Public Works Committee - Regular Meeting

Work can begin and so that we can still do our daily services in city hall, but nevertheless, recognizing that it will be a an inconvenience. Parking around the building has been removed. And so residents need to give themselves adequate time. They need to probably contact us through through email or telephone and and have us come out to you if we can as well. And that would weigh government can truly be in the neighborhoods and community and interacting with you in your neighborhood and not necessarily at City Hall.

The Department of Public Works has produced a video reviewing the history and significance of City Hall and showing close-up the corrosion, cracking, and other problems associated with the building that is now showing its age.

It's an icon, a symbol of traditional values, and sound government. Milwaukee City Hall is a spectacular landmark. It's an integral part of the city's rich past and its promising future. Milwaukee City Hall was completed in 1896. It was lauded as an innovative and technologically advanced building.

The city grew up and spread out around this great structure. Today, City Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It may be Milwaukee's most significant building, and now it's time to repair and restore City Hall. The building has been thoroughly inspected, studied, and analyzed. The extensive examination took three years.

This hands on inspection was a three step process. Experienced engineers, architects, and inspectors repelled the building, and they examined the structure. These people specialize in historic restorations. The initial investigation produced a document entitled the Wiss Jani Elsner Report. Based upon the report's recommendations, the city council approved the City Hall restoration project.

The first step was to select a design team. There was a prodigious group of bidders. The local firm Engberg Anderson Design Partnership, which teamed with nationally known restoration experts Simpson, Gumfords, and Hager, was selected. This team will determine the scope of work, provide contract documents, and will oversee the restoration process. This video summarizes the restoration work that's necessary to preserve the architectural character and the structural integrity of this historic masterpiece.

City Hall's exterior walls are masonry. They're the building's primary load bearing structural elements. The walls have a brick core with reddish brick on the exterior. The examination shows the building's core is in good condition, but city hall's exterior needs significant repairs. Most of the problems are attributed to years of exposure to the elements.

The original roof on the tower was slate. It was replaced with a copper roof in 1923, and now that eighty year old roof must be replaced. The copper has tears, gaps, failed patches, and punctures. The copper roof leaks, and that's causing problems inside the spire. The moisture is corroding steel, and it saturates the clay tile subsurface.

Of course, that moisture freezes, then thaws, and decades of freeze thaw cycles have broken down the tiles, and they must be replaced. A rigid steel frame supporting the tower starts at the 9th Floor. Exposed beams are painted and well maintained. Some are slightly corroded, but most of the steel is in good condition. The spire has four clock gables. They all need extensive repairs. Here's why. There are steel columns and beams embedded in the gables. That steel is corroded. The corrosion causes cracking on the gables exterior and interior walls.

All of the cracked gables are out of vertical plumb. They're leaning out toward the street. The gables upper portions must be disassembled and rebuilt. For the most part, the terracotta on the clock gables exteriors is in good shape, but the mortar joints between the terracotta units are in poor condition, and so are the support walls behind the gables. The mortar joints and cracks are allowing water into the walls.

In the nineteen seventies, some terracotta was mended with epoxy, but those repairs failed. Some of the gable ends are cracked and displaced. This one was pinned to keep it in place. Recently, additional netting was installed to support it. These areas need to be rebuilt. The original clocks had translucent faces. They were replaced with steel faces in 1932. Now, these clocks need extensive repair. They're corroded, and the panels must be replaced. They will be replaced with historically correct translucent panels.

The support structure needs work as well. There are terracotta rings around the clocks. That terracotta must be replaced, and the masonry adjacent to the clocks needs to be rebuilt. Some of city hall's greatest architectural features are located between the twelfth and thirteenth levels. These beautiful colonnades, pinnacles, and turrets anchor each corner of the tower. Each support column is a true masonry form, so there isn't any supporting steel. These structures need repair. The face brick has large vertical cracks, and a lot of mortar is gone or loose. There's plenty of water damage here. Mortar joints are in poor condition.

That means water is seeping into the masonry core. When that moisture evaporates,

it leaves behind mineral deposits on the surface. The four turrets are in bad condition too. The mortar is fractured

and it lacks adhesion. This netting was installed to snag falling pieces. The turrets and the colonnades must be completely rebuilt. The belfry on the 12th Level is open on all four sides, so the masonry here takes a pounding from the elements. These mortar joints have deteriorated faster than joints in other areas. There's

a

lot of failed mortar, displacement and cracking on the brick banding of the entablature. This banding area must be rebuilt. The columns that support the banding must be rebuilt as well. The lower masonry walls are massive, and they must be stabilized. The platforms at the bell level and observation deck comprise the structural floor systems. They need attention too. The roof coating has reached its service life. It's leaking, and the structural flooring system has localized water damage. This roof floor system must be replaced. Immediately above the observation deck level are the acanthus leaf freeze and the strap work freeze.

Both banding areas have a lot of terracotta that needs repair. There are cracks, small bisque and glaze spalls, and failed mortar joints. There have been attempts to repair this terracotta with limited success. They've produced unsightly epoxy smears. Some areas have been ground and patched with colored mortar, and in other places, like on this railing, the terracotta was removed and replaced with concrete.

Now, a safety net covers the railing. For the most part, the repairs haven't worked very well. The rappelling team collected enough information so terracotta manufacturers can estimate the cost to restore these bandings. Another dominant architectural feature of the tower is the grand arcade. These three sculpted masonry arches, columns, and piers support the upper 25% of the masonry walls of the tower.

These arches are cracked on the interior and the exterior. Monitoring and structural analysis of the tower have determined the cracks are caused by thermal movements of the tower, and by the massive weight above. It's believed these cracks developed early in the structure's life. Stainless steel tie rods will be inserted in the masonry to strengthen these arches. The lower two thirds of the tower has some terracotta soffits and banding that need repair.

These areas are at the same level as the main cornice in the main building. There are some fractures in the terracotta soffits on the 9th Floor. They're caused by embedded metal rods that are corroded. The same thing has happened on the 7th Floor of the tower. Here, the soffits have been stabilized with temporary wood bracing.

There are wide vertical cracks at the obtuse corners of the tower. These cracks are similar to the ones in the piers and columns on the 12th Floor of the tower. The slate roof is thirty years old. It should be good for another twenty years, but it does need some maintenance now. Broken or missing slates should be replaced with new matching slate units, and between the 8th Floor dormers, new ice and water shield materials should be installed with flashing and gutters.

Those 8th Floor dormers are out of plum. Corroded steel has lifted up the masonry, and that's created a gap. The dormers must be rebuilt. A new gutter was installed under the old counter flashing during the nineteen seventies restoration. The flashing detail has failed, and water has penetrated the masonry walls. For years, water has infiltrated the core masonry walls below the gutter line. This has caused problems inside and out. Trapped moisture is moving to the inside of the building. It's ruining plaster walls in city hall offices. Back outside, the brick is distressed.

There's staining and spalling of the brick band below the 7th Floor main cornice. Here, the mortar joints and the brick masonry need to be rebuilt. The terracotta on the north elevation needs attention. The terracotta around windows is cracking, and so are the narrow terracotta mullions. All of the window frames in City Hall are originals. They're more than 100 years old. The wooden sash is problematic. It leaks. Some of the wood is bad, and so is most of the glazing. More than 350 windows in city hall failed water tests.

City hall's windows will be replaced. The first two stories of city hall are sandstone. It needs some maintenance work too. The sandstone is eroded by water. This is evident under the continuous 3rd Floor sill, at the egg and dart moldings below the 2nd Floor sills, and at the arm trim on the Ground Floor. The molding under the 3rd Floor sill is also severely eroded. Water is also penetrating the sandstone. That loosens and delaminates layers of the sandstone. After city hall's facade is restored, work will focus on the building's foundation. Some areas of the foundation have compressed and settled.

These exterior cracks were caused by settling, and inside city hall, there are cracks in the walls of council chambers. They're also caused by the foundation compressing and settling. The design team carefully probed, removed, load tested, and analyzed the foundation. These wood timber pilings will need repair. This work and the replacement of the hollow sidewalk surrounding City Hall will be done as part of the hollow walk replacement program.

When it was near completion, the Wiss Janney Elsner report underwent a thorough peer review. An independent team of preservation experts, architects, structural, and technical experts from across the country examine the report. The peer review team indicates Milwaukee City Hall is among a select group of buildings that qualifies for National Historic Landmark status. The reviewers also recommend this unique piece of architecture be restored to the fullest extent possible. If the work isn't done, city hall will continue to deteriorate, while repair costs will escalate.

In the early eighteen nineties, many Milwaukeeans balked at the idea of a new city hall. There was controversy over the design, and the 1,000,000 price tag. But in the 1891, the common council authorized construction. When it was completed, the new City Hall became popular immediately. It still is today.

City Hall has stood the test of time, and experts agree it's a sound masonry and steel structure. In the past fifteen years, costly repairs have been made to City Hall. However, the last major repairs to the masonry were completed in 1974. For it to remain sound, City Hall's exterior requires preventative restoration work. Most of the repairs will be done to the grand 393 foot tall tower. Investments in similar projects are being made around the country. Architectural treasures built around the turn of the nineteenth century are being restored and preserved. This landmark is Milwaukee's architectural centerpiece.

The holidays. Wednesday, 12/24/2025, Thursday, 12/25/2025, Wednesday, 12/31/2025, Thursday, 01/01/2026, Monday, 01/19/2026. Parking in the vicinity of City Hall is extremely limited. Taxpayers are encouraged to choose one of the following convenient payment options to avoid the downtown traffic congestion. Pay by mail via US Postal Service.

Pay by check using the return remittance envelope included with your tax bill. No cash payments. Please note that the postal service has changed its delivery standards so mail early to avoid late delivery and going tax delinquent. Use a drop box. Pay by check using the return remittance envelope included with your tax bill.

Again, no cash payments. Dropbox is available twenty four hours a day all year round inside the City Hall Market Street entrance and outside the municipal building on Market Street. Dropbox available when the building open all year round at the Broadway entrance to the municipal building. Dropbox is available twenty four hours a day, 12/15/2025 to 02/05/2026 at Police district Stations 2 Through 7. Pay by phone or online.

Call customer service at (414) 286-2240 or visit www.milwaukee.gov/treasurer to pay by credit or debit card with a 2.75% convenience fee or by ACH debit to your checking or savings account with no convenience fee. Enroll in Tyler AutoPay, a 10 interest free installment payment plan. For information on how to enroll in Tyler Autopay, please call customer service at (414) 286-2240 or visit ww.milwaukee.gov/treasurer.

The MKE Business Mile Entrepreneurship Summit is an opportunity for small business owners and those thinking about starting small businesses to gain the resources and information and to network with one another under one roof. We have vendors throughout the day as well as workshops and a panel discussion. Join us for the MKE Business Now Entrepreneurship Summit. Good morning. I am a chairwoman Aldo woman a.

