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Committee approves green‑infrastructure agreements and grant subaward for two stormwater projects
Summary
The Public Works Committee approved a funding agreement and conservation easement for green infrastructure at Metcalfe Playfield and a grant subaward with Harbor District Inc. to install bioswales and rain gardens along South First Street; separate action added worksites for MPS School‑to‑Work at Milwaukee Water Works.
The committee approved a set of stormwater and green‑infrastructure items aimed at reducing runoff and improving water quality.
Metcalfe Playfield Tony Jazek of DPW Stormwater described a resolution authorizing the city to enter a green‑infrastructure funding agreement and a conservation easement with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) for Metcalfe Playfield (2321 N. 30th St. / 3401 W. Monarchy Ave.). The project will install bioswales and rain gardens; the agreement includes an 11‑year maintenance and conservation commitment. The resolution was adopted by the committee.
Harbor District / South First Street Aaron Zaleski of Harbor District Inc. and DPW staff described a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation subaward that will fund green infrastructure on South First Street (from W. Lincoln Ave. to S. Chase Ave.) as part of a combined traffic safety and repaving project. Harbor District is the grant recipient; DPW will be the technical manager and fiscal agent for the portion passed through to city work. Committee members were told design is near complete and construction is expected to bid starting in June–July with work continuing into 2026. The committee approved the grant subaward agreement.
School‑to‑Work expansion at Milwaukee Water Works Janette Slo, Waterworks Administration Manager, explained a separate amendment to the intergovernmental cooperation agreement with Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) to increase the number of School‑to‑Work students hosted by Milwaukee Water Works from five to eight per semester by expanding worksites to DPW field headquarters and, if needed, Lynnwood Water Treatment Plant. The committee approved that amendment.
Why it matters: green infrastructure projects aim to reduce untreated stormwater flows to the region’s waterways and provide on‑the‑ground environmental benefits, while the School‑to‑Work expansion adds student training opportunities at municipal worksites.
Next steps: DPW and partner organizations will finalize agreements, complete remaining design and bid the Harbor District project with construction to follow.
