Milwaukee City Council Meeting - November 19, 2025

The Milwaukee City Council convened on November 19, 2025, to approve a student of the month, the consent agenda, and discuss speed limit modifications and housing programs. The meeting featured significant deliberation on adopting the Middle-Income Revolving Loan (MIRL) program, public hearings regarding solid waste franchise terms, and the adoption of budget adjustments. Council members addressed community concerns regarding hate flyers, police transparency, and local transportation funding.

Consent Calendar

• Unanimously approved the minutes of the October 14, 2025, retreat.
• Unanimously approved the resolution appointing the inaugural membership to the Climate Action Committee.
• Unanimously approved the resolution reinstating a personal service agreement with FCS Group (Bauman Company) for water and wastewater rate study services.

Public Comments & Testimony

Solid Waste Franchise Public Hearing:

• Beth Vargas Duncan (Oregon Refuse and Recycling Association): Representing franchise haulers (Clackamas Garbage, Hoodview Disposal, Waste Connections, WM), she expressed opposition to terminating the current franchise agreement. She stated that terminating creates unnecessary costs and instability, arguing that the city should amend the existing agreement instead, which can be done seamlessly without starting a new RFP process.
• Keith Miller (Clackamas Garbage Owner): Expressed concern that terminating the franchise would significantly diminish the asset value required for securing financing for his small business. He requested the retention of the existing agreement to maintain stability for capital investment.

Solid Waste Council Discussion:

• Councilor Justin Passar: Clarified that the municipal code does not currently provide a mechanism to unilaterally amend the franchise term, necessitating termination to change the agreement structure. He noted that while termination is the only current path to amend, the city is not prevented from revisiting code changes in future years.

Discussion Items

• Student of the Month: Principal Louis Mayer introduced Pailoli Bibles, a senior at Milwaukee Academy of the Arts. Bibles discussed her 4.0 GPA, leadership roles, and future plans to study political science and law school following her work with Cornell University's international law scholarship.
• Speed Limits on Local Streets:
  • Staff Presentation: Engineer Jennifer Gargale presented a proposal to reduce speed limits on local streets and bikeways from 25 mph to 20 mph to enhance safety for cyclists and pedestrians. She stated that 54.5% of survey respondents were against reducing speeds, but the proposed implementation would be phased over multipleyears to utilize in-house staff and save costs compared to a $400,000 contractor bid.
  • Council Positions:
    • Councilor Mayor: Supported the phased approach to manage budget and staff capacity, though expressed concern regarding data transparency and cost clarity for the public.
    • Councilor Rancy: Supported the incremental approach, noting that bundling speed changes with other street work acts as a safety multiplier.
    • Councilor Costrabati: Expressed support for in-house implementation to save money, noting that most local streets lack clear signage, making a 20 mph limit a necessary clarifying standard.
    • Councilor Mayor (Alternative View): Advocated for a "do it big" approach (implementing citywide quickly), stating that rolling out changes gradually could lead to enforcement nightmares and lower public compliance.
    • Councilor Mayor (Follow-up): Acknowledged that phasing allows for better education and integration with other traffic calming projects.
• Middle-Income Revolving Loan (MIRL) Program:
  • Staff Presentation: Assistant City Manager Joseph Reilly outlined the state program which provides no-interest loans that convert to grants for developers building moderate-income housing (80-120% AMI). He stated that while the program offers a revolving fund to the city, it carries liability risks, requires complex Inter-Governmental Agreements (IGAs), and imposes a significant administrative burden on city staff for compliance and enforcement.
  • OHCS Testimony (Jason Mackey & Megan Ellertson):
    • Clarified that the program does not require the "51% rule" (approval from taxing districts) that applies to other tax exemptions; only fire districts are preserved.
    • Confirmed that the state does not mandate a January 1st deadline for rule implementation, though agencies intend to have rules ready by early 2026.
    • Stated that adopting an originating ordinance does not obligate the city to accept projects; the city retains full discretion over project selection, risk assessment, and affordability criteria (e.g., selecting projects under 80% AMI even if the ordinance allows up to 120% AMI).
    • Confirmed that the county is a required stakeholder for IGAs, which must be finalized before the city can accept projects.
  • Developer Testimony (Austin):
    • Argumented that the program is essential for financing middle-income housing, stating that without the seed loan to de-risk land costs, the proposed 42-50 units at Linwood would not be affordable.
    • Reassured the council that deed restrictions and covenants handle long-term compliance, minimizing ongoing administrative burden compared to rental programs.
  • Council Positions:
    • Councilor Massey: Opposed proceeding with the ordinance at this time, stating that administering loans and assessing risk is not a core competency of the city and poses an undue administrative burden.
    • Councilor Costrabati: Expressed hesitation, noting the program is "clunky" and complex, stating that the city is not yet prepared to take on the liability risk given the uncertainty of the state rules.
    • Council President Anderson: Proposed a delay until March to allow time for county coordination and further clarification on state rulemaking, stating that proceeding hastily could be offensive to those struggling with housing costs but prioritizes careful preparation.
    • Councilor Calbari: Opposed the move, stating the program puts the city in a compromising position and that the state "needs to go back to the drawing board" before cities should adopt it.
    • Councilor Mayor (Pro-MIRL): Supported adopting the originating ordinance immediately, stating that it allows developers to engage with the state now and does not bind the city to accept projects, arguing that delaying is counterproductive to the affordability crisis.
• Solid Waste Franchise (Public Hearing): Council members discussed the trade-off between terminating the rolling 10-year franchise to create a fixed 10-year term (expiring 2035) versus amending the current agreement. Staff confirmed that the code does not currently allow for unilateral amendment of the term, making termination the necessary step to change the contract structure.
• Budget Adjustments: Finance Director Michael Osborne presented a supplemental budget adjustment of $890,000 funded by the public safety fee to add two police officers, a behavioral health specialist, a library assistant, a court clerk, and a public works admin.
• Council Reports:
  • Police Transparency: The Council discussed potential statements regarding police masking and use of force following federal trends. The City Manager stated a website with clear expectations (no masks, identification displayed) is being drafted.
  • Hate Flyers: The Council discussed whether to issue a formal statement condemning recent white supremacist flyers. The consensus positioned was to decline to give the incidents additional attention, favoring an approach that uplifts community values instead.

Key Outcomes

• Ordinance 225E (Solid Waste): The Council voted unanimously (4-0) to adopt the ordinance terminating the continuing solid waste franchise system pursuant to Chapter 13.24 of the Milwaukee Municipal Code. This action transitions the franchise to a fixed 10-year term expiring January 1, 2035.
• Budget Resolution: The Council voted unanimously to approve the supplemental budget adjustment of $890,000 for the 2025-2026 biennium.
• Student Recognition: The City Council formally recognized Bellile Bibles as the Student of the Month.
• MIRL Program Direction: The Council declined to direct staff to draft an originating ordinance for the MIRL program at this time, deferring the decision to allow for further clarity on state rules and county coordination (proposed return in March).
• Speed Limit Study: Council generally agreed to support the staff's recommendation for a phased implementation of speed limit reductions (25 mph to 20 mph) on bikeways and local streets, with direction to include cost and data in the upcoming Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:55 PM.