We will soon be joined by vice chair alderman Lamont Westmoreland to my right. We are joined by alderman Robert j Baldman to my right. We are also joined by DPW Infrastructure to his right. We are joined to my left by staff assistant Carmen Roman. To her left, we are joined by alderman Alex Brower to his left.

We are joined by alder woman Yeah. Larissa Taylor, and that's the committee. But we are also joined by president Perez as well as member Bergalis, Alderman Bergalis. Alright. We are going to take a file out of order by request of the vice president. So I will first call up item 17, file number two 51074, a substitute resolution authorizing the donation of certain impounded motorcycles. And this is sponsored by Alderman Perez. So Alderman Perez, did you just wanna speak to it first?

Yeah. Thank you, madam chair. Thank you, committee members. Thank you for moving this item up on the on the agenda today and thanks for your consideration as well. The item before you today is what a collaboration between the city and its partners can look like.

It's not always tens of thousands of dollars spent or a plan after plan being evaluated or report after report attempting to detail impact. Sometimes the pieces of the puzzle come together in an obvious way and this partnership that can both benefit organize this organization's mission and provide undeniable benefits to the city. In this case, we've established we have an established organization, BikerFest, MKE with a viable track record already yielding results for young people. This program targets Central City youth and exposes them to professional racers, coaches via carefully curated curriculum to develop their racing abilities, rider safety, mechanics, and to me most importantly, STEM education with a focus on mentorship and community engagement. This is not hypothetical.

This is a fact. This program has a recreational foundation but it's rooted in education and safety. We need more of this. We need to expand these type of opportunities and that's what this file is all about. By using impounded damaged motorcycles of people that choose to do the wrong thing in our city streets will help stay the course and direct them to do the right thing.

Respect speed, understand the danger of associated with drive the that associated with driving at a high rate. Well, speed understanding that there is a sanction and legal way to race vehicles and respecting other drivers. Most importantly, respecting themselves and knowing their value. The motorcycles to be refurbished by youth at BikerFest MKE will be used for education, riding, potentially contributing to funding of the organizations via the raffling of a small number of refurbished motorcycles. It's my hope to continue expanding the connectivity of this organization via the Emerging Youth Achievement Advisory Council connecting them both to MATC and the Innovation District as a potential pathways for youth to be exposed to new and exciting careers.

This is innovation and a creative proposal likely that will be a scrap material or repurposing it for education and the positive youth development. Members, I hope that you'll see the possibility of partnership. I seek your approval and I'm ready to answer any questions you might have. At the appropriate time, I'd also let you know that the executive director of BikerFest, Ms. Venetia Simpson is here and also Peter Knock of DPW at your disposal to answer any questions about the program. Thank you.

Are there any questions for the sponsor from committee? Miss Simpson, if you want to come forward, if anybody else wanna come forward and speak to the file.

Madam chair.

Yes, Alderman Stanford.

Please, I'd like to speak when it's appropriate time.

You got a question?

I have comments.

Okay. Alright. Well, let's hear from them and then we'll go to you for comment. Okay?

Yes.

And, Simpson, did you want?

I just wanted to share. Well, first, thank you guys for having us here. And I just want to share the impact of what we do. So we empower communities through mentorship, hands on learning, personal development. And we do that using the power of motorcycles to get the kids engaged and interested in these types of things. They learn a lot from these programs. They're building character, self reliance. They're learning to trust themselves, make positive decisions.

Microphone a little closer? Oh, I'm sorry.

They're making positive decisions. They're learning social skills, emotional regulation, self regulation, a lot of these things. And we have one of the kids here actually to share with you guys what he's gaining from the program. This is Lavelle Mabato. He is our head coach and our program facilitator. He's also an engineer and electrician that supports the program. Alright.

Yes, so I work directly with MSOE Engineering

Can state your name for the record?

My name is Lavelle Mubato. So I help facilitate the program. I work directly with MSOE Engineering Students and what we do is we use them as mentors. So we work on every aspect of motorcycling from drafting, designing all the way up to racing. So we have kids as young as seven years old and the program is looking to go up to 16, I believe, right, is So what we we have students that are actually able to tear their bikes down completely to the frame, rebuild it and then go out there and actually race the vehicles.

So it is a lot of learning. It's so expansive that there is something that for each kid. Not all the students will race but some are interested in the painting aspect, the powder coating, you know, the maintenance and so it kind of encompasses all of that.

How does, like, parent get their kid into the program?

They have a sign up form that we right now, it's a wait list. We have over 114 people on our wait list right now. So there's a huge interest there, but there's a sign up on our website and also social media and and through our newsletter. We do partner with, like, community events like Juneteenth, and we'll do setups and let the kids ride our ebikes. And so there, we we get sign up from that as well.

I would love to talk to you guys about Brownsville week. Oh, yeah. We'd love to. Yeah. Absolutely.

That'd that'd be a dope demonstration, wouldn't it?

It would be. Did you have anything to add?

No. I'd just like to say DPW is supportive of this. We do have a mechanism at the tow lot to allow for this. Just so you're aware of the majority of motorcycles that are abandoned, they're usually been tipped over. So there's a damage to it. If we recycle one, we maybe get $30 for it, pretend scrap rate, so there's not that much there. But, you know, I think it's a good opportunity and, you know, I guess that it would be pretty much, you know, donating them. You know, scrap vehicles to the organization.

I I did wanna hear from a student if Yeah. He wanted to come up and share his experience. That'd be great. And let us know your name.

My name is Noah Mabato, and I'm part of student in the sliders. Before. My name is Noah Mabato. I'm part of the sliders. Mhmm. And I'm part of the I'm kinda like the assisting assisting coach to help the kids out Mhmm. Since I have some experience.

How long have you been doing this?

Typically, for, like, probably six or seven years or or but in riding, I've been I've been, like, two years. Like, it's hard to it's hard to keep track.

Alright. What's your favorite part of the program?

My favorite part of the program is learning how to ride motorcycles in general because it taught me it taught me a ton of stuff, like making new friends from making new friends, like learning how learning a new sport and having fun.

Okay. Any questions for anybody from the committee?

I I just have a comment that Okay. That I really appreciate what, Venetia has done over the years. So she's been part of our community for a good while working with our youth and she has a lot of respect for that from several individuals. So we just and just after being a teacher for so long, we just know that there so many different things that that help motivate our children. You know, I I used to often share the story of Tony Hawk with our kids too.

They just get them motivated that there's so many different things that you can use to get you motivated, to find success. So he found it with a skateboard, but many of our kids can find it with riding motorcycles. So I definitely would love to to to definitely vote in in favor of this At

the appropriate time, but I'll have your vote of approval. President Perz, I would like to be a cosponsor Please. On this as well.

Thank you.

Are there any other questions or comments from committee?

You can add me as a cosponsor

as well.

Ardent Mcgay was your president.

You can add me as a cosponsor, cosponsor, please. Ardent

you wanted to share.

Yes. I was hoping to be the first co sponsor, but y'all. I'm here to show my support for the program. Thanks, Perez, for bringing this to the forefront. Miss Venetia has been working hard with the motorcycle program for years and has has held and conducted the MKE Fest at Fond Du Lac Fond Du Park for the last few years, I don't think she did last year, but she did a good two, three years consecutively.

It's been an excellent turnout. She brought positivity to the area, and I'm just proud of her that she's expanding her expertise to teaching young people. So I'm wholeheartedly in support. I have music co sponsor, and I appreciate her coming down to the emergency council, telling us about this program and getting the city's partner partnership. So excellent program, and I'm here to support it. Thank you, madam chair.

I think we first met because of motorcycle week.

Yeah. Well, you you actually came to our, I think, our first motorcycle event at Fondy Farmers Market. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. How many have you had, Anisha?

We've done four. We didn't do one last year due to conflicts, but we did do one at Deer District in 2024. Mhmm. And this year, we'll be on the East side bed. Yeah. Awesome.

Okay. Well, morning welcome again. Thank you.

Thank you.

Madam Sher. I just wanted to add to the comment. I want to thank Peter Knox and DPW for finding a way to say yes, you know, like and and we think this is of innovative approach to to to take things that were normally scrapped and no value and create value out of them and we want to just I just want to call just shout them out for for coming to the table with that approach to get this done and knowing the value of it and I think that this is I want to highlight some of the work of you know, the emerging youth achievement council because this was an avenue where I think we want to create opportunities for the organizations that don't have a traditional path to get connected to the city and to go through block grant and knowing, you know, that's kind of the small process. So, we're going to find other ways to connect organizations in a creative way to get connected not only with the city, find resources, figure out a path for their success, and that we use this venue, the council, and everything we can do to really highlight the impact they're having and get them to a next level and we can be a part of that.

So, just wanted to thank everyone for making this happen especially your patience, right? We've been talking for a while about how we get this done.

Quite a

while. And I think and I think we're on a good path to to get there and want to create that same opportunity for other organizations that in a non traditional way to get connected to the city. So, thank you.

You. Awesome. Awesome. For this time, Articleman Taylor would move adoption. Are there any objections to that motion?

Madam chair. Audubon Brower.

No objection, but I'd like

to be added as a co sponsor as well.

Awesome. Awesome.

Hearing no objection, the motion passes. Good luck. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, item number one, file number 251611. Resolution relating to approving the levying of assessments and construction Okay. Of accessible public improvement projects at various locations and appropriating funds for these purposes.

Good morning. Holly Ruttenbeck with DPW. I will be advising on the special assessment process and project details. For those projects approved this morning, a bill will be sent to each property owner sometime after completion of the work. Within forty five days upon receipt of the bill, the full amount may be paid without interest.

If the bill is not paid within the forty five day grace period, a charge of 8.5% simple interest per year will be added. If the assessment is at least $125 the assessment can be paid over a period of ten years on the tax roll at the 8.5% interest. For those projects approved with late billing, a bill will not be sent before 01/01/2028. An official notice of public hearing was mailed to all impacted first project is the 11th Aldermanic District, West Arizona Street between South 53rd Street to South 55th Street, asphalt pavement reconstruction, replace sidewalk and driveway approaches where necessary, sodding seven to eight foot with tree border area and grading. Is anyone here to provide testimony on this project?

The

order person for the area has been consulted. That's me. You want to speak to that?

You, madam chair.

This is a unique part of the city where there are no curbs and it is asphalt to grass, very suburban like in that neighborhood on this street and a number of adjacent streets as well. When I first started meeting neighbors in that neighborhood, I thought that there would be a robust energy to improve the streets and put regular streets in the neighborhood And I was summarily dismissed and corrected where zero neighbors wanted to have curbs put on their street. They liked the quaint casual streetscape and that's exactly what we are doing today where this is not a curb to curb restoration. This is an asphalt overlay where we are just replacing the asphalt. There is no curb.

