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Meeting Details
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Meeting date/time:
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6/3/2026
10:00 AM
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Minutes status:
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Final
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Meeting location:
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Room 303, City Hall
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| | | | 1. Call to Order at 10:05 AM | | | |
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| | | | 2. Roll Call | | | |
Roll call
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| | | | 3. Update on the Clean and Green
Minutes note: Mr. Meyers provided several documents for review, including a report on DPW contracted cleanups of illegal dumping on city-owned properties for 2025, which detailed the number of cleanups, total cubic yards, and total costs.
Two heat maps were shared with the group, illustrating 2025 illegal dumping cleanups on city-owned properties by incident and by automatic district.
This topic needs to be revisit for further discussion.
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| | | | 4. Follow-up on the feasibility for a Fall Clean and Green Event
Minutes note: The committee discussed the distinction between cleanups handled by DPW and those managed by DNS. Member Wright-SmithCindy explained that DCD provides information on cleanups performed by their contractors, typically triggered by neighbor complaints or requests from the Mayor's office and Alders.
Member Mazmanian clarified that DPW generally handles dumping in the public right-of-way or parkways, while DNS issues orders for dumping on private property.
Data for 2025 showed that DPW spent $502,821 on cleaning up illegal dumping specifically on city-owned properties, with a significant concentration of incidents occurring in District 6.
Ms. Adrienne Spencer from Rooted & Risising - Washington Park raised concerns about the overlap between city cleanups and those performed by non-profit contractors under the "Big Clean" banner. She noted that her organization often pays over $600 per week in dump fines, which essentially recycles grant money back to the city.
Vacant Lot Management and Forestry Involvement
Member Wright-Smith explained that once the city acquires or sells properties, the maintenance list is sent to the Forestry department. Forestry manages grass cutting and snow shoveling on these vacant lots through various district-based contractors.
Alderwoman Moore and Ms. Spencer noted frequent neighbor complaints regarding contractors who cut grass but fail to remove trash or saplings, despite contract requirements to do so.
The committee discussed a proposal to have contractors listed publicly for specific lots so neighbors know whom to contact when maintenance is neglected.
It was requested that a representative from Forestry be invited to the next meeting to explain the bidding process and contractor accountability.
Chair expressed the urgency in obtaining cost estimates for a potential Fall Clean and Green event before the July budget hearings for the committee to discuss.
The committee is seeking a cost comparison between a full-scale Fall Clean and Green, a smaller pilot program, and the Fall Dump Box program.
Member Hope reported that the dump bag program has been highly successful, with every dumpster utilized between April and May being filled to capacity.
Chair expressed frustration over the lack of communication between departments and the difficulty in obtaining compiled data from NSP reports, noting that this information is vital for pinpointing hotspots for camera placement.
Mr. Jeremy McGovern from DNS provided an update on the expanded camera program, which offers grants of up to $5,000 to NSPs for trail cameras, installation, and data. The application window for this program closes at the end of June.
The program aims to distribute 100 cameras across the city, with a focus on using multiple cameras per site to capture perpendicular angles.
He also discussed ongoing conversations with the City Attorney regarding illegal dumping citations. There is a push to change city ordinances to allow citations to be issued to vehicle owners rather than only the individuals identified on camera.
This legal pathway is being explored to avoid reliance on state legislative changes, as currently, many citation processes stop if the vehicle owner was not the one personally caught dumping.
Mr. Hillard from the LRB reported on a burgeoning partnership with a professor at UWM to create a comprehensive, searchable illegal dumping database.
The project aims to merge data streams from DNS, DCD, and DPW into a single GIS-mapped system with unique identifiers and photographic context.
He explained that the LRB lacks the internal bandwidth to process thousands of annual incidents, so graduate students will likely assist with the data entry and research starting next academic year.
Alderwoman Moore suggested that internal IT systems should be better synchronized to ensure data is more reflective and accessible across departments without relying solely on outside academic help.
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| | | | 5. Update on Departments costs estimates relative to free duping and other service charges | | | |
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| | | | 6. Next Meeting scheduled for July 15th at 10:00 AM. | | | |
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| | | | 7. Meeting adjourned at 10: 55 AM
Joanna Urtiz
Staff Assistant | | | |
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| | | | 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.
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| | | | Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities through sign language interpreters or auxiliary aids. For additional information or to request this service, contact the City Clerk's Office ADA Coordinator at 286-2998, (FAX)286-3456, (TDD)286-2025 or by writing to the Coordinator at Room 205, City Hall, 200 E. Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202. | | | |
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| | | | 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. | | | |
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| | | | Persons engaged in lobbying as defined in s. 305-43-4 of the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances are required to register with the City Clerk's Office License Division. Registered lobbyists appearing before a Common Council committee are required to identify themselves as such. More information is available at http://city.milwaukee.gov/Lobbying. | | | |
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