Fiscal Note
No appropriation required.
Title
Honoring and Commemorating the Life of City of Madison Mayor Joel Skornicka.
Body
WHEREAS, former two-term Madison Mayor Joel Skornicka died unexpectedly on November 16, 2019 at the age of 82, and,
WHEREAS, Joel was born and attended public schools in Green Bay, WI, but his heart and soul revolved around UW-Madison and the City of Madison. From the UW he received his bachelor’s degree (1959) and a masters’ in political science (1965) and, from 1960, Joel commenced a career of increasingly responsible administrative positions with UW-Madison including that of Assistant Chancellor, and,
WHEREAS, during his tenure at the UW, Joel developed a reputation for effective management; an ability to bring competing factions together; to find the compromise to move issues forward and achieve substantive results. Upon becoming Mayor of Madison from 1979-1983, Joel further honed these skills while operating from his philosophy of “working together works.”; and,
WHEREAS, Joel's many accomplishments as two term Mayor of Madison include:
• Changing the term for mayor from 2 years to 4 years, encouraging continuity of programming
• Building Capitol Centre senior and market rate housing where a surface parking lot had been (the first major residential public/private partnership undertaking in Madison)
• Building the first Madison Metro transit service center, assuring the viability of Madison Metro
• Passed 4 budgets that grew at less than half the rate of inflation and enhanced public services as well
• Worked with Dane County to lower our voices, lower our costs, and improve services for residents by cooperating on the Henry Vilas Zoo, Health and welfare departments, and the south beltline highway and University Avenue completion after years of delay.
• Worked with UW-Madison and other civic leaders to establish the first UW-Madison research park, which has thrived over the past 30 years
• Collaborated with MATC to develop the new Truax campus while keeping a downtown critical presence
• Assured the success of the Madison Civic Center by providing additional funding and leadership enhancements at a critical juncture in its evolution.
• Instrumental in bringing the Madison Muskies baseball team (now Mallards) to Madison
• Created a strong departmental and office staff to carryout his vision without him needing to be center stage on every issue; and,
WHEREAS, he was also involved in a variety of campus and community organizations before, during and after Joel was Mayor, including Madison Symphony Orchestra, University Club, Madison Club, Wisconsin Historical Society, Wisconsin Arts Board, and UW-Madison political science board of visitors; and,
WHEREAS, when Joel left the Mayor's office, he took several positions in higher education and governmental consulting: he became the VP of the University of Wisconsin Foundation, the director of development at UC-Davis, and joined two consulting firms that specialized in his passion for local government improvement and university research issues. In keeping with his passion for good government, education, and public service, Joel established the Skornicka Public Service Fund at the UW-Madison to foster leadership for students to continue in public service programs; and,
WHEREAS, Joel Skornicka believed in good government, public service, and leading by connecting people to make initiatives happen,
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Madison express their condolences to the family and friends of Joel L Skornicka and their gratitude for Joel's significant contributions in making the City of Madison a better place to live, raise children and foster a growing economic base by collaborating with the University of Wisconsin - Madison.