The street bleeds into grass into the terraces and

of

course some sidewalks and driveway approaches. We sent a postcard out to neighbors. I did not get that many postcards back but we did some we hit the phones yesterday and the day before And I have 10 neighbors in support and just three not in support.

Thank you. Any questions from committee?

Yeah, madam chair.

Go ahead, Alderman Brown.

Maybe more of a broad one. At what point and I mean, if anybody can answer this, great. At what point do we make a determination to install a curb and gutter and the drainage and all that in a street? What is the threshold? I mean, I'm looking at a Google map and it's as dense as other areas that have curb and I mean, I guess I'm just curious at what point we make that decision.

Yes. So it is more common that we put in concrete curb and gutter when there isn't already existing curb and gutter on the streets when we are doing reconstructions like the one that is proposed on this street. But given the neighborhood, just kind of the character of the neighborhood, we did hold a public information meeting and then we also sent out an additional survey to the impacted property owners to determine what they actually wanted their roadway to look like. If they wanted to maintain that character of their neighborhood or if they were interested in having curb and gutter put in. The roadway does drain sufficiently some Yes.

Of the existing that would be a big indicator where us and DPW when we are doing the design, if the roadway is not sufficiently draining, if there are issues with the grades or anything like that where it's only going to be resolved through putting in curb and gutter, that's when we would say we are going to have to go forward with that. For these special assessments specifically, property owners are only assessed for 50% of the sidewalk that's in front of their property and they are assessed for 90% of their driveway approaches. They are not charged for concrete curb and gutter that is actually part of the city's budget paid by the wheel tax. And

just to follow-up, this type of a restoration on the roadway is a lot less expensive without curbs and gutters. And Holly, do you want to share what we're able to do with the reduced budget on this project?

Yes. So we had earmarked putting in curb and gutter on Arizona Street and by not putting in the curb and gutter on this roadway and saving that funding, we actually have another roadway in the neighborhood South 53rd Street that we are in the process of designing and using those leftover budget dollars that we had allocated for District 11.

Assuming those neighbors also don't want to have curb and gutter.

Correct. And it will have to go through the public hearing process. So that one will be coming in the future months.

So then we are expanding the impact to the neighborhood. We are doing actually almost twice as much roadway than was planned in the neighborhood for the same budget dollars from the city with a much bigger impact to the neighborhood. And then frankly, by activating a larger project, we'll also get bids that are more competitive. This isn't just a small two block project, but this is six blocks or more of roadway and we'll get better pricing. So I appreciate the department's innovative approach to cost saving, giving neighbors what they ask for and not more that they don't need so that we can do more for our community and more for our neighborhoods.

So thank you, Holly.

Thank you. Madam Chair?

Audit mind. Will this be considered a rural cross section?

Yes, it will be.

So the the street drains into a ditch basically and the deaths in the tree border?

That is correct which is exactly the same as the existing condition.

Okay, very good. Thank you.

Alright. Any more questions or comments from committee? Alright. Alder Member Bowman will move adopt adoption. Are there any objections to that motion?

Hearing none so ordered. Item number two. File number 251612. Resolution determining a necessary to make various accessible public improvements at various locations and appropriating funds for these purposes with the city engineering cost estimated to be a $150,000 for a total estimated cost of these projects being $2,250,000. And I believe there is a substitute?

Yes. There is a substitute. Holly Ruttenbach with DPW. This is setting up engineering for future assessable paving projects.

Auditor Auditor I mean, Brower would we need a substitute in front of us. Right?

Yes. The substitute is in the file. So

is it already subbed, or do we need to make a motion to sub? Maybe the sub needs to be accepted. Okay. Honorable, I would move that we have the substitute in front of us. Are there any objections to that motion? Hearing none, so ordered. Are there any questions on this file, the substitute? Alright. Otto and Tyler would move adoption of the substitute. Are there any objections to that motion?

Hearing none, so order. Item number three, file number two five one six one three, resolution determining it necessary to make various nonaccessible public improvements at various locations and appropriating funds for these purposes with the city engineering cost estimated to be $310,000 for a total estimated cost of these projects being $5,977,000.

Good morning. This is setting up engineering for future nonaccessible projects throughout the city.

Any questions from committee? Hearing none, Alderman Baumann would move adoption. Are there any objections to that motion? Hearing none, motion passes. Item number four, file number two five one six one four, resolution approving construction of nonaccessible public improvements at various locations and appropriating funds for these purposes with the city construction cost estimated to be $3,750,000 for a total estimated cost of these projects being $12,047,000.

And there's a substitute? Yes. Alderman Broward would move to have the substitute in front of us. Hearing no objection, so ordered.

This is for setting up construction funding on various DPW nonaccessible contracts.

Any questions from committee? Hearing none, Ardwoman Taylor would move adoption of the substitute. Are there any objections to that motion? Hearing none, so ordered. Item number five file number two 51610.

Resolution directed at commissioner of public works to execute a document titled cost sharing memorandum of understanding between the city of Milwaukee and the city of Wauwatosa for nonparticipating real estate acquisition activities related to West Blue Mountain Road from North 106th Avenue to North 66th Avenue, which is being completed with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation State Highway Rehabilitation, maintenance funding for the improvement of the roadway.

Good morning. David Tapia, major projects manager. So this file is necessary to enter into the agreement with Wauwatosa so we could basically bill them for their share that. To

We

TLEs. Oh, sorry. Temporary limited easement. That's yeah, that's just during construction. They're allowed to be on the private property to construct and majority of these are the curb ramps where the sidewalks right up against right away typically.

Any other questions from committee? Hearing none, Alderman Westmoreland would move adoption. Are there any objections to that motion? Hearing none, it's all ordered. Item number six. File number 251599. Resolution authorizing the commissioner of public works to execute a change order to a Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District Green Solutions grant funding agreement for the installation of bio swells within North Jefferson Street between East Wells Avenue and East Erie Street in the 4th Automatic District.

Good morning, Solomon Beckola from DPW Environmental Section. This resolution simply allows us to accept additional funding from NMST.

Any questions from committee?

Madam chair.

Audubon Ballmer.

What is this project exactly? Has this been previously Yes. Heard by this committee? It's, Yes. It was approved by PW previously. So the city identified By this committee or by department? By by this By by this committee. Okay. Very good. Thank you.

Any other questions from committee? Alderman Brower would move adoption. Are there any objections to that motion? Hearing none, so order item number seven, file number two five one five seven zero. Resolution directing the commissioner of public works to execute state municipal agreements for a state led highway project with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for the construction of I 41 Zoo Freeway from Howard Avenue to the Union Pacific Railroad and to set up funds for construction at an estimated total cost of $802,000 with an estimated city share of $200 and a grantor share of $801,800.

Good morning. Josh Eywen with Milwaukee Water Works Water Engineering. This is a standard state municipal agreement which will allow the water department to get 90% funding from the state for, some maintenance that is required due to a project that they're working on which is going to impact some water valve boxes.

Any questions from committee? Hearing none, Arda Woman Taylor would move adoption. Hearing no objection, so ordered. Thank you. Item number eight. File number 251585. Resolution authorizing the Department of Public Works to accept a gift from the Daniel Home Foundation to fund a route reports roadway condition monitoring pilot.

Good morning, committee chair, COGS and public works committee members. Jim Bolt, Innovation Office. This particular file that we have before us emanated out of a innovation contest that the Daniel Holm Foundation namesake of one of our former mayors here in the city of Milwaukee sponsored this past year. There were two contestant winners that emanated out of an innovation award soliciting ideas to help assist efficiencies in city government. One had to do with some reforms with auxiliary dwelling units.

The other one called for there to be a greater use of LiDAR technology to implement efficiencies in the Department of Public Works. After looking at both of the selection that of the winners, I had the idea of broaching the foundation because we had pilots that we were in the midst of conducting in both of these areas to ask the foundation to help fund the implementation of projects. And so for both the ADU element as well as the one that you have here before you today, which is a route report roadway condition monitoring pilot, which utilizes that LiDAR technology. The foundation did agree to provide pilot funds for both of those projects and so what you have before you would be the ability for the DPW to accept a gift to fund that pilot.

Good morning, Madam Chair, members of the committee. Kevin Muse, City Engineer. I'll keep it very brief, but happy to answer questions. Basically, the technology that we are pursuing and again very appreciative of the Daniel Hohn Foundation for considering this project for funding And this gift is AI, but an image recognition based system where we install right now the pilot is installing two cameras in existing fleet vehicles that travel throughout the city and the image recognition software and the processing actually identifies road defects in particular potholes and cracks and seams and those types of things. And we are hoping to use this to proactively identify potholes, which has been a thing that the council has often asked us about in the past rather than solely relying on resident requests.

This is very much a pilot. We don't know how well the image recognition software is going to The other limiting factor will be our own capacity, of course, to address the potholes that the software identifies during peak periods. But we're still excited about this opportunity because we think it will make sure identification of road defects is more equal across the city as these vehicles just travel throughout the day. The other piece of this is Google Street View is very useful for us in doing our work. Google Street View generally doesn't travel down alleys.

And so we will also be using this to get defect and condition information out of our alleys, which we don't have right now at all other than sending a supervisor out or an inspector out to do a site condition report. So we'll have a lot more information about our alleys at our fingertips as we build this database of essentially high resolution Google Street View images of the roads in the city. Are

there other cities that use a similar software?

So we aren't the first in The U. S. The company Route Reports is actually Root Reports because they're based in The UK. And they have a handful of U. S. Clients. The Florida, I'm going get it wrong. It's like the Florida Central Expressway. Florida separates their different freeways into different funding agencies and so it's one of the Florida freeway agencies uses them and has used them for a couple of years. There's also a rural county in Washington State that has been using it for a couple of years as well.

That rural county actually has about the same number of lane miles of roads as we do. Their full build out of this system, which they've moved forward with, is 10 vehicles equipped with cameras. So if we do decide this is beneficial going forward, that might be the scale that this takes for DPW.

Of the cities that I already have deals with, are any of them weather wise, like similar to us? Like, which one is most similar to?

I don't know if I know of any offhand that are as snowy as us. The UK itself isn't. So that is something that we're curious about is how well does it do in the different weather conditions. The other piece of that though is potholes themselves are more difficult to address in the winter anyways. So I think we would still say that it is beneficial. If it does what we are told it will do, it will still be beneficial to have seasonally.

How long is so this is kinda like a pilot? Mhmm. How long is it kinda going for?

One year. So the the foundation's gift would pay for one year or the pilot for two vehicles.

