What’s Happened Since #1

In 2007, Middleton was named the #1 Best Place to Live by Money Magazine. City staff, officials, and residents were honored with the distinction and took it as a challenge to try to make Middleton an even better place to live. Since 2007, numerous city projects have been completed, including:

  • The City built new state-of-the-art Fire and EMS stations. Ground has been broken for a new Police and Municipal Court Facility which is scheduled to be completed in early 2010. Visitors to the City Website can access the construction site camera for the new Police and Municipal Court Facility at www.oxblue.com/pro. The user name is: mpd@idealbuildersinc.com and the password is: mpd09029.
  • The Police Department has started a Volunteers in Policing program that now has over 30 members. These citizens participate in a number of programs including:
      • Safe Assured Child I.D. Program
      • Speed Watch Program
      • National Night out
      • Crossing Guards and Traffic Control at various City Events (Big Event, Good Neighbor Festival Parade)
  • The City assisted the Mustard Museum to stay in Dane County and locate in downtown Middleton. The museum will be located at the corner of Parmenter and Hubbard in the site where the Old Friendly Store once stood. The museum is set to open in October.
  • The City adopted the Tax Increment Financing District #4 Project Plan to create stormwater quality improvements, properly develop vacant land, correctly redevelop already-improved land, bring physically blighted properties into safe use, assist with economically blighted properties through redevelopment efforts and funding to address vehicular and pedestrian access from current and anticipated increases in traffic due to new and redevelopment.
  • A free E-Government Subscription Service has been implemented. The service allows citizens to subscribe to receive notifications by email when new information is available.
  • Middleton’s first community garden, the Forsythia Community Garden, is open. Thanks to The Blettner Group, 30 gardeners are growing healthy and organic produce on a vacant lot in Middleton’s Business Park.
  • The City held the first two ‘Big Events’ in June of 2008 and 2009.
  • Middleton adopted a Public Art Master Plan and commissioned a stained glass installation for the new Police and Municipal Court Facility. The Middleton Arts Committee is also soliciting qualifications for Wisconsin artists to install a hanging feature in the building.
  • The City received a Better Urban Infill Development (BUILD) grant from Dane County, and used the funds to prepare the DRAFT University Avenue Corridor Plan.
  • The City adopted the Parmenter Corridor Neighborhood Plan to respond to the changes in traffic patterns caused by the relocation of HWY 12.
  • Phase 1 of the new downtown streetscaping plan is now in place. The plan includes 36 benches, 10 recycling and 10 trash receptacles, 34 planters (to supplement the existing planters in the downtown), and 7 bike racks. New banners were also installed in the downtown and throughout the city.  To see the presentation of materials, click here. Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the Downtown Streetscaping Plan have not been approved, but will include a proposal for L.E.D. lighting and enhanced vegetation in the downtown.
  • The City adopted a Smoking Ordinance.
  • The City also installed new decorative and standard wayfinding signs around town to guide residents and visitors to various destinations in the city.
  • The Middleton Public Library was named the 2007 Wisconsin Library of the Year. The Library continues to offer excellent programming for children, teens, and adults, and now offers a ‘Green Collection’ of books geared toward environmental sustainability.
  • The City’s Sustainability Committee put on Clean & Green Middleton on April 18. The event encouraged proper recycling and reuse of items people no longer need, and the Sustainability Committee collected 7,729 lbs. of electronic waste, 151 used compact fluorescent bulbs, 81 lbs. of batteries, 13 lbs. of CDs and diskettes, 92 eyeglasses, 11 sets of lenses, and 91 cell phones. In addition, a trailer was filled with donations of durable medical goods and 15 feet of a trailer was filled with donations of clothes and household goods. Sustain Dane sold 43 rain barrels at the event. A second Clean & Green Middleton event will be held in October.
  • The City held the first MedDrop, where residents could bring their out-dated or unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medicines to be disposed of in an environmentally-friendly way. The MedDrop collected 1,632 pounds of non-controlled meds, 180 pounds of controlled meds, and 39 pounds of aerosols.
  • The Sustainability Committee received a grant to prepare a Sustainable City Plan. City staff, consultants, and Sustainability Committee members have begun the planning process and hope to have the plan completed and adopted by the end of the year 2009.
  • The Sustainability Committee instituted a Free Monthly Sustainability Seminar program at the Middleton Public Library. On the first Thursday of each month, residents are invited to hear a 45 minute presentation on various topics related to sustainability. Past topics include: Global Climate Change, Sustainable Commuting, Clean Green, Sustainable Food, Dane County’s Groundwater, and How to ‘Green Your Travel.’ Over 200 residents have attended the seminars.