Housing Authority board creates executive search committee for permanent executive director

The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee Board of Commissioners on Sept. 10 approved a resolution creating an executive search committee to assist in finding a permanent secretary/executive director.

The board resolution establishes a committee of up to seven members, requires a majority for quorum and assigns the board chair to appoint committee members. Interim Secretary Executive Director Ken Barbot and the city attorney's office presented the proposal to the board before the vote.

City Attorney Greg Crews told the board the resolution is intended to define committee membership, quorum rules and duties and to provide a transparent process for public input without requiring all commissioners to attend every meeting. Barbot said the search contractor and committee work are expected to take several months and that the committee will dissolve after a candidate is selected.

Commissioners voted to adopt the resolution; Vice Chair Gotzler recorded an abstention while other commissioners voted in favor. The board did not delegate hiring authority to the committee: the board retains final hiring authority for the secretary/executive director post.

The chair said she plans to finalize committee appointments by the end of the month and named initial members who are already participating in committee meetings: Michelle Bryant, Betty Newton (Pastor), Will Davis (Pastor) and staff representatives including Brad Leakes, Todd Slussar and Amy Hall. Barbot and the chair said staff serve to support the committee, and participation by the city attorney is optional.

The board will publish committee meeting notices and the committee will accept public input as part of the search process. The resolution does not set a specific deadline for the overall search; the chair told commissioners she expects the process to take about four to six months.