Milwaukee Board of City Service Commissioners Upholds Discharge of Anthony Bass (March 27, 2026)

The Milwaukee Board of City Service Commissioners convened on March 27, 2026, to hear the discharge appeal of Anthony Bass, a former bridge operator in the Department of Public Works (DPW) Infrastructure-Bridges and Buildings. The hearing was scheduled for 9:00 AM but officially began at 9:05 AM per the meeting record. It included extensive testimony from city officials and the appellant. After deliberating in closed session from 12:49 PM to 1:36 PM, the board voted unanimously to uphold the discharge, finding the department had just cause for the action. The meeting adjourned at 1:38 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of March 13, 2026, Meeting Minutes: A motion to approve the minutes was carried by a vote of 4-0-1. Commissioner Janet Cleary abstained, stating she was not present at the prior meeting.

Discussion Items

Discharge Appeal of Anthony Bass

The hearing included opening statements, witness testimony, and closing arguments from both the Department of Public Works (DPW) and the appellant, Anthony Bass, represented by Brad Amos.

Department’s Case (Presented by Assistant City Attorney Andrew Simons): The department argued that Mr. Bass posed a demonstrated public safety risk and violated numerous safety protocols.

• Prior Incident (August 2024): Mr. Bass lowered the Wisconsin Avenue Bridge while the vessel Vista King was passing underneath. He was retrained and warned that a further major safety violation would jeopardize his employment.
• Primary Incident (August 22, 2025): Mr. Bass raised the bridge while a pedestrian was on it. The pedestrian was forced to jump off to avoid injury. Following the incident, Mr. Bass left without filing a complete report and did not cooperate with the investigation, including avoiding a required drug test.
• Key Witnesses:
  • Nicholas Doney (Vista King Captain): Testified he observed a pedestrian on the bridge and radioed the operator before the bridge lifted. He stated the pedestrian jumped approximately two feet off the rising span.
  • Nick Goodwin (Bridge Maintenance Manager): Confirmed the incident through a call from the Unified Call Center and the boat captain. He noted Mr. Bass’s entry in the bridge log omitted the pedestrian on the bridge. He testified there is no significant blind spot preventing operators from seeing pedestrians on the west side of the bridge.
  • Aisha Henry (Workforce Planning Supervisor, Department of Employee Relations): Stated that the department offered Mr. Bass a city laborer position as an alternative to discharge, but he failed to complete the pre-placement process and became non-compliant with communications.
  • Dan Thomas (DPW Administrative Services Director): Asserted Mr. Bass represented an “unreasonable risk” to public safety. He stated the department explored the alternative placement in good faith but proceeded with discharge when that process was unsuccessful.

Appellant’s Case (Presented by Brad Amos and Anthony Bass):

• Anthony Bass: Testified in his own defense. He denied a pedestrian was on the movable deck of the bridge, asserting the woman was inside a safety barrier in a “blind spot” created by a flower pot. He stated he announced the bridge opening and the Vista King captain did not initially warn him of a danger. He argued he entered the incident in the log and followed all procedures before leaving his shift.
• Brad Amos (Representative): In his closing statement, argued the discipline was “egregious” and the process was an “end around” to deny Mr. Bass a proper hearing. He highlighted that Mr. Bass was discharged while another city bridge operator involved in a fatal pedestrian accident remained employed, questioning the fairness of the action.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes Approval: Motion carried 4-0-1 (Commissioner Cleary abstained).
• Cause for Discipline: The board found, based on a preponderance of the evidence, that the DPW had just cause to discipline Mr. Bass. Vote: 5-0.
• Cause for Discharge: The board found, based on a preponderance of the evidence, that the DPW had just cause to discharge Mr. Bass. Vote: 5-0.
• Final Decision: The discharge appeal was denied, and the termination of Anthony Bass was upheld.
• Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 1:38 PM.