Councilwoman Madison Hickman Holds First Meeting in the Third Ward
Vol. III, No. 268 - A Council Member Keeps a Promise
When Madison Hickman ran for Troy City Council last spring, she made a promise that stood out from standard campaign rhetoric: she would hold quarterly ward meetings and stay accessible long after Election Day. This Saturday, February 28th, she delivers on that promise. She will hold her first meeting at 9:00 a.m. at The 1833, an event center at 22 East Franklin Street.
Hickman — who defeated incumbent Samuel Pierce last May by a 55%-to-45% margin — is hosting a community meeting for Third Ward residents. The event is an opportunity for neighbors to connect directly with their representative, raise concerns, and weigh in on the issues shaping their community.
The Third Ward is one of Troy’s most complex. It spans the Southwest Historic District, the city’s East End, and the Southview Neighborhood off South Market Street — a geography that brings together grand historic homes, subsidized housing, industrial sites, and some of Troy’s most active green spaces.
That diversity is also what makes it one of the ward’s greatest assets and greatest challenges. During her campaign, Hickman acknowledged what residents in the ward already know: long-neglected properties, safety concerns on the east side, and a frustrating lack of information about how to engage with city government are real, daily issues for many Third Ward families.
There is no shortage of issues that have been front of mind in the Third Ward heading into 2026:
The South Crawford Street Shared-Use Path — One of the most contentious infrastructure debates in recent memory, the proposed 10-foot separated bike lane along South Crawford Street drew significant criticism from residents even as city officials backed the plan. Whether this project moves forward — and how — remains an open question.
Park Development — The Third Ward is home to McKaig/Race, Boyer, Herrlinger, and Trostle parks. The city’s new Draft Master Parks and Recreation Plan talks about eliminating some parks — will Third Ward parks be part of that reduction plan?
Redevelopment and Vacant Property — The former grain elevator site on South Mulberry Street and the soon-to-be vacated school sites of Kyle and Van Cleve continue to shape conversations about what the ward’s neighborhoods will look like in the years ahead.
Property Maintenance and Public Safety — Hickman highlighted these as top concerns during her campaign, and they remain among the most common complaints from ward residents.
Hickman ran on a platform of showing up — not just at election time, but consistently. The concept of quarterly ward meetings was central to her pitch to voters, and this February gathering represents the first real test of that commitment.
For a ward as diverse as the Third — economically, geographically, and socially — the opportunity to have a direct conversation with an elected representative is not something to take for granted. .
Community engagement isn’t just about getting people into a room. It’s about making sure residents feel informed, welcome, and confident that their voices have somewhere to go. That was Hickman’s message as a candidate. Now, as Council Member, it’s her job to make it real.
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