City Service Commission approves classification changes, several temporary appointment extensions and one reinstatement

The Milwaukee Board of City Service Commissioners on March 11 approved a set of personnel actions including classification changes, multiple temporary appointment extensions and a reinstatement request during a regularly scheduled meeting.

The commission voted to approve the minutes of its Feb. 25 meeting, accepted classification-report recommendations from city departments, declined to make any probationary-service changes for reclassified positions, granted several temporary appointment extensions, and approved the reinstatement of a former Milwaukee Water Works communications assistant.

Why it matters: the approved classification changes and temporary appointments affect staffing and operations across the Department of Public Works and the Health Department, and the reinstatement returns an experienced employee to service at Milwaukee Water Works.

Key actions and outcomes

- Approval of minutes: The commission approved the minutes of the Feb. 25, 2025 meeting. Recorded roll-call votes were recorded as Commissioner Miller — yes; Commissioner Smith — yes; Commissioner Clary — yes. Outcome: approved.

- Classification reports: The commission approved classification recommendations transmitted by departments. Changes described to the commission included a requested retitle in the Department of Public Works, Operations Division (from "fleet operations and training manager" to a retitled designation described to commission staff as "fleet demolition manager"), reclassification of a garage custodian to garage coordinator, and two new positions created in the 2025 budget for the Health Department (an inventory control assistant 3 in the Office of the Commissioner and a neighborhood nursing program manager in Clinical Services). Recorded votes: Commissioner Miller — yes; Commissioner Smith — yes; Commissioner Clary — yes. Outcome: approved.

- Probationary-service recommendations: Staff reported that incumbents for the Department of Public Works Operations Division positions had been performing the duties for some time and that the health-department positions are new; no new or extended probationary periods were recommended and no action was required.

- Temporary appointment extensions (approved): • Teresa Bridal, account lead (Comptroller's Office) — first extension requested for 7 months, listed as 05/25/2025 through 12/20/2025; recorded votes: Miller — yes; Smith — yes; Clary — yes. Outcome: approved. • Ryan Metcalfe and Mark Tufte, city laborers (DPW Infrastructure Services Division) — first extension requested to cover the interim period until recall as bridge operators; recorded votes: Miller — yes; Smith — yes; Clary — yes. Outcome: approved. • Ronaldo Cortez, ice control driver (DPW Operations Division) — first extension requested, retroactive dates noted in staff communication as 03/02/2025 through 05/10/2025; recorded votes: Miller — yes; Smith — yes; Clary — yes. Outcome: approved. • Dorothy McCall, temporary appointment in Employee Benefits — first extension requested for 10 months, retroactive from 03/02/2025 through 12/20/2025; recorded votes: Miller — yes; Smith — yes; Clary — yes. Outcome: approved.

- Reinstatement: The commission approved the reinstatement request submitted by Leilani Lopez Blasini to return to the Department of Public Works, Milwaukee Water Works, communications assistant 5 position. The department provided routine reinstatement paperwork and the department director supported the request. Recorded votes: Miller — yes; Smith — yes; Clary — yes. Outcome: approved.

Meeting process and context

Commission staff presented written letters and job descriptions in support of each personnel action. Staff described some of the temporary extensions as covering interim periods (for example, until employees are recalled to bridge-operator duties or until new hires are trained). Commissioners asked no substantive follow-up questions during the agenda items and each vote was moved, seconded and adopted with the recorded yes votes noted above. One item (probationary-service recommendations for reclassified positions) required no action.

The commission adjourned following routine closing remarks and an acknowledgement of an ongoing vacancy on the commission; staff indicated they were coordinating candidate recommendations with the mayor's office.

The meeting did not reference any state statutes, ordinances or other legal authorities in the staff presentations or motions.