Can I request that after the year that you guys report to us, like what the

Absolutely?

Findings Yep. For it? Alderman Baumann?

Yeah. Thank you, madam chair. It would seem the utility of this is entirely contingent on how quickly we data about potholes, right? Yes. And what's our current rule of thumb is seventy two hours, twenty four hours, forty eight hours, I forget what this

Sure. Yes. So it's three working days is the standard counsel has long discussed and we've discussed publicly. I mean, we've it's been a while since we've been able to reach that just due to staffing limitations. So

historically, we would receive a complaint of a pothole and our standard would be within three working days, it would be addressed. And if not, it would set up potential liability to a claimant coming in here for a broken suspension or damaged tire, correct?

Perhaps,

yes. Right. So now we are creating a beautiful database for claimants to file claims against the city for pothole damage, which because of the volume of potholes, the system could in fact identify far greater than what the current complaint system is, a beautiful database for plaintiff's lawyers. I will give you an example of why that is relevant. New York City, the New York City Bar Association literally hires their own people to go out and photograph potholes and defective sidewalks to create a database for giving notice to the city of this defect so when there is a claim, notice has already been given.

Got it.

It's actually a cottage industry.

So

unless we can all of a sudden ramp up our response rate to this, I think this makes no sense.

Well, so we certainly did think about that Alderman and I appreciate the point. I think a couple things. So one is we have and perhaps the city attorney's office should be here to be part of this discussion in the future.

Exactly what I'm talking about. This creates a database for claims basically. Right? So

so the I don't

we're waiting on this.

I mean, I don't know

if it's embedded through the city attorney. I I don't know if this is a good idea.

So let's ask that question. Has it been vetted through the city attorney?

We've had discussions. No, we did not ask for an opinion. So so a the couple of things. So one is we have in the past and my understanding is successfully used the defense that our own staffing capacity prevents us from filling potholes. And so we do during winter timeframes when our response time lags, that is I sign all the letters to the city attorney's office.

I read them, I know what they are and we do regularly cite the fact that we do not have the staff capacity to address it in a given time period due to the demand. And so that would be the same as this. The other piece of this is I don't expect that we will be using this technology very much when we have an overwhelming surge of requests from residents because our supervisors who are the ones who have to review everything that the roadway defect software identifies won't have the capacity to review it. So it will be used for proactive activities when we are more likely to have the capacity to address the potholes. So that is the desire, that's our plan.

I understand what you're saying a little bit. I think that is a risk. I think the challenge with that is balancing that with what we've often heard from residents and members of the council that they want us to be proactive in pursuing potholes.

But this isn't being proactive. The proactive part is increasing the number of crews and the number of vehicles and the response to the data. Well, want to hear from the city attorney. Am I not wrong about the notice issue and that this creates basically a plaintiff's lawyer's dream?

Good morning. Jordan Shuttle from the city attorney's office. Yeah, I'm not familiar with this entire project and I will defer to, the city engineer for his conversations with our office. Hearing the project, there are some concerns that do arise, but again, I'm not completely familiar with all of the conversations mister Musa's had with our office.

Don't want you to go too far because I don't want to be laying out Mhmm. For people a way to sue us. It's obviously some questions and some issues that could create greater liability for us as a city. My question for you all is, is this time sensitive?

The acceptance of the award, I think we

could hold it over the cycle. Yeah.

I think that we should probably hold this and we should consult the city attorney before

we And madam chair, I I do want to say one thing and I did discuss this with with the the city engineer. From a perspective even going back earlier when I was an Alderman, I would in early spring, I would drive through my entire district over the course of two days and systemically write down notepads worth of potholes. And I know Alders when they're driving good I that's

good

over. The I reality is we have right now crews that systemically will be getting complaints of one pothole driving over a half mile, two miles of potholes to and answer the next response instead of systemically having the crews fill them faster so they resolve them. There is a catch 22 on the efficiency of having crews have a GPS coordinated route to be able to systemically wipe them off the map in spring when we get the hot patch as opposed to taking so much longer and leaving open the additional liabilities of not being able to answer them because we're wholly inefficient in operating it. So we did discuss the ability as we would never get to a point of knocking off and not doing the response. We have to ensure that there are crews to do that.

But the real question is can we still have some crews addressing the called in complaints while others are efficiently wiping future complaints off the map and therefore limiting our liability and that was the kind of approach that we kind of looked at this at as seeing that it's not all down side that there is an obvious plus side that you're going to get fewer complaints. DPW, you as older persons are going get fewer complaints if we are more efficiently and systemically going one row down the other and not driving over holes that we know exist because it's not on our map to address. So I just wanted to point that out as an alternative efficiency that we think has a plus item was worthy of having this exploration for.

Madam Chair.

I will say this that I I would prefer that we hold this because I don't wanna talk about the legal stuff Mhmm. Here. And I do wanna give the opportunity for the city attorney to actually opine about it. Take into account all the things that you've said. From my point of view, I think that it's a way that we could probably do this that makes sense and limits our liability. I just want us all to be clear about that before Yep. We move forward. And like some of the stuff practice wise that you said is great. Feel more secure if it was concrete and what you could take a different job tomorrow. It is how we're gonna do Mhmm.

You know, this moving forward for the year. Yep. To limit our liability or whatever. So just making sure that all of those things are in place before we do it. Because I actually do think it's it's a good thing and we create efficiencies, but I also do see Mhmm. That we also could create greater liability if we don't do it the right way.

Correct.

Yep. So I just since it's not time sensitive, I'm gonna allow any other members who wanna talk on it now to be able to, but it's my intention to hopefully that we'll hold this so that we can work out Mhmm. The greatest opportunity for limited liability for us so that we can get the benefits and efficiencies out of it. That's my thinking. Yep. I I just want y'all to know I'm not trying to kill it or nothing like that. Mhmm. I just want us to do it right. Okay. Auditor McGraw.

Yeah. Thank you so much. I would completely support the sentiment that we need to get on top and ahead of the situation with potholes. I mean, that's, I guess, my question. So, yeah, I mean, that's, that's a huge thing and staffing is such a huge issue with it. I think that the council, you know, we, by offering, you know, raises for every employee, I hope that that helps DPW to attract and retain workers, you know, so we can put everybody on the ground, the positions that we have funded can be filled. I mean, that's a a huge issue as well, you know, and that, I mean, that's layered on top of all of this, right? We analyze the what's the term you guys use? Pavement quality index.

Is that

the term

you guys use? If we're going to be systematic about it, where where would that where would that analysis? Do we use a contractor for that analysis as well, right? And then we, you know, use modeling to age that if I'm understanding it correctly. Please correct me if I'm misunderstanding it. But, you know, so we have so wouldn't wouldn't that data as well give us a clue about where we should even do the systemic pothole filling that I would really like us to do by the way?

It can. So, yes. So, we do for the benefit of the the committee because you're correct, Alderman. So, every seven, eight years, we do a citywide analysis of my apologies of the pavement quality across the city. There is a number of things that go into that.

It's a understanding of the surface ride of the road, particularly in the wheel path of the lanes as well as a little bit into the pavement to understand any structural flaws within the pavement. That analysis and the way that data works does not necessarily reflect the frequency of potholes on a street. It will catch if there is a pothole when the van goes over, of course, but it is it's more about the structural condition of the pavement which depending on the deficiencies may or may not result in pothole issues. And so it really you know because another thing that causes big structural issues that isn't really pothole related is when the concrete panels start to fail at the edges. And so you get a very bumpy rough ride that is structurally challenging that may not be something we can solve with pothole filling, but that would show a decreased quality on that PQI index.

It can be related but it is not necessarily a one for one thing. Guess the takeaway I would have on that is when a road gets so bad that it's very low in the PQI that is yes often the roads that regularly have potholes reappear. National Avenue right now because we're going to replace it is one of those roads. Lisbon on the Northwest portion of the city is one of those roads. PQI is bad, potholes are bad,

that sort of thing. Just replace them whole.

Right. Exactly. So it's not a thing we can use really to prioritize our pothole filling necessarily.

I mean, makes sense to me. Mean, we have off through my office, we have volunteers that are distributing letters and stuff from our office and I I do ask them to report anything they see and click for action

as well.

We have.

Oh, that's great.

We're trying to be systematic in that out of our office as well and get ahead of this reported to you guys before it gets reported or that we have multiple reports. It gets prioritized as well as far as a disturbance in the road.

Madam Chair, on that question, Alderman Brower, thank you for that. That's a terrific question. I think one of the areas that continues to be a constant battle obviously is with resources. It is there's a desire because there's enough bad roads that even the political and the desire is to see an improvement to. But it's the constant battle over sometimes in inefficient or in insufficient number of resources that are going to crack filling and other preventative maintenance.

You see the roads being done too often is the schedule are we getting to fill in the crack fills. The concern that I've long had as a city resident city employee, it has been at times where I think that there are sometimes insufficient crack filling that's getting done because those crack fill later on turn into potholes and once you have the potholes, there's no turning back. It's battle a then. So when and thank to the council for their added leadership here in increasing the motor vehicle registration fee. Obviously resources are at a limitation.

I think there was a reason when even when I was on the council and had a former colleague who worked in DPW in Alderman Joe Dudzik that he had previously insisted that like 10% of any of those dollars had to go toward crack filling and it was a desire at least of when you're doing the new roads of trying to preserve it for the long haul. That may limit getting to another road but it's going to ensure over the longer haul that the roads that you are doing are going be preserved longer and have an overall net positive.

Any other questions or comments from committee? I will say and I appreciate the focus on being proactive. Mhmm. I think, hopefully, if we do it the right way, it'll alleviate some of the issues our constituents are having. But at this time, it's okay with you out in the bombing. I will have your motion to hold to the chair. Are there any objections to that motion? Hearing none, so ordered. Thank you. Thank you.

That was a good catch, though. Next up, item nine. File number 251589. Resolution approving a fourth amendment to the lease agreement with Cellco Partnership DBA, Verizon Wireless for the placement of personal communication services, antennas, and ancillary equipment at 8814 West Lisbon Avenue.

Good morning. Jordan Shuttle from the city attorney's office. Before you is a fourth amendment to a cell tower lease agreement with Verizon at eight eight four one West Lisbon Avenue. This lease amendment simply extends the lease the term of the lease. It currently is set to expire on 04/03/2027. This extends the lease for another ten years up until April 2037. The current rents is $61,921.91 A 5% rent escalator continues to apply to that rent moving forward.

Any questions from committee?

Okay, mister chair, madam chair.

Auditor Mabaughman.

Is the rent current?

Yes. My my understanding is that rents

are Is Verizon Wireless current in all their payment obligations to the city?

