Milwaukee Professionals Association

WHO'S AT THE HELM - City of Milwaukee?

A Glance 1 year Later

On April 6, 2005, changes took place in the City government of Milwaukee. We went from an African American Acting Mayor, Marvin Pratt (long-term Alderman and head of the Common Council) to a Caucasian Mayor and ex-U.S. Congressman.

Mayor Pratt served approximately four months to complete a shorten term left by the previous Mayor, John Norquist. John Norquist resigned as a result of a settlement with the City of Milwaukee after a year-long bitter fight of a sexual harassment charge by an ex-female employee of his office.

2004 CITY HALL ELECTION
The Mayoral Election was a racially charged election that revealed flaws and bigotry in our system and in our people.

City Hall went from a 17-member Common Council to a 15-member Council due to redistricting. Each district roughly receiving a constituency of 35,000 people.

At the same time, it became an "all-male" Common Council; and, five members of the 15 ARE African American. They are:
.....District 1 - Ashanti Hamilton
.....District 2 - Joe Davis
.....District 6 - Michael McGee
.....District 10 - Willie Wade
.....District 15 - Willie Hines

History was further created when Willie Hines became the choice of the Council as the Common Council President. He succeeded Marvin Pratt. Therefore, an African American succeeded an African American, a first.

CHIEF OF POLICE
During 2004, the first female Police Chief was selected - Police Chief Nannette Hegerty.

She followed an embittered fight of the previous Chief, Arthur Jones with the Fire and Police Commission. Arthur Jones is an African American male with over 30 years with the Milwaukee Police Department.

Chief Hegerty hit the floor running with a Business Plan to provide top-notch services for the City of Milwaukee. It was clear from the beginning that her mantra would be that there needs to be a partnership between the police department and the citizenry. She also sent a direct message that she would not tolerate “misbehavior” by policemen.

Recently, there was an inhumane beating of Mr. Frank Jude by primarily off-duty officers of Milwaukee Police Department. Chief Hegerty has expressed outrage at the alleged criminal behavior of the officers. She said that she was waiting on the District Attorney to complete his role in the investigation and prosecution of the officers before her office takes any steps. Her stated concern is that she did not want to interfere with the process or taint the process in any way.

On April 15, 2005, seventy-nine (79) charges were recommended for 13 officers involved at the Jude Beating.

Chief Hegerty joined us at the March 29-31 CFNBA REALITY CHECK Symposium. She was truly a delight with her very upfront, take-charge, accountable and personable demeanor. She was also quite fashionable.

She talked about her Business Plan for an effective and proficient police department. She talked about how both the police department and the neighborhoods must work together to build partnerships; and, to build trust. She spoke of her office commitment to correct bad behavior of some officers that damage the image of all the other police officers. To that end, she spoke of dismissals that she has made in her first year of office. We did not have time for the “discussion” session because the Chief was summoned for an emergency.

We wish her the best and will continue to work with the Community Liaison Officers, the Police Academy, Explorers, Auxiliaries, and other branches of Milwaukee Police Department to make our neighborhoods safe and the trust factor where it should be.

DOA – Department of Administration
One of the major smart moves of Tom Barrett was his asking Sharon Robinson to relocate from Washington, DC and to join his cabinet as the Director of Administration.

Ms. Robinson ran Tom’s congressional office in Washington while he was U.S. Congressman.

She comes with a wealth of knowledge that is domestic, international, academic, and life-long. She is grounded in “common sense” and her level of civility is most “refreshing”.

It is not uncommon to find her in the office well after six in the evening. At the present time she is holding down two major roles in the mayor’s cabinet, Director of Administration and Acting Executive Director of the Election Commission. She is holding down the fort after the “resignation” of Ms. Lisa Artison. As well as, she is leading the team for replacement of the Election Commission post.

Ms. Robinson graced us with her presence and a lively discussion at this year’s first REALITY CHECK Symposium, March 29-31, 2005. She brought along Glen Mattison to ensure that the Department of Community Block Grant was present. It was the first time that we have been able to get representation from the Department of Administration and the Office of Community Block Grant.

We wish her the best and look forward to her leadership as well as working with her to see that Milwaukee is a World Class City with services that are available to all and serving all its People.

ELECTION COMMISSION
Lisa Artison, daughter of Ex-Milwaukee County Sheriff Richard Artison and wife of Eric Von, Talk Show Host – WMCS/1290, became the appointee to head the Election Commission – Executive Director.

From the beginning, she had a cloud gathering of unfavorables that started with issues of the Election Commission during the previous administration. It was compounded by questions from the Common Council members during her review for the position. The Republicans seeking ways to discredit the Democratic process for voting in the November 2, 2004 election, her office problems with ballots uncounted and registration cards. She was also cited as inexperienced.

Ms. Artison was approved by the Common Council with a 9-6 vote. She replaced Juliette Harvey who is also an African American.

DCD/DNS/DPW
DCD/Department of City Development, DNS/Department of Neighborhood Services and DPW/Department of Public Works are three departments of the City of Milwaukee that provide services to and for the citizenry. They are part of the Mayor’s Cabinet.

DCD - Julie Penman, ex-Commissioner of the Department of City Development was “rushed out” of office as soon as the ink was dry for authority by Acting Mayor Marvin Pratt. In fact, it was reported that he and his Chief of Staff, Curt Harris, delivered her “pink slip” to her home. Others that jumped ship were Greg Shelko – Redevelopment Authority, Peter Park – Planning, Michal Dawson – Deputy Commissioner and Mike Brodd – Retail Investment.

