City of Milwaukee - File #: 080357

• File #: 080357
• Version: 1
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Passed
• File created: 7/1/2008
• In control: PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE
• Final action: 9/16/2008
• Title: Substitute resolution assigning the honorary street name, “Pastor J Ellwanger,” to West Walnut Street from North 16th to North 17th Streets in the 15th Aldermanic District.
• Sponsors: THE CHAIR
• Indexes: PUBLIC HOUSING, STREET NAMES

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
9/26/2008	1	MAYOR	SIGNED
9/16/2008	1	COMMON COUNCIL	ADOPTED	Pass	13:1
9/4/2008	1	PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE	RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION	Pass	4:1
9/3/2008	1	CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE NAMING OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS, FACILITIES AND STREETS	REFERRED TO; Minutes note: Appearances by: Ms. Pearline Johnson, Vice President, Ezekiel Community Development Corporation Ms. Marcia Lindholm, Department of Public Works Ms. Lindholm said that two signs will be needed for this request and the cost for the City to fabricate each sign is $100.00. She said if the requestor wants the City to fabricate the signs, the requestor will need to submit a check in the amount of $200 to the Department of Public Works prior to the file being heard by the Public Works Committee. A motion was made by Mr. Benson and seconded by Mr. Cimpl that this file be recommended for approval. There were no objections.	Pass	4:0
8/29/2008	1	PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE	HEARING NOTICES SENT
8/27/2008	1	CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE NAMING OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS, FACILITIES AND STREETS	HEARING NOTICES SENT
7/8/2008	1	CITY CLERK	DRAFT SUBMITTED
7/2/2008	0	PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE	REFERRED TO
7/2/2008	0	PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE	REFERRED TO
7/2/2008	0	PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE	REFERRED TO
7/1/2008	0	COMMON COUNCIL	ASSIGNED TO

Number

080357

Version

SUBSTITUTE 1

Reference

Sponsor

THE CHAIR

Title

Substitute resolution assigning the honorary street name, "Pastor J Ellwanger," to West Walnut Street from North 16^th to North 17^th Streets in the 15^th Aldermanic District.  

Analysis

This resolution assigns the honorary street name, "Pastor J Ellwanger," to West Walnut Street from North 16^th to North 17^th Streets in the 15^th Aldermanic District.  

Body

Whereas, Joseph W. Ellwanger, as pastor of the St' Paul Lutheran Church, an African American congregation in Birmingham, Alabama, from 1958-67, was a leader in the fight for human rights before he moved to Milwaukee, serving as President of Birmingham Council on Human Relations, the only bi-racial community organization in Birmingham during the 1960's; and

Whereas, Pastor Ellwanger was active in the struggle for civil rights, participating in demonstrations led by the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Birmingham in 1963 and in Selma, Alabama in 1965: and

Whereas, Pastor Ellwanger played a significant national role in the civil rights movement, selected by Dr. King to be one of the 13 pastors demonstrating in 1965 to meet with then Alabama Governor George Wallace, and chosen to be part of the delegation of 17 religious leaders who met with President Lyndon Johnson in May, 1965, to urge passage of the Voting Rights Act; and

Whereas, Pastor Ellwanger became pastor of Cross Lutheran Church in Milwaukee in 1967 and was pastor for 35 years until his retirement in 2002, an inspiring spiritual leader to his congregation and a indefatigable advocate for social justice in his community; and

Whereas, Pastor Ellwanger initiated and organized Cross Lutheran Church's Concerned Citizens for Central City School Breakfast program in the 1970's which grew over 30 years under the guidance of Pastor Ellwanger and others into the Hunger Task Force food bank which provides 7-10 million pounds of foodstuffs annually to Milwaukee's hungry; and

Whereas, Through Pastor Ellwanger's pioneering efforts more than 27,000 Milwaukee schoolchildren today have access to a nourishing breakfast every school day; and

Whereas, Pastor Ellwanger established Cross Lutheran Church's Project RETURN to help men and women returning from prison successfully transition back into the community as productive and valued citizens, Project RETURN starting out as a group of dedicated volunteers helping fewer than 100 clients a year and growing into an organization with 10 fulltime employees and a annual caseload of 6,000; and

Whereas, Pastor Ellwanger has been a civil rights advocate for immigrants from Mexico and El Salvador; and

Whereas, Pastor Ellwanger established one of the first free health clinics in the city at Cross Lutheran Church which today serves over 3,000 residents each year; and

Whereas, As one of the founders and a past president of MICAH (Milwaukee Innercity Congregations Allied for Hope), Pastor Ellwanger has played a significant role in the congregation-based community organizing movement, and works diligently to bridge the divides that separate peoples to bring together elements of various religious, socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds to take action for the common good; and

Whereas, Pastor Ellwanger has led the campaign for Treatment Instead of Prison for non-violent offenders with substance abuse or mental health issues who commit crimes, seeking to treat the underlying illness that triggers the criminal behavior rather than punishing such offenders with jail time which may cause an unstable life situation to unravel beyond repair; and

Whereas, Through the auspices of the Ezekiel Community Development Corporation, which he helped establish through MICAH and serves as president, Pastor Ellwanger has promoted homeownership and helped to make home buying possible for low and moderate income households, having built 14 affordable homes in the one square block area bounded by 16^th, Galena, 17^th and Walnut Streets; and

Whereas, West Walnut Street from North 16^th Street to North 17^th Street represents the heart of Pastor Ellwanger's community and has been the direct beneficiary of so much of Pastor Ellwanger's congregation-based community development efforts; and

Whereas, Section 113-3 of the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances provides a procedure for assigning honorary street names and s. 113-3-6 specifies criteria for the using the names of individuals when assigning honorary street names; and

Whereas, The Common Council finds the assignment of the honorary street name "Pastor J. Ellwanger" to West Walnut Street from North 16^th Street to North 17^th Street meets the code criteria; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the honorary street name "Pastor J Ellwanger" be assigned to West Walnut Street from North 16^th Street to North 17^th Street; and, be it

Further Resolved, That signage for this honorary street naming comply with design specifications set by the Department of Public Works; and, be it

Further Resolved, That petitioner requests suitable honorary street naming signage be fabricated and installed by the Department of Public Works at a cost to be paid in full by petitioner; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Department of Public Works shall fabricate and install signage for this honorary street naming within 90 days of adoption of this resolution in compliance with s. 113-3; and, be it

Further Resolved, That petitioner shall notify the Department of Public Works if and when signage for this honorary street naming needs to be replaced and petitioner will fully reimburse the City for any such replacement.

Requestor

Department of Public Works

Drafter

LRB 08365-1

ANC

07/08/08