I'm not sure if they're current in all of their payment obligations to the city, but for this lease sites, my understanding from my team is that they are current.

Because I know we have a lot of conduit arrearages and accounts receivable out there. Have we checked to make sure that Verizon is up to date in all their potential liabilities?

For the preparation of this file, I have not checked all of their payment obligations, no.

Madam chair. In the future, for future files like this, could you do that to make sure it happens? Thank you. Otterman Taylor?

Oh, does this mean that, if rent changes, that if the amount changes, you can change it over this year or does it just stay the same for the next ten years?

It will continue so currently on the lease, there is a 5% rent escalator. This just simply continues that rent escalator for the next eleven years now. So it will still change every year and go up by 5%.

Okay. Thank you. Venture?

Armint Brower.

Yes. So with this, I didn't see it in the document but I just maybe want to make sure. So this continues this lease for another ten years and what options in that ten year period do we have to withdraw or does the other contracting party have Cellco have to withdraw from the lease?

Yes. So typically for these leases, we they're the way we structure them are it's not a full set ten years. It is two additional five renewal terms. So prior to the execution of that second renewal term, can there are options that we have to consider if we want to terminate. There are also other termination clauses for defaults in the lease as well. But currently, from my knowledge and from my team D's information, there is no current default at the site.

No. And that's great to hear. Had some further comments, Madam Chair. Yes. No, no. So this is that's good. And I long held that if private enterprise wants to use public property, they definitely have to pay for it. I appreciate it. Alderman Baumann's question about whether they're current, all of the people that use our public infrastructure should be current on their bills to us because those companies, as I've said at this committee before, those companies don't let their customers off the hook. And so when these companies start letting their customers off the hook and be easier on people with income issues, we can consider that and we can maybe be nicer to them.

But what goes around comes around for these companies. And but long term, it's my understanding and I don't necessarily totally understand the engineering behind how the cellular system works. But long term, you know, it's my understanding that, you know, when a cell phone company has a tower that, you know, you want Verizon Wireless here, that even somebody who has AT and T or another operator or another provider, that cell phone tower could provide them that cell phone with a signal. And if that is the case, maybe I'm incorrect in that, but if that is the case, what really could be done long term rather than letting the profit motive We're We're We're do do to that. Operated phone company to, you know, use these towers collectively and we could operate overall more efficiently with lower prices.

Overall, I mean, I'll just keep pointing as I always do to our city's really well run waterworks system. I never get complaints about the quality of service from waterworks, the price. So, the more that the city can offer a well run utility like better. The more areas that we can offer that including, you know, our our favorite utility, We Energies. And that was that was sarcasm for those who are not familiar with my opinions on them. But yeah, and I just want to that broadly. I mean, you know, I'm glad that they're they're paying for everything, that they're they're paying their way. They're paying a fair market value for this line. I do intend to support this resolution because our residents need and want cell phone service in this city. So we, you know, given that we can provide that infrastructure and help with that, great.

But long term, you know, we need to have all of these things. The profit motive needs to be removed from all this so we can actually have an efficient, well run operation with cellular service and other utilities. Thank you.

Is the 5% escalator for the next eleven years, is that standard? Is that the same for other?

Yep. That's what we use in all of our lease agreements. At least this this lease agreements.

Thank you. Any other questions from committee? Arteman Westmoreland would move adoption. Are there any objections to that motion? Hearing none. So ordered item number 10, file number two five one two five nine, resolution to vacate a portion of unimproved right of way in the block bound by West Birch Avenue, North 66th Street, and North 67th Street in the 2nd Automatic District and this is sponsored by Alderman Chambers and I believe he he has communicated that he's in support of this file.

Excellent. Thank you, madam chair. Johnny Lats ko, DCD Planning. This file before you is a vacation of a really unique portion of right of way here in the city. It's founded on all other sides by roads.

It was platted as an outlaw of a subdivision of the West Lawn West subdivision. As best as can be understood by staff research, by research from the applicant, research from quite a few people across different departments, this outlot was sort of erroneously dedicated in a 2018 file seen before this committee. And given the clear statutory procedures outlined for vacating public right of way, staff identified vacating it as opposed to doing an amending instrument to just be the most efficient and straightforward method. As you'll see in exhibit A, it's sort of a teardrop irregular shape of right of way. To anyone on the road, it just looks like part of the West Lawn subdivision that hasn't been developed.

Underneath, there is stormwater management. So it's not really a site for building on like a structure. However, it can be used for a a park like setting which is Hakim's plan. I'm joined by Alison Woznicki who will speak in a moment to talk a little bit about that plan. But just given the unique nature of this vacation, reversion of the right of way goes to the original party which dedicated the right of way which was the housing authority and again HACM plans to develop a park which is consistent with previous planning approvals for the Westlawn West subdivision.

The City Plan Commission did recommend approval of this item and staff has reviewed it and it does not believe it plays an integral part or really any part in our transportation network nor services access for any future development. Allison, if you want to.

Hi. Allison Woznicki, Vice President of Construction for Trabeau and the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee. On this land, we plan a two phase project. The first phase, which will complete May 11, is a park which will include the grading, underground plumbing, concrete work and seating. And after that phase is complete, we will be bringing in a pavilion, play equipment, stone seating walls for outside, outdoor education, lighting, security cameras, just to provide a safe and, usable space for all ages and all abilities in this area.

It will be used by not only the residents of Westlawn but the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center and the rocket ship school across the street.

Any questions from committee?

Yeah, manager.

Audeman Brower.

So, on this, if I'm looking at the file note file here and I see a map here is one of the exhibit A. It's this gray shaded area.

Yeah. It's sort of a teardrop or triangular shape.

Yeah. Okay. Yep. Yep. That's that's something. There was there were I mean, I'm just looking at Google Street when I see an image capture from 2015. There were houses on it before?

Yes. We did. Okay. There there was public housing on it which we demolished and surrounding it now is all townhomes.

I did see that in the in the current streets too and and I guess this is for a larger conversation. Mean, do we in that reconstruction, do we net lose units? No. In that? Okay. Because we went higher on some of the buildings for that project.

That is correct.

Okay. Great. And this will so this will who's who's it going to come under then? I maybe you said in the air and I missed it. Who is it going to come under under whose ownership will come under then?

It'll be under Hackham.

Hackham? Okay. Thank you.

Any other questions from committee? Alder Woman Taylor would move adoption. Are there any objections to that motion? Hearing the assault order. Item number 11. Thank you. You're welcome. 251418. So to resolution directing the Department of Public Works to develop plans for use of the city's urban wood and sponsored by me. Members may recall a footnote that was on during budget. This is the resolution to effectuate the footnote, and it's pretty straightforward. Just asking DPW to think of some creative alternatives alternatives with wood. Okay.

Absolutely. Good morning, madam chair. Committee members, Danielle Rodriguez, Department of Public Works director of operations. So we're happy to work on this. This is something that I'm not sure if we've introduced the new forestry services manager to this committee yet, Erin Stochel, but she was definitely introduced at finance. So she has some really creative ideas. Her and her team are already starting to make some new partnerships and look at this a little with fresh eyes, I guess. So we're excited to present something. I believe the timeline, I just want to check on that because I want to make sure we can have the time we need. But I believe the timeline is three months. That sounds reasonable. We should be able to get you something back.

I will do a communication files after that three months so that you guys can report back to the committee. Members may also remember, like, I've done wood based resolutions for a few years now, really trying to have us think more creatively with all the wood that we annually get rid of. Mhmm. So, hopefully, this file will will help push us in that direction. Any other questions from committee?

Alright. Hearing alderman Westmoreland, we'll move for adoption. Hearing no objections, so ordered. Next up, we have item 12, file number two five one four two three, substitute resolution directing the Department of Public Works to coordinate its activities to minimize impacts on school drop off and pickups. And this is also a sponsor by me.

It's also the resolution to help effectuate a budget footnote that we did. This is an idea that I thought about a while ago because I personally live a half a block away from a school. Mhmm. A new school was built in the last year in my district, and there are several schools throughout. And that's just some are better than others at planning how the pickup and drop off, which may disrupt regular traffic, is handled.

And, historically, I've had DPW work with schools on that, but, generally, it it occurs after there's a tragedy, after it's an accident, or after something happens. So to me, it just makes sense that and recently, it that came up with a road construction issue. Not in my district but in Alderman Bomber's district. It just makes sense to me that DPW should be well aware and help to advise schools on the drop off and pick up both as we continue to do road construction and for safety for the children and staff. Again, I've had school schools on DPW because we Mhmm.

Made them, but it just seems like that should be a part of the regular way that we operate. So this is my way to hopefully help that to to happen. Sure. You wanna speak?

Yeah. Thank you, madam chair, members of the committee. Appreciate the the footnote and the resolution. We currently the interaction tends to happen in one of two ways. So one is, as you noted, when a new school is built, it would go through our normal construction design review process for a lot of different types of private development in the city or any development in the city.

And at that point to the newest school in your district, I think it was your recommendation that they work closely with us and they have. And so that's been a good partnership and proactive. Otherwise, usually either schools or neighbors will reach out to an older or to DPW directly to basically say, we've got an issue, we'd like to change something. Usually it's directions of streets, parking, those types of arrangements. And so we do respond to those when we receive those requests.

There isn't a lot of proactive discussions though. We're happy to have those. I think it's primarily just going to land on capacity on both sides, right? But yes, we can explore this. We'll certainly talk with MPS.

Of course, are many schools that aren't MPS in the city, but and see what we can do on a more proactive basis to address this. I think we've may have mentioned in the past, but there are concepts. The biggest challenge we've run into is mostly high schools more than anything else, although other schools can be challenging too, just because high schools are drawing on usually more students from a further reach across the city. And so it ends up being a bus scene and a parent pickup and drop off issue. One thing that some parts of the country and world do that we have not yet done, I think in almost any I don't think in any location in the city is they actually close a street or two directly in front of the school to push basically parents because it's usually the parents in the cars.

That's the biggest challenge. Push the parent pickup and drop off away from the school and all but require the parents to get out of their cars to come to the school. That distributes the parking issue throughout a larger area. It can mean that more streets are impacted though, right, because you could be pushing the parking issue further away, but it tends to reduce the congestion issue because people are all but forced to leave their car and park and then take the walk to the school. Obviously our weather conditions right now this week is a perfect time for a parent to say why the heck would you want me to do that?

And so it is a challenging thing but there are things we can do, but there are also just limitations of the fact that we have a citywide school system that attracts without neighborhood schools, right, we attract students from across the city. That's the way our school system works. And so that does lead to more cars and buses trying to get close to schools.

