Milwaukee Common Council Regular Meeting - October 13, 2026

The Common Council of Milwaukee met in the Common Council Chamber at City Hall on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The meeting was scheduled for 9:00 AM, called to order at 9:21 AM, and adjourned at 10:28 AM. According to the official minutes, 13 members were present and 2 were excused (Alds. Bauman and Zamarripa). The raw transcript's opening roll call states 12 present and 3 excused, but every recorded vote in the minutes and transcript shows 13 ayes and 2 excused. The Council approved the previous minutes without objection and then received presentations before acting on committee reports and four immediate-adoption matters.

Presentations

• Alderwoman Dimitrijevic moved the Council into Committee of the Whole for presentations.
• Jason Rae of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce was recognized during LGBTQ History Month. Ald. Burgelis noted the Chamber was named the 2026 NGLCC Affiliate Chamber of the Year in August, an honor it has now received twice among more than 50 affiliate chambers nationwide.
• Brian Kaufman, a 39-year City of Milwaukee employee and manager of the Neighborhood Improvement Program, was recognized for his service, along with his wife Julie on their 42nd wedding anniversary. Kaufman said he began with the City in August 1987 and had served as a construction inspector, code enforcement supervisor, and NIP manager.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jennifer Antunez-Martinez addressed the Council regarding the Licenses Committee recommendation for her Food Peddler License. She said she was not objecting to the suspension itself but asked the Council to lower it from 20 days to 10 days. She stated she had misunderstood the compliance dates, had already closed for 10 days, had proof her truck was not in her possession, and was concerned about the impact on her five employees.
• Assistant City Attorney Travis Gresham appeared on behalf of the City Attorney's Office and presented the findings and recommendations. Ald. Burgelis clarified that the progressive discipline reflected frequent violations and additional health department reports. The Council ultimately approved the committee's recommendations.
• No other members of the public testified.

Discussion Items

• Severe weather protocols (File 260807): Alds. Pratt and Coggs sponsored a substitute resolution directing the Department of Public Works to establish severe weather protocols for flood-prone areas. Several aldermen, including Alds. Jackson, Stamper, Chambers, Moore, Westmoreland, Brower, and Burgelis, added themselves as co-sponsors. Ald. Chambers described constituents feeling "the runaround" after flooding and stressed the need for coordinated systems. Ald. Brower argued that climate change is caused by carbon pollution, that the City needs massive infrastructure investment, and that the State should provide Milwaukee its fair share. He also called for public ownership of We Energies. The resolution was adopted.
• We Energies easement (File 260742): Ald. Brower advocated for passage of the easement at 3921 West Lincoln Avenue, noting that We Energies will pay $0 for the easement and arguing that the company's position that its easement has zero value should be used against it in future acquisition litigation. The resolution was adopted.
• Data center pause (File 251924): Ald. Dimitrijevic requested unanimous consent for a substitute ordinance establishing a temporary pause in the establishment and development of data centers. She read from a letter by Milwaukee residents Dr. Michael Rosen and Dr. Summer, who argued that data center construction can harm the economy and environment, could displace up to 10 million jobs, and that a moratorium is the "sensible way forward." Ald. Brower supported the pause, praised the Council for leading on the issue, and called for some of the nation's most stringent data center regulations. Unanimous consent was granted, and the ordinance was later passed as part of the Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee report.

