FREE Fall Fun at Aldo Leopold Park Oct 7th!

Image credit: Traffic Engineering

The City’s Leopold Arbor Hills Neighborhood Resource Team will host its final Fall Fun Event for 2026:

• Aldo Leopold Park, 2906 Traceway Drive, 53713
  • October 7, 2026 – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
• Join us for Lessons in:
  • Social dance, ultimate frisbee, disc golf, and mountain biking
  • Light dinner at 6:00 p.m.

Samantha Jane Mullen Named Next Thurber Park Artist-in-Residence

Image credit: Madison Arts Commission

The Madison Arts Commission is pleased to announce sculptor Samantha Jane Mullen will be the next Thurber Park Artist-in-Residence. Mullen will move her studio practice to the Trachte Building in Thurber Park at the beginning of October. There she will create art in polymer clay, paper clay, and mixed media, and open her process to the community through monthly open studios and workshops.

The Thurber Park Artist Residency provides a local artist with a free private studio space, community engagement funding, and public art mentorship.

An opening reception celebrating her residency will be held Tuesday, October 6, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Thurber Park, 3325 Thurber Ave. The public is invited to meet the artist, view her work in progress, and learn more about Samantha’s hopes and intentions for her residency.

North and Near West Area Plans – Your Ideas Maps and Kickoff Meetings

North Area Plan –  Your Ideas Map(external). Have some thoughts to share about the North Area? Check out the commenting map and post your ideas.

Join us for a North Area kickoff meeting! Choose the meeting option that works best for you. There will be two virtual sessions and one in-person open house so you can learn more, ask questions, and share your thoughts.

• Virtual Meeting #1 – Monday, November 9, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
  • Online: Registration(external) is required.
• In-Person Open House – Monday November 16, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
  • Warner Park Community Recreation Center, 1625 Northport Drive.
  • Stop by, explore the information at your own pace, and hear a short presentation at 6:45 p.m.
• Virtual Meeting #2 – Tuesday, November 17, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
  • Online: Registration(external) is required.

To request interpretation, translation or a disability-related accommodation at no cost to you, contact 608-266-4635 or NorthPlan@cityofmadison.com.

Near West Area Plan –  Your Ideas Map(external) 

Have some thoughts to share about the Near West Area? Check out the commenting map and post your ideas.

Join us for a Near West kickoff meeting! Choose the meeting option that works best for you. There will be two virtual sessions and one in-person open house so you can learn more, ask questions, and share your thoughts.

• Virtual Meeting #1 – Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Registration is required(external).
• In-Person Open House(opens in a new window)PDF: Thursday, November 5, 2026, 6-7:30pm. West High School Cafeteria, 30 Ash Street. Enter on Ash Street at the ground-level visitor’s entrance left of the main stairs. Stop by, explore maps and information, ask questions, and provide feedback. A short presentation is planned for 6:15pm.
• Virtual Meeting #2 – Monday, November 9, 2026, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Registration is required(external). The virtual meetings will have the same format and share the same information.

To request interpretation, translation or a disability-related accommodation at no cost to you, contact 608-266-4635 or NearWestPlan@cityofmadison.com

Teejop Art: First Nations Cultural Landscape Tours of the Teejop Community Art Project 

Join UW–Madison’s First Nations Cultural Landscape Tour guides for conversation and kid-friendly activities exploring the 14,000+ year history of Ho-Chunk people in Teejop (Four Lakes), as part of the Teejop Community Art Project.

No registration required, just drop by any time.

• Capitol Hill – Sat, Oct 3 (10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.) · rain date Sun, Oct 4 (10:00 a.m. –2:00 p.m.)
• All Locations (Indigenous Peoples’ Day) – Sun, Oct 11 (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p. m.)
• UW Madison Arboretum – Sat, Oct 17 (10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.) · rain date Sun, Oct 18 (10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
• Olbrich & Hudson Parks – Sat, Oct 24 (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) · rain date Sun, Oct 25 (10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)

More information, events, and resources at http://teejop.org

Update Your Neighborhood Contact Information

Image credit: City of Madison

The Planning Division hosts an interactive map and profiles of neighborhood organizations that are recognized by the city on its website. Please make sure your organization’s information is accurate, and if you need to make any updates, please do so here.  Thank you!

