Public Safety & Health Committee: summary of motions and outcomes from Jan. 9 meeting

The Public Safety and Health Committee of the Milwaukee Common Council approved a series of ordinances, resolutions and grant acceptances during its Jan. 9 meeting, including changes to parking and traffic controls, acceptance of public-safety and health grants, and agreement on private ambulance rates for 2025.

Committee members recorded no roll-call objections on the items listed below; motions were adopted by voice vote after committee discussion and staff presentations. Where a committee member moved adoption, that is noted; the transcript records ‘‘hearing no objections’’ for the approvals listed.

Votes at a glance

- File 241315 — Substitute ordinance relating to parking controls (extend no-parking zones, create a small parking area on Shea Avenue, new no-parking segments on Stack Drive and South 16th Street). Motion: passage of the ordinance. Mover: Alderman Berghaus. Outcome: adopted (voice vote; no objections recorded).

- File 241316 — Substitute ordinance relating to traffic controls (install yield signs at specified intersections; substitute offered to change speed limit on a stretch of 91st Street). Motion: passage of the ordinance as substituted. Mover: Alderwoman Taylor. Outcome: adopted (voice vote; no objections recorded). The change reduces the posted speed limit from 40 mph to 35 mph on the referenced 91st Street segment.

- File 241248 — Substitute ordinance relating to time restrictions on parking (adds tow trucks to the list of permit-ineligible commercial vehicles; authorizes placarding and towing following a warning period). Sponsor: Alderwoman Zamaripa. Motion: passage. Mover: Alderman Bergellis. Outcome: adopted (voice vote; no objections recorded).

- File 241359 — Resolution authorizing the Milwaukee Fire Department to accept donation of Milwaukee Tool lights, chargers and batteries. Motion: adoption. Mover: Alderman Bergellis. Outcome: adopted (voice vote; no objections recorded).

- File 241360 — Substitute resolution accepting 2024 HazMat regional emergency-response election support grant from the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs (funding to support regional HazMat readiness during the 2024 election cycle). Motion: adoption. Mover: Alderman Moore. Outcome: adopted (voice vote; no objections recorded).

- File 241361 — Resolution relating to the city’s private ambulance service agreements with Bell and Curtis (approves proposed 2025 per-run rate changes and associated subsidy arrangements). Motion: adoption. Mover: Alderman Westmoreland. Outcome: adopted (voice vote; no objections recorded).

- File 241035 — Substitute resolution amending Common Council file 240220 (acceptance and funding of 2021–24 immunizations cooperative agreement grant from Wisconsin DHS; extends prior funding through end of June and formalizes ~ $1,000,000 in spending authority). Motion: adoption and referral to Finance & Personnel. Mover: Alder Taylor. Outcome: adopted and referred (voice vote; no objections recorded).

- File 241327 — Resolution transferring departmental budget authority for city contributions for violence prevention (moves appropriation to Department of Administration for intended purposes). Motion: adoption and referral to Finance & Personnel. Mover: Alder Moore. Outcome: adopted and referred (voice vote; no objections recorded).

- File 241357 — Substitute resolution accepting and funding an MPox response grant from Wisconsin DHS (extension of existing funding for vaccination and education). Motion: adoption. Mover: Alderman Westmoreland. Outcome: adopted (voice vote; no objections recorded).

- File 241362 — Resolution accepting FY2024 Edward Byrne Memorial JAG local solicitation grant (total allocation for region noted; Milwaukee share and partner allocations recorded in grant summary). Motion: adoption. Mover: Alderman Berghaus. Outcome: adopted (voice vote; no objections recorded).

- File 241363 — Resolution accepting JAG MPD Youth Interview Area grant (~$47,197.24) to convert two MPD interview rooms to meet Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act requirements. Motion: adoption. Mover: Alderman Bergellis. Outcome: adopted (voice vote; no objections recorded).

- File 241364 — Resolution accepting 2024 Homeland Security bomb-robot grant (funds purchase of a large-scale EOD robot and attachments for the MPD bomb squad). Motion: adoption. Mover: Alder Taylor. Outcome: adopted (voice vote; no objections recorded).

Other actions

- Multiple non-action communications were taken up for information, including a communication on stand-up of the new Department of Emergency Communications (DEC) and the unified CAD/CAT system transition, and the 911 wait-time report for Q3 2024; the committee placed the 911 wait-time report on file while requesting follow-up data on abandoned-call spikes and long nonemergency hold times.

Notes

- Where the transcript records ‘‘hearing no objections’’ the committee did not record a roll-call vote; the clerk’s office or official minutes should be consulted for formal roll-call tallies if required.

- Several items were explicitly referred to Finance & Personnel (noted above) as part of the motions recorded in committee.

(See provenance below for transcript excerpts supporting the items above.)