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| My Mayoral Campaign On November 19, I announced via an email to voters and a press release that I’m challenging our incumbent mayor in the Spring 2026 Election on April 7. Back in 2022, District 6 residents elected me as their alder and many contributed to or even worked on my campaign. Taking on an incumbent is difficult, so I need your help again to elect me as mayor (more about that later). From now through the April edition of E-News on 6, I’ll cover city news as always, but I’ll be adding information on my campaign. This is a good time for a reminder about the fine print that runs at the bottom of each edition of this newsletter: I produce this newsletter all on my own, at my own initiative, to help District 6 residents stay informed. This is not an official city publication, I don’t speak for the city, and producing this newsletter isn’t one of my official responsibilities as a member of the Common Council. The theme of my mayoral campaign is “Moving Forward. Together.” It’s all about meeting the needs of our growing city, strengthening our sense of community, and keeping people informed about their government. These ideas aren’t new for me — they’re what I’ve been striving to do since former Mayor Brar first appointed me to the Sustainability Committee in 2020. They’re the ideas I write about in each edition of this newsletter. 2026 Operating Budget At our meeting on November 18, Council approved the city’s 2026 budget by a unanimous vote after previously holding the required public hearing on November 4. The total property tax levy will go up to $21,805,592 for tax year 2025, which funds budget year 2026. This represents an increase of 2.9% in the total levy. The city also will receive additional revenue from state aid, ambulance billing, and investment income. A new item for the 2026 budget is a charge to cover the cost of our recycling services for homes (the city doesn’t collect recycling from multi-family buildings or businesses). The new charge will be $52.50 annually and it will appear on the property tax bills that will go out later this month. In last month’s E-News on 6, I listed fees from other municipalities that appeared to show they charge significantly more than Middleton for recycling. Those figures, however, included both recycling and refuse collection. Doing the math, Middleton’s fee for refuse and recycling collection combined would be roughly $160, which is still less than what other municipalities charge ($177.84 to $212). My apologies for getting this wrong. The $292,424 in new revenue the city collects from the recycling fee will pay for new staff in the Police Department — specifically, a full-time training officer and two part-time Community Service Officers to assist police officers. We’ll also be able to add a Conservancy Lands Technician to the staff — our first position dedicated to our nearly 800 acres of conservancy land. In addition, we’ll be able to increase support for seasonal staffing for our parks, conservancy lands, and urban forestry. Part-time positions in our Parks & Recreation and Water/Sewer Utilities will be able to go full time, thereby providing better service for our residents. We’ll also be creating a new position of EMS Deputy Chief — something that we learned was necessary when long-time Chief Steve Wunsch retired earlier this year. Finally, the Stormwater Utility will add another technician, which will help to reduce the long backlog of deferred maintenance projects. The utility positions are all funded through fees paid by users of those services. Every one of these positions is a need. Mayor Kuhn’s Executive Budget was a “cost to continue” budget providing no new positions except the EMS deputy chief. I know we need to be careful stewards of taxpayer dollars — I spent my career doing just that. I also know that our growth as a city has resulted in the need for additional staff to maintain all our assets and to continue to provide the high level of service our residents and businesses expect and deserve. The changes Council made to the mayor’s budget will do a better job of meeting our needs in 2026. 2026 Capital Budget Along with the operating budget, Council approved the 2026 budget for capital projects. The total cost for all projects was approved at $12,355,912. This amount will be financed through a combination of user fees, grants and other aid, use of fund balance (or saved-up money), and borrowing. We stayed within our self-imposed cap on borrowing of $4.4 million in 2026. Future property taxes will pay the debt service on this amount. So how will Middleton and its residents benefit from capital projects planned for 2026? Starting with District 6 residents, the city will implement the new Graber Pond Conservancy Master Plan, which Council will be asked to approve on December 2. The original request in the proposed budget was $20,000, which was half the amount recommended in the new master plan. I asked for $20,000 in additional funds to be allocated to restoration so that we could start strong with implementing the master plan for this long-underfunded conservancy. Carryover funds from 2025 are available for this purpose, so in 2026 there will be $40,000 invested in this work. I look forward to teaming up with area volunteers to help the city remove invasive plants and restore native species to the conservancy. Rehabilitation of Misty Valley’s stormwater system has been in the queue for a number of years. I’m confident that 2026 will be the year we finally see the work begin and maybe even end. I anticipate neighborhood meetings to be scheduled so that the city and its contractor can share the plans with residents. In other District 6 priorities, I successfully lobbied to get the Century Avenue Road Diet Study put back in the budget. This project is important for trying to make Century a more bike- and pedestrian-friendly roadway. Timing the project for next year is critical because, if we can actually put Century on a road diet, it should happen in sync with the Century Avenue bridge project in 2027. City-wide, I also advocated successfully for restoring to the budget the Strategic City Climate Action Roadmap. This was the highest priority for the Planning Department, Plan Commission, and Sustainability Committee. Meeting our needs includes not just our needs today, but the needs of our residents well into the future. I recognize climate change as an extremely serious threat to life on Earth. We can’t solve the problem alone here in Middleton, but that doesn’t mean we can ignore it. Decarbonizing our city operations and fleet is an important step forward to securing our future. Our peer cities are taking action, as is our school district. We’re a LEED Gold City — meaning we’re recognized nationally as a city that is committed to sustainability — so we should do no less. I supported Alder Lorman’s request to restore the tree pruning block supplement as a way of taking care of our city’s tree canopy. Trees aren’t the solution to climate change that some people think they are. But they do provide habitat, shade, and cooling. They also add beauty to the city while storing carbon, so they’re well worth the investment. I also supported Alder Crow’s request to allocate some funds to replace the Library’s automated materials handling sorter and Alder Madden’s request for $10,000 to replace a swing set in the Woodside Heights Park. Community Engagement The theme of my mayoral campaign — “Moving Forward Together” — is about strengthening community. It’s about bringing people together to connect with their neighbors, and to help or be helped by those neighbors in times of need. It’s about tapping the enormous amount of human capital that we have in Middleton — recruiting people to provide much-needed input on civic projects, or to share their expertise or even just their time and their energy with the city’s many committees, commissions, and boards. Here are some of the ways people came together last month, along with opportunities to do so this month. Community-wide Food Drive: The response to Middleton’s community-wide food drive has been amazing! The shelves at WayForward Resources were full on November 20 when I was there for my shift sorting and stocking. Many thanks to the Middleton Chamber of Commerce, MCPASD, the Downtown Middleton Business Association, and WayForward for collaborating with the city to make sure our neighbors have access to free, nutritious food during a stressful time when SNAP benefits weren’t being distributed. Now that the federal shutdown has ended, SNAP benefits have been restored but that doesn’t mean the need is gone. Far from it! Please continue to donate food and dollars to WayForward, if you can, and consider becoming a “Circle of Hope” sustaining donor. Looking forward, if elected mayor, I would love to build on this experience with the food drive to create an ongoing collaborative effort to support food and housing security in our community. Another way to lend support — and cross off some names on your holiday gift-giving list — is to shop at WayForward’s Holiday Art Market at the FCI building on Parmenter on December 6 from 10 am to 5 pm and December 7 from 10 am to 3 pm. Each vendor at the market agrees to donate at least 20% of their proceeds to WayForward for their food and housing programs. The event is also a lot of fun. I hope to see you there! Light the Green and Holiday Market: On November 22, hundreds of people gathered at Stone Horse Green for the annual Light the Green. New this year, a Holiday Makers Market took place prior to and during the lighting festivities. Kudos to the city’s Arts Committee and our Planning Department staff for putting together this wonderful event that brought our community together. If you haven’t