Streets Division Updates

Image credit: Streets Division

• Fall Leaf & Yard Waste Season Begins – The first leaf & yard waste set out dates for some neighborhoods is Sunday, October 4.  For others, it’s different.  Get the dates for your home from our website.
• Keep Your Brush Separate; Piles of Brush & Yard Waste Mixed Together Will Not Be Picked Up: If you are setting out brush for pickup, do not mix it with your leaves. Brush is sticks, tree branches, and similar stuff you cut from trees & bushes.  Yard waste is leaves, weeds, grass clippings and other plant debris you raked or pulled from your lawn or garden. Keep these piles separated.
• Drop-off Sites Take Yard Wastes, Leaves, Brush, Food Scraps… – Make sure you know what the drop-off site hours and locations are before you load your vehicle.
• Food Scraps at the West Side Community Farmers’ Market Extended – We are getting an extra week at the Westside Community Market.  The new final day is Saturday, November 7. Bring your pumpkins for composting! Details on the food scraps website.

Quarter 4 Update
The project is currently in the predesign phase that includes building space programming and preliminary site planning. Ongoing work during the predesign phase includes space needs analysis and programming, conceptual test fit studies to determine the size and location of each department function, room data sheets to establish room design requirements, and preparation of preliminary concept site plan drawings. This phase will define the general size and location of the proposed building on the site and will identify general design features for the adjoining park space. Completion of the predesign phase is planned in November of this year. The next phase of design will be the schematic design phase that is currently planned to begin in December and run through May 2027.

Thank you to everyone who attended our Oct. 1, 2026 Public Information Meeting. The meeting materials are now available:

• Oct. 1, 2026 Public Information Meeting Presentation
• Oct. 1, 2026 Public Information Meeting Recording

Quarter 4 2026 Update
Public Works bids were received for this project on September 24, 2026.

Over the next several weeks the bids will be reviewed through various committees and approved by the Common Council.  The contract will then be signed,  and a start work letter will be issued.  Other upcoming 4th quarter highlights will include a preconstruction meeting with the design team and the construction team, the contractors will begin providing their material submittals for verification, ordering materials, and generally preparing the site for construction in the Spring of 2027.

The final issue of Madison’s Vision Zero Quarterly Newsletter for 2026 has arrived!

From renovations of the State Street Campus Lake Street Garage and expanded charging capabilities for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to ongoing construction and efforts to make Madison’s streets safer, there’s a lot happening across Transportation. This issue highlights the upcoming opening of the new intercity bus terminal, progress on Route B’s recharging infrastructure, and an evaluation of no-turn-on-red restrictions. We’ll also take a look at the Pflaum Road construction project, the Safe Nights Network’s work helping people get home safely, and new Safe Streets grants supporting safety plans, projects, and studies throughout Madison.

The Vision Zero website also offers additional information about:

• Vision Zero Education and Resources
• Safety Data
• 20 is Plenty

Thank you,

Madison residents have a new option for dropping off motor oil in the City.

A new location is now open at 1504 Quann-Olin Parkway, Madison, Wis. This is the City’s third site it hosts for used motor oil and used oil filters.

The City of Madison Engineering Division manages the sites.

The public sites are always open, unless otherwise closed for testing. You must empty your oil into a tank and dispose of used oil filters in the labeled receptacles on site.

Learn More about Motor Oil Disposal

Used motor oil is a hazardous substance that requires special handling. Do not place motor oil in the trash or recycling and never dump it in sewers or household drains.

Used motor oil can be re-refined into base stock for lubricating oil and other uses. However, oil that is contaminated with PCBs is considered hazardous waste and can only be accepted by hazardous waste contractors. The City works with GFL Environmental Inc. to test the oil at the site every two weeks to make sure PCBs are not in the recycled oil.

For questions on the public waste oil recycling sites email engineering@cityofmadison.com or call 608-267-9408.

