Finance & Personnel Committee - Regular Meeting

The Chairman of this committee joined by my Vice Chairperson, Alderman Peter Bergelis. Alderman Scott Spiker is here. Alderman Mielele Cox is with us virtually on the board and Alderman Charlyn Morris here. That provides us a quorum to begin our business on today's agenda Wednesday, 02/04/2026. We will begin with item number one, two hundred forty one thousand two hundred and seventy three, communication from the Department of Employee Relations relating to labor negotiations.

We're joined from the Department of Employee Relations with Ms. Nicole Fleck. It's my understanding that we should probably just go right into closed session for some of the nature of the business that you'll be speaking about. So with that, I know we just came into open session but we will move into closed session. Vice Chairperson Alderman Peter Bergelis will make that motion that the Finance and Personnel Committee may convene into closed session pursuant to S.

19.851 E Wisconsin State Statutes for the purpose of conducting specified public business whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session. The committee will then reconvene into open session for the regular agenda. So for anyone listening, we'll be in a closed session for Item one and then we'll come back in open session of course for the rest of the agenda. The motion to move into closed session requires a roll call and that motion was made by Vice Chairperson Alderman Peter Bergalis. Mr.

Clerk, please call the roll on going into closed session. Five-two-zero. We will now move into closed session. On item one two hundred forty one thousand two hundred and seventy three communication from the Department of Employee Relations relating to labor negotiations. Ms.

Fleck from Department of Employee Relations will now speak to the timeline that we wanted the public to be aware of concerning some upcoming labor contracts. Ms. Fleck.

So the Milwaukee Police Association will reopen their negotiations for '27 and forward in, excuse me, July. And local two fifteen, the firefighters will begin their negotiations for '27 and forward in April. So those two things are coming up fairly quickly and the Milwaukee Police Supervisors organization is currently in negotiations for '25 hopefully through '27 or somewhere in there. Okay great.

I'm really glad we have that on the record. Anything else from committee otherwise Alderman Moore will move to hold of the call of the chair and this will be a standing item for the foreseeable future here. Any discussions on hold to the call of the chair? Any objections? Hearing none, so ordered. That concludes item number one. Thank you.

Thank you. We will

now move on to item two, two hundred fifty thousand nine hundred forty six. Communication from the Department of Employee Relations relating to classification studies or other studies scheduled for fire and police commission action. The sponsor is Alderman Charlene Moore. You have the floor Alderman Moore.

Thank you so much Madam Chair. I know this file was initially instituted back in I want to say was September 2025 and it was merely an opportunity to provide some level of consistency with a footnote that existed. And so, there's been a

lot of back and forth,

and I still think there is some things that, that needs to sort of be ironed out. But, we have some folks here today that can provide some clarity, as to where we are, how we how we got here, and, essentially how we can, move forward. Again, ideally, you know, I would like our, policies to reflect, just fairness and equity. So, you know, in this particular case, there's a there was originally a footnote, for the police chief, that did not exist for the fire chief. And there was some confusion as to how we got there.

And so we're I'm just simply trying to provide a level of equity so that, you know, the footnote is reflective of the of the same or for the same for the chief fire chief as well as for the MPD chief. So I will push it back to you, madam chair, and then ask our guests to provide some insight.

Okay. Before we do that, I was just checking the file. Was the memo that you and I spoke of, is that part of the file?

No. That memo is not a part of the file because it was simply a and what was it? Like an internal? Like it is like, yes. It was simply an advice. Okay. And so there's still I I think our our departments here are able to sort of answer some questions. There is from from when I had the opportunity to speak with the city clerk, there's a in in relation to the ordinance, there's an amendment that we can simply put forward. But again, I think some of my colleagues have some additional questions in order for us to even, you know, move that move that forward.

Okay. I know one thing that I had asked for, and I'm just double checking the file. Yep. Was the updated fiscal note. But is that just before we have the conversation, I'll make sure I see something from September 30 in here. And it also has like a zero impact unless I'm misreading it, which could somebody explain to me how the September fiscal note has a zero impact when these are two very high wage earners with a lot of responsibility but the fiscal note reflects zero? Who can explain that? Certainly. Mr. Reiner? Certainly. Okay.

Andre Andre Neckelbacher, Department of Employer Relations. There is no pending recruitment for the fire chief and so we would not indicate what we thought it was going be. We have no idea if in the future it will continue to be an internal candidate or an external candidate. It is an unknown.

