County Redistricting, Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) a.k.a. which roads get fixed or redone, CDBG Committee hearing on housing, homelessness and economic development funding, City Economic Strategy, New Jail Public Forum and Neighborhood Conference.
COUNTY REDISTRICTING
Hearing on Redistricting Scheduled for Thursday
Citizens Invited to Hear from Experts, Weigh in on Design of Nonpartisan Redistricting Process
The Dane County Board of Supervisors will hear from two election experts at a hearing during the Executive Committee this Thursday, August 14, at 5:00 pm, and citizens are encouraged to attend and weigh in.
Following the testimony of the two experts, County Supervisors will have the opportunity to ask questions, and a public testimony period will allow citizens to voice their opinions on the topic.
“People need to have confidence that their vote counts just as much as the vote cast by someone across the street or across the county,” said County Board Chair Sharon Corrigan. “The way we draw our voting maps has to be open, fair and transparent, and we need to think carefully about the process by which we do that. We need to hear what these experts have to say, ask them tough questions, and then heed their advice.”
The hearing will feature Andrea Kaminski from the League of Women Voters and Linda Honold, a PhD researcher and consultant working with a consortium of state and national funders, including the Milwaukee-based Brico Fund, to prepare a study of redistricting reform efforts across the country. The County Board will hear a description of how maps have been drawn in the past, rationale for considering a different system of drawing the maps, and how the drawing of voting maps is changing around the country.
“Our current voting maps were drawn in 2011, and are due to be updated in 2021,” said Supervisor Jenni Dye, who sponsored a resolution to move redistricting reform forward. “Right now is the time to think clearly and rationally, without an imminent election or partisan positioning, about the process by which we draw our voting maps. I’m grateful for the opportunity to hear from these experts as well as from members of the community.”
The hearing will be held in room 354 of the City County Building, 201 Martin Luther King Boulevard in Madison.
TIP
The Draft 2015-2019 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the Madison Metropolitan Planning Area & Dane County is now available for review and public comment. The TIP lists major transportation improvements and studies anticipated to be undertaken during the next five-year period. It includes the scoring and priority project listings for the Surface Transportation Program (STP) – Urban funds allocated by the Madison Area Transportation Planning Board – An MPO. The draft 2015-2019 TIP is available on the MPO’s website at http://www.MadisonAreaMPO.org/.
A public hearing before the MPO Policy Board is scheduled for Wednesday, September 3 at 6:30 PM in the City-County Building, 210 MLK Jr. Blvd., Room 354. The MPO Board is expected to take action on the TIP at its Wednesday, October 1 meeting at 6:30 PM in the Madison Water Utility Bldg., 119 E. Olin Ave., Room A-B. MPO staff is also available to meet and answer questions, discuss projects, and take comments.
Written comments on the Draft TIP are requested by Friday, September 19. Please address written comments to the MPO office or email them to MPO staff at wschaefer@cityofmadison.com.
CDBG HEARING TOMORROW (NOT IN CITY WEEK AHEAD, NOTICE OUT LATE)
The following is the agenda for the public hearing scheduled on August 14th at the Madison Senior Center at 5:00 p.m.
CITY ECONOMIC STRATEGY
City Kicks Off Economic Strategy with Events to Gather Input
The City of Madison is kicking off a new Economic Strategy, and is looking for input and ideas. An early step in this process will be a series of events in September and October to begin engaging economic leaders and community members.
The first of these events will be an Economic Strategy Symposium on September 10 from 8am to 12pm. This half-day event is intended to bring together the city’s economic leaders from the business community, non-profits, government, and education to discuss the future of the City’s economy. The event will consist of two parts – Part 1 will focus on looking data trends to better understand the current state of the City’s economy today, and, Part 2 will be focused on the City’s future with small-group idea sessions to develop economic strategies.
This morning Symposium will be followed up with two evening community meetings. The first will be on September 23 from 7pm to 9pm at the Village on Park Community Room. The second will be on October 1 from 6pm to 8pm at the Warner Park Community Center. These events will be an opportunity for community members to share their ideas about priorities for sustaining and growing a healthy and vibrant economy in Madison
All of these events are free and open. However, space is limited for the September 10 Symposium so online registration is required. Follow the link below to register for the symposium and for more information about the project.
http://www.cityofmadison.com/economicstrategy/
NEW JAIL PUBLIC FORUM
NAMI DANE CO. PRESENTS A PUBLIC FORUM ON THE DANE CO. JAIL PROPOSAL
Key Stakeholders to Discuss the Proposal’s Impact on People with Mental Illness
Madison, WI: Today, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Dane County announced it will be holding a community forum on the proposal to expand the Dane County Jail on Monday, August 25th from 5:00-7:00 pm at the United Way Building, 2059 Atwood Ave. NAMI Dane County invites the public to discuss how expanding the jail will affect people with mental illness and offers a question-and-answer session with key stakeholders: Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney, Ron Diamond, MD of UW Health Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Dave Delap of Community Treatment Alternatives, and a representative from Madison Organizing in Strength and Solidarity (MOSES).
In 2012, the Dane County Jail had an average daily population of 759 inmates. The projected daily population for 2028 is 787 inmates, according to the Needs Assessment and Master Plan released by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office in June. The executive summary profiled jail populations, focusing on their medical and mental health needs. As a result of the assessment, the Dane County Sheriff’s Office proposed expanding the Dane County jail.
NAMI Dane County is bringing together mental health advocates and professionals to discuss the proposal’s impact on people with mental illness. As many stakeholders argue that inmates who are in crisis should have access to hospital settings to minimize trauma and leverage a more likely recovery, the forum will cover:
· Solutions for addressing inmates in mental health crisis
· Fiscal implications of the jail proposal
· Funding needs of community mental health resourcesAbout NAMI Dane County: The National Alliance on Mental Illness was formed in Madison in 1977, and is now the nation’s largest grassroots organization dedicated to mental health with affiliates throughout the U.S. and its territories. NAMI Dane County is dedicated to supporting and empowering everyone touched by mental illness. We commit to eliminate stigma and nurture recovery through education, support, advocacy, and outreach.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONFERENCE
Neighborhood Conference: Strong Leaders, Healthy Places
We invite you to join other residents for a one-day celebration about making and supporting community leaders and sustaining healthy, walkable neighborhoods, for all of Madison. The citywide neighborhood conference, Strong Leaders, Healthy Places, will be a day packed full of stories, talks, and discussions recognizing all the good works being done by residents, neighborhoods, and the other caretakers of our community.
The major focus for 2014?s event will be building a strong civic infrastructure to support equitable, healthy, and walkable neighborhoods. Don Edwards, Director of Justice and Sustainability Associates, will be making a trip to Madison from DC with the generous support of MGE. He is well known for engaging marginalized communities, being technologically savvy in capturing community voices, and working tirelessly to ensure conversations among people from different social and economic backgrounds on citywide plans and revitalization projects.
Several workshops will focus on the City of Madison Equity and Social Justice Initiative and how neighborhoods can use the principles to assess policies, plans and programs occurring or proposed in their neighborhoods. Building capacity, working effectively, and sharing success stories will get you inspired, encouraged and better equipped to help our neighborhoods be all they can be.
Register today at www.cityofmadison.com/neighborhoods/NeighborhoodConference/.
