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Milwaukee DPW proposes centralized finance role, comptroller flags revenue shifts
Summary
City Department of Public Works administrative services presented the mayor's proposed 2026 budget that adds one centralized Financial Services Director position to unify DPW finances while the comptroller and budget staff reduced some revenue expectations tied to permit activity and conduit ordinance changes.
The Department of Public Works (DPW) Administrative Services told a city budget committee on Oct. 16 that the mayor's proposed 2026 budget would add one new Financial Services Director post to centralize financial leadership across DPW divisions. Nathaniel Lehi of the Budget Management Division said the change is intended to bring uniform review of processes including accounts receivable and revenue-generating activity for enterprise funds.
Budget staff said the new position is paid from reallocated salaries and partly offset by cuts in operations and infrastructure. DPW Commissioner Gerald Crusty told the committee the role is intended to reduce internal duplication and pursue uncollected revenue such as conduit leasing and encroachments.
The comptroller and budget team also described changes to revenue estimates for 2026. Lehi said anticipated permit revenue for use of streets and public-rights-of-way was reduced to reflect year-to-date actuals, and the comptroller had already recognized $500,000 tied to an update to the conduit ordinance passed in September; additional omnibus revenue could add about $445,000 if adopted.
DPW administrative staff described core services that support the whole department, including HR and payroll, open records responses (a high-volume task), contract compliance, permitting for street occupancy, small business enterprise compliance, communications and a large training workload tied to a Workday enterprise implementation. Commissioner Crusty and Administrative Services Director Dan Thomas emphasized that Workday participation consumes substantial staff time but should produce longer-term efficiencies.
Committee members pressed for detail on the new position's cost and whether service reductions would be felt elsewhere. Lehi said the Financial Services Director would cost about $127,000 plus fringe benefits but would be budget-neutral overall by shifting positions and salary allocations from infrastructure and operations to the administrative line.
The committee heard that DPW is working to reallocate staff time where enterprise fund work was previously done without full reimbursement, and that salary reallocations will continue into 2026. Budget staff reported the DPW administrative operating funds run on thin margins and that a significant portion of some budgets fund required items such as AODA testing for employees.
The presentation closed with committee members requesting additional information and follow-up about how permit fee changes will affect revenues, and about the department's ability to use Workday and other technology to reduce back-office costs.
The meeting recorded no final committee vote on the administrative services budget; it remains part of the mayor's proposed 2026 package pending later hearings and council action.
