County board approves Building Bridges small-business program, creates temporary staff position

The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors on May 22 approved a plan to use a dormant economic development reserve to launch a Building Bridges Small Business and Commercial Corridor Activation Program intended to support small businesses across municipalities in the county.

The resolution, introduced in the Committee on Finance and adopted after an amendment, authorizes the Department of Administrative Services and Economic Development to draw on an Economic Development reserve (originally created in 2011) to fund the new program and hire a temporary staff person to administer it. Supervisor Robert Taylor (District 17) made the motion and described the funding source as “money that we found” in a fund last used in 2017 and originally seeded by a portion of land-sale proceeds.

Nut graf: Board members said the program repurposes unused county funds to provide grants and loans for small businesses, paired with new reporting requirements so the board can track outcomes. The program includes a state grant component and a competitive lending element intended to reach businesses in any municipality in Milwaukee County.

Most important details: The resolution draws on more than $600,000 in reserve funds identified by the administration, pairs that money with a $200,000 state grant, and establishes $10,000 loans/grants for eligible small businesses. The adopted amendment requires quarterly reports to the Finance Committee on program performance and funds a position for roughly four years (the anticipated life of the drawn-down fund), so the board will see periodic updates on use of the money and program outcomes.

Supervisors debated oversight during committee and on the floor. Supervisor Taylor said he pushed for additional board oversight because the reserve had been dormant for years and the amendment provides transparency by returning progress reports each September. Supervisor Juan Miguel Martinez and others expressed support for improved local oversight and the prospective small-business benefits.

The vote on the amended item was 16 ayes, 1 no (Supervisor Alexander cast the lone no), and the resolution carried.

Ending: The county will now proceed to implement the Building Bridges program under Economic Development oversight with the required periodic reporting back to Finance. Further details about applicant eligibility and the program timeline will be released by the Department of Administrative Services and Economic Development when the program opens.