Milwaukee committee confirms arts-board and BID appointees, holds several nominations to chair’s call

The Milwaukee Common Council’s Community Economic Development Committee on May 21 confirmed a set of mayoral appointees to the Milwaukee Arts Board and to local business improvement districts and postponed several other nominations until the chair calls them back.

The committee, chaired by Alderman Russell W. Stamper II, confirmed Natasha Perez to the Milwaukee Arts Board and approved reappointments and appointments to multiple Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), including Kevin McElroy (BID No. 41), Linda Jackson Conyers (reappointment to BID No. 4), Adela Deacon (BID No. 32) and Derek Goodman (BID No. 32). Several other nominations — including Mikhail Wesley (reappointment to BID No. 39) and Steve Field (reappointment to BID No. 48) — were “held to the call of the chair.”

Why it matters: BIDs shape neighborhood-level economic development, property improvements and merchant services. The Milwaukee Arts Board advises the city on arts funding and cultural policy; new members may affect future arts programming and community outreach.

Natasha Perez, confirmed to the Milwaukee Arts Board, told the committee she is a baker and Milwaukee High School of the Arts alum who grew up on the city’s South Side. “I am born and raised on the South Side, and I really do enjoy art,” Perez said. Alderman speakers noted Perez has provided baked goods for council events and described her as an entrepreneur.

Symphony Swan Zawadi (also reported in the meeting as Symphony Swan Zoeti), another mayoral nominee to the Arts Board, described a long career in arts education and nonprofit work. “I have spent all of my career in the arts, whether working as an art teacher in K–12 schools throughout Milwaukee in arts nonprofit and in philanthropy,” Zawadi told the committee; the committee confirmed her appointment.

Kevin McElroy, confirmed to Business Improvement District No. 41, said he has owned a barbershop and salon since 1994 and has been active in the Downer-area BID since moving there in 2017. “I’ve been in business since 1994,” McElroy said. The committee approved his appointment.

Linda Jackson Conyers was reappointed to BID No. 4. Conyers told the committee she has operated a business on King Drive for more than 20 years and described efforts to mentor and support small and minority-owned businesses in the neighborhood. She said one tenant in her building operates a wig business serving women undergoing medical hair loss, which Conyers identified as Medical Wigs by Jennifer.

Adela Deacon, who identified herself as an attorney with Sable Law Group Wisconsin and a local developer working near Fond du Lac, described projects including a café, salon suites and possible day care next to the Fond du Lac farmers market; the committee confirmed her appointment to BID No. 32. Derek Goodman, who identified himself as CEO of Saint Anne’s Center for Intergenerational Care and a nonprofit executive with more than two decades of experience in human services, was also confirmed to BID No. 32.

The committee recorded a reappointment for Daniel Goldin to BID No. 41 and noted his “perfect attendance.” Several other nominations were called by committee members to be held until the chair’s call; those holds were made by motion, and each was recorded as “held to the call of the chair.”

The meeting proceeded mostly by voice motions. For confirmed items, committee members moved for confirmation and the chair observed “hearing no objection,” after which the appointment was ordered confirmed. For several other items, a member moved to “hold this to the call of the chair,” and the chair likewise recorded no objection.

Votes at a glance

- Item 1250038 — Kevin McElroy — Appointment to Business Improvement District No. 41 (mayoral). Moved for confirmation by committee (mover: Alderman Chambers). Outcome: approved; confirmed by voice (“hearing no objection”). - Item 2250177 — Natasha Perez — Appointment to Milwaukee Arts Board (mayoral). Moved for confirmation (mover: Alderman Chambers). Outcome: approved; confirmed by voice (“hearing no objection”). - Item 250178 (appears as 3250178 earlier in the agenda) — Symphony Swan Zawadi — Appointment to Milwaukee Arts Board (mayoral). Moved for confirmation (mover: Alderman Chambers). Outcome: approved; confirmed by voice. - Item 250182 / 4250182 — Linda Jackson Conyers — Reappointment to Business Improvement District No. 4 (mayoral). Moved for confirmation (mover: Alderman Chambers). Outcome: approved; confirmed by voice. - Item 250183 / 5250183 — Adela Deacon — Appointment to Business Improvement District No. 32 (mayoral). Moved for confirmation (mover: Alderman Dimitrijevich). Outcome: approved; confirmed by voice. - Item 250184 / 6250184 — Derek Goodman — Appointment to Business Improvement District No. 32 (mayoral). Moved for confirmation (mover: Alderman Chambers). Outcome: approved; confirmed by voice. - Item 7250185 (as discussed) — Mikhail Wesley — Reappointment to Business Improvement District No. 39 (mayoral). Outcome: held to the call of the chair (mover: Alderman Chambers). Action recorded as held. - Item 8250186 — Daniel Goldin — Reappointment to Business Improvement District No. 41 (mayoral). Outcome: approved; chair noted “no objection.” Committee comment: “perfect attendance.” - Item 9250187 — Steve Field — Reappointment to Business Improvement District No. 48 (mayoral). Outcome: held to the call of the chair (mover: Alderman Zamaripa). Action recorded as held.

What the committee said about process and next steps: several nominations were delayed because nominees were not present at the meeting; in those cases a committee member moved to hold the nomination “to the call of the chair,” and the chair agreed. Confirmed appointees were instructed to follow up with the clerk’s office for formal onboarding; the committee did not set additional conditions or implementation steps during the meeting.

The committee adjourned after completing the confirmations and recording holds.