Let me take this opportunity to express my appreciation to the alders, the Mayor, Mayoral staff and the department/division heads who were able to take the time out of their busy schedules last year to attend the first Meet & Greet Reception held on June 26. We were able to meet many individuals from the various organizations attending the event in an informal social setting; the African American Black Business Association, Downtown Madison, Inc., Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau, Latino Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Advisory Council and Smart Growth Madison.
Feedback from those of you that were able to attend the first event was so positive that there have been many requests to organize a second Meet & Greet Reception. There also appears to be agreement that the event include an exchange with the Madison Small Business community, given the number of small business owners that are not part of a formal business association or organization. We are asking you to suggest any invitations that should be extended for this reception to ensure maximum attendance. Please send your suggestions to Lisa Veldran, Administrative Assistant to the Council, lveldran@cityofmadison.com.
We recognize how challenging your schedule can be and we want to give you ample time to put this reception on your calendar. A tentative date for the reception has been scheduled for:
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
The Brink Lounge, 701 E. Washington Avenue.Hopefully you will be able to find the time out of your busy schedule to once again attend this event. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Thank you.
Ald. Tim Bruer, District 14
Common Council President Pro Tem
Given that its budget time and several of the organizations above were lobbying on the budget, the downtown library and the Edgewater, doesn’t this event seem ill-timed. It’s seems to be an error in judgement to hold this event without publicly noticing it. I wonder how many lobbying contacts will be noted for this date when the reports come in next January . . . well after the budget decisions have been made.
UDC OBSERVATIONS
I attended a portion of the UDC meeting yesterday. It was disturbing on several fronts. The first item was the East Washington Design Guideline areas. I found it disturbing that commissioners made several good suggestions to tighten the language and make it more understandable to the average reader and better convey their intent, but no one made motions. So, I don’t think any of the really good suggestions will be implemented. And even more disturbing was the unanswered question of the uncompleted work and when it would be done and what happens if someone come in before that work is done. They all had some matrix that showed what work was undone, but its not available in the materials available on the internet.
The second item of interest was when they were discussing the signage at the Villager Mall. The commissioners were wondering why the commercial spaces had huge signs and the public library and human services, some of the major tenants, had smaller signs. The consultants representing the CDA were kind of rude. When commissioners tried to explain that sign packages should be approved with the buildings because of cases like this where can’t change signs because of the design of the building, they were further chastised for expressing their opinion. There were lots of questions about the materials and how they unfairly represented what was there. Finally, in exasperation, one commissioner called the drawings “totally bogus”. Sounds like the CDA is paying for alot of extra time because it wasn’t done right the first time.
The third point of interest was that the Danisco project is moving forward.
The final reason was that I was there was Peace Park, but I left before they got to it.
EDGEWATER DEVELOPERS SINCERE?
The news that there would be major changes to the Edgewater was an interesting bomb shell, but first Kristin points out that maybe its not just as it seems. And now, channel3000.com reports that the changes will be ready in a week? Something seems fishy.
THAT ALDER SAID WHAT?
Alder [snip], predicts a larger clash when Mansion Hill begins work on a new neighborhood plan in coming years to lay out future areas—and limits—for development.
“I think for the longest time that neighborhood has been run by a small group of individuals,” [snip] said. “A larger group have not wanted to go to blows with them — why make the drama? There’s been a lot of longstanding tension between different visions for the neighborhood, and this project is bringing all that out. And it’s dirty and it’s messy, but it’s a real philosophical discussion, not only about what this neighborhood should be, but about the stark differences of opinion about what the neighborhood already is.”
Huh? A neighborhood association is typically made up of those who show up, work hard and volunteer their time. Anyone who lives there can pay dues and find a way to get involved – like volunteering to serve on a steering committee for a major project. It’s not some exclusive club – in fact, most neighborhood associations are dying to get more participation. And easily taken over if people will put in the work. Problem then is . . . you have to do the work. I’m growing tired of seeing these hard working volunteers get bashed, and it’s particularly brutal coming from an alder, someone who should understand the sacrifices made to serve the community.
WHILE WE’RE ON THE SUBJECT
Erik Paulson makes some good observations about major flaws in the you-can’t-find-it-on-line hotel study.
CAPITAL BUDGET APPROVED BY THE PUBLIC, YEAH RIGHT
I know Mayor Dave is spinning that this is the first time the capital budget will get more attention than the operating budget – but we have discussed large projects like a state street parking ramp, development services center, funding for parks, roads budgets, quiet zones and so much more. But the Badger Herald bought the spin hook, line and sinker. The sad part of this is, they were the only ones who covered it . . . it also is a sad reminder of how horrified I was when I graduated from law school and started reading the real newspapers and realized how warped my reality was because I assumed the student journalists were getting the stories right.
By the way, traditionally, no one shows up to these hearings . . . and if they were paying attention – it was all driven by Downtown Madison Inc and the unions.
2ND BEST PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY
So much for failing schools and rampant crime . . . we fare well in comparison . . .