Okay. I can understand that. Is there a fiscal impact on because this is to seek equity and parity on the decision that was made for the police chief because it obviously also has a pension impact. The

change for the police chief would go back to 2007, and there would have been a a potential fiscal impact then. But there is no new there is no new proposal for the chief other than the clarification about the Fire and Police Commission.

Madam Chair.

Not yeah. That one's confusing me because I thought we just negotiated a new same I I question. Right. We, that's FPC, City, similar people. Yes. Okay. So please.

Just a point of information, the fire chief's current term does end in mid May of this year. So I imagine that sometime in the near future, the Fire and Police Commission will begin a process about reappointment for the current fire chief.

Okay. But I mean, back to my question though, there was a fiscal impact of the higher wage that was significantly higher for the fire excuse me, for the police chief. And I'm if we're seeking parity, this one says zero even though I I mean, if you negotiated a higher amount, I just wanna make sure I'm being honest and clear with the taxpayers.

Sure. Jackie Carter from DER. The clarification is this action allows for the flexibility. It does not create the increase. That will come later. So that would require separate action. That's why the fiscal impact says zero.

I think and I appreciate you saying that because I get that. You're right. Would find it odd that we would negotiate on the lowest part of that, but we then have a what we're trying to seek parity, and I understand this from the author author equity. And in that situation, although they're not completely equal, but I would think if we're trying to seek equity, there would be what's trying to be sought here is, like, that it'd be a likely situation or a similar situation. Would need if if equity is what's being sought here, I would like to know the fiscal impact of the recent negotiated increase by FPC of the police chief. Do you see what I'm saying?

Yes.

So we we did not have a direct vote on that on the Common Council even though people thought we did and it had a large bill to it. Okay.

So the salary for the police chief was raised unilaterally by the Fire and Police Commission from 183 to $2.43 which is like a 33% increase, ginormous increase and there were reasons for it. I'm not even sure FPC had the authority. I mean we want to have the city attorney's office look at that carefully. But it's extremely unhelpful and I understand that's just what we do in giving our fiscal impact statements to act like this would have no impact. It would raise a possibility that doesn't exist now, which is recruitment a anywhere in the range and a possibility is at the top of the range or near the top of the range or at the Norman portion of the range.

That would be a real physical impact. So when we're deciding whether we should change a footnote to allow recruitment authority anywhere in the range by some entity whether it's Fire and Police Commission or whether it's the common counsel, the holder of the purse strings in perpetuity, that's a fiscal decision that not talking about that possible financial impact is does us no service in making that decision. So leaving that off the table I think is a big problem, especially when you consider whatever you do with the chief is going to affect the assistant chiefs, is going to affect the battalion chiefs, is going to trickle down. So there is going to be an impact beyond just one person. So all that if we're going to make financial crisis, crisis, financial financial the the involve including something beyond the traditional fiscal impact statement.

So we could call it the Schmieskel impact statement for all I care, but it's information that would be helpful to have in making a decision here. It's just we shouldn't be making a decision without realizing what the financial consequences could be going forward, not what they are but what they could be. That's my 2¢. Thanks.

Madam Chair?

Yes, Alderman Moore.

Jackie, maybe this is a question that you can answer. When did the range come into existence? Was that when there were when did the range come into existence?

I I would have to get back. I don't know that off the top

of my head.

Yeah. The

I mean, there's always been a range, range but There's always been there's changes, I don't know where the changes would have happened. So that's what I would need

to clarify.

The the history is there was the under Flynn, they introduced that footnote that gave the range and said anywhere in there because

they wanted Flynn. Okay.

And they knew to get them, they had to not just do the standard process. That's when the footnote was introduced is my understanding.

That is correct. And the range was most recently adjusted I believe in early twenty twenty four as part of the executive pay plan.

That's all covered.

Got it. Okay. Thank you. Okay.

Let's pause for a moment. So a lot of questions. It might be a good time to presentation of additional items, you can see how we're still having questions. So who would like to go next? Ms. Horowitz?

Yes. Miriam Horowitz. I'm currently the Chair of the Fire and Police Commission. And I know that this was brought forth a question of equity but I would like you to also consider that it is also a question of management for the Fire and Police Commission and that is that least since Act 12, we have no policy making authority. So our ability to influence what's going on with the departments is pretty much aimed at who is the chief and how are they performing, right?

