Oops, not so quick!

James Madison Park will have to wait . . . but hey, what a few weeks after waiting for years.

Given the responses received to date, please check if either of the following dates works for the organizational meeting for the James Madison Park Property Planning Committee (lasting approximately one (1) hour in either CCB or MMB).

May 19 (5-8 PM)
May 29 (5-8 PM)

Please respond by 4 PM on April 30 regarding your availability on these dates / times.

Read more!

Knock me over with a feather!

Is the James Madison Park Committee actually going to meet?

from Rolfs, Daniel
date Mon, Apr 28, 2008 at 4:06 PM
subject James Madison Park Property Planning Committee

Thank you for agreeing to serve on the James Madison Park Property Planning Committee. City staff is working to find a date to hold an organizational meeting that will last approximately one (1) hour in length. Staff would like to accomplish several house keeping items at this meeting including:

1) Choose a chair and co-chair of the Committee;
2) Establish a schedule of meetings to accomplish the tasks charged to the Committee (NOTE: Please bring your appointment calendars);
3) Handout and discuss background materials.

Please respond (only to me) by 4 PM on April 30th if you could be available to meet for one (1) hour during the following times:

Tues, May 6, 2008 - 4-7 PM
Wed, May 7, 2008 - 4-7 PM

If you have spoken to me on the phone, you do not need to respond to this e-mail unless your availability has changed. Please call or e-mail if you have questions.

OK - maybe not. Most people are going to need more than a week notice to be able to schedule this. Especially since the 6th is a Council meeting and pre-council briefing on the budget. The 7th is ALRC, Housing, Economic Development Commission and who knows what else. Read more!

Madison Magazine's Version of David Blaska

Blaming the homeless for the murders, even tho the police won't publicly do it. Fact challenged. He's got it all.

It starts off like this . . . .

Pretty depressing April so far. Winter won't leave.

And neither will the predators who haunt downtown Madison. Three unsolved murders. A scorched skeleton where a cathedral once stood. And a State Street that is becoming the Boulevard of Broken Dreams.

You'll have to read the rest for yourself if you can stomach it.

Tho, watch out for this gem.

Maybe we are just plain wrong to think that we can pepper our public places with malevolent panhandlers with no adverse results. We are now seeing proof that small, tactical blunders making State Street felon-friendly are leading to a major strategic problem, as in Downtown Madison is Unsafe.

And at times, murderous.

Someone want to tell him we have laws against aggressive panhandling? And that the police work with the courts to ban people on probation and parole from State Street and W. Washington Avenue.

24.12 MENACING OR AGGRESSIVE PANHANDLING PROHIBITED.

(1) Purpose . The purpose of this ordinance is to ensure unimpeded pedestrian traffic flow, to maintain and protect the physical safety and well-being of pedestrians and to otherwise foster a safe and harassment-free climate in public places in the City of Madison.

(2) Definitions . As used in this section:

(a) “Intersection” has the meaning designated in Section 340.01(25), Wis. Stats.

(b) “Public place” or “Place open to the public” is an area generally visible to public view and includes streets, sidewalks, bridges, alleys, plazas, parks, driveways, parking lots, automobiles (whether moving or not), and buildings open to the general public including those which serve food or drink, or provide entertainment, and the doorways or entrances in buildings or dwellings and the grounds enclosing them;

(c) “Known panhandler” means a person who within one year previous to the date of arrest for violation of this section has been convicted in a court of competent jurisdiction of any civil or criminal offense involving panhandling.

(d) A conversation or gesture or both shall be construed as “threatening” if a reasonably prudent individual would perceive such conduct as intending to result in the procurement of money or goods by threat or coercion.

(e) Behavior shall be construed as “aggressive” or “intimidating” if a reasonably prudent individual could be deterred from passing through or remaining in or near any thoroughfare, or place open to the public because of fear, concern or apprehension.

(Am. by ORD-05-00116, 6-28-05)

(3) In or near any thoroughfare or place open to the public, no person either individually or as part of a group shall procure or attempt to procure a handout from another in a manner or under circumstances manifesting an express or implied threat or coercion. Among the circumstances which may be considered in determining whether such purpose or behavior is manifested are the following: that such person is a known panhandler; that such person repeatedly and in a threatening fashion, beckons to, stops, or attempts to stop passer(s)-by; that such person engages passer(s)-by in threatening conversation; or that such person utilizes threatening bodily gestures. The violator’s conduct must be such as to demonstrate a specific intent to induce, solicit, or procure from another goods or money by threat or coercion. No arrest shall be made for a violation of this subsection unless the arresting officer first affords such person an opportunity to explain such conduct, and no one shall be convicted of violating this subsection if it appears at trial that the explanation given was true and disclosed a lawful purpose.

(4) In or near any thoroughfare or place open to the public, no person either individually or as part of a group shall procure or attempt to procure a handout from another in an aggressive or intimidating manner. Among the circumstances which may be considered in determining whether such purpose or behavior is manifested are the following: that such person is a known panhandler; that such person continues to beckon to, accost or follow or ask passer(s)-by for a handout after the passer(s)-by has failed to respond or has told the person “no”; that such person engages in a course of conduct or commits any act which harasses or intimidates the passer(s)-by; or that such person utilizes or attempts to utilize bodily gestures or physical contact to impede the path of any passer(s)-by, including but not limited to unwanted touching or blocking the path or impeding the free movement of the passer(s)-by. The violator’s conduct must be such as to demonstrate a specific intent to induce, solicit, or procure from another goods or money by aggressive or intimidating behavior. No arrest shall be made for a violation of this subsection unless the arresting officer first affords such person an opportunity to explain such conduct, and no one shall be convicted of violating this subsection if it appears at trial that the explanation given was true and disclosed a lawful purpose.

