THE MADISON PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION
A BRIEF HISTORY



When the Madison Property Owners Association was formed in 1928, Madison was a small town of 1900 people, and the government of Madison was very different from that of today. There was no Board of Finance preparing and presenting an annual budget nor, therefore, any effective control over the expenditure of town funds. There was no Planning and Zoning Commission or Zoning Board of Appeals, since the population was almost stable and the construction of new homes and commercial structures was minimal. There was no Board of Police Commissioners separate from the Board of Selectmen. There was no Recreation Commission or provision for recreation other than the Town beaches at East and West Wharf.

74 years ago, with a population of 1900, the assessed valuation of real estate owned by non-resident taxpaying citizens - the summer colony - was $4,159,000 and their taxes provided 60% of the Town's budget. It was to guard the interests of these summer non-resident taxpayers that in 1928 a group of property owners, largely from the waterfront area, formed a Property Owners Association whose essential object was the preservation of the Town of Madison as an attractive residential community. The Association proposed to take a non-partisan interest in and to study all activities of the local and state governmental agencies as such activities might affect the property owners of Madison, and by cooperation with such agencies to strive for the betterment of the community and the increased efficiency of our local government.

At the outset, the most important contribution of the Property Owners Association to the community was made by its Finance Committee which annually studied Town fiscal affairs and issued a printed analysis of and report upon the Town budget. A direct outcome of such activity was the establishment of the Town Board of Finance in 1941, which officially assumed the functions which had previously been fulfilled by the Finance Committee of the Property Owners Association upon and entirely voluntary and unofficial basis.

Another important early function of our Association was the drafting of the original Zoning Regulations for Madison and their sponsorship. This led to their adoption by the Town in 1931, and the organization of a Zoning Board. During the intervening years the Association has been every watchful in the matter of proper application and enforcement of the Zoning Regulations by both the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals, as well as of their wise and effective amendment as experience has indicated.

Additional changes in Town government advocated and supported by our Association were the establishment of a separate Board of Police Commissioners, and the expansion of the Planning and Zoning Commission from five to nine members.