COMMON COUNCIL

Jun 2, 2026

Common Council meeting summary

The Common Council approved a range of actions including changes to license investigation procedures and specific license sanctions; funding and authorizations for multiple street, sewer, and green infrastructure projects; creation and amendments related to tax incremental districts and several city property sales; adoption of employee pay/position updates and expanded mental health/EAP benefits; confirmation of in-person absentee voting locations and authorization for outside election counsel; and multiple public safety, traffic, and recycling items were adopted or placed on file.

May 12, 2026

Common Council meeting (May 12, 2026): Council adopted multiple public works, finance, public safety, health, housing and utility actions

The Milwaukee Common Council (May 12, 2026) approved a broad package of ordinances and resolutions: reallocating American Rescue Plan Act funds (Substitute 3); approving public improvement projects, assessments and sewerage bond actions; adopting sidewalk dining permit fee changes; approving grant acceptances for transportation, public health, and environmental monitoring; confirming appointments; and adopting emergency/Immediate Adoption resolutions including opposition to a recent Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act and intervention in a utility rate case (We Energies).

Apr 21, 2026

Common Council approves transportation, public works, budget, and public safety measures; adopts ordinances on law enforcement identification and food access

The Milwaukee Common Council met April 21, 2026 at 9:00 AM in the Common Council Chamber (meeting called to order at 9:13 AM; 14 present, 1 excused). Council approved multiple transportation and public-works resolutions and agreements, budget transfers and appropriations, license committee recommendations, a law enforcement identification ordinance, measures on food access and grocery retention, and several confirmations and appointments.

Mar 24, 2026

Milwaukee Common Council adopts multiple ordinances, resolutions, grants, and appointments — March 24, 2026

Common Council met Mar. 24, 2026 (9:41 a.m. start; adjourned 12:09 p.m.) with 15 members present. The body recognized Women’s History Month honorees; approved Licenses and Public Works recommendations (including a Good Neighbor Agreement for 2624 W Lisbon Ave); passed amendments to the Official Map; adopted lease and utility agreements; advanced transportation projects including the Hopkins Protected Bike Lane and temporary street lighting ($80,500 estimated City cost); approved multiple public improvement appropriations and TID actions (city costs and construction estimates noted in minutes); extended the Active Streets for Businesses Program; passed employee wage and pay-rate ordinances and ratified a police supervisors agreement; accepted multiple public safety and public health grants; adopted zoning measures on historic building documentation and property deconstruction; adopted a resolution prohibiting use of City property for civil immigration enforcement; and confirmed several executive and commission appointments. Numerous claims, settlements, and communications were placed on file as recorded in the minutes.

Mar 3, 2026

Common Council — Meeting Minutes (March 3, 2026)

The Milwaukee Common Council met March 3, 2026 (called to order at 9:19 AM; adjourned at 12:15 PM). Fourteen alderpersons were present (Ald. Coggs excused). The Council approved or adopted multiple committee recommendations including license actions (with one license returned to committee and another renewed), Public Works agreements and appropriations for several state/municipal highway projects and local street improvements, acceptance of gifts for roadway work, Finance & Personnel actions on position and benefits administration items, Judiciary & Legislation and Public Safety resolutions (including a resolution opposing certain federal immigration enforcement practices and a substitute resolution on law enforcement and constitutional rights), zoning and land disposition actions including multiple tax-deed property sales and a study of an Employee Down Payment Assistance Program, charter school contract renewals, and an immediate-adoption resolution expressing opposition to a Wisconsin Electric Power Company proposal before the Public Service Commission.

Feb 10, 2026

Common Council adopts multiple public-works, budget, housing and public-safety measures; approves grants and appointments

At the February 10, 2026 Common Council meeting the Council unanimously approved a broad set of resolutions and ordinances including Public Works directives (urban wood use, minimizing school drop-off impacts, illegal-dumping reporting incentives, improved public construction information), coordination of lead lateral replacements with the Health Department, multiple public-improvement appropriations and assessments, grant acceptances and contract approvals, zoning and housing actions, and numerous appointments and claims payments.

