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 finance committee discussion.

Why it matters: supervisors and the administration repeatedly referred to a roughly $30,000,000 planned county investment in the Domes and framed the amendment as a protective measure to ensure the county retains control of the asset if the operating nonprofit changes. Supervisor Wasserman, who introduced the change, said the clause was meant to ensure “the people of Milwaukee County have the control” of the facility if the nonprofit operator cannot continue. The item was adopted as amended (file 25-458).

Jail scanner and canine: The board approved file 25-501, an appropriation-transfer request transferring $252,308 from contingency to the Office of the Sheriff to purchase a body scanner and add a trained canine. Supervisor Capriollo told the board she had received statistics from jail leadership showing “since 2020, there have been 175 incidents of contraband” and that Narcan had been administered roughly 50 times in that period; she said two in-custody deaths this year were linked to suspected overdoses. Members said the scanner and a third K-9 would help detect contraband brought into custody; the item passed on roll call 15-2.

WEDC grant bank account: The board approved a request from the Department of Administrative Services (file 25-468) to create a segregated bank account to receive and disburse funds from a Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) grant for the Building Bridges Small Business Grant Program. Supervisor Martin raised oversight concerns, recalling past county problems with unmonitored accounts; other members said the comptroller’s office will provide reporting and that the grant requires a segregated account. The item was adopted following committee recommendation.

Bender Park boat launch transfer fails: The board considered file 25-504, a proposal to transfer $241,418 from contingency and $100,000 from a McKinley Beach project to Bender Park boat launch for sediment abatement (a total of about $341,418). Supporters, led by Supervisor Taylor (District 17), characterized the request as a safety measure to reopen a boat launch that supporters said was not navigable; Taylor noted the last dredging was in 2013 and described the situation as creating emergency-response risks. Opponents and members who sought more study urged referral to the parks committee and questioned whether a temporary dredging payment was the right use of contingency dollars when a long-term breakwall solution is estimated at several million dollars.

The measure received an 11-6 favorable vote on final adoption, but the chair ruled the measure required a two-thirds vote of members-elect (12 of 17) because of contingency rules; the motion therefore failed to meet the required threshold and was not approved. Several supervisors said they supported a long-term engineering solution, but disagreed on tapping contingency to pay for a temporary fix.

Other actions: the board confirmed Anthony Johnson’s reappointment to the Milwaukee County Pension Board (file 25-481) by unanimous roll call and approved a finance committee package that included other administrative actions and reports. The parks audit and the county hazard mitigation plan were adopted as committee reports.

What’s next: For the Domes, the board’s amended policy preference must be reflected in the final lease and development agreements; the Domes restoration remains contingent on those agreements. The sheriff’s office will receive funding to acquire the scanner and dog; implementation specifics and protocols for use were discussed in committee and will be handled by the sheriff’s office and jail leadership. The Bender Park dredging proposal may be reintroduced after committee review or by future budget action.