Public Works Committee Meeting – April 29, 2026

The Milwaukee Public Works Committee convened on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at 9:19 a.m. (agenda listed 9:00 a.m.) in City Hall Room 301-B. Chairwoman Milele A. Coggs presided, with Vice Chair Lamont Westmoreland, Aldermen Robert J. Bauman, Larresa Taylor, and Alex Brower present. The committee considered 22 agenda items, including resolutions on assessable and nonassessable public improvements, a flooding response communication, sidewalk dining permit fees, a dedicated sidewalk replacement crew, weekend road repairs, pothole patching, dockless mobility regulations, and several lease amendments and easements. The meeting adjourned at 1:12 p.m.

Consent Calendar

• Items 1–4 (Assessable/Nonassessable Improvements): Approved unanimously (5-0) after public hearings. Included traffic calming speed humps in multiple aldermanic districts (1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 12th, 13th, 14th). Public testimony was received for the 3rd District (Jason Kuwayama in support) and 14th District (Ms. Perez in support).
• Item 6 (Verizon Lease Amendment): Approved 5-0.
• Item 7 (T-Mobile Lease Amendment): Approved 5-0.
• Item 8 (WE Energies Easement): Approved 4-1 (Ald. Bauman opposed, noting no fee for the easement).
• Item 10 (Sidewalk Dining Permit Fees): Recommended for passage 5-0; reduces renewal fee from $2/sq.ft. to $1/sq.ft. for renewing applicants.
• Item 11 (Scattered-Site Sidewalk Replacement Crew): Recommended for adoption 5-0; department provided an update that equipment and staffing are being procured, with mobilization expected in July 2026.
• Item 13 (Utility Easements – MALO WI, LLC): Approved 5-0.
• Item 14 (CMAQR Route Optimization Grant): Approved 5-0.
• Item 15 (Security Zones in Entertainment Districts): Recommended for adoption 5-0; directs departments to develop a plan for potential security perimeters.
• Item 16 (Termination of Restrictive Covenant – 1245-47 & 1233 N. Water St.): Approved 5-0.
• Items 17 & 18 (Dockless Mobility – Resolutions/Ordinances): Placed on file 5-0; DPW outlined planned geofencing restrictions for scooter use downtown (no-ride zones from April through October 2026).
• Item 22 (Charter Ordinance – Milwaukee Water Works): Placed on file as no longer needed, 5-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item 1 (Traffic Calming – 3rd District): Jason Kuwayama spoke in support of speed humps on East Kane Place, citing traffic diversion from Brady Street. He thanked Ald. Brower for his attention to the district.
• Item 1 (Traffic Calming – 14th District): Ms. Perez (South 7th Street) supported speed humps, describing daily racing and speeding from expressway traffic.
• Item 5 (Flooding): Ald. Pratt introduced the communication due to widespread flooding April 13–17. E-comments were noted; Chair Coggs encouraged DPW to read and respond to them. No live public testimony was taken, but the committee held the item to allow for future reporting.
• Item 10 (Sidewalk Dining Fees): Ald. Dimitrijevic spoke in favor of reducing the renewal fee, citing small business concerns.
• Item 21 (Licenses – Public Passenger Vehicle): Applicants Andrew and Sheldon Rousey were present but the item was held due to the absence of an assistant city attorney; the committee decided to hear the matter at a future meeting.

Discussion Items

• Item 5 – Flooding Communication: DPW Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke detailed the storm sequence (April 13–17), noting 1,714 sewer calls, 321 forestry calls, and 7 inches of rain over five days. Planned operational changes include permanent signage and guaranteed street sweeping in exception parking areas, and a shift to full bagging for leaf collection to reduce curb-line debris. MMSD Executive Director Kevin Shafer presented regional infrastructure, the deep tunnel system, and accelerated flood management projects (35th Street Basin, Jackson Park, Wilson Park, Al Roe Steel Basin). Alds. Coggs, Pratt, Moore, Chambers, and others raised concerns about repeated flooding in specific hotspots (e.g., Capitol Avenue, Lincoln Creek), property value impacts, and the need for a legislative voice on the joint city-county task force. The item was held to call of the chair for future reporting.
• Item 12 & 19 – Weekend Road Repairs & Pothole Patching: Combined discussion. Kevin Muhs (City Engineer) reported a record year for pothole service requests (nearly 11,000 by April 30, vs. average 4,500). Staff are working overtime and Saturdays; hot mix asphalt was available from April 6 but supplies were intermittent. Ald. Pratt advocated for expanding repair hours (including weekends) and earlier starts. Ald. Chambers stressed proactive identification of potholes. DPW noted contractor interest is low due to working conditions. The committee placed both communications on file.
• Item 15 – Security Zones in Entertainment Districts: Ald. Bauman introduced the resolution to study the feasibility of creating security perimeters (e.g., fencing, checkpoints) in areas like Water Street to reduce violence. The resolution passed, with Chair Coggs emphasizing that all neighborhoods deserve equal consideration.
• Item 17 & 18 – Dockless Mobility Systems: DPW outlined a geofencing plan for scooter no-ride zones downtown, effective April through October 2026, with cut-throughs for mobility. The plan is already operational; these administrative actions render the legislative files unnecessary.

Key Outcomes

• Votes: All actions were unanimous (5-0) except Item 8 (4-1, Bauman opposed) and Item 21 (held, with Ald. Brower excused).
• Items Held to Call of the Chair:
  • Item 5 (Flooding Communication) – for future task force report.
  • Item 9 (Coastal Management Grant) – no department representative present.
  • Item 20 (DPW Operations Status) – covered in other discussions.
  • Item 21 (License Applications) – due to lack of assistant city attorney.
• Referrals/Next Steps:
  • DPW to develop and communicate leaf bagging plan and exception parking signage.
  • DPW to provide a hot list of frequently flooded intersections and explore funding for leaf bag subsidies.
  • City-county flood mitigation task force to include alderperson representation.
  • DPW to provide costing for additional pothole patching equipment and staff (Ald. Westmoreland requested a paper on a “money-no-object” scenario).
  • DPW to audit sidewalk dining fees and provide district-by-district data.
  • DPW to report back on sidewalk replacement crew implementation by July 2026.
  • License applications for Andrew and Sheldon Rousey to be rescheduled with legal counsel present.