Definitely. Yep. Any questions from committee? I would just also encourage you if there is any other legislative action that might need to happen to help effectuate the COVID. Report that with that. You know? Yep. Because because as you were talking, it was making me think, should it be a requirement that if you start a new school as a part of your BOSA thing or as a part of whatever, you have to consult DPW on the pickup and drop on piece. You know, I don't but as you figure this out, if it's more stuff more legislative stuff that needs to happen to help you be able to effectuate this, just let us know.

Okay. Thank you. Okay.

Thank

you. Armament Brower would move adoption. Are there any objections to that motion? Hearing none, so ordered. Thank you. Item number 13, file number two five one four two four. Substitute resolution directing the Department of Public Works to develop a plan for incentivizing its employees to report illegal dumping activity. And it's sponsored by me too. This is members of Ray Card. This is a resolution effectuating a budget footnote.

And I just have a lot of dumping in my district, and there have been times where neighbors are like, it's been there for thirty thirty days, and it's in the alley. And it makes me think, well, garbage pickup had to happen at least a couple of times in that thirty thirty days. And even if no neighbor reported it, didn't an employee report it? And I know it's already a system for them to do it, but this was just my way of thinking, you know, the carrot of encouraging it even more so that more of that happens. I don't know what that looks like, but I'm encouraging you all to design what that could look like to encourage city records to report more.

Okay. Okay. Well, again, Danielle Rodriguez, director operations. That was going be my question. Did you have any specific ideas? But, you know, if you want us to be creative, we'll see what we can come up with. Just a little background. Yes, definitely we've encouraged and even at some point instructed that staff report it. In the past and somewhat currently that reporting looked like a piece of paper to the supervisor or to an office person entered into a system. We have recently installed the long awaited route where system where we have somewhat of a computer, really it's just a cell phone in the dash.

That capability is there for staff to report electronically. However, with all good tech installations, it just takes time for us to work out some kinks and some processes because obviously that device isn't specifically meant for reporting. It does a multitude of things. It's really more about us figuring out how we enable it. So that should help in and of itself.

But we certainly want to explore ways to incentivize all staff because that is just the sanitation group that has that technology. And it might be interesting for us to explore what would it look like for all DPW to be incentivized. The one thing I would ask, this has a sixty day, yeah, a sixty day and I wonder if we could change it to one hundred and twenty days. I do want to have time to not only talk to Department of Employee Relations but also city attorney's office just to see, you know, don't I'm not quite sure, like, can we monetarily incentivize or not? Like, I just I just don't know those things.

So I just want a little more time to come back with a more thoughtful idea or would you rather us check-in every few days just to see our progress? Right now, it's snow and ice for me. So capacity is an issue.

I have my problem with amending it to a 120 and of course, that'll be a communication problem for guys to Sure. Report back. I just would ask that if you finish before the hundred and twenty days that you also Sure. Let us know that. So at this time, auto woman and Taylor would

Let him do. Uh-huh. Before you do that, I just had a question. Is this for employees that are working or employees that are not working and just happen to notice that there is an additional incentive for for

them? Good question.

That's a good question.

Yeah. It is a good question.

Would be the the working because they're out there in the field. But that's something to to explicitly lay out in whatever the incentive program ultimately is.

Okay. Great. And and I think part of that exploration will be what will it look like when we get the influx of report? What will our capacity need to be to address them in a reasonable amount of time because there's nothing that hurts me more than knowing it's there and not having capacity to go handle it. So we'll we'll take a look at the full scope.

But I was gonna be really encouraged.

You to look at other cities for an incentive program for what they've done to see what might be what we could mimic or tweak that might work here. And maybe DER is a good source that may know some of that, but you could always ask LRP Absolutely. Researchers. Audit Woman Taylor, you still have

the floor?

No. That actually was going to be the net quest the next question is if it is working employees, then what would be the procedure that they would follow in reporting it and then getting back to picking it up? So that was the next question. Yeah.

Sure. That will certainly be a part of the study in the review.

And and hopefully in the review too, you'll talk to employees about the current methods that we have Right. And challenges. So maybe whatever method is developed could be make it a little easier to to be done. Okay. Thank you. Current employees probably have a lot of ideas

about Absolutely.

How would be easier.

Some of the best ideas come from the employees doing the work. Absolutely.

Yeah. Any other questions from committee? I don't want to tell her would move adoption. Hope we got it. I'll see. Oh, we got it amendment first. I don't autment Brower would move to amend the to say a hundred twenty days Yes. Striking the sixty day

Yes. And

adding a hundred twenty days. Are there any objections to that motion? Hearing none, so order. Audubon Taylor will move adoption. Are there any objections to that motion? Hearing none, so order. Thank you. Item number 14, file number 251425. Subsidy resolution directing department of public works to create a user friendly way to find information about construction projects and public pricing department activities. It's also responsible for me and this resolution to effectuate a budget footnote.

Yeah. Thank you, madam chair, members of the committee. So as I think the chair knows, we've been working on this and others may as well. We've been working on this for a while. We have grown, I would say, pretty significantly over the past few years, our communications and our ability to tell the public what we're doing.

Two primary ways the public can learn about particularly construction projects. So one is when it is in the design phase and upcoming, if it is going to if it is kind of more than just impacting direct residents on a street, it probably has an engage.milwaukee.gov page, Engage MKE. So we do put basically any project on there. You can search right on the top for that. And if you search Milwaukee DPW projects, that will come up as an option when you put that into Google or your search engine.

The other thing that we have done and launched in 2024 was an interactive projects database and map. So that is also available. Again, if you Google Milwaukee DBW projects that will come up. And so that is on our projects page. What we're looking to grow that to include is waterworks projects.

So this is an infrastructure initiative which is the division of DPW that I oversee with some hard work by my excellent communications person, Sarah McClanahan, as well as some help from DOA, Kate Poissarat from DOA helped us with the back end to get that database up. And so that's been live for a couple of years. But we're so we know and our plan is to add Waterworks to that, but we're also open to anything that the sponsor has or other committee members have on how we can further enhance that type of information.

Yeah. And we'll we'll talk offline about just some ideas.

Sure.

And I'll be honest. It's partly because, you know, residents, you know, stop us, call us, and wanna know specifics about when is this gonna get done or when is this happening or I saw they are doing work over here when it's and just having something at the fingertips that residents themselves who may be interested in that type of stuff can access some of the information is one thing. The other is out of town hall meeting a few months back and a resident asked about a project. And, actually, the DVW worker there tried to look it up. It was like, oh, it's on the site and da da da da da And it took forever for

him to

be able to do it. And I'm like, if he's taking forever to find it, the average citizen is gonna be a little challenge too. Yep. That's why I specifically says a more user friendly Okay. Way to access the information. But we'll talk more Yeah. As you all are working on this to with specific suggestion I may have.

Yeah. Absolutely. Are

there any questions from committee? Madam chair. Auditor.

Yeah. Thank you so much. And thank you, madam chair, for introducing this whole series of files to follow-up with the department and make sure that we're in communication with the department. And thank you, Kevin, for all the work you guys are doing. I guess what I'm curious about just for the maybe the listening public or my office's identification as well. We have multiple entities. You kind of alluded to with Waterworks, multiple entities that can start or have a legal right to start or begin construction. I mean, can you just like, okay, can you just go through some of those? I mean, us, the city of Milwaukee can start to dig up a road, block a street off, repair a broken water main. I mean, we where there's utilities. I mean, what can you go through those entities because sometimes when

Yep.

We get calls Yep. You know, We Energies is doing something and I mean, like, what are the entities that can do this work on the roadways?

Yeah. Many as you just alluded to Alderman and and those that are either watched budget hearings or on finance and personnel might remember this discussion which I think is related to the footnote as well. So, generally speaking, if someone is digging in the public right away or somehow occupying the public right away including with like a dumpster for a home renovation, they need a DPW permit of some sorts. That typically ends up being utility companies are the most frequent other than us, right? So it's us and Waterworks, DPW, the two parts of DPW, right, that do construction work.

And then it's going to be utilities is most frequent. Beyond that, home contractors and those types of things are also entities that may take out those types of permits and do that work. There may be also situations where someone has not followed the proper procedure and taken out a permit. So one of the challenges we do have to this is, as I kind of alluded to when I was describing this just a moment ago is we started with infrastructure projects. We want to get waterworks in there, particularly with the growth and scale of a lead service lateral replacement program, which is fantastic and very good for the city.

There's a lot more disruption to neighborhoods when that is going on and it tends to happen in waves as well. So it seems like the project is taking longer than it is. And so that's the instance you mentioned, the reason we couldn't look it up is because it wasn't on the it wasn't in the dashboard because it happened to be LSLR efforts. So that's one piece we're trying to grow. But then we still have the next level of this which would be some sort of way to communicate permitted activities which are not generated by DPW.

And that is I don't even have the experience right now to know what that would take. That is definitely an IT background database question of how do we track well, we track it in a seller, but how do we integrate that into something that might then be publicly available and how might we make it publicly available and if that's desirable or not. Because again, your offices often contact either me or one of my staff members or someone else in DPW with those questions when it isn't obvious who did what, right? And so then we have to the way it works right now is I get one of those phone calls or an email. I talk to my utility coordination staff and we call them cut inspectors, which are the inspectors that inspect road cuts by private entities.

And so we talk to the utility coordinators and we talk to our cut inspectors and we look at our records to see what permits we have, see if that's likely to be what's going on. And if we don't see something in the permits, we have to send someone out to the field to talk to who's on-site to determine what's going on. And then we get back to your offices or to the public. So it's a bit of a clunky process right now. So if there is a technology solution, that would be the goal long term.

Madam Chair. Admiral Baum. You know for twenty years I've been suggesting that Governor Public Works put up a physical sign for significant projects. Which many cities do including our city ninety, eighty five miles to the south. They put up a sign. They put the mayor's name on the sign. They put the older person for that district on the sign. And it's a nice advertisement for progress being made. And if it's part of the Biden budget infrastructure bill, they add that to the sign to where the funding came from. Twenty years I have been advocating that. Why has that ever been done to your knowledge? Why isn't it being done now?

Actually, did do it the past two years and we would plan to do it this year as well. We did get feedback initially and we're reworking this that the signs contain too much information. And so we're trying to figure out how to prioritize what the public needs versus maybe including everything we could on the sign. What it had right now was the description, start and end date, what what the funding sources were, and then as you said, the mayor's name and the Alders Okay.

We we blocked that off. We have some nice big barriers that would be perfect for hanging signs on. Yep. There's no sign telling April.

Not on that one. 16th Street is closed. Yep. Yep. Yeah. And we can and we can get that out for the spring.

Yep. And as for 27th Street, can can we put up a sign that says, this is not a city of Milwaukee project?

