Milwaukee Public Works Committee Meeting - June 10, 2026
Milwaukee Public Works Committee Meeting Summary - June 10, 2026
The Milwaukee Public Works Committee met on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 9:05 AM in City Hall Room 301-B, chaired by Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs. All five committee members (Coggs, Westmoreland, Bauman, Taylor, Brower) were present. The committee unanimously recommended adoption of resolutions for public improvement projects, honorary street namings, state highway agreements, and grants, with some items held or substituted.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1 (File 260187): Resolution approving levying of assessments and construction of assessable public improvements, with a city cost of $156,000 (total $170,000). Approved for an alley reconstruction in the 3rd Aldermanic District.
- Item 2 (File 260188): Resolution determining necessary assessable public improvements (engineering cost $25,000, total $200,000). Recommended for adoption.
- Item 3 (File 260189): Resolution determining necessary nonassessable public improvements (engineering cost $150,000, total $150,000). Recommended for adoption.
- Item 4 (File 260190): Substitute resolution approving nonassessable public improvements with construction cost $2,882,000 (total $5,391,000). Note: The agenda listed $982,000 construction and $1,216,000 total; the minutes reflect a substitute with higher amounts. Recommended for adoption.
- Item 22 (File 240169): Resolution authorizing project agreements with WisDOT for Transportation Alternatives Program – placed on file as no longer necessary.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 5 – Carl E. Hunt honorary street name (7th District): Cara Hunt, daughter, spoke in support. Her father was a firefighter, adjunct professor, and volleyball coach at Rufus King High School for 17 years. She noted the family is the longest-standing resident on the block. No opposition; recommended for adoption.
- Item 6 – José A. Olivieri honorary street name (12th District): No nominator present. The committee held the item to the call of the chair to allow the nominator to testify at a future meeting.
- Item 7 – Shirley Smith honorary street name (5th District): Ray Banks (former assistant police chief, Heritage Subdivision resident) and Eva Roberson (neighbor) provided extensive testimony. Banks called Smith the "matriarch" of the subdivision, highlighting her neighborhood watch, food pantry work, and community leadership. Roberson noted Smith prayed for elected officials and supported the police chief. Recommended for adoption.
- Item 8 – Mary L. McCormick honorary street name (4th District): Barbara Velez (Rotary Club of Milwaukee) spoke about McCormick’s 25-year tenure as executive director, including creation of the Rotary Amphitheater, scholarship program (50 graduates, 27 current scholars), and community projects. No opposition; recommended for adoption.
- Item 9 – Cherrye J. Trotman honorary street name (1st District): Several supporters testified, including Pastor Alex Erdmann, Dr. Enid Trotman (family), attorney Sheila Parish Spence, former student Tammy Banks Martin, and Gidra Edwards. They described Mrs. Trotman as a teacher, civil rights advocate, personal friend of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Girl Scout leader, and community volunteer for over 20 years after retirement. Alderwoman Pratt expressed support but noted that naming streets in the historic Rufus King area can be contentious among neighbors; she asked the family to reach out to neighbors. Recommended for adoption.
- Item 21 – Denial of F. M. Eason honorary street name (7th District): The nominator was unable to attend due to internet issues in rural Arkansas. The Citizen Advisory Committee on Naming had recommended denial, but the committee held the item to allow the nominator a future opportunity to speak.
Discussion Items
- Item 10 (File 260132) – Recycling ordinance: A substitute ordinance was adopted (5-0) to align with state requirements. Max Drickey (LRB) noted technical changes from the previous meeting to ensure legality and enforceability.
- Item 11 (File 260051) – Easement with Wisconsin Electric Power Company at 823 S. 4th Street (12th District): Rosita Ross (DCD) explained the easement is for gas relocation due to DOT work. We Energies will compensate Milwaukee Public Schools $1,145. Recommended for adoption.
- Item 12 (File 260174) – Easement at 3401 W. Meinecke Avenue (15th District): A new electrical line for MPS building redevelopment. No compensation as it benefits MPS. Recommended for adoption.
- Items 13-15 (I-94/I-43 highway agreements): Joshua Iwen (Water Works) presented three resolutions for state-municipal agreements with WisDOT to obtain 90% state funding for utility alterations and staff costs on the I-43 Airport Freeway/92nd Street Bridge and I-94 East West Early Grading projects. Total costs: $9,650,000 (Item 13), $45,065,200 (Item 14), $12,720 (Item 15). All recommended for adoption.
