After a lengthy debate at its meeting Tuesday evening, Madison’s City Council voted against allowing Occupy Madison to extend its campground permit on the 800 block of East Washington Avenue.
The council ultimately opposed a proposal by Ald. Marsha Rummel, District 6, which would allow the organization to remain on East Washington Avenue for an additional two months. The permit was originally planned to expire April 30.
In a substitute of a bill proposed by Ald. Bridget Maniaci, District 2, the council instead concluded the city would continue to pursue housing solutions for Madison’s homeless population.
According to City Attorney Michael May, the permit that Occupy Madison currently has includes a stipulation that limits the amount of time at a given location to four months in a calendar year. He added the restriction exists to ensure that the campground is temporary and does not become permanent.
Council members were informed at the meeting that the city would be acting in violation of zoning issues by allowing Occupy Madison to stay at their current site any longer. May said that the city has been acting in violation since October.
“Asking for the permit isn’t realistic at this point, but there are alternatives,” Ald. Lisa Subeck, District 1, said.
Katie Crawley, spokesperson for Mayor Paul Soglin, said in an interview with The Badger Herald the mayor is opposed to a permit extension, and the expiration of the permit has consistently been reinforced throughout the months Occupy Madison has resided at the East Washington Avenue site.
At the meeting, Soglin proposed a focus on aiding the homeless community with more permanent solutions, as opposed to finding shelter in tents, as is the current norm for Occupy Madison.
“What I’m recommending follows the agreement we had with the state of Wisconsin, the failure to abide by it by April 30 is going to put the officials in a very difficult position,” Soglin said. “With the limited resources our city has, the commitment has to be permanent housing solutions, that’s the direction we have to go.”
Madison Police Department Chief Noble Wray said there is an “uncomfortable feeling” among MPD officers about extending the time on the permit without the specificity of the site’s purpose as complaint calls increase.
Ald. Brian Solomon, District 10, argued in favor of the permit extension and said it would aid Occupy Madison’s transition from its current location to a site that can serve as a more permanent residence.
He stressed the importance of the issue because of the growing number of homeless people in Madison, noting the Occupy Madison provides shelter to the community.
David Peters, member of Occupy Madison, said Soglin is at fault for “evicting innocent people” by refusing to extend the organization’s permit.
Peters added that Soglin’s statement that the city has spent tens of thousands of dollars on accommodating the organization is a false one.
“That is a bald-faced lie, it hasn’t cost thousands of dollars and we haven’t gotten anything from the city,” Peters said. “We’re taking things into our own hands.”
At its meeting, the council also unanimously voted to elect Ald. Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, District 5, as the committee’s president for the upcoming year.
Bidar-Sielaff has served for the past year as council president pro tem under council President Lauren Cnare, District 3. She has served as a member of City Council since 2009.