What Goes to the Site

• Used motor oil, transmission fluid, hydraulic fluid, and power steering fluid only. No cooking oil, gasoline, kerosene, fuel oil, antifreeze or cleaning solvents.
• Take gasoline, kerosene, fuel oil, antifreeze, cleaning solvents, and similar chemicals to Dane County Clean Sweep , 608-838-3212.
• Take cooking oil to one of the three drop-off Streets Division managed locations.
• Empty oil bottles should be put in the trash receptacles on site. Do not recycle empty oil bottles.

City Waste Oil Drop-off Locations for the Public

• East: Monona Golf Course, Monona Drive and East Dean Avenue. Self-service tank open 24/7. ( 111 E Dean Ave )
• North: Cherokee Conservation Park. Self-service tank open 24/7. ( 902 Wheeler Rd ).
• South: Streets Central Drop-off site. View staffed drop-off site hours. ( 1504 Quann-Olin Parkway).

Thank you to everyone who has already provided their thoughts on the Near West commenting map via the project website. While the map will be open for commenting at least through the November 9th virtual meeting, we encourage everyone who wants to  share their feedback via the map to do so in October so we can share initial comment themes at the November public meetings.

Registration links for the November 4th and 9th virtual meetings are available on the project website, along with more information on the November 5th open house. The initial email had a virtual meeting registration link that didn’t work, but the website registration links are up and working.

A summary of previously adopted plan goals, objectives, actions, and recommendations is now available on the project website as well.  See the “Previously Adopted Plans Review” in the section below kickoff meeting registration information.

LEAF AND YARD WASTE COLLECTION SEAON BEGINS

Share Your Perspective on the 2027 City and County Budgets
City County Homeless Issues Committee | Monday, October 5, 5:30 p.m. | via Zoom

The City of Madison and Dane County are in the middle of budget season, and decisions made in the coming weeks will affect homeless services across Dane County. In July, the City County Homeless Issues Committee (CCHIC) hosted a listening session on budget matters related to housing and homelessness and shared its recommendations with City and County officials. The Committee will continue the budget discussion at its October meeting. If you would like to share your thoughts on this year’s budget process, please join us.

How can you join the meeting and share your thoughts?

Attend the meeting

Visit https://www.cityofmadison.com/MeetingRegistration and register to speak. Select the October 5 City County Homeless Issues Committee meeting and register under Public Comments (Item #1). Public comments are heard first, so you won’t need to wait through the rest of the meeting. If you prefer to speak when a specific agenda item comes up, you may select that item instead. Once registered, you will receive an email with the information needed to join the virtual meeting. You can connect using the emailed link or call in by phone (if calling, please dial in 30 minutes early so the hosts can identify you).

Please note that all attendees will be muted during the meeting. The committee staff will call your name in the order of registration, and when it’s your turn to speak, you will be able to unmute. Video must remain off during public comments. Each person is allotted three minutes for public comments, though the Chair may move to extend this to five minutes, subject to committee approval.

Share your thoughts in writing

If you are unable to attend but still wish to contribute, you can send written comments to CCHIC@cityofmadison.com. Your input matters, even if you can’t join the meeting.

Prefer to watch or listen?

If you would like to observe the meeting without speaking, you can watch it live at https://www.cityofmadison.com/watchmeetings. You can also listen by calling (877) 853-5257 with meeting ID 889 6274 5879.

For questions, please contact committee staff at CCHIC@cityofmadison.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

For details on the City and County budget processes, visit City of Madison Budget Page and Dane County Budget Page.

CAPITAL CITY PATH PATCHING 

Portions of the Capital City Path between Rimrock Road and the Beltline underpass will be patched on Friday, October 2, weather permitting. What: Path patching to improve pavement conditions Where: Capital City Path, Rimrock Road to Beltline underpass When: Friday, October 2, weather permitting The path will remain open, but users may be detoured onto the adjacent service drive or may be asked to walk bikes around small work areas. Please use caution in the area, particularly around other path users and construction crews.

