Madison's Common Council passed a resolution Tuesday supporting construction of a high-speed rail station in the Downtown area.
Council members said they want a major role in selecting the station, though the final authority is with the state of Wisconsin. The state will receive more than $800 million in federal funds to establish a high-speed rail connection between Madison and Milwaukee.
Ald. Bridget Maniaci, District 2, said Madison's citizens have been working on this issue since funds were granted to Wisconsin in January. She said the Common Council and other city committees need to begin their discussion of the issue.
""We don't get to call the shots on this, we don't get to decide the timetable, and this is a really important opportunity that we don't want to lose out on,"" she said.
Although the Council has not endorsed any of the downtown stations, the Yahara Station on East Washington Ave. and First Street began months ago.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, urged council members to analyze and consider each of the three locations.
""The reality today is that the Monona Terrace and Kohl Center should be seriously considered and studied along with Yahara Station,"" he said.
Council members also debated vending in the Mifflin Street area during the annual block party. A proposal passed unanimously allowing only pre-approved vendors to sell during the block party within a confined area.
Maniaci said landlords rented out their properties to vendors last year and it created tension on the morning of the block party because it interfered with security plans in place by the Madison Police Department.
According to Verveer, also a member of the Vending Oversight Committee, UW-Madison officials were unhappy last year because vendors located themselves near university facilities.
Madison resident Rosemary Lee said ""small business vendors are not really any competitor to the university.""
Council members also voted to suspend Jeffrey Okafo's vending license for Jin's Chicken & Fish for one year, following what some members said were repeated violations of city codes.
Okafo has received citations within the last two years for leaving his cart unattended and vending without a license, among other issues. His license has been revoked for both six months and 30 days prior to this incident.
