Number
R13741
Version
Original
Reference
R13722, R13723, R13724, R13725, R13727, R13728, R13729, R13730, R13736, R13742
Sponsor
The Chair
Title
Resolution Approving the Chair of the HACM Board of Commissioners and Her Designees to Proceed with Negotiations with the Candidate Selected for the Position of Secretary-Executive Director
Analysis
Body
WHEREAS, the mission of the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (“HACM”) is to foster strong, resilient and inclusive communities by providing a continuum of high-quality housing options that support self-sufficiency, good quality of life, and the opportunity to thrive; and
WHEREAS, HACM’s Bylaws explain that its Secretary-Executive Director “shall have general supervision over the administration of the business and affairs of the Authority” and that the HACM Board of Commissioners (the “Board”) shall have sole authority and responsibility for the hiring, evaluation, compensation, discipline, and, if necessary, termination of the Secretary-Executive Director, who serves at the pleasure of the Board, subject to applicable law and any executed employment agreement; and
WHEREAS, HACM’s previous Secretary-Executive Director, Willie L. Hines, Jr., submitted his resignation effective January 1, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the Board entrusted Kenneth Barbeau, as the next person in the Succession Plan, to serve as Acting Secretary-Executive Director and Acting President of Travaux while a search was undertaken, since January 1, 2025, per HACM Resolution R_13546 of December 19, 2024; and
WHEREAS, the Board agreed that they wanted to ensure a process for the search of the next Secretary-Executive Director that would incorporate resident and public input throughout, as much as possible; and
WHEREAS, the Board established a committee, including a resident and a Commissioner, to review and select an executive recruitment firm to provide expertise in the search, resulting in The Organizational Leadership Edge (“TOLE”) being selected; and
WHEREAS, the Board next created an Executive Search Committee, including a resident, community partners and Commissioners, to work with TOLE to guide the process, to assist with the development of vision and materials, to vet and perform an initial set of interviews, and ultimately present suggested candidates for the Board to review; and
WHEREAS, after selecting their slate of candidates, the Board developed a process targeting opportunities for public input while providing the Board and the candidates with events to learn more about each other, including a tour of many HACM developments, a radio interview on a local morning talk show, multiple forums where employees, community partners, residents and the public were able to provide questions beforehand and share their feedback with the Board afterward, and a practical exercise was presented to the candidates, to craft a presentation which was presented as part of their interviews with the Board, which were also viewable to the public; and
WHEREAS, after contemplating all of the materials, interviews, practical exercise presentations, questions, forum appearances, and feedback, the Board is ready at this time to select and begin negotiations with the candidate indicated below; and
WHEREAS, the next step in the process will be negotiation with the candidate, to be led by Board Chair Charlotte Hayslett; now therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Board hereby authorizes and directs the Board Chair Charlotte Hayslett to lead the process of negotiations with __________________,; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the HACM Board of Commissioners hereby authorize and direct HACM Board Chair Charlotte Hayslett to work with any appropriate individuals she desires, if any, including HACM staff, various Board Commissioners, and HACM’s legal counsel, to negotiate a draft employment agreement with the above-mentioned candidate that deals with the terms of such individual’s employment with HACM including the duties, compensation, benefits and evaluation of HACM’s next Secretary-Executive Director; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the HACM Board Chair Charlotte Hayslett shall present the negotiated draft employment contract to the Board for potential approval at a future meeting of the Board, as the Board retains final authority to approve the terms of employment for the above-mentioned candidate.
Requestor
Drafter
Housing Management, February 19, 2026