(5) It shall be unlawful for any person to procure or attempt to procure a handout within fifty (50) feet of an automatic teller machine (ATM) or within twenty-five (25) feet of any open sidewalk cafe. (Am. by ORD-05-00116, 6-28-05)

(6) It shall be unlawful for any person, after having been warned that such activity is prohibited, to procure or attempt to procure a handout within twenty-five (25) feet of an intersection or within twelve (12) feet of any building that contains nonresidential uses or within twenty (20) feet of any building entrance that contains nonresidential uses. (Am. by ORD-05-00116, 6-28-05)

(7) It shall be unlawful for any person to sit or recline on a public sidewalk with an intent to procure or attempt to procure a handout.

(8) Penalty . Any person violating this section shall be subject to a forfeiture of not less than $10 nor more than $200, notwithstanding any provision of this chapter setting a different penalty.

(9) Severability . The provisions of this section are severable. If any provision of this section is held to be invalid or unconstitutional or if the application of any provision of this section to any person or circumstance is held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such holding shall not affect the other provisions or applications of this section which can be given effect without the invalid or unconstitutional provisions or applications. It is hereby declared to be the intent of the Common Council that this section wouldhave been adopted had any invalid or unconstitutional provision or applications not been included herein.

And watch for this gem too.

Student populations, especially one the size of Madison's, come with their own set of problems. But with its naïve and negligent homeless policy the city has enhanced the problem.

College students are easy to abuse. Especially female ones.

They are poor, young and without power.

We should protect them.

But the notion of Law and Order is anathema to Madison progressives. The very term sounds Draconian to them. Never mind that is one of government's first responsibilities.

Never mind that we added 40 police officers in the last 2 years (about 10% of our force) or that we have laws in place like these:

BEING IN PARKS OVERNIGHT ILLEGAL

8.21 PUBLIC PARKS TO BE CLOSED DURING CERTAIN HOURS.

It shall be unlawful for any person to be or remain in Link Park or James Madison Park between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., to be or remain in Berkley Park from sunset to sunrise, or to be or remain in any other public park in the City of Madison between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. This prohibition shall include bathing beaches contiguous or adjacent to public parks, but shall not prohibit passing through a park area either in a vehicle or on foot without stopping during such hours; nor,shall this ordinance apply to those parks designated by the Superintendent of the Parks Division which have regularly scheduled recreational activities which conclude after 10:00 p.m. Parks which are not closed at 10:00 p.m. due to scheduled recreational events shall be closed at 11:00 p.m. except for participants in overnight activities approved by the Superintendent of the Parks Division. The entrances of all parks shall be conspicuously posted indicating the closing hours of the park. The Warner Park Baseball Field and Parking Lot may remain open until the conclusion of scheduled minor league baseball games; in no case may any inning start after 11:50 p.m. The Common Council may by resolution permit specific parks to be open after 11:00 p.m. for designated events approved by the Common Council. Hours in conservation parks shall be governed by Sec. 8.40, M.G.O. Any person violating any provision of this ordinance shall be subject to a forfeiture of not more than $200. (Am. by Ord. 12,372, 5-6-99; Ord. 13,010, 2-08-02; Ord. 13,560, Adopted 12-14-04)

LIVING IN PARKS ILLEGAL

8.265 LODGING IN PARKS PROHIBITED.

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to lodge, to live in for a time, or to take habitation in any portion of a public park within the City of Madison. Evidence of lodging shall include but not be limited to bedrolls, mattresses, blankets, cooking utensils, clothing, and other personal belongings.

(2) Penalty. Any person who violates this section shall be subject to a forfeiture of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200). Each and every day during which a violation continues shall be deemed to be a separate violation.

I'm curious, what is our "naive and negligent homeless policy" that we have in Madison? I'd like to get a copy of it. I always thought that our policy on the homeless in the City of Madison was that we would control where homeless shelters got built and services for the homeless were up to the County, State and Federal Governments. The only money we put into homeless programs comes from those sources.

Yeah, nevermind the facts, just trash the progressives and engage in the fear-mongering. In fact, I think I heard progressives are murdering students - pass it on. Madison residents aren't that stupid to be buying this crap are they? Mr. Roach - you want a Safer Madison Week or Month - I'll sponsor that resolution. It's not going to solve any problems, but it might make people like Mr. Roach feel good. Meanwhile, people will still be homeless and sleeping on our streets. Look, our national and therefore local economy isn't great, housing isn't very affordable in Madison, we don't have immediate access to Alcohol and Drug rehab services for people who need it, we have a health care system that can't afford to treat our mentally ill and we need to help people get access to decent jobs - meaning transportation and skills. I think working on any of the items mentioned in the previous sentence are going to get us a whole lot further than "Safer Madison Week" or passing more laws for our over-burdened police department to enforce. Read more!

Homelessness in Madison

Here's a few other perspectives.

First, I had forgotten about this Glenn Austin project from 2003. It's a look at the homeless who hung out on State Street through pictures. I think he did this around the time we had one of our other crack downs on the homeless - when they were changing the panhandling ordinance.

Second I went to Burr Jones field to see the so called "hobo jungle". (I think when Fred Mohs first used the term, this wasn't what he was talking about.) It seems, "the problem" has been solved. Move on.




Additionally, this is the report I had gotten from Captain Mary Schauf nearly a month ago.

From: Schauf, Mary
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 7:29:51 AM
. . . I just spoke with the two night officers that work the entire river parkway area. They went out and walked last night, focusing on the Tenney Park portion. Not a human in sight, but did hear one waterfowl. I will forward the list to them. I am thinking a daytime assessment of several items would also be in order. Staff will need to know what enforcement actions they can take. I will talk with Tim ref. a plan since the river area extends from Brenda's area through yours. I think we can start with a parks dept clean-up of the area.