Committee Reports and Consent Actions

• Licenses Committee (File 260737) - Approved 13-0: The Council approved nonrenewal of Paulo Bosque's Class D Operator's License based on second nonappearance; nonrenewal of Lamonte Whitehead Sr.'s Home Improvement Contractor License for BERM CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT GROUP LLC based on second nonappearance; renewal with a 20-day suspension of the Food Peddler License of Jennifer Antunez-Martinez and Miguel A. Antunez-Jimenez for El Pastorcito Mixe at 4101 W. Greenfield Ave. in the 8th district based on a threat to health, safety, or welfare of the public; renewal with a 10-day suspension of Odean H. Taylor's Class B Tavern, Public Entertainment Premises and Food Dealer Licenses for Prime Social Restaurant & Bar at 7225 N. 76th St. in the 9th district; and nonrenewal of Shawn L. Devooght's Rooming House License for DeVoe Rentals Rooming Houses LLC at 837 S. 19th St. in the 12th district based on third nonappearance.
• Public Works Committee: File 260810, a substitute ordinance relating to responsibility for removing litter in the tree border, was not acted on because the City Attorney requested more time; Ald. Westmoreland's motion to send it back to committee was ruled not in order. The Council adopted File 260736 (accepting control of six gateway sign locations from MMSD), File 260742 (We Energies easement), File 260752 (WisDOT land agreements), File 260756 (assessable improvements with a total estimated cost of $8,100), File 260757 (assessable improvements with an estimated City engineering cost of $80,000 and total estimated cost of $1,025,000), File 260758 (nonassessable improvements with an estimated City construction cost of $7,769,319.36 and total estimated cost of $13,382,478.70), File 260759 (nonassessable improvements with an estimated engineering cost of $204,000 and total estimated cost of $3,185,000), File 260807 (severe weather protocols), File 260732 (Public Works license recommendations), and File 260798 (Milwaukee County Transit System bus stop locations). File 260773 was placed on file.
• Finance and Personnel Committee: Adopted File 260751 (CLTF special fund transfer and carryover of 2026 funds into 2027), File 260776 (increased reimbursable expenditure authority), File 260789 (travel authorization), and File 260812 (reserving and appropriating up to $500,000 from the 2026 Common Council Contingent Fund to the Damages and Claims Fund for settling claims).
• Judiciary and Legislation Committee: Adopted File 251433 (urging the Chief Court Administrator to report program metrics) and File 260813 (authorizing settlement of claims in Corday Alexander Linton v. City of Milwaukee et al., 2:26-cv-00258-SCD). Placed on file Files 200024, 200751, 210103, 210373, 211565, 212041, 220542, 230004, and 230105. Disallowed and indefinitely postponed six claims: Files 251913, 260267, 260283, 260565, 260568, and 260755.
• Public Safety and Health Committee: Passed File 260551 (fireworks), File 260727 (parking controls), and File 260728 (traffic controls). Adopted File 260531 (intergovernmental agreement with Milwaukee County for residential lead abatement referrals), File 260815 (acceptance of the Wisconsin Emergency Management Homeland Security Grant for the Community Mass Notification and Public Safety Alert System), confirmed the reappointment of Tahira Malik to the Board of Health, and placed on file File 260793 (Milwaukee Police Department policies on swatting incidents).
• Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee: Passed File 251924 (temporary data center pause), File 260532 (5th Amendment to Southgate Marketplace Phase 1 allowing a bank with drive-through ATM at 3473 South 27th Street in the 11th district), File 260534 (zoning change from Two-Family Residential, RT4, to Neighborhood Shopping, NS2, at 2841 South Howell Avenue in the 14th district), and File 260642 (zoning regulations for family day care homes). Adopted File 260608 (permanent historic designation for the English Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Incarnation at 3509 N. 15th Street, excluding the parsonage at 1510 W. Keefe Avenue), File 260740 (conveyance of the vacant lot at 2948-A North 30th Street from the Anna Rohmann Revocable Trust to the City), and File 260741 (acceptance of unsolicited offers to purchase City-owned vacant lots for construction of 95 new single-family homes within Tax Incremental District No. 136, the Amani Homeownership Initiative, in the 6th, 7th, and 15th districts). Confirmed reappointments of Baboonie Tatum and Anthony D. Smith to the Bronzeville Advisory Committee, and placed on file File 260657 (2025 Annual Report of Tax Incremental Districts).
• Community and Economic Development Committee: Adopted File 260738 (Year 2027 Operating Plans for Business Improvement Districts and Neighborhood Improvement Districts), File 260808 (authorizing the City Clerk to expend up to $100,000 to support the MKE Community Impact Committee), and File 260829 (designating August 7-14, 2027, as Bronzeville Week). Confirmed appointments to BID #13, five appointments/reappointments to BID #11 and BID #27, and placed on file File 260655 (2025 Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative accomplishments).

Communications and Matters for Immediate Adoption

• The Council ordered on file several communications, including the appointment of Steve Rackie to the Wisconsin Center District, a communication relating to service of papers, official notices and reports, and the appointment of Robert Walker as Health Department Commissioner Designee to the Emerging Youth Achievement Advisory Council.
• All four matters for immediate adoption were adopted: File 260832 (declaring the Fifth District Thanksgiving Giveaway an official city event and authorizing acceptance of funds), File 260863 (approving final certified survey maps), File 260870 (releasing deed restrictions for properties at 2474 North 21st Street, 2566-68 North 21st Street, 2543-45 North 20th Street, 2634 North 21st Street, and 2635 North 21st Street in the 15th district), and File 260880 (conditionally approving final certified survey maps).

Key Outcomes

• All recorded roll-call votes on committee reports and immediate-adoption items passed 13-0, with Alds. Bauman and Zamarripa excused.
• File 260810 remained pending because the City Attorney requested additional review time.
• The Council directed DPW to establish severe weather protocols to prevent flooding in known flood-prone areas.
• A one-year temporary pause on data center establishment and development was approved by unanimous consent, with aldermen signaling intent to craft permanent regulations.
• The Amani Homeownership Initiative advanced, authorizing the sale of City-owned lots for 95 new single-family homes within TID No. 136.
• The Council upheld the Licenses Committee's recommended suspensions and nonrenewals and disallowed six claims against the City.
• Aldermen announced upcoming district events and budget town halls, including a Council budget hearing later on October 13, 2026, and a Common Council community meeting on October 17, 2026, at the Mitchell Street Library.