I understand. I understand. Yep. We can, I can talk with WISTAD about them putting up a sign? Yes. I don't think we should put up a sign that says it's not us, but it would be it does make sense for the the implementing agency to have a sign up. Yep. So

Along those same lines, I I used to follow Asia Brown. She was a a mayor of Compton Mhmm. Years ago, and she really used social media a lot. And one of the things she used to do with DPW projects is put up a graphic that showed a physical picture of it, and it said, like, who was doing it, what the completion go goal date was, how much it cost Mhmm. And what the hiring goals were. Okay. Something like that. Yeah. Which is the basic specs that the average person usually asks Mhmm. Was on there with the visual or whatever. But it was just another touch point of helping to inform the public on major projects.

Yeah. And we do have, I would say, again, on a major project, do have fairly extensive communication processes that can always be improved, of course. But I do think we've gotten a lot better in that and we'll continue to improve going forward. It does end up being that what Alderman Brower was referring to that ends up being the source of at least the most complaints that end up coming to me and directly to some of my staff are the ones that are smaller and we either it's a short term project or it's not us at all. And those are the ones that tend to be the biggest mysteries. So but, yeah, for big projects that we should do a better job and we'll work on that.

Because what I find is it's really just a matter of people wanting to know. Mhmm. They just wanna know more information about what's

going on. Yep.

Okay. Any other questions from committee? Alright. All jurymen involvement will move adoption. Hearing objection. So order substitute Substitute resolution directing the court director to report annually to the common council. It's pretty straightforward. Any questions for our committee? It also is

a What we got?

Follow to footnote. I mean, Biden adoption hearing objections. So ordered. And just so members know, part of the reason I did that one is I and I've done a lot in the last couple of years about the reporting because it feels like for some departments, we only hear when it's budget time. And I think sometimes it's a lie if we would have known things before budget time.

It could alter how we vote on stuff for amendments we will make and all that kind of thing as opposed to having a couple of weeks to figure some stuff out. Like, maybe if we had some other regular reporting, we will be more prepared Mhmm. For whatever moves we might need to make. And also just being more informed, particularly with the port, the brother Burnett, larger port with a $17,000,000 project. I just feel like we should know more and not have to wait till budget to to know what's going on.

So that was my impetus behind that one. But hearing objections was adopted. Item number 16, file number two five one four seven two, resolution directing the Milwaukee Waterworks to coordinate with the health department when replacing the lateral service lines. This again is sponsored by me and is a follow-up to a footnote from budget.

Good morning. Patrick Pauley, Milwaukee Waterworks superintendent.

I'm Tyler Weber, deputy commissioner of environmental health for the Milwaukee Health Department.

So would it be helpful to the conversation for me to run through some ways that we currently coordinate with the health department? If members wanna know, but really this is just a

resolution to effectuate the footnote. We will be a communication file later for you to come back and say all the stuff you're doing.

Oh, okay.

This is just a resolution. Because footnotes aren't really they're not binding. The resolution is what helps to make it binding. So you don't have to unless members got some questions. No. Madam chair. I'm embalming.

How are we doing on the water main breaks while while we got you here?

We are doing far better this January than last January. We have, as of this morning, a little over 60 for the month of January. Last year, had 135 approximately. But certainly they've picked up the last few days as the frost this morning our field people reported that the frost has penetrated three feet into the ground already just over the last five days in some locations. So we've had 15 breaks in the last three days. They unfortunate. But we're hoping the weather slowly breaks and this relieves, but better this year than last. Thank you.

Any other questions, Mahdi?

Yes, madam, sir.

I

would appreciate just a brief, if the committee doesn't mind, rundown of our communication in ways that we coordinate currently.

Okay. So I would say the most important way we coordinate is that we are able, using a business agreement arrangement signed with the health department, the Water Works is able to acquire the elevated blood lead level data for children under the age of six for any test location that is greater than 3.5 micrograms per deciliter. We take that information, our IT area maps it and then that is counted by Census Block Group and that is used directly to inform our prioritization program. And I think we are certainly a lot of utilities, municipalities have started replacing lead services. This is the we are the only location I know that is using the EBLL data in that manner.

And quite honestly, right now the EBLL data is the determinant for where service lines get replaced in neighborhoods because unfortunately the other factor, the ADI, there are so many such spot groups, the area I'm sorry, the area deprivation index that is used as part of that calculation. It's a scoring system from one to 10 and there are unfortunately so many census block groups in the city that score 10 that ultimately that EBLL data is determining where we prioritize replacements. And so we have requested the last four years of data from the health department earlier this month. We will use that to create the prioritization for 'twenty six and 'twenty seven. We meet I will just go real quickly.

We meet regularly, monthly with the health department to share resources, discuss our programs. We have a process in place now that any time there is an EBLL greater than 15, the health department and the waterworks together encourage water testing at that location. And then if the water testing shows that the lead content in water is greater than 10 in the second bottle testing, we will replace that lead service line at that location. That is somewhat new to our operations.

I'll just add, it's a new process too. We're trying to make it easier for families. It's a bit tricky because you need the water to sit for eight hours to get result. So if you're in a duplex and the unit you're working with follows the rules but or the guidance and then the upper unit runs the water, then it might get a false negative. So there's a lot of education we do, a lot of coordination to get as accurate as possible to support families.

Any other questions from committee?

I mean, I guess just broadly, you know, with this elevated blood lead level, it's maybe some of this answer this but we don't is is there a diff do we get a definitive answer that that that elevated blood lead level was caused by the pipe or other potential environmental exposure like paint that could have come from a school or I'm not even sure what our status of of bonding the charter and voucher schools, their paint levels is either. I mean, I would encourage us that we should be evaluating those schools as well in addition to MBS schools but what because there could be a concentration of students in an area that go to a particular school and that's where the exposure happened or am I off base on, you know, wondering about that.

So, taking a big step back. Looking at state law. So, every health department across the state is is directed by state statute to respond to a blah blah level above fifteen micrograms or deciliter and above. Yeah. That health department, us or anyone else, it doesn't matter what the source of the lead poison is, paint, soil, makeup purchased from abroad, whatever it might be.

And we have to, under state law, bring those bubble levels down below fifteen micrograms per deciliter. So we do, by the nature of our work, find ourselves being drawn to paint through our process, through our extensive we take we have an XRF analyzer that we go to the property with and two to three lead risk assessors, and they'll spend a few hours on property, and they'll take 300 readings per unit with that analyzer to look at all surfaces. They'll also take dust wipe samples. They'll take soil samples. We'll work with water works and get water samples.

We'll put together a report that's maybe anywhere from 40 to 60 pages with pictures, with visual observations and say, these are the identified lead hazards, then we put money into the property. And I would say 95% of the time when we mitigate for paint, blood levels drop in that property. Now if they don't, we still have to work with them. Again, we're not just picking paint. We have to look at every potential source.

That's what brought us to schools earlier in the year, and we're still developing our MPS partnership. We do water testing in charter schools. We're going be looking at expanding two charter schools too if there's support needed for painting guidance. So that is an area that is rapidly expanding for us. But I don't know if that answers your question, but we take we're required to take a very comprehensive approach to find where the source is to protect the child, their siblings, and anyone else that might be exposed.

No, and that does that doesn't answer my question. I just want make sure that we weren't just saying like, oh, we've replaced the lateral. So, therefore, exposure risk has been mitigated and then, I mean, it does to a certain degree, I would I would imagine but I just wanna make sure that that wasn't. I mean, we should be replacing all the laterals but I wanna make sure that's not solely what we're discussing as far as our mitigation of lead exposure for children in the city. So, appreciate it.

Thank you. So, quick question. In real time, I'm getting text messages. Did a water main just break on Darden Keith?

I'm not aware of that location, but I can certainly check into it.

When a water main breaks, do you all if it's parked up, if the block is parked up, do you all tow the cars?

Well, we attempt to make contact with residents to see if we can get the cars moved on their own. It depends on the severity of the leak. So certainly there are some leaks that are not severe and we are able to hold them for some period of time to get access to make the repair. Ultimately though, if we need to get to the location, we do tow vehicles.

If the vehicles are towed, whose responsibility is it to communicate with the residents about where they can pick it up from?

Well, that's a good question. They go to the I'm almost certain they end up at the city tow lot.

Are you sure about that or does

I'm not 100%. Located to the street. They may be that's a really good point, Alderman Baumann. They may be just pulled around the corner So in some instances.

If you could find out for me where the cars were towed from, that for the water main break near 3rd and in Keith.

Okay.

I would appreciate that.

So you are getting reports that cars have been towed?

Yeah.

Okay.

I said the whole block was towed. Okay. So I didn't I don't I'm sorry. I I didn't hear your answer. So in the cases when you have to tow, who tells the resident that where it's towed to?

Well, I think to Alderman Baumann's point, it's important to know how far we're towing them. We do try to make contact. I know that we reach out to parking enforcement to have the license plates run to see if we can find the location where the people live and then we go knock on doors. But I don't know that we have a great system for finding out where the owner of the car is in some instances which is why I need to check into where we actually tow those vehicles.

Okay. But, yeah, if you could find out specifically for that and let me know as soon as possible, I appreciate it. Alright. Any other questions, mister Trudy? Audit was this morning.

Just a question on late laterals. Was it 1951 that the city stopped installing those?

I believe 1951 is the last the record the the year of the last installed lead service line on the public side.

Public side, but not private side.

Private side could have

1960 banned?

Banned in 1962. Yes.

So is that why is that why because I'm starting to get questions from constituents as to why they're receiving this letter saying that the the lateral is we don't know what it is. But the house has been constructed, you know, in 1960, for example. And they say, hey, I thought we were safe. So there's some confusion there. So I'm just trying to understand why that letter why they're getting that letter. So

in nearly all of those instances and there is over 25,000 locations where we sent out unknown material letters, we anticipate the service line to be copper on the private side because we know it's copper on the public side. But the DNR and the EPA per their rules for reporting inventories won't allow us to confirm that material unless someone is able to visually see the material in the basement. So we sent those letters. We are following up now with postcards to all of those locations asking the residents to take pictures and some there's a QR code on the postcard. They can go to the website, they can enter their address, their name and ask them to send us three pictures of the meter and the material leading up to the meter so that we can review those pictures and confirm the material.

If they don't send us pictures, we will be starting to make appointments to come visit the property ourselves and visually inspect and confirm copper.

So, the material leading up to the meter will let us all know if it's lead or not.

Yes, on the, right.

How can an uneducated person like myself know if it's lead or not. Like, visually, can you tell it? It's is it certain color or? Yeah. Pretty much.

Yeah. You you can. The lead is very dull. The and and we have pictures on our website to help you. You can scrape with a penny if you want.

