Ald. Bryon Eagon, District 8, praised the Associated Students of Madison Legislative Affairs committee for their hard work and increased student involvement in City Council meetings while discussing upcoming proposals during their meeting Tuesday.
According to Eagon, several issues are coming up next semester that could use plenty of student support. The proposals for tenant/landlord issues, the downtown residential lighting plan and the position of technical adviser to the city’s Alcohol Licenses Review Committee to be appointed were all discussed.
“[Legislative Affairs] had a big impact in the mayor’s decision to appoint Mark Woulf (as ALRC’s new citizen voting member),” Eagon said. “It’s exciting to have a student voice and student vote on that committee.”
Eagon added the mayor is interested in appointing a female to the recently vacated position of technical adviser to diversify the committee a little more.
ASM Chair Tyler Junger was in line for the position of technical adviser, but he delegated the task of screening and recommending a different candidate to Legislative Affairs so he could focus on other ASM duties, according to Legislative Affairs Chair Adam Johnson.
Johnson added the committee would send out the word to the student body on how to apply for the position and hopefully will begin reviewing applications before the semester ends.
The tenant/landlord proposal was also under discussion, as Eagon emphasized a three-prong plan. Mediation, education and fines and fees for violations are ways Eagon thinks would provide effective resources to students signing leases or being pushed into apartment contracts too soon.
“Issues come up — being forced to pick a roommate you barely know, being told if you delay signing there won’t be anything good left,” Eagon said. “Even pushing back the process from one month after the semester starts to three months would help.”
According to Eagon, this proposal is going before the city’s housing committee today, where he said it will be either voted down or sent to a tenant/landlord subcommittee, and would either way include negotiations.
“Really, it’s crazy that at the beginning of October they start sending out e-mails about finding an apartment for next year when you’ve only been living somewhere for barely a month,” Johnson said.
Eagon said they will continue work on that proposal in line with the downtown plan. The plan — which includes extending East Campus Mall from Lake Mendota to Lake Monona as well as creating a boardwalk from Memorial Union to James Madison Park — includes the Lighting Initiative, which recently received $50,000 in funding for next year.
He added there was no rollover from the initial $50,000 allotted last year since only a small amount had been used as the plan is still being implemented.
“The Greek community is supportive of the lights,” University of Wisconsin law student and committee member Josh Molter said. “I’ve gone around to put together a pricing list and options to present at the Greek presidential meeting next semester which should help out the process.”