After a brief stint by Patria Algiers and Martha Brown as Acting Commissioner, the position was finally filled by Rocky Marcoux. Marcoux came from the nearby subsidiaries of the Department of City Development, the Housing Authority.

DPW/DNS - Mariano Schifaclacqua was the Commissioner of the DPW. He was replaced by Jeffrey Martes; and, Marty Collins remained as the Commissioner for DNS.

AYEAR LATER
It is a year later, and the City of Milwaukee has faced a number of challenges.

The leadership, Mayor and Common Council has a lack-luster record of improvements.

Tom Barrett continues to face the resistance of the African American community. It is in part by the “after-taste” of the election, but mostly because his administration has not embraced issues affecting African Americans (ground level up).

Safety and Brown Bag – He is talking out more about safety, especially “shootings” in the African American and Latino Neighborhoods. His office must be more and more visible at the meetings of the neighborhoods.

He has initiated the “Brown Bag” Lunch. That’s a good idea to get information from the constituents firsthand. It should be expanded to include his office representatives for more discussion and follow-up to appropriate cabinet and/or departments. More and More of the Brown Bag should be done in the People of Color business area with the Mayor and his staff. Frank Cumberbatch and Nancy Cubias are rarely seen in the African American neighborhood with technical assistance. Fanfare and celebratory events are a mainstay. The Mayor needs to hear from the people that are W-2 recipients, neighborhood parents, homeless, underemployed and unemployed adults/heads of household. Hear about the “picture” they see. Get commitment on change. And, ask what they will support? Hold his office, cabinet, business and the citizenry accountable.

Tony Zielinski, Alderman, 14th District, recently stepped forward with a “Minimum Wage increase”. It has further to go but it is the kind of paradigm changes and forward thinking that must come forth from our leadership. We say Right On to Alderman Zielinski.

It is sometimes interesting how "things remain the same".

Some major issues in NEED, include:
1) Safety - Crime Prevention.

2) Job Creation in the Inner City.

3) BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT – Existing Inner City Business.

4) Business Development w/Job Creation for the Unemployed Inner City population and W-2 recipients.

5) Business Development w/Procurement for Inner City businesses.

6) Quality Neighborhood Services in the Inner City - DNS/DCD/DPW.

7) FAIRNESS AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN DECISION MAKING

8) STOP GENTRIFICATION – New Housing BOOM that creates “CLASS” WARS.

9) Existing Housing w/MAJOR UPGRADE opportunities attached.

10) City Police Negative Image.

HONEYMOON is Over
CAMPAIGN NEIGHBORHOOD - CFNBA kicked the year off with the formation of the CFNBA BUSINESS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. This is a BOLD, INNOVATIVE and INFORMATIVE GROUP of business men and women brought together to provide leadership for the business arena in the Inner City of Milwaukee; and, to help "execute" change. The change is “engagement of city government” leadership – appointed and elected.

The change includes: Accountability and Public Trust.

The group will serve as Neighborhood Engineers and provide ways and means for “SCAFFOLDING”.

Scaffolding is building a framework for the foundation of Inner City self-existence and neighborhood governance.

Scaffolding is the 3-year theme of the Council.

INITIATIVES
Operation Safety, JOB CREATION and TOURISM in the Inner City are three mandates the group will help effectuate change.

They will hold accountable all that have a pulpit starting with the Council. They work cooperatively and hold responsible the child to the adult, the resident to the business, the government staff to the APPOINTED and ELECTED officials.

Moral fortitude and ethical responsibility are necessary and must be displayed for true change. There are systemic problems that speaks to:
 Political posturing by elected officials while the poverty immersed families, W-2 recipients, Africa Americans and people of color, the homeless, re-entry citizens, and renters are left out of the formula.

 Good-old-boy network at the Common Council until it is time to play the “race” card.

 Taking low, moderate and no income funds and funding projects that do not hire from the neighborhood they take the funds from.

 Well-Established and Well-Connected organizations have a monopoly on government funding for low and moderate income areas and “chase government” funding with the support of elected and appointed representives.

They have no accountability commensurate with dollars, years of funding and wealth of resources.

 Cronyism and bias decision making and allocation of funds.

 Arbitrary and Capricious Decision Making.

 Smoke and mirrors type of promises and policy making.

 Pitting the haves against the have-nots.

 Utilizing the powerful base of policy making of the Department of City Development to orchestrate wrongful acts that are “covered-up” – resolutions, plans, zoning, projects that require citizen approval.

 Appointments to powerful committees (City Plan Commission and Board of Zoning and Appeal) DO NOT REFLECT population.

 Appointments to powerful committees (City Plan Commission and Board of Zoning and Appeal) do not have an accountable and training track. Members remain tooooooo long.

 Appointments to powerful committees (City Plan Commission and Board of Zoning and Appeal) rely on the Chair OR the Chair dominates the thinking. Usually, lock-step voting with the appearance of lack of knowledge of the issue voted on or commitment to fair and equity government practices.

 The DCD/DPW/DNS group that make recommendations for BOZA, City Plan Commission and Board of Zoning should have a Neighborhood Review Committee to make recommendations every six(6) months regarding their effectiveness.

SAFETY PREVENTION & SAFETY INTERVENTION IN THE INNER CITY IS EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS is one of the slogans for Operation Safety.

Likewise, Economic Development and Quality of Life Issues is everybody's business with government services leading the way with fair use of tax dollars.

Over the month of May and June, we will look closer at DCD/DNS/DPW.

Stay tuned.....

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