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| Neighborhood Gatherings I had a lot of fun in September meeting with neighbors all across District 6. On September 1, I joined several residents of the Misty Valley and Crane’s Nest neighborhoods for the first-ever Graber Pond Conservancy Volunteer Stewardship Event. We pulled ragweed, cut mulberries, and collected seeds. Neighbors were so inspired that they scheduled a second event one week later! If you’d like to get on the email list to learn about future events, let me know.  On September 12, I spoke with the residents of Middleton Glen during their “Coffee and a Chat.” I covered topics related to the district as a whole with a focus on things that would affect their neighborhood up on Century Avenue, Old Creek Road, and Pheasant Branch Road — particularly the Community Campus Project, road construction projects, and capital projects like traffic calming. I enjoyed meeting new people and answering lots of questions.  Finishing up the month, on September 25, I attended the annual social gathering of the residents of the Ridges of Pheasant Branch. It’s always great to connect with everyone! I especially enjoyed meeting new neighbors Kevin, Grace, and Michael. Welcome to the neighborhood! If your homeowners association, informal neighbor group, or other organization would like to discuss a particular issue or to hear an update on what’s happening in the city, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I consider it an important and very rewarding part of my job as an elected official to meet with constituents and help them get answers to their questions. It truly is my pleasure! Conservancy Land Acquisition a Big Deal The city expanded its conservancy lands acreage last month with the acquisition of a 14-acre parcel located just north of the path behind the houses on Whittlesey Road. The parcel was an outlot to the Pheasant Branch Ridge development, where I live. In November 2022, I met with Abby Attoun, the director of Planning and Community Development, to discuss this parcel — its ownership, its purpose in connection with the Pheasant Branch Ridge Development, and possible future uses. Abby had researched the history and walked me through what she found. She also had reached out to Middleton’s finance director and the city attorney to discuss options for having the city acquire the property. Fast forward almost three years: On September 16, all the research, meetings, and patience paid off. Council accepted a “quit claim” deed from the lone agent remaining for the now-defunct Pheasant Branch Ridge Development Corporation, so the parcel is now part of Middleton’s conservancy system! Many thanks to Abby and all the other city staff who helped make this acquisition possible. My goal is to work with the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy and recruit neighbors to help the city manage and restore this undeveloped wetland area. Home to turkey, deer, foxes, skunks, coyotes, and more, this land is a very important wildlife corridor connecting Pheasant Branch Conservancy and Graber Pond Conservancy. Read more about the acquisition in the city’s press release.  Transportation and Construction Update Week Without Driving kicked off on Monday with elected officials and representatives of key advocacy groups gathering at the Madison Metro Office and taking a short group bus ride to the Capitol Square. There, we held a press conference where I spoke following remarks from Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Denise Ness from the Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired, and Monona Mayor Nancy Moore. The Madison-area Metropolitan Planning Organization organized the event and led the months-long effort to plan Week Without Driving in Dane County. This national campaign is intended to call attention to the conditions nondrivers face as they try to get around our car-centric communities. In my remarks, I highlighted Middleton’s Complete Streets Policy, which celebrates its third anniversary this coming Saturday. I noted, however, that construction projects in Middleton this past summer had exposed a problem with our policy: it focuses on the outcome of having safe roadways for all users, but it overlooks what happens during the process of getting to that outcome. I cited the Century/Allen intersection project to illustrate what can happen when construction impacts on pedestrians and other nondrivers aren’t considered in the design and management of projects.  I expressed hope that this problem would be prevented in the future once we change the wording of our agreements, contracts, and related documents, as I requested in July. Those changes would require that, if vehicles continue to have access to safe routes during construction, then safe routes need to be available to pedestrians and other roadway users, as well. Having updated language will help, but we really need to make sure there’s rigorous enforcement so that everyone will comply — including developers, the companies we hire to work on road projects, and our own city crews. Speaking of the Century/Allen intersection, I hope everyone has noticed that the work is finally complete! The temporary signals are down, the permanent ones are up and running, and traffic seems to be flowing smoothly. If any readers have comments on the newly reconfigured crosswalks, please let me know. Finally, readers in the Pheasant Branch