3 min readMunicipal coverage

Jan 20, 2026

Milwaukee Common Council meeting summary

The Common Council met and approved a broad set of routine and programmatic items, including license recommendations, multiple public works and transportation funding actions, several finance and borrowing authorizations, and acceptance of grant funding for public safety and housing programs. Council adopted land disposition sales, directed reports (including library metrics), approved ordinances on parking and traffic controls, and added a tree-planting request option to the City mobile app. Votes were recorded as unanimous or with roll-call tallies where noted.

Dec 16, 2025

Milwaukee Common Council (Dec. 16, 2025) — Council adopts budget actions, public‑works projects, health grants, and zoning/sales

The Common Council (14 present, 1 excused) met Dec. 16, 2025 and approved a broad package of actions including a new ordinance on alcohol consumption in public spaces (no‑sale event venue permit, effective Jan. 1, 2026); numerous public works and water/sewer capital projects and bus stop location updates; authorization to pursue Federal Transportation Alternatives grants for five projects; adoption of the 2025 Milwaukee County Hazard Mitigation Plan; acceptance and funding of multiple health grants (WIC, Family Planning, Lead Detection, HIV Partner Services, Maternal & Child Health, Forward Health Outreach, and related preparedness grants); salary/position and pay‑rate ordinances (including a 3% general city employee salary adjustment effective Pay Period 1, 2026); contingent borrowing authority for up to $10M in promissory notes; extensions of several TIDs to support affordable housing; approval of the 2026 Community Development funding allocation plan; certification and contracting actions for ambulance/EMS providers; and multiple sale or sale‑back actions for tax‑deeded properties. Numerous routine licenses, appointments, and settlements were also approved.

Nov 25, 2025

Common Council (Nov. 25, 2025) overrides mayoral vetoes on 2026 budget items and adopts multiple ordinances, resolutions, and appointments

The Common Council met Nov. 25, 2025 (called to order 9:17 a.m.; adjourned 11:19 a.m.) with 15 members present. The Council voted to override the Mayor’s vetoes on multiple 2026 budget amendments (including the 1J omnibus and Amendments 4, 11B, 25A, 30A, and 95). The body adopted ordinances and resolutions across committees: a substitute ordinance regulating public entertainment premises; licenses actions including a 10-day suspension for the Class B Tavern/Public Entertainment license for “Red White and Blue” (1044 N Martin L King Jr Dr.); public works actions including funding/agreements for the 16th Street bridge and I-94 mitigation (grant-funded); finance and personnel changes to 2025/2026 pay rates and positions and ratification of the Milwaukee Police Association agreement; a tenant acknowledgment of fire-safety noncompliance ordinance; zoning and historic-designation actions; acceptance of several grants; and confirmations of youth council and BID appointments. Numerous communications and routine items were placed on file.

Nov 7, 2025

Milwaukee Common Council adopts 2026 budget with fee changes, departmental moves, and housing investments

On November 7, 2025 the Milwaukee Common Council adopted the 2026 city budget as amended, approved multiple 2026 fees and charge resolutions, created/adjusted departmental authorities and special funds, and moved funds to a new Milwaukee Homebuyer Fund.

Nov 4, 2025

Common Council (Milwaukee) — Minutes: Nov 4, 2025

Council convened at 9:24 AM and adjourned at 11:43 AM. The body approved minutes, multiple license actions, public works and infrastructure resolutions (including recycling aid, green infrastructure agreements with MMSD/MPS, stormwater project agreement amendment, bike lane project agreement), two TID project plans, zoning and floodplain ordinance updates, grants (library artifacts, cybersecurity, WIC adjustment), BID/NID 2026 operating plans, revocation of a charter school contract, and several administrative appointments and property dispositions.