County board approves Domes funding safeguard, backs jail body scanner and grant account; Bender Park dredging fails to reach supermajority

The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors on July 24 approved an amendment that adds county control language to the county’s planned capital commitment for the Mitchell Park Domes, authorized an appropriation transfer to buy a body scanner and a trained canine for the sheriff’s office, and authorized a new segregated bank account to receive a WEDC grant for a small-business program. A separate proposal to move funds for sediment abatement at Bender Park’s boat launch failed to clear the two-thirds vote required for contingency transfers.

The board adopted an amendment to file 25-458, the county executive’s request for a capital funding commitment to restore the Mitchell Park Domes, that requires the facility and related rights to revert to Milwaukee County if the Milwaukee Domes Alliance “is unable or unwilling to continue operating under the terms of the lease and development agreements,” and that bars transfer of the lease without County Board approval. The amendment was read into the record and adopted by unanimous voice vote; the full package was approved as amended 15-2. First Vice Chair Stephen Shea announced the roll call; the amendment language was read into the record by the clerk and placed on the public record during the…