Milwaukee City Council Meeting – October 8, 2025
Milwaukee City Council Meeting – October 8, 2025
The Milwaukee City Council held a regular meeting on October 8, 2025, at City Hall and via video conference. The meeting included two proclamations, a unanimous vote to designate Milwaukee as an International City of Peace, discussion on a new naming policy, a decision to proceed with a hearing on solid waste franchise termination, and council letters regarding the Kellogg dam restoration project and ICE actions.
Consent Calendar
- Approved unanimously: minutes from September 2, 2025 work session and regular session, and an OLCC application for a new liquor license at 11812 Stanley Avenue.
Proclamations
- Indigenous People's Day: Proclaimed October 13, 2025 as Indigenous People's Day in Milwaukee. Council noted an intergovernmental agreement with Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde for seasonal heron sculptures at Milwaukee Bay Park, with construction starting soon.
- U.S. Navy 250th Anniversary: Proclaimed October 13, 2025 as Navy 250th Anniversary Day. Councilmember Massey shared personal Navy history before reading the proclamation.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Deborah (last name unclear) submitted a written comment but did not speak; the city manager will respond at the October 21 meeting.
- Three haulers spoke during the solid waste discussion: Chris Wright (Hoodview/ Waste Connections), Dave Huber (WM), and Beth Vargas Duncan (Oregon Refuse & Recycling Association). All expressed strong support for the current rolling 10-year franchise system, arguing it ensures stable rates and long-term investment. Wright cited a 39% rate increase in Washington cities that went to bid. Huber noted Beaverton approved a fixed 10-year term that night. Vargas Duncan emphasized the franchise system gives the city regulatory control.
Discussion Items
- International City of Peace Designation: David Potts from the Rotary Club of Milwaukee presented a proposal to register Milwaukee as an International City of Peace. Council expressed support, and the motion to sign on passed unanimously.
- Naming Policy Draft: Equity & Inclusion Coordinator Gabriela Santoyo Gutierrez and Parks & Green Space Development Manager Adam Moore presented a new citywide naming policy (and a related memorial & donation policy). The policy creates a systematic, equity-based process for naming parks, facilities, and green spaces, with community input and a naming subcommittee. Council discussed several amendments: (1) consolidate the “outstanding individuals” criteria into a broad statement (remove sub-bullets, include international recognition); (2) change the ad-hoc naming subcommittee to an annual standing committee with representatives from ESC, Parks Board, and Library Board; (3) add a public engagement period before final approval. Staff will incorporate edits, post for public feedback, and return in December.
- Solid Waste Franchise Agreements: Finance Director Michael Osborne presented the option to hold a hearing on November 18 to terminate the current rolling 10-year franchise. He and expert Chris Bell noted termination would give the city flexibility to restructure services or go to bid in the future. Councilmember Anderson and others expressed support for termination to avoid binding future councils. After hearing testimony from haulers, council agreed to hold the November 18 hearing.
- Council Letter on Kellogg Restoration Project: Councilmember Massey introduced a letter requesting the restoration project team (American Rivers, watershed council) to appear November 18 to answer questions about funding, sewer line relocation, and project governance. The letter emphasizes the project's connection to parks, economic development, and affordability. Council approved the letter with minor edits.
- Council Letter on ICE Actions: Council President Anderson presented a draft letter to Secretary of Homeland Security regarding the alleged unlawful detention of a Milwaukee-area U.S. citizen by ICE. After extensive discussion, council voted to extend the meeting and approved a revised letter (removing specific references to the individual, citations, and some language). The letter condemns ICE’s pattern of unconstitutional behavior. Council directed staff to forward to Secretary Noem and CC congressional delegation and media. Council also agreed to contact the individual’s attorney.
Key Outcomes
- Unanimous vote to designate Milwaukee as an International City of Peace.
- Council will hold a hearing on November 18, 2025 to consider terminating the rolling solid waste franchise agreement.
- Naming policy will be revised per council direction and brought back for approval in December 2025.
- Letter to the restoration project team approved; team invited to November 18 work session.
- Letter to Secretary of Homeland Security condemning ICE actions approved; to be sent immediately.
Other Business
- Council received a follow-up from the city manager on prior correspondence, including increased patrols on 99E and code enforcement actions on Lake Road.
- Two proclamations read.
- Meeting extended to finalize the ICE letter; adjourned after approval.
Meeting Transcript
This meeting is being held in person at City Hall and by video conference. The public may participate in this meeting by coming to City Hall or joining the Zoom webinar. The meeting is being broadcast live on the city's YouTube channel and Comcast Cable Channel 30 within city limits. There will be opportunities for the public to speak during this meeting. If you would like to address counsel, you may come to City Hall or participate via Zoom. If you are interested in speaking, please let staff know by filling out a yellow comment card for those in City Hall or emailing OCR at Milwaukee, Oregon.gov for those on Zoom. When it is time to take public comments, staff will monitor the comment cards, email inbox, and zoom participant list and chat. We will take comments in the order they are received and seen. Comments may be emailed to OCR at Milwaukee, Oregon.gov. We ask that all Zoom participants who intend to speak label their Zoom username to show their first and last names for the record. Spanish translation services are available upon request. The public is asked to request translation and other meeting accessibility services at least 48 hours before the meeting. For more information, contact the city recorder at 503-786-7502. Servicios de Tradución en Espanol está disponible cuando se es solicitado. Se pide el público que solicite servicios de tradución y otros servicios de accesibilidad por lo menos 48 horas antes de la reunión. Para obtener más información, llama a El Secretario de la Ciudad 53. Siete ocho seis cinco ceros. Translation services are also available in other languages. Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. And in just a few minutes, we will have our Indigenous People's Day proclamation. But first, announcements and haikus. Applications continue to be accept accepted for the city's Climate Action Committee. Weaves together her family's story against the backdrop of Korea's tumultuous modern history with a powerful question at its heart. Can we ever separate ourselves from our family's past? And if the answer is yes, should we? Volunteers are needed at monthly restoration events on Elk Rock Island. The next is on Saturday, October 18th from 9 30 a.m. to noon. Volunteers volunteers remove Ivy and invasive plants and pick up litter. Volunteers meet at Spring Park at 19th Avenue and Sparrow Street at 9 30 a.m. And I will say that's uh the October 18th, but more immediately this Saturday, October 11th. There's work party at 9 30 a.m. at Minthorn Springs for anyone who wants to come out. at Minthorn Springs for anyone who wants to come out, park near the Planet Fitness and walk across 37th Avenue and come see all the exciting stuff that's going on in Mint Thorn Springs. Um early design work for the central segment of the Monroe Street Greenway has begun. This segment starts at 21st Avenue, jogs to Campbell Street, then to Oak Street, and back to Monroe Street. Starts at 21st Avenue. Is that right? Oh well, okay. Yeah, it starts starts at Willard and then goes on uh 21st. Okay. And then down Washington. It's kind of a rather than going on Main Street, which is what they typically done, it's going behind. Okay. By uh El Puente and Milwaukee Elementary. Okay. Uh the community is invited to attend an open house on Wednesday, October 22nd from 5 to 6:30 p.m. to see design plans, ask questions, and give feedback. Refreshments will be provided.
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