Milwaukee Board of City Service Commissioners approves personnel changes, extends temporary appointments

Frank Bach, president of the Board of City Service Commissioners, opened the April 8 meeting and the board approved a slate of routine personnel actions and temporary appointment extensions.

Andrea Knickerbocker of the Department of Employer Relations presented four job-evaluation reports recommending, among other changes, that a position transferred from the health department be classified as senior epidemiologist (pay range 2IX); creation of a DPW financial administration director (pay range 1QX); several health department reclassifications including two grant-funded community outreach specialists to become FMIR coordinators; and repurposing a vacant court administrative assistant position to administrative services coordinator (5KN). Commissioners moved, seconded and approved the classification reports as submitted.

The board approved multiple temporary appointment extensions. The Department of Administration requested a three-month extension for Ramona Ramos, operations policy and grant manager, from April 19 through July 18, 2026, citing organizational restructuring and the need for continuity; the request was approved. A three-month extension for Imani Ortiz, business operations manager (April 19–July 18, 2026) was also approved after a commissioner asked whether three months would be sufficient compared with the more common six-month extension. The city attorney’s office requested a 60-day extension for Inaniva Canada, business systems coordinator (April 26–June 26, 2026), citing an overseas deployment of the permanent coordinator; that extension was approved.

The Milwaukee Water Works sought a three-month probationary extension (April 15–July 14, 2026) for water chemist Jesus Rodriguez, citing ongoing performance concerns and a performance improvement plan. Jane Iswell, Waterworks administration manager, confirmed Rodriguez was aware of the extension request; the board approved the probation extension.

The board also approved a reinstatement request for Gregory Watts to return to a custodial worker 2 position at the Milwaukee Public Library, supported by a letter from Library Director Joan Johnson.

On discharge-appeal matters, the office of the city attorney presented findings of fact and a proposed decision in the discharge appeal of Deshaun L. Smith; the board approved the findings as submitted. In the separate Omar Barberena discharge appeal, a participant pointed out that Commissioner Cleary had been mistakenly listed as appearing on behalf of the commission in the draft findings. The board moved to amend the document to remove that reference, approved the amendment, and then approved the amended findings. The transcript records one commissioner as abstaining on an initial vote prior to the amendment process.

The Milwaukee Health Department requested one-time hiring exemptions to expedite filling two positions tied to fetal infant mortality review work—a case abstractor and a coordinator, both in pay range 2IN—because the positions must be filled by May; the board approved both one-time exemptions on expedited-hiring grounds. Commissioners were told supporting letters and job descriptions had been provided in advance.

Staff notified the board that a notice of appeal for a discharge action had been received and that staff would work with parties to schedule a pre-hearing conference. With no further business, the board moved, seconded and adjourned the meeting.

Votes at a glance: minutes and classification reports approved as submitted; appointment and probation extensions approved for Ramona Ramos, Imani Ortiz, Inaniva Canada, and Jesus Rodriguez; reinstatement of Gregory Watts approved; findings in the Deshaun L. Smith and Omar Barberena discharge appeals approved (the transcript shows one abstention recorded prior to an amendment in the Barberena matter).