Milwaukee Public Safety and Health Committee Meeting – April 10, 2026
Milwaukee Public Safety and Health Committee Meeting – April 10, 2026
The Public Safety and Health Committee of the Milwaukee Common Council met on Friday, April 10, 2026, from 9:06 AM to 12:46 PM in City Hall. The committee, chaired by Ald. Scott P. Spiker, considered 11 agenda items ranging from parking and traffic controls to public safety in entertainment districts, teen takeovers, the appointment of a new Community Wellness and Safety Director, and the expenditure of opioid settlement funds. The meeting featured extensive testimony from city departments, community organizations, and members of the public, reflecting deep concerns about resource allocation, youth engagement, and the effectiveness of current violence prevention strategies.
Consent Calendar
- Parking Controls (File 251990): Unanimously recommended for passage. The ordinance adjusts parking restrictions on several streets to meet neighborhood requests.
- Traffic Controls (File 251991): Unanimously recommended for passage. Adds stop signs at multiple intersections to improve safety.
- Access to Fire and Police Commission Meetings (File 251745): Recommended for placement on file as no longer necessary. Unanimous.
- Fire and Police Commission Standard Operating Procedures (File 252056): Recommended for placement on file. Routine update to SOP 747 (body-worn cameras) to change terminology. Unanimous.
Public Comments & Testimony
-
Time-Limited Food Truck Zones (Item 3):
- Ald. Bauman (sponsor) stated the ordinance responds to disorder in Water Street and King Drive entertainment districts by moving the food truck prohibition from 1 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the downtown zone, with an 11 p.m. close for the Burnham Park zone after negotiation with Ald. Zamarippa.
- Kendall Breunig (MSOE Board of Regents) expressed strong support, noting that crowds around food trucks attract loitering and safety issues, and that a shooting recently occurred near four food trucks. He stated, "The food trucks are not the problem. It's the crowds that gather around them."
- Heather Hough (MPD Chief of Staff) stated MPD supports the measure from a community safety perspective, citing under-21 congregating as a problem.
- Jennifer Antunez Martinez (food truck owner) opposed the early closure, arguing she has had to lay off staff and that there has been no crime or police presence in her zone. She requested a later hour.
-
MPD Plan for Entertainment Districts (Item 4): Multiple aldermen expressed concerns about resource drain from neighborhoods to downtown. Ald. Chambers noted that 10–15 officers are pulled from his district to staff Code Red downtown. Ald. Burgelis highlighted that the city needs to consider private security for entertainment districts. MPD Inspector Grant emphasized that officers serve the entire city and that deployments are voluntary overtime, not mandates.
-
Teen Takeovers (Item 5):
- Vaughn Mayes (founder of Conforce, a peacekeeper team under DCWS) stated that without providing alternative spaces for youth, problems will continue. He referenced a lock-in program that reduced shootings in Ald. Taylor's district.
- Interim Director Karin Tyler (DCWS) acknowledged the department is understaffed and in transition, but emphasized ongoing partnerships and the need for coordinated youth engagement.
- Several community members and aldermen called for more intentional, youth-led spaces and better communication from the department.
-
Appointment of Karin Tyler (Item 6):
- Tyler gave an opening statement detailing her nearly 10 years of experience in public health and violence prevention, and her commitment to the role. She received letters of support from numerous organizations.
- Ald. Moore expressed disappointment that the administration had bypassed Tyler in a previous hiring process, and questioned the lack of communication from the department to the full council.
- Mayor's office liaison Amber Danyus clarified that the earlier search included community listening sessions and Tyler was a finalist, but the mayor ultimately chose another candidate.
-
Opioid Settlement Funds (Item 8):
- MFD Chief Lipski pleaded for approval of the three-year plan, stating that the MORI program has saved lives and that the fire department has only $20,000 remaining. He noted that a 50% reduction in opioid deaths in Milwaukee has been achieved through these programs.
- Dr. Ben Weston (Medical Director for Milwaukee County EMS) emphasized that buprenorphine and peer support are evidence-based and that cutting funding risks losing momentum. He stated, "We have a lot of momentum right now. We've cut opioid deaths by 50% in the city."
- Ald. Perez requested more time to understand the RFP process and coordination with county efforts.
Discussion Items
-
Time-Limited Food Truck Zones (Item 3): The committee debated the balance between public safety and economic impact. Ald. Chambers proposed alternative ideas like using MSOE's parking lot for supervised food truck operations, but MSOE opposed. The ordinance passed 4-1.
-
MPD Plan for Entertainment Districts (Item 4): Extensive discussion on Code Red deployments, street closures, and the need for fencing and controlled entry points. MPD reported 26 officers deployed on March 22, the night of a triple shooting, but noted challenges with curfew enforcement. The item was held to call of chair to allow further coordination with the administration.
-
Teen Takeovers (Item 5): The committee heard that Milwaukee has a youth population 27% higher than the national average, and the city ranks second-lowest in social engagement among 19 Milwaukee County municipalities. DCWS presented data from the Health Department's community health assessment. Ald. Moore and others stressed that MPD cannot solve underlying youth issues alone and that the council needs to be more involved in planning. The item was held to call of chair.