- Items 16-18 (Highway and bridge projects): David Tapia (DPW) presented resolutions for additional design funds (Item 16 – W. Fond du Lac Avenue, $620,000), use of legacy funds for Locust Street (Item 17), and Grange Avenue bridge over Canadian Pacific Railway (Item 18). On Item 16, Alderwoman Taylor raised concerns about the poor condition of Fond du Lac north of 19th Street. Tapia clarified that reconstruction is planned from 19th to Capitol, with resurfacing programmed from Capitol to 68th. The resolution was recommended for adoption after a brief reconsideration.
- Item 19 (File 260196) – Green Solutions grant from MMSD: Solomon Bekele (DPW) presented a grant for eight green alleys in seven aldermanic districts as part of the 2026 alley reconstruction program. Recommended for adoption.
- Item 20 (File 260199) – Safe Streets and Roads for All grant: Substitute resolution to set up funds for final design of pedestrian improvements at up to 26 intersections on five corridors. Total cost $550,000 (city share $110,000, grant $440,000). Recommended for adoption.
Key Outcomes
- All 22 agenda items were addressed. Votes were unanimous (5-0) for all actions.
- Approved (recommended for adoption): Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 (substitute ordinance), 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 (substitute resolution).
- Held to call of the chair: Items 6 (José Olivieri) and 21 (F.M. Eason denial).
- Placed on file: Item 22 (no longer necessary).
- Reconsideration: Item 16 was briefly reconsidered at Ald. Taylor’s request to discuss road conditions, then re-adopted.
- Meeting adjourned at 10:22 AM.
Meeting Transcript
I like to call this public works committee meeting to order. I am uh Chairwoman Alderwoman Milay uh A Cogs. We are joined on the board by Alderman Um Lamont Westmoreland and Vice Chair, uh we are joined here at the table to my right by Alderman uh Robert Ballman, as well as uh DPW infrastructure. Um to my left, we are joined by staff assistant Kyle and Roman. To her left, we are joined by Alderman Alex Brouwer, and we will soon be joined by Alderwoman Larissa Taylor. Item number one, file number two, five zero one eight seven resolution relating to approving the levying of assessments and construction of accessible public improvement projects at various locations and appropriating funds for these purposes. Good morning, Holly Ruttenback with DPW. I will be describing the special assessment process and project details. For those projects approved this morning, a bill will be sent to each property owner sometime after completion of the work. Within 45 days upon receipt of the bill, the full amount may be paid without interest. If the bill is not paid within the forty-five-day grace period, a charge of eight point five percent simple interest per year will be added. If the assessment is at least a hundred and twenty-five dollars, the assessment can be paid over a period of ten years on the tax roll at the eight point five percent interest. For those projects approved with late billing, a bill will not be sent before January first, two thousand twenty-eight. This is a third automatic district. Uh, Otterman Brower. Yeah, thank you so much, uh, ma'am chair. Yeah, just want to say, really um grateful to engineering and to have this ready to go for us to be able to do this, I believe. Um, if we approve this today, we can get this out for bidding and potentially get this done this year. Am I correct, Holly? That is correct. That is really good to hear. We're excited to get a new alley in the third alder medicine. Um, and I'm chair, if it's appropriate, I move approval. The motion by Alderman Brouwer is for adoption. Are there any um objections to that motion? Hearing that, soul ordered. That's the only one today. Item number two, file number two six zero. Okay. Uh Otterman Bauman will move approval of the entire file. Are there any objections to that motion? Hearing none, so ordered. Um item number two, file number two six zero one eight eight resolution determining it necessary to make various accessible public improvements at various locations and appropriating funds for those purposes with the city engineering costs estimated to be $25,000 for total estimated cost of these projects being $200,000. Good morning. This is setting up engineering on future accessible paving projects. Any questions from committee? Hearing none, Arder Woman Taylor would move adoption. Are there any objections to that motion? Hearing none, so order item number three, file number two, six zero one eight nine. Resolution determining it necessary to make various non-accessible public improvements at various locations and appropriating funds for these purposes with the city engineering costs estimated to be a hundred and fifty thousand dollars for a total estimated cost of these projects being 150,000. Good morning. This is setting up engineering on future non-accessible paving projects. Any questions from committee? Hearing none. Hearing no objection, so order item number four. File number two six zero one nine zero resolution approving construction of non-accessible public improvements at various locations and appropriating funds for these purposes with the city construction cost estimated to be 982,000 for a total estimated cost of these projects being 1,216,000. Members should have a promise of. Good morning. This is set for setting up construction funding on non-assessable paving or not accessible various projects. The change between the sub and the original are just the amounts.
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