With Halloween and the annual citywide Freakfest celebration right around the corner, city officials said they are right where they want to be in terms of preparedness.
""It's really becoming a nice event that downtown can be proud of,"" Cpt. Mary Schauf of the Madison Police Department said at Thursday's Downtown Coordinating Committee meeting. ""It's about entertainment now. Our arrests have been dropping every single year.""
According to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, free taxi services will be available this year thanks to donations from Budweiser distributors.
Schauf said there would likely be taxi stands near the Langdon Street area, University Avenue and Madison Area Technical College on Johnson Street.
Schauf also said that because the number of arrests at Freakfest has been dropping every year, it has led to a decrease in staff and a decrease in costs for taxpayers.
Also discussed at the meeting was the need to pay close attention to the night-time economy in the downtown area, specifically with entertainment options, transportation and bar practices.
According to a survey provided by the Downtown Hospitality Council, students are looking for more late-night dining and shopping options, live music venues and especially a movie theater.
Ninety-one percent of the population that comes downtown does so for casual dining, shopping and special events, but more entertainment options are needed, the survey said.
Another option the city could use is a regulated taxi service, but cost is the biggest factor preventing that from happening.
Verveer said the issue has not been on the city council's radar for years and Madison has had one of the highest taxi rates in the country.
The DHC also promoted its resource guide on how to properly deal with the city's homeless population.
ReachOut Downtown Madison, an educational program on why residents should not give money to panhandlers, says alcohol, drugs and cigarettes are the top three items purchased with money received from homeless persons.
Choosing to donate to nonprofit organizations and volunteering can be a much more useful way of helping, according to the DHC guide. More information can be found at madisonreachout.org.
