Ask Your City’ sessions show behind-the-scenes work of municipal staff
MADISON – The “Ask Your City” series will debut on Feb. 20 with tours, demonstrations and interaction at Madison’s new Public Safety Annex at 230 Business Park Blvd.
Ask Your City activities will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Stop by . . . to meet city staff, tour the building and learn about the Madison Police Department, Madison Fire and Rescue, our IT Department, engineer, the mayor’s staff and more,” Madison Mayor Ranae Bartlett said.
“’Ask Your City,’ this quarterly event series, opens the doors to city facilities and creates space for conversation, questions and hands-on learning,” Bartlett said. “The February event marks the first installment with a focus on public safety and emergency preparedness.”
Throughout the event, visitors can browse tables with materials. City employees and associates in city business will staff the tables. Madison Police Department officers will share facts on community policing, safety initiatives and crime prevention.
Firefighters with Madison Fire and Rescue Department will offer insight into fire response, emergency services and safety education.
Two guided tours of the Public Safety Annex will give residents a behindthe- scenes look at the facility and its role in public well-being. Tours will begin promptly at 11:30 a.m. and then at 12:30 p.m.
In addition, Madison Fire Department employees will volunteer to install children’s car seats and complete a safety check – free of charge – to boost a child’s safety on the road. Also outside, police officers will lead a K-9 demonstration that will impress visitors with the dogs’ training and controlled responses to criminal apprehension.
Madison City Council representatives will be available to discuss concerns and priorities in the city’s seven districts. Employees in the Information Technology Department will discuss emergency alerts, notifications and facts about broadcasting and archiving recordings of City Council meetings and other sessions.
Engineering staff will provide information, such as stormwater infrastructure and flood mitigation.
Residents who have volunteered for the Madison Police Citizens Advisory Committee will explain their community engagement. Emergency Management workers will focus on civic preparedness, severe weather response and local resources.
“Ask Your City aims to strengthen transparency, build relationships and make city services more accessible,” Bartlett said. “Residents can drop in for a few minutes or stay for the full event, ask questions and leave with a better understanding of how public safety works in Madison.”
To reach the Public Safety Annex, from Madison Boulevard, drive south on Intergraph Way. Veer west on Business Park Boulevard. The annex’s street address is 230 Business Park Blvd. (in the former Building 23A of Intergraph Corporation).
