Wauwatosa council approves Jennifer Tate as city attorney after debate over confirmation process

The City of Wauwatosa Common Council approved the mayor's appointment of Jennifer Tate to the position of city attorney effective June 9, 2025.

The vote followed objections from several aldermen about the speed and structure of the hiring process. Alder Meindl said he would vote no, arguing the councilmust be allowed meaningful time and opportunity to question finalists and exercise oversight. "For that vote to mean anything, we must be able to ask questions of various individuals and assess whether the recommendation aligns with the city and residents' needs," Meindl said.

Mayor (name not specified) defended the timeline, saying the vacancy created when Attorney Kessner announced his retirement left a short window to finalize a hire. The mayor said the HR department ran a four-week application period, interview panels met quickly, and the city administrator and mayor conducted final-round interviews at the earliest possible date; the candidate then needed time to negotiate terms and notify her employer. "Monday was as early as we could have done it," the mayor said.

Alder Foley said he was concerned about the short noticehe said aldermen were notified "approximately noon yesterday"but after additional checking, he planned to vote yes because the candidate appeared to be a good fit. Alder Morgan, Alder Dolan and others voiced support for the candidate and thanked outgoing Attorney Kessner for his years of service.

The motion to confirm Tate was moved as part of the mayor's slate of appointments by Alderman Wilkie and seconded by Alder Dolan. On roll call the council recorded 12 yes votes, 1 no (Alder Meindl) and 1 present (Alder McLough). The clerk announced: "That passes on a 12 to 1 to 1 vote." The council recorded the effective date given on the agenda: June 9, 2025.

Why it matters: The city attorney advises the mayor, the common council and city departments on legal matters. Several aldermen framed their objections as concerns about process and legislative oversight rather than the qualifications of the candidate.

What council members said: Alder Meindl said the councilby statute and city ordinancehas a duty to examine recommendations and that confirmations should not be perfunctory. "If the executive branch no longer sees value in the council's role in confirmations, then let's be transparent about it," he said. The mayor said the short timeline was unavoidable after the retirement announcement and argued leaving the office vacant longer would not serve the city.

Next steps: Tate's appointment takes effect June 9, 2025, as stated on the agenda. Alder Meindl said he intends to continue pressing for procedural changes to the confirmation process if no reform is pursued by the administration.