Turns out, 2 of the 3 areas of concern in a recent letter from the Friends of the Yahara River Parkway are on Alder Rhodes-Conway's side of the river between E Washington Ave. and E Johnson. The third is in Alder Marsha Rummel's district. Although, neither Alder Rhodes-Conway or I have received any complaints from our constituents in the past year.

Anyways, while I was at the park I saw three people I assumed were homeless. As I found out, one was formerly homeless. The one guy simply walked by and I saw him glance over at where the tarps previously were. Or maybe it was my imagination, who knows.

And I stopped to talk to a woman in the the Park. I told her I was on the City Council and that I was often an advocate for the homeless. I asked her how things were going. She showed (and told) me where people slept. She shared stories about where she has slept in the past. She told me how the men were protective of women on the street. She told me how she stayed at Burr Jones last fall and how they chased everyone out of the area after the man committed suicide by train. She told me stories about various homeless people who had died. I didn't ask many questions, I just let her tell me what she wanted to tell me while she smoked her cigarette. While she has a place to stay now, and a job one day a week, she told me she still stops by to check on her friends. She pointed to the third person I saw in the park who was struggling to get his blankets and backpack to stay attached to his bike. She had told me she had tried to help by giving him a bungee cord. She also told me how she worried that the men who hung here at the park and various other places that didn't have enough warm clothes in the winter and how they had to walk 3 - 3.5 miles to Labor Ready to get a job.

Third, there's the Chicago Tribune article about Madison and the homeless. I find this an amazing observation:

Is the suspicion of transient involvement in the Zimmermann slaying justified? That almost doesn't matter. In the hours after the killing, the public soon became aware of a large police sweep, rounding up about two dozen transients after officers received a tip that panhandlers had been going house-to-house that day. The tip was credible because people had been complaining for months about increasingly aggressive panhandlers.

About a dozen transients remain in police custody on unrelated warrants.

And I also find it amazing that once again, Joel DeSpain is not quoted, but everyone's favorite Lt. Joe Balles is. His fear-mongering gem this time:

"The big city has come to Madison," lamented Madison Police Lt. Joe Balles.

How'd this guy become the spokesperson for the City of Madison when it comes to homelessness?

Finally, check out my Steven Colbert post from this weekend. Will bumbots come to Madison? Read more!

The Week Ahead

I just love the fifth days of the month - in alder speak that usually means you have a free night. This week, we have a "free" Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday! Sort of. Here's the meetings I find to be of interest.

Monday, April 28, 2008
4:30 PM BOARD OF ESTIMATES ROOM GR-27 CCB

• Renewing Dick Grasmick's contract (5 years as head of IT Dept.)
• Many union contracts (items 2 - 7)
  
• Finally getting some help in the clerks office - in a screwball kind of way.
• TIF for Allied Drive and a first time ever capital budget for CDA (This was GO debt in the budget we passed.)
  
• Draft Operating Budget for CDA (a whole lotta nothing)
  

5:00 PM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION SUBCOMMITTEE ON 3-5 YEAR STRATEGIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ROOM LL-130 MMB

• "Editing" (read: re-writing) the Ticknor Economic Development Plan for the City
  

Tuesday, April 29, 2008
4:30 PM MADISON ELECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE ROOM 103A CCB

• Polling place accessibility, assessment of April 2008 elections, training of elections officials, purchasing new voting machines, working with the schools around elections, voter registration on college campuses, preparing for fall elections and new staff for the clerks office.
  

4:30 PM WATER UTILITY BOARD 119 E. OLIN AVENUE

• Lots of reports
• The Water Conservation Plan a.k.a. Groundwater Sustainability Plan
  

Wednesday, April 30, 2008
3:00 PM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PRESENTATION ROOM 525 CCB

• UW-Law School Class Presentation on Allied Drive, Phase II
  

Friday, May 2, 2008
8:00 AM INCLUSIONARY ZONING ADVISORY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ROOM LL-110 MMB

• Continue discussion of our recommendations for solutions for some of the issues with the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance
  

As always, check the weekly schedule throughout the week at meetings often pop up there after the schedule shows up.
Read more!

Solution to our Homelessness Problem

Steven Colbert has found it!The Bumbot, of course! (Check out the CNN account of it.)

There's gotta be a way around those pesky courts that make having a flamethrower such a hassle. Maybe Blaska can work with Gableman on that.


Oh, and no one tell the Mayor's Office, they might actually think its a good idea! Next, it'll be their solution to the Yahara River Parkway issues. There's gotta be a way to make it go off-road.

/sarcasm
Read more!

It's Coming Together

After moving the house on Sunday night and then taking a day off, the workers got right to work. Given that this is where they started, I really didn't think we'd have that house out of our street after two days of work. Or that it would be that close together when I got home last night. Here's where they started.




It looked like a slow process. Moving the house what seemed like inches at a time with the bobcat . . .


With the house on these little rollers . . . .


And after the house got moved a little, the workers made adjustments . . . I'm not sure I'd want this job . . .


And after the adjustments, they moved the house a few more inches . . .


They got the first half moved into place by the end of Tuesday and by the end of Wednesday, I was surprised to see this . . .


And by last night . . . this . . .


It appears the house will look good on the site once its dropped down . . .



And I can't believe the street is back to "normal" after them working on it for just 3 days.

Read more!

Spring is Here!

A friend of mine recently said she knew it was spring because she shaved her legs . . . I found a better way to determine that . . .

