City of Milwaukee - File #: R13039

• File #: R13039
• Version: 0
• Type: Housing Authority Resolution
• Status: Passed
• File created: 3/8/2019
• In control: HOUSING AUTHORITY
• On agenda: 3/12/2019
• Final action: 3/12/2019
• Title: Resolution commending Ms. Sue Kenealy for 44 years of service to the citizens of Milwaukee, including 13 years of service to the City of Milwaukee and the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee
• Sponsors: THE CHAIR

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
3/12/2019	0	HOUSING AUTHORITY	ADOPTED; Minutes note: Mr. Pérez likened Ms. Kenealy to a force majeure - a major force - that has impacted both HACM and the City of Milwaukee, including the Department of Administration and the Community Development Grants Administration, from which HACM was able to secure Ms. Kenealy. Ken Barbeau, Director of Community Programs and Services, and Maria Rodriguez, Youth and Family Services Manager, read commendations from both HACM and the Common Council of Milwaukee, as well as a Proclamation from the Office of the Mayor which designated Wednesday, March 12th, 2019 as Susan M. Kenealy Day. Steve Mahan, City of Milwaukee Community Development Grants Administration (CDGA) Director, noted that Ms. Kenealy was invaluable to Milwaukee, even before her employment with the City; that he remembered she was a big part of setting the stage for the development of Safe & Sound. He added that during her time at CDGA, she set up systems that are still in place and her impact continues as she trained so many current staff. Sharon Robinson, City of Milwaukee Department of Administration Director, spoke of Mayor Barrett’s directive to pursue increased grant funding, and Ms. Kenealy’s critical role in the City’s pursuit of 2009 stimulus funding. The City was able to bring in $300 million in large part through Ms. Kenealy’s efforts. She continues to volunteer her time with Ms. Robinson, exemplifying the content of her character. Ms. Kenealy thanked everyone in the room. She said it had been a privilege to work for the City and HACM and encouraged the Commissioners to remember the quality of staff and the passion they bring to serving its residents and Milwaukee.	Pass	4:0

Number

R13039

Version

Original

Reference

Sponsor

The Chair

Title

Resolution commending Ms. Sue Kenealy for 44 years of service to the citizens of Milwaukee, including 13 years of service to the City of Milwaukee and the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee

Analysis

Body

WHEREAS, Ms. Susan Kenealy has retired from the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) after 44 years of service to the people and neighborhoods of the City of Milwaukee, including the last 8 years with HACM; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Kenealy started her career as a VISTA volunteer assisting students who needed remedial instruction in reading and math, and implementing a GED program for young adults; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Kenealy spent the next eighteen years working to assist those impacted by alcohol and drug abuse in Milwaukee’s neighborhoods, first as a Drug and Alcohol Counselor with United Community Center from 1977 to 1984; then as a Supervisor and Prevention Education Specialist for the Milwaukee Council on Drug Abuse from 1984 to 1992, then as the Program Manager for the Neighborhood Partners Program from 1992 to 1995, which was named by the United States Congress as an exemplary program in substance abuse prevention; and

WHEREAS, during the next ten years from 1995 to 2005, Ms. Kenealy successfully managed the Weed & Seed Program for Community Partners, facilitating a broad coalition of law enforcement, community groups, prosecutors, community-based organizations, schools, and neighborhood residents to develop and implement anti-crime strategies within high crime neighborhoods in the city through a community outreach and organizing approach; and

WHEREAS, the Weed & Seed model was nationally recognized and resulted in a 21% reduction of crime in 18 months in three of Milwaukee’s most troubled neighborhoods and eventually spun off into the Safe and Sound initiative in Milwaukee; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Kenealy also served the City of Milwaukee as a Grants Manager from 2005 to 2011 and the Housing Authority as Grants Manager from 2011 to 2019, and assisted the City and Housing Authority in developing and implementing grants that total several hundred million dollars, to assist with law enforcement and crime prevention, youth development, homeland security, education, housing stabilization, flood prevention and federal emergency management, workforce development, neighborhood revitalization, building bridges, and other areas; and

RESOLVED, by the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee that Ms. Susan Kenealy be and is hereby thanked and commended for her 44 years of dedicated service to improving the lives of citizens of Milwaukee, including public housing residents and other low-income families; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that best wishes be extended to Ms. Susan Kenealy for a long and fulfilling retirement.

Requestor

Drafter