Some of the challenges that we encounter are a lot of the piping couldn't be wrapped with that heat tape or insulating tape and sometimes it's hard for residents to get to the pipe material itself to see it. And so we are willing to come in and do that. The other issue is sometimes the pipe comes out of the floor of the basement right to the meter and there is very little pipe exposed between the meter and the floor. So it's not as simple in all locations, but for many of these locations, you are absolutely right. The house was built in the 50s or 60s.

The water utility has record of the public side showing the pipe is copper. We strongly believe the private side is going to turn out to be copper as well because there's really quite honestly no reason a plumber at that point in time would have installed copper and transitioned to lead to go into the building. But we can't

But they could have though, right?

They

could have. Because it's the, my understanding is the lead was just much cheaper than.

Copper was more expensive initially. I don't know if that was always the case. And even though we installed the last recorded lead service on the public site in 1951. The transition to copper started in the early '40s. By the late '40s, there was almost there were very few lead services being installed. So that may have been the case initially. I don't know that that held up over time as copper became more Okay.

So these letters are requesting that they reach out to schedule an appointment be so someone can come out and identify what is there?

Yeah. They have two. So the initial letter was just to notify them that we are documenting the service line on the private side as unknown as of right now. The follow-up postcard and we sent 5,000 last week, we are going to be sending another 10,000 next week and then the remainder two weeks after that, allows them to either go to the website, enter their information, submit pictures or they can call us and schedule an appointment. Got it. And we will come out

and Okay.

All right. Thank you.

Any other questions from our committee?

Alderwoman? I'm sorry. I was just going to follow-up that to confirm that any tows that are done as a result of a water main break are relocated. They do not go to the tow lot. Usually supervisors on-site will go as Pat mentioned door to door to make sure that residents are aware of where their cars were relocated to and of course there's no fee for that. Residents aren't charged anything and according to our information there's a break at 20th in Keefe and then a leak at 3rd in Concordia. So, I mean, that's just coming in right now. We can Near Keefe.

Yeah. Coming in where?

On text.

Oh, so that we don't have a we don't have a private system where we can access to see what's going on in real time.

Our staff watch these meetings with us so we can try

to field people. Yeah.

So Concordia is near Keith?

Yes. Correct.

What did you say is there? You said it's a what?

There is a has there is a water break at 20th in Keith and a leak at 3rd in Concordia.

Did did they tow at 3rd in Concordia like in mine?

They may have. They may have and as I mentioned, if they would've, they would have been towed probably around the corner at least wherever is the least likely for them to be impacted by water and then again, supervisors on-site go door to door letting people know

where their cars are relocated. If you get the specifics of what block they put it on, let me know,

please. We will. Absolutely.

Any other questions from committee? Alright. Alderman Broward with rule adoption. Hearing objections are ordered. Thank you. Thank you. We did item 17 already. Item 18, file number 251594, appointment of Joseph Lamers to the Public Transportation Utilities Water Rail Review Board by the Common Council President. Hello. Hi there. Mr. Lamers.

Good morning. My name is Joe Lamers. I'm the Director of the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation recently appointed as of last month. Coming from within Milwaukee County government, I previously served as the Director of Milwaukee County's Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance. I am happy for the opportunity to be invited to participate in this review board.

I'm always open to opportunities to collaborate with the city. Of course, the services that we provide across the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation affects city residents and residents across Milwaukee County. Our Department of Transportation includes Milwaukee County Transit system, the airport. We also manage a highway maintenance function, transportation engineering as well as Milwaukee County's fleet of vehicles. So thanks again for the opportunity to be on board. Happy to take questions if there are any. Thank you.

Any questions from committee?

Welcome. Thank you.

Madam Chair.

Go

ahead. Where did you come from? Was no resume in the file. I am just curious more than anything. Are you a county lifer or you come from another city or

I've been with Milwaukee County for about eight years. Okay. So I was the budget director which also became the Milwaukee County Director of Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance. So the office I was in did strategic planning, planning, project management of county initiatives, managed the county's budget. We've worked on grants, continuous improvement programs. So that's my background with Milwaukee County.

Strictly engineering or

I'm not an engineer, more of a manager administrator financial background. But through my work with our Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance, I did do significant work with our Department of Transportation in areas like continuous improvement, process documentation, seeking external grant funding and budgeting and matters like that.

Okay. Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other questions from committee?

Move confirmation.

The motion by honorable Baumann is for confirmation. Are there any objections to that motion? Hearing as so ordered. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you. Item number 19, file number 250634. Communication from the Department of Public Works providing an update on its pilot program for the installation of cameras on snow plow trucks and other fleet vehicles. This is sponsored by Ardentwoman Taylor and Ardentwoman Taylor. Ardentwoman Taylor, did you wanna say anything before they get started? Yeah.

I I guess I was I really would like to know where we are with the the use of the cameras. I think it was it it just will make our system run a little smoother, you know, more efficient. And I was actually looking forward to getting some of that access too so that we could be ready for those questions that come from residents. So I don't know how close we are to that, to having access where we can check ourselves on on the system. But but I think the use of cameras will will make us more efficient overall as far as responding to calls. So I'm just if you could just give us a rundown of where we are with that.

Sure. Absolutely. I'd be glad to. Again, Danielle Rodriguez, DPW Director of Operations. So the pilot program lasted for about one season.

The last cycle for FNP we did have a contract approved for Samsara installations. So we will be expanding that pilot and confirming it as something that we're integrating into our trucks. During the pilot, we had 134 salt trucks that had the technology installed. Those remain in those trucks. The phase one of this project in relation to the contract that was just signed is for an additional 800 units.

Those units will be installed across DPW. We will be starting with our enterprise funds, so all water department vehicles, parking vehicles and sewer vehicles. And then there's about 200

or 300

that will be installed initially in our light duty vehicles and those are particularly and specifically our supervisors and managers. We felt for change management it was really important to show that management and supervisors were going first to show that everyone was going to have this type of technology as part of the program. The second and final phase will be an additional six seventy units that will probably come pending funding for next year and that will be the remainder of the fleet of all 1,600 vehicles in DPW. What we learned from the pilot specifically was really exciting. So Samsara, we used it for live tracking.

So just a little bit of background. Samsara is a piece of technology that gives us GPS location of the of a vehicle and forward facing only camera. So we can see out to the street. That camera does not see into the vehicle, just out. So we were able to get the information of the live tracking of our salt trucks as well as the application rate.

So, the application rate of salt. Oftentimes during snow and ice, we will ask our, employees to go out at a certain rate of salt application, for something light, like something 300 might be appropriate. For a heavier long duration storm, it might go up to 400 or 500. So we can track and monitor to assure that people are adhering to our instructions. It also gives us travel history of the truck.

We used it to verify that all streets were serviced. So again, we're able to look at a at a map to see that a truck did indeed go down every single street and did indeed spread salt down on that street. We also used it to investigate any service requests or complaints, or issues that came up during snow and ice, such as a resident indicating that a truck may not have gone down their street. We can verify if it did indeed go down that street and if the appropriate amount of salt was spread at that time. So the opportunities for the future is pretty exciting.

So we know that Samsara will integrate with a lot of our current technologies. So for example, the citywide mapping service is called Esri. It coordinates with that. And we've been testing this winter, what we call the winter weather app, and that gives us, I think, somewhat of what talking about older woman that access on a map for residents and electeds for you to be able to see the progress that is taking place on the trucks. There is a delay that's built into the system of thirty minutes.

Obviously, there would be some concerns of live data and where our staff are at a very specific time. So we wouldn't want to have that be different. It also does integrate with our other system in the sanitation trucks, the route where system and that's kind of unique and pretty cool because it is something that we foresee potential that if a resident, for example, indicates that collection was missed, the system actually is taking pictures. So if a resident didn't bring their garbage cart down and then they say, sorry, I missed that. Can you come back?

There could be potential one day where we say either wait till next week because we see actually you didn't bring it down or we can come back as a courtesy for, I don't know, insert $3 or $5 or whatever the council will might be for that type of service and delay of going back. Obviously, it improves we're to exciting for us for sure We're is we're able to monitor monitor fuel usage and idling, needless idling I should say. It also helps us with liability, accident investigation. I can give an example. During the pilot project, there was an incident that was captured whereby a parking checker was at a red light and the car in front of it actually backed up into the parking checker jeep and then the person got out yelling that they were rear ended but of course the video exonerated.

Right. Absolutely. You could see it plain as day. The employee was exonerated which that investigation would have been a lot more complicated had we not had this video. So so so I think our staff are seeing with the pilot that it's actually beneficial for them and not just, you know, keeping track of them.

It's about exonerating them when they know they're doing the right thing. We also are able to get vehicle use and mileage information. That's really exciting to our fleet manager because that will allow us to understand usage and actually right size our fleet. So instead of someone saying, no, I absolutely need my own vehicle, we can say actually we've reviewed this and the number of vehicles for your area looks like. Insert what it might look like, you know, maybe four instead of eight, for example.

So that's pretty exciting. Eventually we'll get that information. There is also a live diagnostic vehicle information. So if something is a sensor, if something is about to break, that will actually send back reports notifications to our fleet managers to let them know bring that vehicle in before it actually happens. We think it'll save some money there.

Yeah. I mean, we're really still in the infancy. We still need to draft understand policy around, you know, what what the camera use might look like, disciplinary actions associated with it, and access quite frankly because there could be some liability to both the city and the department for footage being released that maybe the city attorney wouldn't recommend it be released if it was done prematurely. So we're still in the exploratory phases of that, but we have a really good start.

Yeah. Okay. Yeah, I think you have actually covered almost everything that I have been in discussion with you and with Garrett about. About. So I'm really excited about getting this in place.

I I I think from what you were just saying that the employees understand that it's really not directed at them, but it's just directed at making the department in the city more efficient and just giving us hard data to say, hey, we know that they've been down your street already. It's still snowing. Maybe they need to make a second trip, but they have been there so that we can respond to our residents with good data.

Absolutely. And we are expecting because we have piloted already the winter weather app and the Esri integration. We're looking at that right now internally and we're just making a few tweaks before we roll it out to your offices and then ultimately the public. The idea is that that map would be available to anybody who wanted to look.

Yeah. Okay. You said you got phase one and then phase two, so no real idea of how how long you might do this again for another year or so?

Well, the pilot has ended because we did sign a contract for the first 800. That was pretty much all we could afford at this point. And we're obviously be exploring funding options for next year to finish out the remaining about 700. Okay. So we're halfway through, but it really shows its value if we can get everything installed.

I just really appreciate the work that you guys have have put forth with it already and just really excited about getting it up

and running in full.

Yeah. Me too. Okay.

Any other questions from committee? Alright. Hearing none, orderwoman Taylor will move to place this on file. I'm hearing no objections. So order. And with that, that is our final piece of business. So this meeting is adjourned. Thank you.