It's amazing what you can grow on a 2,178 square foot lot downtown.

small white spring flower

small blue and white spring flowers

purple crocus

pink starflower

pink primrose

hyacinth

pink starflower buds

grape hyacinth

daffodils

blue spring flowers

blue starflowers

blue starflower buds

tulip

pink primrose

blue primrose

daffodil

more crocuses

And its exciting to see the hope of things to come . . . good eats . . .

raspberries

strawberries

rhubarb

chives

And more flowers . . . on their way . . .

poppies

hollyhocks

fairy flowers (columbine)

more common columbine

There's still work to do . . .


And I don't even want to think about what to do with this after the construction last year . . . .

Ya think this tree is going to live?
That's pieces of its roots.

Somehow, I don't think this grass is coming in.

They could have at least left some soil!

Read more!

Water Main Flushing Schedule

Here's the latest.

Water Main Flushing plans beginning Friday, April 25 (all flushing is daytime unless otherwise noted)

Schedule map: http://www.cityofmadison.com/water/Documents/udf_schedule_citymap_links.pdf

North (Area 13) -- Between Sherman Ave and Harper Rd from Troy Dr to Lake Mendota/Warner Park

North (Area 15W) -- Between Pierstorff St and The Airport from Stoughton Rd to Packers Ave

West (Area16) -- Between Inner Dr and Old Sauk Rd from Gammon Rd to Jetty Dr/Ozark Trl

East (Area 25) -- Between Cottage Grove Rd and Commercial Ave from Thompson Dr to Meadowlark Dr

Downtown (Area 24W): NIGHTS -- Between Brearly St and Blair St from E. Washington Ave to Lake Mendota

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Questions: Gordon Heingartner, 261-9129

Flushing Information Line: 261-9178
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DETAILS:
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AREA 13 (North): 3 to 7 runs per day

Run ID Run Description
13086 Nova Way to Lerdahl Rd. to Delladonna Way
13088 Marcy Rd. (Troy Dr - Wooward & Forster)
13089 1001 Woodward Dr. to 1025 Woodward Dr.
13090.1 Hintze Rd. (Luster & Lerdahl - Marcy & Morningstar)
13090.2 From 537 Morningstar Ln. to intersection with Marcy Rd.
13090.3 From 536 Morningstar Ln. down Delladonna Way to end of Badeau Cir.
13091 From Forster Dr. & Woodward Dr. up Cascade Rd. to Shasta Dr. to Shasta Dr. cul-de-sac
13092 Foster Dr (Troy Dr to 1334 Forster Dr)
13093 From Forster Dr. & Cascade Rd. to 1334 Forster Dr.
13094 Hovde Rd. (Troy Dr - Forster & Novick)
13095 Shasta Dr. (Cascade - Glendale Ln & Hovde Rd)
13096 Alpine Rd. from Shasta Dr. to Forster Dr.
13097 Glendale Ln from Alpine Rd. to Hodve Rd.
13098 Up Novick Dr. from Forster Dr. around to Becker Dr. & Forster Dr.
13099 Gale Ct.
13100 Gina Ct.
13101 Hanover St. from Troy Dr. to Lakeview Av.
13102 Drewry Ln. (Hanover St. to Esch Ln.)
13103 Randy Ln. (Hanover St. - Susan Cir.)
13104 Susan Ln. (Susan Cir. - Troy Dr.)
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AREA 15W (North): 3 to 7 runs per day

Run ID Run Description
15127 Wright St (Pierstorff to N end)
15128 Bowman - Wright Connector (W of Wright to E of Bowman)
15129 Pearson - Wright Connector (directly N of Pierstorff)
15130 Wright - Bowman Connector (E of Bowman to W of Bowman)
15131 Wright - Bowman Connector (Wright to W of Bowman)
15132 Pierstorff - Mitchell Connector (Pierstorff to N of Mitchell)
15133 Pearson Extension (Pearson to W of Wright)
15134 Mitchell St (Wright to W of Pearson)
15135 Mitchell St - Darwin Rd Connector (W of Pearson to W of International)
15136 Mitchell St Extension (Truax Munitions Complex area - 10" main)
15137 Truax Munitions Complex area (8" main)
15138 Miller St (Wright St-Mitchell St) Airport area
15139 Truax Area - Dane Co Airport (310 Mitchell st)
15140 Truax Area - Dane Co Airport (NE 3118 Mitchell st)
15141 Miller St (E.Wright St-N.Mitchell St)
15142 Miller St (Truax Area)
15143 Miller St (N.Mitchell-W.Wright St)- Truax Area
15144 Miller St (N.Wright St)- Truax area
15145 E.Wright St-N.E Mitchell St)- Truax area
15146 Wright St-N.Stoughton Rd
15147 E.International Ln-Darwin Rd

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AREA 16 (West): 3 to 7 runs per day

Run ID Run Description
16076 Carlsbad Dr
16077 Isle Royal Dr and Carlsbad Dr
16078.1 Colony Dr from Gammon to Everglade
16078.2 Colony Dr from Everglade to Horseshoe Bend
16079 Inner Dr and Everglade Dr to Everglade Cir from N. Yellowstone Dr.
16080 Horseshoe Bend
16081 Gettysburg Dr from Yellowstone to Sumter Ct
16082 Gettysburg Dr from Inner to Appomattox Ct
16083 Acadia Dr and N on Everglade to Yellowstone
16084 Acadia Ct
16085 Everglade Dr and Shilo Dr to Shilo Ct
16086 Shilo Dr from Yellowstone to Shilo Ct
16087 Shiloh Dr - Saratoga Ct

----------END OF AREA 16----------

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AREA 25 (East): 3 to 7 runs per day

