City officials met with residents of the Mifflin Street neighborhood Tuesday to address issues that may arise during Saturday's annual block party.
Capt. Mary Schauf of the Madison Police Department said safety is the MPD's number one message for residents and attendees. She said safety concerns include overcrowding of balconies, falls and over-consumption of alcohol.
According to Schauf, most arrests come from ordinance violations. She said about 100 citations are issued each year for having open alcoholic beverages on city property.
""The reason why so many people are arrested year in and year out is open containers on sidewalks,"" she said.
Schauf said although officers have discretion over arrests and citations, those hosting parties and their guests should obey the rules.
""We want [residents and MPD officers] to be mutually responsible at the end of the day so everybody will be safe and happy,"" she said.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said private property vending would not be allowed this year. He said only vendors who have registered in advance and paid for a spot will be allowed to sell in the Mifflin Street area, which will help sponsor DCNY Pro pay for the cost of the event.
David Coleman, co-owner of DCNY Pro, said there will be two stages offering music at the block party this year, one near Bassett Street and the other on the corner of Bedford Street and Mifflin Street.
DJs will be provided by UW-Madison's student radio station, Maggie Brennan, WSUM's station manager, said. She said UW-Madison's student music group First Wave will also be performing.
According to Verveer, property owners should keep their music levels at a reasonable volume because there will be more music stages than previous years.
""If you're going to have music on your own private property we want you to keep it down so that it is not competing with the music stages,"" he said.
In addition, a beer garden will be open where the Planned Parenthood clinic formerly resided and will offer entertainment options as well.