ever been to Light the Green, it’s a must-attend annual event, especially if you have kids or grandkids who are excited about the holidays. In addition to music, hot chocolate, and a very loud chorus of kids counting down to the lighting, Santa arrives on a fire truck — how cool is that?!? I recently spoke with a resident from outside District 6 who suggested we expand the holiday market into a bigger event similar to festivals in European cities at this time of year. I love this idea! If elected, I’ll work with the Arts Committee and the Planning staff to continue to grow and improve what is already a wonderful Middleton tradition. Conservancy Day: On November 20, people packed the Archer Room at Middleton Public Library for a photographic tour of Pheasant Branch Conservancy by Paul Ludden entitled “A Thousand Walks in the Conservancy.” Conservancy Days are educational offerings from the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy, or FOPBC. Paul is a UW Professor Emeritus, accomplished photographer, board member of FOPBC, and District 6 resident. In addition to treating everyone to stunning photographs, Paul taught us a bunch of new things (new for me, at least): 1. Hummingbirds hang around eagles for protection from other big birds. 2. Moles eat meat, voles are vegetarian. 3. The western slope of Frederick’s Hill has never been farmed so it’s ancient prairie. 4. Owls don’t build nests — they borrow nests built by other birds. 5. Sandhill cranes always lay two eggs. 6. There are river otters and beavers in the conservancy! The next Conservancy Day will take place on January 15 from 6-7:30 pm in the Archer Room and will focus on the beavers of Pheasant Branch. Registration is required and will open on December 8 in the city’s online Rec Desk registration system. Also next month, FOPBC will hold their annual meeting on the morning of Saturday, January 10. The featured speaker will be Dan Egan, who will speak about his most recent book “The Devil’s Element: Phosphorus and a World Out of Balance.” Phosphorus is what we’re trying to keep out of our waters through “Adopt-a-Drain,” “Leaf-free Streets,” and other city and regional initiatives, so I’m excited about reading Dan’s book and hearing him speak. In addition, another renowned District 6 photographer — Kevin Munson — will be sharing recent examples of his art at the meeting. The annual meeting is for members of FOPBC. If you aren’t a member and you support the mission of restoring, protecting, and promoting the Pheasant Branch Conservancy, I urge you to consider joining. Annual memberships are $25 for individuals and $40 for a family. They also have student, sustaining, and business memberships. Community Campus Project: On November 19, I was at the kick-off of the city’s series of monthly sessions to share information about the need for and the potential costs of the Community Campus Project — our years-long effort to expand, improve, or replace our aging municipal buildings. Library Director Jocelyn Sansing did a really nice job explaining the needs related to our Library, Senior Center, and City Hall. Bill Burns, the city’s Finance Director, had updated the cost estimates to show the potential tax impact of project costs ranging from $65 million to $110 million. The estimated annual tax impact on a median value home in Middleton could range from $34.37 to $173.25. The Finance and Personnel Committee will be looking more closely at these numbers at our meetings in January. The next information session will be at City Hall on Monday, December 8, from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. The city doesn’t yet have any specific building designs to share, but you’ll be able to learn about the need for the project as well as the potential costs and benefits. Based on feedback from attendees at the first session, there will be time for questions on December 8. Community Outdoor Recreation Plan: The city is seeking input from residents as we update the 5-year Community Outdoor Recreation Plan, or CORP — “the guiding document that directs the development, enhancement, and preservation of the community’s parks and open spaces.” Please fill out the survey and ask your family, friends, and neighbors to do so, as well. When I filled it out, I added a comment about needing some small neighborhood dog parks and more community gardens. The survey also asks about whether trails in the conservancy should be paved or not. The survey will remain open until February 16. Sustainable U: The Sustainability Committee’s next Sustainable U session will be December 18 at 6 pm in the Archer Room at the library. I’m especially excited about this one because the title is “From Lawn to Life: Ecological Landscaping for Home Gardens.” Long-time readers know that I converted my backyard to restored prairie in 2020 with the help of Good Oak Ecological Services. It is a constant source of wonder and