Run ID Run Description
25022 Open Wood Way (Kingsbridge to Meadowlark)
25023 Inwood Wy
25024 Thompson Dr (N of Cottage Grove to S of Edna Ct)
25025 Cottage Grove Rd (Thompson to W of Meadowlark)
25025.1 Meadowlark (Cottage Grove to Onyx)
25025.2 Dorfmeister Ct
25025.3 Bromley Cir
25026 Eldon Ct
25027 Thompson Dr - Droster Rd (S of Cottage Grove)
25028 Droster Rd (Thompson to N of Buckeye)
25029 Ellen - Painted Post - Ellen
25030 Ellen - Amsterdam - Painted Post - Ellen
25031 Ellen Ave (Amsterdam to N of Starker)
25032 Bay Ridge Rd - Painted Post - Ellen
25033 Painted Post Dr - Ellen Ave (Droster to N of Starker)
25034 Emma Ct
25035 Georgiana Cir (NE branch)
25036 Georgiana Cir (SW branch)
25037 Edna Ct
25038 Kalas St - Thompson Dr (Droster to Grafton)
25039 Bea Cir

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AREA 24W (Downtown): 3 to 7 runs per night (NIGHTS)

Run ID Run Description
24024 Wilson St - S Henry St
24025 E Wilson St - S Hamilton St - S Henry St
24026 S Hancock St - E Washington Av
24027 E Wilson St (S Hancock St - S Blair St)
24528 N Blount St - E Washington to E Dayton
24529 E Mani St - S Paterson to S Blount
24530 S Livingston - E Washington to E Main
24531 E Main St - Blount to Blair
24532 E Washington Ave - Paterson to Ingersoll
24533 E Washington Ave - Paterson to Ingersoll
24534 S Brealry - E Washington to E Main
24535 E Main St - Paterson to Ingersoll
24536 S Paterson St - - E Main to Spaight
24537 S Paterson St - Williamson to Spaight
24538 Spaight,Jenifer,Williamson - Paterson to Blair
24539 S Blount St - Williamson to South End
24540 E Wilson St - Blair to Blount
24541 S Blount St - Williamson to Railroad St
24542 Williamson St - Blount to Livingston
24543 S Livingston St - Williamson to North End
24544 Jenifer St - Paterson to Livingston

Read more!

An Alternative Plan for Brittingham

The Mayor released his plan for Brittingham Park last week. The Parks Commission "accepted" the plan, but was not allowed to modify it, in fact, they were told that their opinion didn't matter as this was the Mayor and Alder Kerr's plan and they were going to do it no matter what the opinion of the Parks Commission was. Turns out, the plan didn't have as much buy-in as one might have been led to believe. Here's an alternative plan, by those who are actually homeless and their supporters:

Proposal for Brittingham Park programs by Operation Welcome Home

Goals:
• To provide positive opportunities for building community, accessing services, and making self-improvement while respecting the right of people to use the park
• Create systems of accountability for people’s behavior at the park

Means:
Our basic proposal is to provide people who use and stay at Brittingham Park with a community organization to get involved in. In this capacity they can work on building interpersonal relationship skills, moving toward sobriety, obtaining housing and employment, and developing their leadership skills. People would become involved in the organization through accessing any of our 3 basic programs.

Program Proposals:

Housing First Initiative

• Provide housing with wrap-around services for people ready to make a commitment to participating in an AODA program, attending weekly organizational meetings, and participating in a weekly interpersonal relationship skills/group therapy program.
• Expand existing program to include 2 sides of a duplex.
• Hire case manager to work one-on-one with residents more intensively.

Day Labor Program

• Non-profit day labor program (not like Labor Ready) working out of a trailer at the park to provide people with short one-time jobs – based on the model of the San Francisco Day Labor Program
• To participate in job program, people must participate in weekly organizational meetings to develop their interpersonal relationship and leadership skills (thus increasing accountability)
• Program would receive calls for job requests in the morning, thus staff would be on-site at the park until noon, for example
• Such a program would be a positive influence on the park – providing people with an opportunity for self-improvement by meeting them where they are at, and hopefully keeping activities such as drug dealing outside the park
• Such a program would also boost people’s self confidence and, by putting a little money in their pockets, make resorting to petty thefts as a means to survive less likely
• For information on a similar program that works, see http://www.lrcl.org/daylabor/daylabor.asp

Deferred Prosecution Program for Park-Related Behavior

• Similar to the CCR-Prostitution’s John School, the idea is that people who receive tickets for park-related behavior such as drinking alcohol have the option of participating in a structured program to work on self-improvement and connect them with support and services through the organization
• Provides a way for people with no or little income to be held accountable for their behavior, since they have no means to pay a fine
• Opportunity for law enforcement and community organization to work together in different capacities toward common goal

Peer-led Afternoon Activities

• Over time as we develop a more structured presence in the park, we would like to provide positive activities such as meals, basketball and volleyball games, a dance group, and an exercise group
• These activities would be led by members of the community who often use the Brittingham Park pavilion – thus making other people more likely to engage in them

Contrast this with tome of the plan by the Mayor and Alder Kerr:

