Summary
Finance & Personnel Committee (Milwaukee) — Jan 14, 2026: Actions on staffing, contracts, pay, borrowing, and program reports
MilwaukeeJan 14, 20264 min read
At a glance
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Committee approved multiple ordinance and resolution recommendations including tracking City Attorney time on MPS matters, use of sales tax for fire apparatus, pay- and position-related ordinances, several borrowing authorizations, and various departmental communications and contracts; personnel- and classification-related items and exit-survey reporting were discussed or held for follow-up.
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LaborTransportationBudget & TaxPublic SafetyEducationHealthcare
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Key decisions
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- Recommended for adoption: Substitute resolution to track City Attorney staff time devoted to Milwaukee Public Schools-related issues (File 251450).
- Recommended for adoption: Substitute resolution to use sales tax revenue for purchase of fire apparatus (File 251454).
- Communication from the Department of Employee Relations on annual exit-survey reporting was HELD TO CALL OF THE CHAIR pending additional demographic data and survey design follow-up (File 250898).
- Communication from DER on classification studies for Fire and Police Commission action was HELD TO CALL OF THE CHAIR (File 250946).
- Placed on file: Department of Administration — Office of Innovation presentation on activities including AI pilots, MKE YouthForce and Camp Rise (File 250240).
- Recommended for passage: Substitute ordinance amending fees charged by the Assessor's Office after discussion and data requests on parking-lot inspection revenues (File 251340).
- Approved to finance: Department of Neighborhood Services automobile reimbursement allowance reports forwarded to Finance (File 251560).
- Placed on file: Comptroller's 2026 Audit Work Plan (File 251569).
- Recommended for adoption: Resolution increasing reimbursable expenditure authority for Department of Public Works in the Reimbursable Services Advance Fund (File 251495).
- Approved vacancy requests, certain fund transfers (including $789,705 for DPW — Transportation), and equipment requests as read (File 251278).
- Approved changes to single or sole source contracts (including Doula Services) presented by Purchasing (File 251521).
- Placed on file: Notice of waivers granted for certain single or sole source contracts (including ShotSpotter) (File 251522).
- Placed on file: DER communication to increase residency incentive from 3% to 4% with implementation issues discussed (File 251579).
- Placed on file: DER classification studies scheduled for City Service Commission action, including Transportation Mobility Coordinator (File 251281).
- Placed on file: DER administrative/clerical corrections to Salary and Positions Ordinances (File 251523).
- Recommended for adoption: Resolution accepting and funding a U.S. Department of Justice 2025 COPS Hiring Program grant (File 251111).
- Recommended for adoption: Resolution authorizing attendance at conventions, seminars and travel (File 251284).
- Recommended for passage: Substitute ordinance to further amend 2026 rates of pay of offices and positions in City Service after substitute and amendment votes (File 251524).
- Recommended for passage: Substitute ordinance to further amend 2026 offices and positions in City Service (File 251525).
- Recommended for adoption: $25,000,000 general obligation notes to pay municipal expense associated with CDBG and other grant programs (File 251398).
- Recommended for adoption: Carryover of 2025 authorization for general obligation and revenue-based borrowing (File 251399).
- Recommended for adoption: Resolution authorizing marketing up to $150,000,000 of general obligation revenue anticipation promissory notes (File 251400).
- Substituted and recommended for adoption: Resolution authorizing issuance of general obligation promissory notes in one or more series (File 251401).
- Recommended for adoption: Resolution authorizing sale and issuance of general obligation refunding bonds and/or notes (File 251403).
- Meeting adjourned at 12:59 p.m.
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Meeting information
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FINANCE & PERSONNEL COMMITTEE
Jan 14, 2026, 12:00 AMRoom 301-B, City Hallscheduled
This is also a virtual meeting. Those wishing to view the proceedings are able to do so via the City Channel - Channel 25 on Spectrum Cable - or on the Internet at http://city.milwaukee.gov/citychannel.
Agenda
- Substitute resolution relating to tracking City Attorney staff time devoted to Milwaukee Public Schools-related issues.
- Substitute resolution relating to the use of sales tax revenue for the purchase of fire apparatus.
- Communication from the Department of Employee Relations relating to the annual reporting of exit-survey results to the Common Council.
- Communication from the Department of Employee Relations relating to classification studies or other studies scheduled for Fire and Police Commission action.
- Communication from the Department of Administration - Office of Innovation relating to current activities and initiatives.
- A substitute ordinance relating to fees charged for services provided by the assessor’s office.
- Communication from the Department of Neighborhood Services relating to automobile reimbursement allowance reports.
- Communication from the Office of the Comptroller relating to the 2026 Audit Work Plan.
- Substitute resolution related to increasing the reimbursable expenditure authority for the Department of Public Works in the Reimbursable Services Advance Fund.
