Milwaukee Common Council, mayor at odds over city attorney's powers
Milwaukee Common Council, mayor at odds over Attorney's Office rule
The Milwaukee Common Council removed a requirement that the city attorney's office approve agreements and contracts of more than $25,000.
MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Common Council on Wednesday, July 7 unanimously voted to overrule a veto from Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, removing a requirement that the city attorney's office approve agreements and contracts of more than $25,000.
Instead, the city's attorney's office has to review agreements or contracts only when requested by a Common Council member or the mayor.
"Approval is not required from the city attorney; he is a lawyer, not a legislator," said Alderman Robert Bauman.
Tensions between the two government offices escalated over a provision in the Couture tower contract that required a $100,000 donation from developers into the city's anti-displacement fund. City Attorney Tearman Spencer signed off on the deal, pending an ethical and outside counsel investigation into the donation. The investigation will cause both sides to enter a legal battle.
"It creates a wild-wild west scenario," Barrett said of the Common Council's vote, calling it "a big mistake."
Barrett said he believes the Common Council has not considered the many scenarios the decision has spun because not all city contracts are reviewed by him or the Common Council.
"The largest city department is the police department, a $300 million budget and it doesn’t report directly to me, it reports to the Fire and Police Commission," said Barrett. "So have they just created a 300 million dollar department exemption."
In regard to the Fire and Police Commission (FPC), the Common Council also unanimously approved the appointment of three new members: Joan Kessler, Lanelle Ramey and Edward Fallone.
"I think they are very much ready to hit the ground running," Barrett, who nominated the three, said.
The vote brings the FPC back up to seven commissioners. The mayor was pleased with their appointments but disappointed at the ongoing feud between two crucial government offices.
"I understand anger, but why you would blow up a basic function of government because you are mad at someone to me is beyond reason," said Barrett.
The city attorney's office said Wednesday that it planned to make a comment Thursday on the action taken by the Common Council. Spencer issued the following statement Thursday:
"I respect the council’s decision, but I am going to continue to do the work that the people elected me to do. My office will continue to review contracts, and uphold the legal integrity of the city of Milwaukee. For the record, I’m in full support of allocating funds to make sure that all our fellow neighbors are not displaced by gentrification.
"My office recommended that this allocation of funds is not just set aside for a few neighborhoods but to all neighborhoods that are at risk. We as a city must stop approaching problems with short term approaches and move to long term solutions. That’s the purpose of my recommendation.
"I look forward to continue to work with the Mayor and the Common Council to move the city of Milwaukee in the right direction. Most importantly I look forward to upholding the city’s lawful integrity. "
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