1. Cameras. Install wi-fi cameras in and around the park to enhance surveillance and improve deterrence.
2. Lighting. Improve and install lighting as necessary throughout the park.
3. Park Shelter. Consider modifications to the existing park shelter structure to improve general usability and decrease the likelihood of problematic behaviors.
4. Amenities & Environmental Design. Prevent the use of the electrical outlets in the park shelter except during a reserved use. Explore changes to the environmental design of the park (landscaping, children’s play equipment, etc.) to enhance the legitimate use of the park.
5. Outreach and Social Services. Utilize data collection and analysis to identify individuals with a pattern of police contact. Use this list as a jumping off point for outreach workers and social service providers. Help coordinate available resources with individuals in need. Sample resources include: AODA treatment, mental health treatment, employment counseling, housing counseling, financial education; general medical services; etc.
6. Police. Increase police presence through routine and directed patrols. Maintain high visibility and continue to enforce applicable laws, including the prohibition on the possession or consumption of alcohol. Utilize problem-solving techniques through the South District Community Policing Team to address issues at the park.
7. Investment in transitional and permanent housing. Continue the investment, primarily through our CDBG Office, in housing and homelessness prevention. In 2007 the City spent $425,000 on the capital costs for housing and homelessness prevention and $390,000 on related programming and services. This investment funded the creation of eight new housing units and major repairs to two shelter facilities.
8. Park Rangers. Utilize the additional Park Ranger resources in the 2008 budget in an effort to increase the legitimate use of Brittingham Park. Work in cooperation with service providers to appropriately train the Park Rangers before their deployment. Ensure that the Park Rangers have access to a clearinghouse of resources to address the needs of individuals they may contact.
9. Alcohol Retailers. Continue to work with alcohol retailers in the vicinity of the park to find effective means of employing best practices for alcohol licensees, including limiting access to individuals who habitually misuse or abuse alcohol.
10. Employment Training & Transportation. Work with employment service providers to coordinate access and transportation to training opportunities, short-term jobs, and permanent employment.
11. Vendors. Explore the presence of vendors in Brittingham Park.
12. Park Ban. Explore the creation of a “Park Ban” list for chronic offenders, similar to the State Street Ban that has proven so effective over time.
13. Prosecution Initiatives. Explore the use of prosecutorial tools like deferred prosecution agreements, hold-opens, and/or abeyances with regard to specific violations in and around Brittingham Park.
14. Partnership. Continue to work in partnership with advocacy groups, service providers, law enforcement, neighbors and other government agencies. Implement effective and efficient means to address homelessness, social service needs, and problematic behavior in a comprehensive effort to improve the quality of life in Brittingham Park and throughout our community.

The Mayor's plan focuses on enforcement and punishment and dispersion. The other plan focuses on a hand up - not a a hand out. Which one do you prefer?
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Clean Sweep

Here's the details . . .

Clean Sweep Household Hazardous Waste Site Announces 2008 Season Opening:
Site Open on Friday May 2nd

Madison WI, April 23, 2008 - The Clean Sweep Program for recycling household hazardous waste will open its 2008 season on Friday, May 2nd, 2008. Normal hours of operation are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The site is located on 2302 Fish Hatchery Road in Madison, on the corner of Fish Hatchery and Badger Roads.

The last day of the season will be Friday, October 31st 2008.

Please remember that leaving materials at the site when it is closed is illegal and can lead to a $2000 forfeiture.

The Clean Sweep Program provides an opportunity for residents of Dane County to safely dispose of household hazardous materials, free of charge. The Product Exchange is a program for residents to take, free of charge, the high quality and usable products brought into Clean Sweep.

The Small Business Collection Program accepts materials from small businesses and local units of government. These materials are accepted on Thursday mornings by appointment. Prior arrangements need to be made before bringing materials to the site, and there is a per pound charge for use of the program. Business owners are reminded that they need to allow enough time to request registration materials and to submit an inventory of the materials for recycling. Registration is available on our web site at www.danecountycleansweep.com or by calling Dave Radisewitz, the Clean Sweep Coordinator, at 243-0347.

Clean Sweep will also accept agriculturally generated wastes. A Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection grant underwrites the disposal costs so there is no cost to farmers, and agricultural businesses only pay half the normal business cost. All farmers and agricultural-related businesses from Dane County are invited to participate.

Agricultural Clean Sweep Program participation is by appointment only, and events are held every Thursday morning during the Clean Sweep season from May through October at the Fish Hatchery Road site. Registration is available on our web site at www.danecountycleansweep.com or by calling Dave Radisewitz at (608) 243-0347.

For more information on Clean Sweep programs, please refer to our web site at www.danecountycleansweep.com, or call our information line at (608) 243-0368. Read more!

Committee Vacancies

I think its been a bit of a struggle to get people to serve on City Committees lately. The "rubber stamp" phenomenon and the Mayor failing to re-appoint people who don't agree with him has made it somewhat interesting. But please, don't let that stop you from applying. Here's the vacancies I think we have:

• ADA TRANSIT SUBCOM TO THE TRANSIT & PARKING COMM (majority of members are representative of disabled citizens)
• AFFIRMATIVE ACTION COMMISSION
• COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT COMMISSION
• DOWNTOWN COORDINATING COMMITTEE
• EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION BOARD
• ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
• EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMISSION
• ERLANGER, JEFFREY CLAY, CIVILITY IN PUBLIC DISCOURSE AWARD COMMITTEE
• GARDENS, COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY
• HEATING & ELECTRICAL LICENSING COM. (Subcom. of Bldg/Fire Code/License Appls Bd)
• MADISON ELECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
• PARKING COUNCIL FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
• PLAN COMMISSION
• PUBLIC SAFETY REVIEW BOARD
• PUBLIC WORKS, BOARD OF
• REVIEW, BOARD OF
• SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND ENERGY COMMITTEE
• URBAN DESIGN COMMISSION
• VENDING OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
• WATER UTILITY BOARD
  

If you're interested, applications can be found here. I'd encourage you to apply for any and all committees you are interested in - even if there isn't a vacancy, as you never know when there might be one. Also, this is a Mayor that loves the resume, so attach one if you have a current one. Read more!

Mowtown?

Where does he come up with this stuff? He definitely gets extra credit for creativity! Well, let's see if this cuts down on the complaints.