- Communication from the Department of Administration - Budget and Management Analysis Division regarding vacancy requests, fund transfers and equipment requests.
- Communication from the Department of Administration relating to approval of changes to certain single or sole source contracts or contract amendments.
- Communication from the Department of Administration informing the Finance and Personnel Committee of waivers granted for certain single or sole source contracts or contract amendments.
- Communication from the Department of Employee Relations relating to an amendment to the Salary Ordinance to increase the residency incentive from 3% to 4%.
- Communication from the Department of Employee Relations relating to classification studies scheduled for City Service Commission action.
- Communication from the Department of Employee Relations amending the Salary and Positions Ordinances relating to clerical or administrative corrections.
- Resolution relating to acceptance and funding of a U.S. Department of Justice 2025 COPS Hiring Program grant.
- Substitute resolution authorizing attendance at conventions, seminars and other travel.
- A substitute ordinance to further amend the 2026 rates of pay of offices and positions in the City Service.
- A substitute ordinance to further amend the 2026 offices and positions in the City Service.
- The following files are related to borrowing for the 2026 adopted budget:
- Resolution authorizing the issuance of $25,000,000 general obligation notes, to pay a general and current municipal expense associated with the Community Development Block Grant and other grant programs.
- Substitute resolution relating to the carryover of 2025 authorization for general obligation and revenue based borrowing.
- Resolution authorizing the Commissioners of the Public Debt to market up to $150,000,000 of general obligation revenue anticipation promissory notes.
- Substitute resolution authorizing the issuance of general obligation promissory notes in one or more series.
- Resolution Authorizing the Sale and Issuance of General Obligation Refunding Bonds and/or Notes.
- This meeting will be webcast live at www.milwaukee.gov/channel25.
- NOTA: Para los clientes de cable de Spectrum que deseen ver subtítulos en español, ya están disponibles en el Canal de la Ciudad. En su control remoto de cable Spectrum, presione “MENÚ.” Seleccione “SUBTÍTULOS/CAPTIONS.” Use la flecha hacia abajo hasta “ESTÁNDAR/STANDARD,” luego use la flecha hacia arriba y cambie a “CC3.”
- In the event that Common Council members who are not members of this committee attend this meeting, this meeting may also simultaneously constitute a meeting of the Common Council or any of the following committees: Community and Economic Development, Finance and Personnel, Judiciary and Legislation, Licenses, Public Safety and Health, Public Works, Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development, and/or Steering and Rules. Whether a simultaneous meeting is occurring depends on whether the presence of one or more of the Common Council member results in a quorum of the Common Council or any of the above committees, and, if there is a quorum of another committee, whether any agenda items listed above involve matters within that committee’s realm of authority. In the event that a simultaneous meeting is occurring, no action other than information gathering will be taken at the simultaneous meeting. Times for specific agenda items are estimations. If items cannot be heard at their specified times, they will be heard as soon as practicable thereafter.
- Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities through sign language interpreters or auxiliary aids. For assistance contact the Legislative Services ADA Coordinator at 286-2998, (FAX)286-3456, (TDD)286-2025 or by writing to Room 205, City Hall, 200 E. Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
- City Hall and the Zeidler Municipal Building are accessible by "The Hop" City Hall Stations, the MCTS Green Line, Connect 1, 14, 15, 18, 19, 30, 33, and 57 bus routes. Visit https://www.ridemcts.com/ for more information. Bike racks are available on Water Street, Market Street, and Broadway, and a Bublr Bike Share station is located on the northeast corner of Kilbourn Avenue and Water Street. Limited parking for persons attending meetings during normal business hours is available at reduced rates (5 hour limit) at the Associated Bank River Center on the southwest corner of Kilbourn Avenue and Water Street. You must present a copy of the meeting notice to the parking cashier.
- Persons engaged in lobbying as defined in s. 305-43-4 of the Milwaukee Code are required to register with the City Clerk's License Division. Lobbyists appearing before a Common Council committee are required to identify themselves as such. More information is available at http://city.milwaukee.gov/Lobbying.
- Meeting convened at 9:09 a.m.
- Also present:
- Meeting adjourned at 12:59 p.m. Chris Lee, Staff Assistant Council Records Section
- This meeting can be viewed in its entirety through the City's Legislative Research Center at http://milwaukee.legistar.com/calendar.
- A substitute ordinance relating to fees charged for services provided by the assessor’s office.
- A substitute ordinance to further amend the 2026 rates of pay of offices and positions in the City Service.
- Substitute resolution authorizing the issuance of general obligation promissory notes in one or more series.
- A substitute ordinance to further amend the 2026 rates of pay of offices and positions in the City Service.
- A substitute ordinance to further amend the 2026 rates of pay of offices and positions in the City Service.
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