The Latino Academy of Workforce Development is pleased to invite you to a free workshop designed for current and aspiring food truck owners. This session will cover the regulations, licenses, and permits required to legally and successfully operate a food truck, while also connecting participants with valuable community resources and support.

               2909 Landmark Place, Madison, WI 53713

You’re invited! In partnership with the Teejop Community Art Project, we are excited to host an Indigenous Peoples’ Day Celebration on Thursday, October 8, 2026.

Please mark your calendars, share widely with your community, and join us for a fun, celebratory evening. FREE admission begins at 4pm, and the festivities begin at 5pm. We hope to see you there!

CITY OF MIDDLETON • FALL 2026 Cooler days bring fresh opportunities to care for our community. Here are five simple ways to reduce waste, save energy, and get ready for the season ahead—plus opportunities to connect with neighbors and put sustainability into action.

1. Leave the leaves. Protect our water. Let fallen leaves work for your yard: use them as mulch in garden beds and leave some undisturbed to shelter overwintering insects. Keep sidewalks and storm drains clear. Putting leaves out for collection? Place them loose on the terrace, not in the street or gutter. Keep brush separate and skip the bags. Review Middleton’s leaf collection guidelines

2. Try one trip a different way. A quick errand, a trip to school or a visit with a neighbor can be a chance to walk, bike, roll or take transit. If it works for your needs, choose one trip this fall to try without driving. Invite a friend and enjoy the changing colors along the way. Start small: Pick a familiar destination and plan an accessible route that works for you.

3. Keep the warmth inside. Before heating season gets into full swing, check for drafts around windows and doors. Weatherstripping and appropriate caulking can help reduce air leaks. Check your heating-system filter and clean or replace it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Explore a home energy checklist

4. Get your rain barrel ready for winter. Before freezing weather arrives, disconnect and fully drain your rain barrel to help prevent cracking. Follow the manufacturer’s storage instructions and restore the downspout so water drains away from your home’s foundation. Read UW Extension’s rain barrel tips

5. Make Halloween a little less wasteful. Swap costumes with friends, shop secondhand, and choose decorations you can use again. Use a reusable trick-or-treat bag you already own—and save your pumpkin for a local composting event after Halloween! Squash Your Waste: Pumpkin Composting Saturday, November 7, 2026 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Middleton Scrap Stop University Place, near Walgreens Free Bring your Halloween pumpkins to this Dane County-hosted composting event and help keep them out of the trash. They will also hand out indoor countertop compost buckets at the event. No painted pumpkins, please. Remove candles and other decorations before dropping off your pumpkins.

CONNECT WITH YOUR COMMUNITY All Around Dane County: Middleton The rescheduled All Around Dane County gathering brings together people interested in sustainability to learn about local initiatives, share ideas, and connect with neighbors. Tuesday, October 13, 2026 5–6:30 p.m. Parisi Park Shelter 2405 Park Street, Middleton 5–5:30 p.m.: Arrival and networking 5:30–6 p.m.: Sustainability stories from local organizations 6–6:30 p.m.: Networking and a walk through the park View the event flyer

Pick one small step to start this week. Thank you for helping care for Middleton this fall. City of Middleton

Reminder! Nominations due Monday, October 5th!

Hello HSC Members!

Have you ever wanted to be on a Board of Directors?  It could be a great leadership opportunity, a resume builder, and a way to have an impact on service delivery in our community.  Board participation is also an opportunity to learn more about effective advocacy within our local homeless services system.

The HSC Nominating and Governance Committee is now accepting nominations for both the HSC Board of Directors and the HSC Membership Chair and Vice Chair positions.  The deadline for nominations is Monday, October 5th.

Please consider running for a Board seat or taking on a leadership position with our Membership body.  If you are not interested yourself, please give some thought as to who might be a good candidate, and nominate them if they are willing.  We are looking for individuals who are passionate about ending homelessness in Dane County, and who would bring diverse perspectives, skills, and experiences to our HSC Board and Membership.

See below for more details.  Please reach out to Torrie at  tkoppmueller@cityofmadison.com if you have any questions.