Mayor Seeks to Keep City Spruced Up with “Mowtown” Program

Madison – Mayor Dave Cieslewicz today announced the creation of Mowtown, a new multi-agency program to coordinate and enhance the appearance of city parks, medians and other areas. The program is being unveiled at the onset of the spring growing season.

“Mowtown is part of our ongoing effort to provide excellent basic city services,” said Mayor Cieslewicz. “We want to have a community that looks beautiful and well cared-for, just as we take care of our own homes and businesses. We also want to have a community that makes a great first impression on visitors, and few things are more visible than the grass in our parks, medians and boulevards.”

Elements of the Mowtown initiative include:

- Hiring seasonal workers earlier in the spring, so adequate staff are available when the grass starts growing.
- Starting mowing operations earlier, to make sure that the City is staying ahead of the issue.
- Investment in native plantings in medians, which over time require less maintenance than turf.
- Installation of GPS technology on mowing equipment, so it can be used as effectively as possible.
- Acquisition of several new pieces of modern mowing equipment.
- Creation of the Mowtown website (www.cityofmadison.com/mowtown/) to help educate the public about the issue, with a Frequently Asked Questions section and more.

Several City of Madison agencies are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of areas ranging from 270 parks covering 5400 acres, 871 medians, and street boulevards. The Parks Division, Streets Division and City Engineering all play roles in mowing, weed removal, maintenance of boulevard plantings and general upkeep of these areas.

The City is also undertaking a number of initiatives to address environmental quality and sustainability in relation to mowing and turf management. For a number of years, the City has adhered to a no-pesticide policy for most of its park space. This reduces pesticide runoff into the lakes, and reduces exposure for people and their pets. City staff will also be making sure that grass clippings are not blown into the street, where they could enter the storm sewer and ultimately the lakes.

The City also maintains conservation parks (which seek to restore areas to their native state) and “low mow” park areas, to reduce fuel costs, energy usage and pollution from mowing activities.

Read more!

Weather Radios

Need a weather radio? Get one here! Here's the info from the Fire Department.

Weather Radio Sales Begin Throughout the City

Weather radio sales have begun at two City of Madison locations. Beginning today, residents may purchase a weather radio at the City Clerk’s office, City County Building, Room 103, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., or at the Fire Administration Office, 325 West Johnson St. Purchases may be made during regular business hours. Quantities at these offices are limited.

Dane County has purchased “all hazard” weather radios that sound alerts when severe weather threatens. After a successful pilot project last year that got weather radios into 2,600 Dane County households, the program was more than doubled this year to help more people be better prepared.

Fifteen hundred radios have been allotted for the City of Madison. The county buys the weather radios and makes them available for sale at cost, for $22.68 per radio. That’s about half the price this model of weather radio normally sells for. The radios also come with four AA batteries.

On Saturday, April 26, weather radios will be sold at all City of Madison Fire Stations from 9 a.m. until noon. Local TV meteorologists will be at several stations to share information on weather patterns and preparedness.

The schedule for these appearances follows:
Amy Carlson/NBC15 - Station 2
Charlie Shortino/NBC15 - Station 4
Bob Lindmeier/Channel 27 - Station 6
Kelly Curran/Channel 27 - Station 7

Sales will be conducted by volunteers from the American Red Cross – Badger Chapter and RSVP of Dane County. Both agencies have committed extensive resources to emergency preparedness.

The radios will sell for $22.68 and can be programmed to cover any location in the U.S.

No cash or credit will be accepted. Checks and money orders should be made payable to Dane County.

Radio sales are limited to 2 per household.

City of Madison fire stations are located at the following addresses:
Station 1 – 316 West Dayton St.
Station 2 – 421 Grand Canyon Dr.
Station 3 – 1217 Williamson St.
Station 4 – 1437 Monroe St.
Station 5 – 4418 Cottage Grove Rd.
Station 6 – 825 West Badger Rd.
Station 7 – 1810 McKenna Blvd.
Station 8 – 3945 Lien Rd.
Station 9 – 201 N. Midvale Blvd.
Station 10 – 1517 Troy Drive
Station 11 – 4011 Morgan Way

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Common Council Recap

Do-over and refer. That was the theme of the evening.

CPR
Pre-council meeting we learned the new CPR. You know, the one where you no longer have to to mouth-to-mouth. Instead, you just get someone to call 911 and start chest compressions if someone is non-responsive. 100/minute, middle of the chest. I hear there is a picture of me practicing floating around.

HONORING RESOLUTIONS
We started out the evening recognizing two different sets of boy scouts who were there to observe "important" city meetings to earn their merit badges. We then recognized our Public Health workers, Terry Jensen who was retiring after 33 years with the City and proclaimed the week of May 5th Public Service Awareness Week.

Next we recognized Mike Verveer for his year as Council President and did the annual thank you's to staff, Tammy Peters the Clerk and others. We also recognized Alder Bruer for his year at Pro Tem and he had a nice. short. speech. Really, I'm not kidding!

NEW COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND PRO TEM
We quickly did the consent agenda. Dispensed with the public hearings and then went into the Committee of the Whole to vote for Council President and Pro Tem. Alder Bruer was elected Council President by unanimous consent. Alder Palm nominated Alder Clear for Pro Tem and Alder Clear nominated Alder Palm for Pro Tem. We had to vote 4 times to elect Alder Clear as our Pro Tem. The votes were 10 - 8, 10 - 9, 10 - 9 and 12 - 8. After the first vote, a somewhat punchy Alder Verveer called our City Attorney Katherine Harris . . . for which I'm sure he owes the City Attorney an apology. After the first three votes, some of us wanted to table this and go on to the items that the public were there to speak to, and actually had a roll call vote (not called by me!) to table. Those voting to table and get on to the business the public was present for were: Sanborn, Verveer, Webber, Cnare, Compton, Gruber, Judge, Kerr, Konkel, Rhodes-Conway. Voting no were: Schumacher, Skidmore, Solomon, Brandon, Bruer, Clausius, Clear, Palm and Pham-Remmele. Rummel was out of the room. So the vote was 10 - 9 and we needed 11 votes. After all that, we finally got the votes. I do have to say, the "council leadership" has become somewhat of a joke as one of the main functions is meeting with the Mayor and sharing information with Council members. However, even though the "council leadership" meetings appear on the mayor's schedule, they are cancelled about 50% of the time. I suspect this trend will continue, but we'll see. The leadership, drunk with power, says it will change . . . (This is just a test to see if Alder Bruer really does read my blog!)

