Here’s what we were reading while getting our winter boots out of storage [1]:
Voting
Madison’s election went relatively smoothly [2]. Wisconsin State Journal reported one instance of a voting issue [3], in which a voter said she lost her chance to vote because she was directed to insert her ballot into the machine before marking her choice. UW-Madison reported high voter turnout [4], with more than a thousand voters coming through Gordon Dining and Event Center.
Public services
Jennifer Cheatham, superintendent of the Madison School District, wrote a guest column in the State Journal renewing the district’s commitment to equity and excellence [5]. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said the voucher program will likely be expanded after the Republicans expanded their control of the legislature [6]. Madison Museum of Contemporary Art brings arts to the schools through its Art on Tour program [7]. Schools that are selected have art installed in the school and are provided with lesson plans.
Mayor Paul Soglin wants the Madison Fire Department to study working across city lines [8], which has been discussed as part of a county-wide revamping of emergency services. Consultants are looking at using space in the City-County and Municipal buildings [9] better and in a more energy-efficient way. The Madison Police Department’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee [10] met with local leaders to discuss neighborhood issues. Dane County and the City of Madison are considering budget amendments to fund equipping some police officers with body cameras [11]. If approved, some officers would wear the cameras as early as later summer or early fall. Proposed changes to the oversight structure of the 911 call center [12] were approved by County Executive Joe Parisi and Sheriff Dave Mahoney. It will now need to be approved by the County Board.
Development
Dane County will spend $300,000 of the 2015 budget to look into updating the Alliant Energy Center [13]. Businesses along East Johnson Street [14] are breathing a sigh of relief as construction ends and the road is scheduled to reopen next week. Groups have formed to oppose the expansion of music venues [15] on East Washington. Neighbors are concerned about parking, noise, and traffic. Development of a new 40-unit apartment complex on South Park Street has been postponed due to oil contamination [16] of the area. While the lot previously housed a bakery, it’s suspected that a gas station also used to sit on the property.
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Links:
[1] http://host.madison.com/weather/powerful-storm-delivering-cold-to-madison-area-heavy-snow-to/article_cf4cf7c7-bf83-5698-8d59-9f3b0a278906.html
[2] http://www.isthmus.com/daily/article.php?article=38216
[3] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/madison-woman-says-confusion-at-polling-site-robbed-her-of/article_58d4e26b-b5b4-5465-a5ec-fd36b92c4501.html
[4] http://www.isthmus.com/daily/article.php?article=43917
[5] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/opinion/column/guest/jennifer-cheatham-madison-schools-aiming-for-excellence-equity/article_ceb328e8-bef2-5fd1-91a8-4df07c91b6ba.html
[6] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/re-elected-senate-majority-leader-foresees-tax-cuts-voucher-expansion/article_d6599123-d2d3-5745-9120-22e1dd6da591.html
[7] http://www.isthmus.com/daily/article.php?article=43941
[8] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/mayor-paul-soglin-wants-study-of-dispatching-fire-service-across/article_8f274192-e873-564a-87b1-2283602c8e8b.html
[9] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/consultant-shares-concepts-for-madison-municipal-and-city-county-buildings/article_d757393e-094a-5228-a0c2-c08725499170.html
[10] http://themadisontimes.themadent.com/article/community-stakeholders-and-mpd-come-together-brainstorm-solutions
[11] http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/writers/steven_elbow/ald-scott-resnick-proposes-body-cameras-for-police/article_c0dbdebd-e342-5038-97a1-50af9c469a2d.html
[12] http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/writers/bryna-godar/dane-county-supervisors-reject-alternative-board-proposal/article_d9884a68-5965-11e4-b713-4fa698a7c9ff.html
[13] http://badgerherald.com/news/2014/11/06/dane-county-looking-to-update-alliant-energy-center/#.VFz9_BaE9jA
[14] http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/writers/mike_ivey/east-johnson-business-owners-thrilled-at-construction-end/article_c6da5570-6606-11e4-9f0d-8f64a5ea171e.html
[15] http://www.isthmus.com/daily/article.php?article=43943
[16] http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/writers/mike_ivey/park-street-apartment-project-on-hold-over-groundwater-contamination/article_5c43e776-66ba-11e4-a0f9-1f485cf2fa60.html