HSC 2026 Board of Directors and Membership Chair and Vice Chair
Nomination and Election Information

The HSC Nominating and Governance Committee is seeking nominations for the following roles to be elected by the HSC Membership in October 2026 for terms beginning in January 2027:

• Lived Experience Seat (1 opening, 3-year term)*
• Homeless Service Agency Seat (1 opening, 3-year term)
• At-Large Seat (3 openings, 3-year term)
• Membership Chair (1 opening, 1-year term)
• Membership Vice Chair (1 opening, 1-year term; does not sit on Board of Directors)

*Note that HSC members with lived experience of homelessness are not limited to elected or appointed Lived Experience Seats, and are highly encouraged to consider running for any of the above open seats for which they are eligible.

Please see the attached Board of Directors  position description,  code of conduct, and  conflict of interest policy for additional information on Board responsibilities.  Information about eligibility for each position is at the end of this email.  Please also see the attached HSC Chair & Vice Chair position description.

Nomination Process

You may self-nominate or nominate someone else you think could contribute in one of these roles.  Nominations (no more than two paragraphs) must include:

• Name of the nominee
• Agency or entity the nominee is affiliated with, if any
• Seat/role for which the person is being nominated:
  *Note: If the nominee is eligible and would be willing to fill more than one open seat (e.g., lived experience or membership chair), include all seats they would consider.
  • Lived Experience Seat
  • Homeless Service Agency Seat
  • At-Large Seat
  • Membership Chair
  • Membership Vice Chair
• Two forms of contact information for the nominee
• If known, why the nominee wants to serve in this position
• Summary of nominee’s relevant background and experience

Nomination and Election Timeline

• Email nominations to hsc@cityofmadison.com.  The deadline for submitting nominations is 4:00pm on Monday, October 5th.
• Candidates will be sent a few questions to answer in writing.  Contact hsc@cityofmadison.com if you need the questions in a different format.  Answers will be due Friday, October 9th at noon.
• The Committee will announce the slate of candidates and distribute written responses from candidates on Tuesday, October 13th via the HSC listserv.
• Nominees are invited and highly encouraged to attend the HSC annual membership meeting on Tuesday, October 20th from 1:00-2:30pm to introduce themselves and speak for up to 2 minutes about why they make a good candidate.
• Voting will take place via electronic ballot sent to all eligible voters following the Tuesday, October 20th HSC membership meeting, and continuing through Friday, October 23rd.  Results will be announced after voting has closed.
• Newly elected positions will have onboarding and training opportunities during November and December before their terms begin in January 2027.

Position Eligibility

In an effort to have diverse perspectives represented in HSC leadership, eligibility for each position varies.

Homeless Service Agency Seat

Individuals elected to Homeless Service Agency Seats must represent an agency that receives CoC, EHH, or City ESG funds at the time of the election.  For the upcoming election, these agencies are:

• Briarpatch Youth Services
• Catalyst for Change
• City of Madison
• Dane County, WI
• Focus Counseling
• Housing Initiatives, Inc.
• Institute for Community Alliances
• Legal Action of Wisconsin
• Madison Street Medicine
• OutReach, Inc.
• Porchlight, Inc.
• Tenant Resource Center
• Tellurian
• The Salvation Army of Dane County
• The Road Home Dane County
• Urban Triage
• YWCA Madison

At-Large Seat

Individuals elected to At-Large Seats must not represent or work for an agency that receives CoC, EHH, or City ESG funds at the time of the election.  Please refer to the above list of agencies.

Anyone meeting eligibility is encouraged to be nominated. People representing the following are highly encouraged to apply: elected public officials, business community, law enforcement, recovery housing/sober living provider, behavioral or primary health provider, workforce development organization and local court system managing Assisted Outpatient Treatment, civil commitment or other specialty courts.

Rolling Nominations

If you are not able to run for a leadership position during this election cycle, but think you may be interested later on, please consider filling out our  interest form.  We will reach out at a later date to gauge your interest and availability for future election cycles and mid-year vacancies.

Sincerely,

HSC Nominating and Governance Committee