MASEL'S OLIN TERRACE BID NIXED

Ben Masel lost at least one round in his bid to stage a demonstration at
Olin Terrace during the upcoming annual meeting of the U.S. Conference of
Mayors.

A committee made up of city department staff met on Friday and unanimously
voted to deny Masel's request to use the strip of land between the Madison
Club and 1 W. Wilson Friday afternoon, said Bill Zeinemann, marketing and
events director at Monona Terrace Convention Center.

Assistant City Attorney Lara Mainella said Masel could appeal the decision
to a subcommittee of the Monona Terrace board. Masel, who could not be
reached for comment late Friday, did not indicate his plans at the meeting,
Mainella said.

Mainella said that Masel's permit was denied in part because the area he
had requested has already been rented out to the U.S. Conference of Mayors
via a lease agreement with Monona Terrace, the site of the mayors conference.

She also said that the permit was denied because Olin Terrace is within the
"security perimeter" defined by the Madison Police Department and because
staff were concerned that emergency access to Monona Terrace could be hindered.

Masel is waiting for final permission to stage a public forum next Friday
and Saturday on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. He has permission for the
100 block, but was initially denied use of the 200 block, due to security
concerns from the police department.

Masel has since negotiated a compromise with police officials to use part
of the 200 block, and the city Street Use Staff Team is expected to give
its final approval next week.