Milwaukee County committee approves 2026 capital recommendations; reduces zoo entrance allocation

The Milwaukee County Capital Improvements Committee voted unanimously to approve its 2026 capital recommendations, including a $241,418 cash placeholder for the Bender Park boat‑launch sediment‑abatement project and amended bond and cash project lists, after extended discussion of the Milwaukee County Zoo front‑entrance redesign and the Mitchell Park Domes funding proposal.

The committee’s actions will be forwarded as recommendations to the county executive and the county board of supervisors for inclusion in the 2026 adopted capital improvement budget.

The committee approved three package motions: (1) approving the minutes from the Aug. 12, 2025 meeting; (2) recommending $241,418 in cash funding be added for capital project WP 077801, Bender Park boat‑launch sediment abatement; and (3) adopting the bond and cash finance project lists as amended. All motions passed on unanimous recorded voice/roll‑call votes.

Why it matters: the committee’s recommendations guide the county executive’s proposed capital budget and signal where the board will be asked to prioritize limited capital dollars. Several large projects — notably the zoo entrance reconfiguration and the Mitchell Park Domes — drew the most debate because of safety concerns, tourism impacts and their multimillion‑dollar price tags.

Key votes and outcomes

- Minutes: On a motion by Committee Member John Rogers, the Aug. 12, 2025 minutes were approved, 7–0.

- Bender Park: The committee voted 7–0 to recommend reducing available 2026 cash funding by $241,418 so the amount can be reserved in the county’s capital recommendation to address a shortfall on capital project WP 077801 (Bender Park boat‑launch sediment abatement). The item was described to the committee as a shortfall that was not included in Parks’ formal 2026 departmental request.

- Bond package: The committee adopted the bond finance projects “as amended” by unanimous vote (7–0). The amendments included moving funding around on several large items and specifically reducing the Milwaukee County Zoo front‑entrance project allocation. Committee discussion referenced an overall construction estimate for the zoo entrance of $17.6 million; members agreed to reduce that allocation by $4 million, to $13.6 million, and to pursue phasing and scope reductions (for example, removing a plaza/parking connection that the presenter estimated would save roughly $3.2 million). The committee also left a $5 million placeholder for the Mitchell Park Domes in the recommended bond list while continuing to treat disbursement as contingent on the Domes’ fundraising and future board action.

- Cash package: The cash finance list was adopted as amended (7–0). Notable changes included a narrowed scope for a courthouse server‑room safety project (reduced from about $2.1 million to roughly $1.1 million to focus on fire suppression and immediate safety needs) and adjustments to technology lifecycle and other cash projects so the committee’s cash recommendation sat just under the committee’s cash cap.

Discussion highlights — zoo entrance

Design consultant Adam Walter of Strand Associates and Milwaukee County Zoo Executive Director Amos Morris presented traffic and circulation analysis for the zoo entrance at Bluemound Road and 90th Street. The presentation said long vehicle queues caused by on‑site ticketing have created eastbound and westbound backups that sometimes extend to Highway 100 and the I‑94 ramps and that there have been at least two pedestrian fatalities near the existing crossing.

As presented, the proposed solution included converting to exit validation (free‑flow entry), replacing the pedestrian hybrid beacon with a signalized intersection, adding pedestrian refuge improvements, and expanding exit capacity with four exit lanes. The consultant estimated a full project construction cost of roughly $17.6 million and noted opportunities to reduce scope and phase work.

“We are definitely looking at trying to save resources as requested,” Morris told the committee, adding the design work presented represented both safety and operational goals. Mayor Tom McBride — speaking as a committee member — framed the project as a safety priority for Wauwatosa and Milwaukee County and said: “If you can find the money, if you can find the way from a personal standpoint, from a safety standpoint, from a tourism standpoint … I would urge the committee to try to find a way to get this done and to get it done as quickly as possible.”

Committee members pressed departments to provide phased cost breakdowns and alternatives (ticketing, exit lanes, signal timing and options to defer signal work until county or state road projects), and members agreed the project could be broken into elements for phased funding.

Mitchell Park Domes and other parks items

The committee discussed whether to include a $5 million annual allocation for the Mitchell Park Domes in the adopted recommendation. Milwaukee County Parks Executive Director Guy Smith said the department remains “fully supportive of the Domes Alliance and the Mitchell Park Domes and confident … that we’ll find a way forward.” Committee members noted the Domes agreement includes a $5 million budget allocation but that release of funds should remain contingent on fundraising milestones and future board appropriations.

Other parks items debated included Whitnall Park irrigation (multi‑phase, multi‑million dollar need) and several smaller park playground or lighting projects. Supervisor input emphasized that some recurring maintenance projects (such as irrigation) are effectively cost‑avoidance measures because they reduce ongoing staff time and emergency repairs.

Senior centers and facilities

Committee members discussed pausing certain senior center capital investments pending a December administration report on facility strategy and service delivery. Aaron Hertzberg, director of administrative services, told the committee the facilities are “safe to be in” now and that the December work will present facts and priorities so future capital can align with system goals.

Security, technology and jail visitation

The committee narrowed the scope of a courthouse server‑room project to focus on fire suppression and immediate safety concerns, reducing the recommended 2026 cash request from roughly $2.1 million to about $1.1 million. Representatives from DAS/IMSD and capital planning said the scope cut preserves the safety work while deferring integrated building‑automation and broader physical‑security changes.

The committee declined to add a cash request to restore full in‑person visitation at the main jail this year after the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office said additional correctional and clerical staffing would be required to operate expanded visitation. Deputies and jail staff said the proposed visitation funding would add operating needs that the administration is already addressing in separate supplemental budget requests.

What the committee directed staff to do

- Departments were asked to provide cost breakdowns and phasing options for the zoo front‑entrance project, including a line‑item split for ticketing, intersection/signalization and circulation elements. - Parks and finance staff were asked to confirm the status of a $250,000 green‑infrastructure grant referenced by Parks and whether it is executed before the committee relies on that funding in recommendations. - Administration said it will present a December report on senior‑center facilities that will guide future capital decisions.

Next steps

The committee’s recommendations will be transmitted to the county executive and the county board. The committee’s actions are advisory; the county executive’s proposed budget and the county board’s final appropriation decisions may change specific project amounts or timing.

Ending note

All motions reported in this meeting passed on unanimous recorded votes; specific roll‑call tallies and the motions are included in the actions and provenance sections below.