Ridge neighborhood probably have noticed a lot of construction trucks traveling on Whittlesey and Algonquin. These trucks are taking the posted detour made necessary by the temporary closure of High Road to allow the developer of Pheasant Crossing to complete the utility work for the new development. That work is expected to continue for at least the rest of this week. If you see any trucks exceeding the speed limit, please make a note of the company name on the truck and give them a call. That’s the best way to get the trucks to stay within the speed limit. Related to this utility work, area residents may have noticed what sounds like farm equipment operating all day and night. It isn’t farm equipment — it’s a 24/7 pumping operation that is lowering the water table to make it possible to finish the utility work. For residents who find the noise to be disturbing, I completely sympathize. I can hear the sound all the way from my house on Whittlesey, even with the windows closed. At the suggestion of a resident, I asked Luke Melotik, the city engineer, whether the noise can be dampened in any way. He notified me this morning that the developer will be building a plywood enclosure around the pump to help reduce the noise. I hope this will help. Also, while I understand that lowering the water table requires constant pumping, Middleton does have a construction noise ordinance that prohibits noisy operations at all hours like this. Luke is seeking clarification from the city attorney on the application of our ordinance to determine whether any fines might be in order. 2026 Proposed Budget Last night, the Finance and Personnel Committee held a special budget meeting to discuss the city’s proposed 2026 Budget along with the cuts already recommended in the mayor’s Executive Budget. The purpose of the meeting was to hear from 15 different department heads and other staff regarding their budget requests and their reactions to the proposed cuts. We’ll deliberate on the proposed cuts at the next Finance and Personnel Committee meeting on October 7 starting at 5:30 pm. The budget is divided into two parts: operations, which are funded largely through property taxes and state aid, and capital projects, most of which we fund through borrowing or user fees. Even with all the construction going on in District 6 and elsewhere, our “net new construction” in 2025 was only 1.45%. Under state law, our property tax levy can only increase by that amount unless voters approve a referendum to let us raise taxes by a larger percentage. We did that in 2022, but we aren’t doing that this year. As you might guess, the costs to maintain just what we have are going up by more than 1.45%. Inflation is at 2.9%. Health insurance will increase by 7.9% and dental insurance is likely to go up 6%. To retain our current staff, salaries will increase around 2.5%. Continuing to pay for the services we have is always difficult. Adding to our staff to better serve our growing city has been next to impossible. On the operations side, as expected, several departments requested new staff. Given our funding constraints, I can’t see a way to add new staff in 2026 in Public Works, Conservancy Lands, or Parks and Recreation. I say this even though I agree wholeheartedly that our staff are stretched as thin as possible. Each year, we add to our inventory of roads, parks, conservancy lands, and trees that require maintenance. If we don’t add people to do the work, the work gets harder and harder for the people we do have on staff. The alternative is to put off the work that our roads, parks, conservancy lands, and trees need — also not a good option. These requested positions may be possible in the 2027 budget when we’ll have additional tax revenue due to the closure of TID #3. There is one staff position that I do think we can afford, and that’s a full-time training position within the Police Department. I met with Chief Steven Thompson back in June and this staff position was the first thing he mentioned when I asked him what the department’s needs are. I hear from Middleton residents all the time about their support for public safety, especially our police officers. Making sure officers have access to excellent, timely training is a need, not a want. I look forward to working with staff and my colleagues on the Finance and Personnel Committee to find a way to fund this position. Focusing on the capital projects, I was disappointed and surprised to see that the Executive Budget recommends cutting the Strategic City Climate Action Roadmap Project proposed by the Planning Department. I consider this project to be critical for helping Middleton live up to its LEED Gold City status and make progress toward our goal of having city operations meet all their energy needs through clean, renewable sources by 2040. The MCPASD commissioned a similar roadmap and are aggressively working to decarbonize the district’s facilities and equipment. The roadmap would be for the city as a whole, not just the Planning Department. It was the #1 priority for the Plan Commission and the Sustainability Committee. As described by Kelly Hilyard, the city’s Sustainability Coordinator, the roadmap “would lay out a plan for years to do very specific projects that decarbonize the city and save us money.” As I indicated at the meeting last night, I’ll be looking for ways to keep this item in the capital budget for 2026. I was disappointed but not