-
Appointment of Karin Tyler (Item 6): After debate on process and communication, the committee voted 3-2 to recommend confirmation. Ald. Spiker and Moore voted no, citing concerns about the administration's handling of the appointment and the department's lack of engagement with the council.
-
Opioid Settlement Funds (Item 8): The original proposal allocated $1,679,792 for the Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative (MORI) and a three-year health department plan. A substitute amendment by Ald. Jackson would have funded MORI through end of 2026 and set aside $250,000 for an independent program evaluation. After further amendment by Ald. Moore, the committee approved a version that funds MORI only through the end of the year, with the broader three-year plan to be reconsidered in three weeks. The vote was 3-1 (Ald. Burgelis opposed).
Key Outcomes
-
Votes:
- Food truck zones: Recommended for passage 4-1.
- Entertainment district plan: Held to call of chair (unanimous).
- Teen takeover response: Held to call of chair (unanimous).
- Appointment of Karin Tyler: Recommended for confirmation 3-2 (Burgelis, Taylor, Chambers aye; Spiker, Moore nay).
- Opioid settlement funds (amended): Recommended for adoption 3-1 (Spiker, Taylor, Moore aye; Burgelis nay; Chambers excused).
- Noise variances: Held to call of chair (unanimous).
- Health department staffing resolution: Held to call of chair (unanimous, sponsor absent).
- FPC meeting access: Placed on file (unanimous).
- FPC SOPs: Placed on file (unanimous).
-
Next Steps:
- The food truck ordinance will go to the full Common Council.
- The opioid settlement fund item will be revisited in three weeks, with further discussions on the three-year plan and potential evaluation.
- The council will seek greater involvement in planning for youth spaces and entertainment district safety.
- The full council will consider the appointment of Karin Tyler at its next meeting on April 14, 2026.
Meeting Transcript
To the Friday, April 10th meeting of the Public Safety and Health Committee. It is now 9 06. We'll get started. I'm Alderman Scott Spiker, Chair of the Committee, joined to my right by Alderman Bergell's Vice Chair, joined to his right by Alder Taylor, and joined to my far left by Alder Moore. Alder Chambers will be joining us shortly. Also joined by uh staff assistant join up for tees. Um with that, we'll start with item one on the agenda, file number two five one nine nine zero and ordinance relating to parking controls. Morning, Chair Committee members, Kevin Anzac, DPW. Uh we have a few items here today for you. Uh first involves South 9th Street, where there's a reconstruction project going on. Uh we will be um supplying more parking to the neighbors. Uh so basically on the east side of South 9th Street from Greenfield to National Avenue, we'll be removing a no parking restriction and also installing a street sweeping restriction in that area. Secondly, on uh North 31st Street between Wisconsin Avenue and Well Street. Uh residents have asked for the removal of the winter parking restriction and would be replaced with no parking at any time restriction. Um next one is on the west side of North 45th Street from Juneau Avenue to a point 150 or 54 feet north at any time will be removed. The restriction is no longer needed. And lastly, is the um allowance of two-side night parking on South Lenox Street from East Conway Street to East Homer Street. All these have been coordinated through local older persons, and if you have any questions, then any questions from committee members? No. Alder Bergellis has moved passage of the ordinance to recommend passage and hearing no objections, so ordered. Item two, file number two five one nine nine one, substitute ordinance relating to traffic controls. Kevin Anzac DPW again. Uh just a few uh additional stop signs being uh recommended at this point. First one is on West uh Dogwood Street at North 87th Street, second one on North Greenwood Terrace at North 87th Street, on Leon Terrace and at West Constance Avenue, on West Magnolia Street and at North 87th Street in westbound direction on West Tripoli Avenue at South First Street on South First Place at West Wilbur Avenue, and lastly on South First Street at West Wilbur Avenue. Very good. Okay. Any questions? If not, Alder Moore would move to recommend passage and hearing no objections, so ordered. Thank you. Thank you. Um item number three, file number two five two one zero one. This is a substitute ordinance relating to time related food truck zones, uh says sponsored by Alderman Bauman. I believe Alder Zammerita, you're also a sponsor. Uh no, I'm actually very good. Um so with that we'll kick it off to the sponsor, Alderman Bauman. Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair, members of the committee. Good morning, everyone. Yes, this is uh this file is a direct response to some of the disorder that's already taken place uh in the Water Street Entertainment District and to a lesser degree, the King Drive Entertainment District, the former Old World Third Street area, uh basically in response to requests from MSOE who are here today. Uh Milwaukee School of Engineering, which has a major presence uh in this area on the east side of the river, and in response to the concerns we've heard expressed by Milwaukee Police Department, uh we are taking some measured approaches to attempt to diminish the disorder that occurs on these weekend nights, especially when the weather is warm. So this file basically amends the food truck prohibition from what is currently 1 a.m. to a 10 p.m. prohibition. So no food trucks would be permitted anywhere in the anywhere in the zone, the down basically the downtown zone with a very small piece also in the 6th district and an even smaller piece in the third district, but the vast majority is 4th Aldermanic district. And hopefully this will thwart some of the disorders, some of the loitering, some of the congregating, some of the tailgating that goes on in the evenings and especially late in the evenings near closing time for these bars. So that's uh so that's the file. Very good. And have you had the opportunity to speak with the Alder of the 6th and the third? We mentioned this to them. Okay.
openpublica.com