REFER
The reports on women, race and disability and committee appointments and management hires were both referred since we didn't have the final reports.

ATTEMPTED REFERRAL
The Minority Affairs Committee and Women's Issues Committee ordinance was not ready to be passed as there is still quite a bit of discussion about how these committees will operate, and I suspect we will change it at some point, but meanwhile, we passed it so the committees could be formally recognized.

SISTER CITIES
The report on sister city grants for this year was passed, but not without comments from Alder Compton worthy of You-Tube. I wasn't quite paying attention but there was a tea bag, a truffle, cheese and a cow involved as well as the made in China pins commentary.

LIBRARY MONEY
We debated whether or not to refer spending $8,000 for the Sequoya Library back to the Library Board. Alder Brandon chastised us for spending money outside of the budget cycle. And we had a roll call vote (not called by me!) Voting aye to refer: Sanborn, Schumacher, Skidmore, Brandon, Clausius, Cnare, Compton, Kerr, Pham-Remmele. Voting no: Rummel, Verveer, Webber, Clear, Gruber, Judge, Konkel, Palm, Rhodes-Conway. Excused was Solomon. So the vote was 10 - 9 and that motion failed. We then voted and the motion "passed" - at least temporarily, kind of.

HORSES
We spent more time than we should have on a resolution about cops and horses. Several people wanted to be added as sponsors. Alder Cnare started it all by asking to be added to support "full employment of horses". So that Mayor just couldn't resist . . . asking any of us opposed to vote "nay" . . . and then urged us to "stop horsing around". He just loves those opportunities and it comes so naturally to him!

POOL
Next we debated spending $10,000 for a water purification system for the pool. We were chastised again by Alder Brandon for spending this money. He was particularly annoyed with the "rhetoric" of "doing it for the children" and in the name of "public safety". Judy Compton revealed that she was a "health professional" and argued that we needed to do this for public safety. Apparently we aren't immunizing our children any more and that was one reason we needed to do this. Alder Cnare made some more rational arguments. One of Alder Brandon's reasons for not spending the money was that it was not required by the state legislature. Alder Cnare pointed out that we shouldn't wait for the do-nothing legislature to determine when something was or was not necessary. She reminded us that there were many important things that did not pass the legislature this year. Our IT Director, who is also filling in as our Parks Superintendent informed us that one cryptosporidium outbreak in the pool would make it even harder for the pool to break even. He informed us that it would take 10 days for chorline to kill the effects of one "crypto-dump" in the pool. Alder Brandon poo-pooed (sorry) the "diaper incidents" as us worrying needlessly over public health issues. The discussion ended with Alder Sanborn suggesting that if we were so sensitive to the health concerns raised in this discussion we should be more concerned with kids drowning and we should just fill the pool with concrete and shut it down. The motion failed as it needed 15 votes to pass to amend the budget. Voting aye were: Schumacher, Verveer, Webber, Bruer, Clausius, Clear, Cnare, Compton, Gruber, Judget, Kerr, Konkel, Rhodes-Conway. Voting no were: Rummel, Sanborn, Skidmore, Brandon, Palm and Pham-Remmele. Absent was Solomon.

LANDMARKING
Despite urging to refer at least one of the nominations until we found out what ULI is proposing for the block, we ended up landmarking several building on the square. (7 - 9 N Pinckney, 21 - 25 N Pinckney & 27 N Pinckney). Sorry I didn't take better notes, but there was lots of great testimony from the public and many, many public there in support as well as 28 registrations in support. Two motions to refer back to the Landmarks Commission were defeated. While the discussion wandered a bit and we'll have to re-visit some of the issues discussed about how much of a building is historic - the council decided to landmark the buildings in their entirety.

LIBRARY DO-OVER
We then went back to the library discussion because it was a 15 vote item because it amended the budget and we didn't take a roll-call vote on it. We then ended up referring this item back to the Library Board.

PARKS/POOL DO-OVER
They reconsidered pool issue and did some shuffle of money in the parks department. They wanted to take money out of the parks facilities improvements fund. That failed 10 - 8. Voting Aye to take the money from other projects were: Rummel, Schumacher, Skidmore, Bruer, Clausius, Clear, Compton, Gruber, Palm and Pham-Remmele. Voting no were Sanborn, Verveer, Webber, Cnare, Judge, Konkel, Rhodes-Conway and Brandon. Excused were Solomon and Kerr.

REFER
We referred placing on file the Sensitive Crimes Interview Procedures because there was no one from the police department there to discuss this issue with us.

REFER
We referred the CDA Workplan because it was supposed to come back when we had the CDA budget.

PARTY
Everyone attended the rookie graduation except three alders - Sanborn, Kerr (childcare issues) and Skidmore. Oh, and the Mayor blew us off too. We were joined by Janet Piraino, Michael May and Carole Schaeffer. By the end of the evening, we believe we may have determined what our skit for our holiday party is . . .


Note: I hope this post makes sense, had to run off to a meeting without time to proofread it!
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