amazement as I watch wildlife of all kinds thrive even in this relatively small patch of native habitat. I think of it as bringing the conservancy into my backyard. The speaker will be Jeff Epping, former Director of Landscaping at Olbrich Gardens. Service to Constituents I ran for public office because I wanted to give back to my community. Along the way, I discovered the joy of being able to help people with problems big and small. Here are some of the ways I tried to help constituents in November. High Road curbs: If you’ve driven on High Road near the new Pheasant Crossing development, you may have noticed curbs that appear to protrude too far into the roadway. I say “appear to protrude,” but really, in my opinion, they do protrude. I met with City Engineer Luke Melotik and concerned Misty Valley residents on November 24 to scope out the situation and brainstorm ways to avoid damage to vehicles — including city snowplows — and possibly avoid accidents. If you are concerned about these curbs, please submit a report through the city’s “Report a Problem” form (choose “Pothole/Street Repair). A significant number of reports will help me build an even stronger case for the city and/or the contractor to fix this potential hazard. High Road crosswalks: A resident of Redtail Ridge asked about painting the crosswalks on High Road now that there are sidewalks on both sides of the road at Belle Fontaine Boulevard. The signaled crosswalk at Caneel Trail also should be painted. Unfortunately, the onset of cold weather means the city won’t be able to do the painting this year. I’ve been assured these crossings will be a priority next year. Outlot 2 of the Pheasant Branch Ridge Greenway: On November 19, I attended a meeting at City Hall with the FOPBC Watershed Committee, Kevin Short of our Parks & Rec Department, and Evelyn Williams of Adaptive Restoration. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the addendum Evelyn is writing to the Conservancy Lands Plan now that the city has acquired Outlot 2 — a 14-acre parcel of conservancy land north of Whittlesey Road, now part of the Pheasant Branch Ridge Greenway. Members of the Watershed Committee emphasized how critical the cleanup of this parcel is to the protection of Pheasant Branch Conservancy. I pledged to recruit volunteers to work on this project next year, with guidance and training coming from the city and FOPBC. If you’d be interested in joining me and other neighbors in helping to restore the greenway, please let me know. Pheasant Branch Road speeding: I hope everyone noticed that the Police Department’s speed monitor was moved to the bottom of the hill heading north. I know it made a difference because I saw something I had never seen before: brake lights on a downhill-heading car that wasn’t turning left onto Whittlesey! The arrival of our first significant snowfall caused the monitor to head indoors for the winter. I’ll ask for it to return in the spring. Pheasant Branch Road parking: A constituent contacted me with concerns about parking on both sides of Pheasant Branch Road near Prairie Café creating a hazard for pedestrians and cars. This is a frequently reported problem in District 6. I understand the concern, but it’s a tricky issue to resolve to everyone’s satisfaction. The former Public Works director told me years ago that area businesses had previously objected to the suggestion to eliminate or reduce parking in this area. I can understand that, plus I suspect the folks who park on Pheasant Branch Road would likewise object. The former director also told me the configuration of the road was doing what was intended: slowing traffic down as vehicles approach a four-way stop. So this is a tough nut to crack. The intersection of Pheasant Branch Road and Frank Lloyd Wright is part of the Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan for this area and for Old Creek Road. I learned from the Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Transit Committee meeting agenda that the first public involvement meeting for the project will take place on December 10 from 5 to 7 in Council Chambers. I have a conflict that night but will plan to be there for the very beginning of the meeting. Please attend if you’re interested in traffic calming and other improvements to these roads. I’m bringing up one last issue preemptively: the leaves. With the snow came the need for city trucks to shift from leaf collection to plowing and salting. So what does that mean for the leaves we all raked onto the terrace (never into the street) for one last collection? I reached out to the Public Works Department this morning and here is what I learned: “With the significant snowfall we received over the weekend, and the forecasted low temperatures, we will be unable to collect residents’ leaves this winter. We will plan to collect leaves in the spring, and we have secured additional equipment to facilitate the process. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.” I know this is disappointing and even frustrating because we count on this city service. But I also know this is Wisconsin and the only thing that’s predictable about winter weather is that’s it’s unpredictable. After the snow melts, my husband and I will likely take matters into our own hands to get the leaves off the terrace. Wild Ones Madison has some good ideas for using leaves in your yard, if you’re interested. Campaign Update My mayoral campaign is off to a very strong start. We’ve been receiving donations, volunteers are signing up, E-News on 6 has dozens of new subscribers, and just yesterday, our first letter to the editor was published! Today is the first day to collect signatures on nominating papers. Team Janairo is organized and energized and we’ll be out collecting signatures all this month until we have enough to get my name on the ballot. This week, on Tuesday through Friday, I’ll be at Prairie Café from 9-10 am prepping for my Council-related meetings and working on the campaign. Stop by if you’d like to sign my papers or just chat over coffee about Middleton issues. It has been an incredibly rewarding experience to work with a team of dedicated Middleton volunteers who all share the same vision for Middleton. Please consider joining us — there are lots of ways to help and you’ll meet some really great people. If you’d like to be a part of this movement, please visit lisaj4mayor.com to volunteer, request a sign, and/or donate. Thanks! When I ran for alder in 2022, I pledged to run a positive campaign, and that’s my intention with the mayoral race. I’m challenging an incumbent, though, so it’s important for people to understand the differences between me and Mayor Kuhn. In each newsletter, I’ll share three things I would do differently. This month, the focus is on the amount of time devoted to the duties of Middleton’s mayor. 1. I’ll continue to write monthly e-newsletters to keep residents informed about their government and my actions. Mayor Kuhn frequently praises me for publishing a newsletter for constituents. She doesn’t write one, though, nor does she contribute articles to the Middleton Times-Tribune like former Mayor Brar did. I’ll communicate monthly with Middleton residents through a city-wide version of E-News and I’ll also ask the Times Tribune to run a regular column from the mayor. 2. I’ll chair the Plan Commission and the Community Development Authority, or CDA. Chairing these bodies has been a traditional role for Middleton’s mayor because the Plan Commission and CDA have the greatest influence over Middleton’s growth and development. Mayor Kuhn quit both of these during her first term. 3. I’ll be accessible and responsive to constituents. In addition to answering emails and returning phone calls in a timely manner, I’ll hold office hours on a weekly basis so that constituents will be able to drop in and talk to me about city matters. I’ll even make sure some of those office hours are in the evenings to accommodate residents who work during the day. Mayor Kuhn doesn’t hold office hours. And I know from conversations with constituents and from my own experience that she doesn’t do a good job responding to emails. If you elect me to be your mayor in 2026, I’ll put in the time, work hard for our city, and be responsive and accessible to people. I do this already as the alder for District 6. If these are things you expect from your mayor, then on Election Day, vote Lisa J! Thank you! Thank you for reading “E-News on 6.” I wish you all the best during this holiday season. Feel free to email me or call/text me at 608.630.7500 if you need help with a city matter, want to relay your thoughts on an issue, or have questions about city decisions and my votes. I try to respond within two business days, but sometimes it takes longer. I’m not active on social media, so the best way to reach out to me about anything official is by phone or using my district email. If you find this newsletter helpful, I hope you’ll share it with friends, family, and neighbors who live anywhere in Middleton. Just please make sure to ask them not to unsubscribe you and not to report this email as spam. Not receiving this free e-newsletter directly? Sign up here. If you’d like to read past editions, an archive is available here. Important Stuff to Know I produce this newsletter all on my own, at my own initiative, to help District 6 residents stay informed. This is not an official city publication, I don’t speak for the city, and producing this newsletter isn’t one of my official responsibilities as a member of the Common Council. If you’d like to reproduce or create new content from this material, please ask me first and make sure to cite the source. Image credit: Sorry there are no pictures this month — too busy working on the campaign! Watch for images to return in January. |