surprised to see the request for only $20,000 in funding for Graber Pond restoration. The Conservancy Lands Committee had previously approved this amount, despite the draft Graber Pond Master Plan recommending funding in the amount of $41,300 per year. Restoration work in this conservancy has been underfunded for years, with very few actions to implement the original 2006 master plan. Having seen the high level of interest among neighbors in helping with the work, I’d like to see us start strong with implementation of the new master plan. Engaging volunteers early on and consistently will help us engage more people in helping to maintain the conservancy — a triple win for the conservancy, for the city’s budget, and for building community in the growing area around Graber Pond. So I will be advocating for increasing the amount of funding earmarked for Graber Pond in 2026. In news of other District 6 projects, the Misty Valley Stormwater Rehabilitation project is in the budget for next year along with High Road reconstruction (design in 2026, construction in 2027). Readers who wish to review the budget documents will find them on the city’s Budget webpage. They’re dense documents to read, but I’m always happy to help translate, if anyone’s interested. The Finance and Personnel Committee will deliberate at our next two meetings (October 7 starting at 5:30 pm and October 21, currently planned to start at 6 pm). Council will hold a hearing on the budget on November 4 with final adoption two weeks later on November 21. As always, please let me know if you have any questions or comments about the budget. Lightning Round Here’s a roundup of other things that happened in September or are coming up in October.Hunger Action Month: I sponsored the city’s Proclamation on Hunger Action Month. Ellen Carlson and Leslie Huber from WayForward Resources attended Council’s September 16 meeting to receive the proclamation as well as donations of food and personal care products from Council members. The official month may be over, but the need is still there, so please consider making a donation of food or funding to WayForward.  Composting: So far, our “Scrap Stop” food waste collection pilot on Terrace Avenue has been a big success. Kelly Hilyard reported to Council that, in August, we collected 3,242 pounds of food scraps — more than any other location in Dane County. If you’d like to sign up to start using the bins, you can do so online. Bauman Mural: The Parks & Recreation Department will open the doors of the Bauman Community Pool for a special mural viewing on Monday, October 6, from 12 to 1 pm. Note that the pool itself won’t be open, but people are welcome to come by to view the new artwork created by Middleton High School alum Natalie Hinahara. Stormwater Project: As I reported at Middleton Glen, the Middleton Hills SE pond rehabilitation project is expected to start in late October and end in early December. According to Luke Melotik, there may be minor impacts at times to adjacent sidewalks, but Public Works staff don’t anticipate any prolonged closures. If you have any concerns, contact me and I’ll put you in touch with Luke, our city engineer. This project will help protect our surface waters and is 100% funded by the Stormwater Utility. Traffic Calming: The next steps for the Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan involving Old Creek Road, Pheasant Branch Road, and Frank Lloyd Wright Avenue will be taken later this year. The city and our consultant will conduct two in-person public involvement meetings, one of which will be scheduled in November. More details will be available once the consultant is selected. Birds and Bees: This month’s “Sustainable U” session will focus on “How to Prevent Bird Window Collisions.” The session will take place in the Middleton Public Library on October 16 starting at 6 pm. If bees are your thing, consider becoming a volunteer with the Wisconsin Bumble Bee Brigade. During the Rotary Works – Today! event on September 27, I attended a very informative session on Bees & Pollination and it inspired me to start monitoring my own restored prairie backyard. Training videos and other resources are available on the Bumble Bee Brigade website. Housing Panel: Middleton Public Library will host a panel discussion on housing on October 23. “What’s Happening with Housing? Causes, Impacts and Solutions to Dane County’s Housing Crisis” will take place in the Archer Room at the library starting at 6:30 pm. Registration is required for the event. The Imperial: Readers may have heard about a proposal to build a new mixed-use development where Imperial Garden Restaurant is currently located. On October 28, starting at 7 pm, the Plan Commission will hold a hearing on the rezoning request for “The Imperial Development.” Public comments will be accepted at the hearing or via email. Thank you! Thank you for reading “E-News on 6.” If you’d like to read past editions, an archive is available here. 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. Thanks! Not receiving this free e-newsletter directly? Sign up 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 credits: – Graber Pond Conservancy Volunteer Stewardship Event: Evelyn Willems – Middleton Glen Coffee and a Chat: Sue Berg – The Parcel Formerly Known as Outlot 2: Lisa Janairo – Week Without Driving Kickoff: Kayla Haas – Council Proclaiming September 2025 as Hunger Action Month: Bryan Gadow |