So if you look at it from an employer point of view, which we have to because we're the ones who hire and supervise and not supervise, but evaluate the Chiefs annually, not having that authority is really strange and not very helpful. If we want to be able to impact performance for the Chiefs, I think we have to have some we have to have this authority for their salary. If it were me, I would go even further and say that the footnote should allow us to reevaluate salary annually on their performance review. And that would really be in a situation where the employer, the Fire and Police Commission, the city of Milwaukee would be basing their performance, their salary on their performance. The difficult thing is that when you are talking about salary ranges for general city employees or whatever, they have predictable jobs, right?

And you they have almost interchangeable jobs. But for a position such as a Chief of Police or the Fire Chief, it depends a great deal on the personality and the competence of that person and how they actually perform in the job. So I would just if you want to continue on, I think equity is still important. But I think to me as the chair of the commission, this management ability is much more important.

That's very helpful insight. Have you is that been an official position of the FPC? Like have you taken that to a vote or is that your kind of chairperson perception?

It's my chairperson perception, although I can say that in the experience that we have had with the police chief, the commission was certainly delighted that they could have that input, okay? So I don't see any downside that another commissioner would find it objectionable. Okay.

Just I wanted to ask that question. I get asked that. I don't know if shared the exact views of I wish I did but of the whole finance committee. Let me ask one other thing and then I'm going move it around. Those performance metrics that you speak of, are those publicly available? Because I had some members of public when the police chief situation, they didn't see the exact exchange of the performance metric that necessitated a 35% increase. And I haven't been able to explain that very well to some people. Are those publicly available?

Yes. There is a criteria that the commission puts out. There is a written report that the chief submits and then there is a closed session interview with the chief. But the public but the report is public facing. So the report from the Chief identifies all the areas that the Commission has asked him or her to address in terms of community policing, of officer wellness, of down the list, there's what six categories? Yes. And that is available for the public.

Clarification, it's not made publicly available on the website, but it is a public record and the commission did review extensive salary comparable data before making the reappointment decision with respect to Chief Norman.

Would you be open to counsel input in those performance metrics? Like however we provide input, it could just be a polite letter, it could put it on the side or not. But like I wonder, I know obviously FPC is an open commission, but I'm trying to get additional. I mean, it's always good to have additional public feedback because I hear in my district there's other metrics that are important to people. I know you can't have 50 metrics, but just be open for input on additional metrics.

Well, I can tell you that the commission is and should be open to hearing from this committee, other committees from the common counsel. So if you wish to provide information about what your constituents are talking about, what they are concerned about, we'd be very happy

to have There's definitely a newfound interest in that and I certainly know that you all put long hours in and make sure everyone feels welcome and heard. I know that is a task and I have seen that with my own eyes. You're preparing for another long one tomorrow, but I'm just trying to make sure I'm delivering messages that I hear. Let me move it around for questions then we can go to an additional speaker if needed. Questions on this file? I was over here for a while so I'm going to go to cogs and then Bergalis if you need alder alderman Bergalis. Alderman cogs.

I know that the I believe the city attorney was asked to opine about some aspect of this. Have we have they? Have we heard anything back from the city attorney?

Madam chair. Okay. Alder Wimmer. I had a and I wanna use the right terminology because one of them is public facing and one is not. So an opinion because there's I think there's an advice and an opinion. I had the least restrictive one

Mhmm.

From the from an assistant city attorney.

Like guidance maybe or something?

Guidance. Yes. Correct. Yeah. So that was but nothing official. However, I think that is something that if this body is requesting that we can have an official opinion or advice whatnot from the city attorney.

Just when would you envision that we could have that? Yeah. Just got a lot of members to you're not the only one that asked for that. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. I can find out. I that's something that I can ask to see if we can have something official on the record.

Because I thought this was held to get some clarity Mhmm. But also because of the legal thing. And if we did it in September and it's now February, I would have thought we could have had something by now. My next question is when we did do the executive play executive pay plan thing, I could've swore the motion was made that said eliminate the footnotes. And I know we're here for this, for equity, because if I'm understanding correctly, FEC gave the raise based upon a footnote.

So I guess I'm wondering how so the equity we're trying to meet is based upon something that based upon the actions I thought we took as a council Mhmm. Probably shouldn't have happened. So is it is it the FTC's contention? So am I remembering it wrong? Did we not do did we not do a motion to say eliminate the footnotes, or did that somehow not affect affect the police chief? I I guess I'm trying to understand that.

Madam chair.

Okay. Do you wanna go to you want miss Knickerbocker to go first? Sure. Okay. We'll do miss Knickerbocker and then mister Todd. Miss Knickerbocker?

Yeah. To to say this succinctly, in the report that we put forward for the leadership group, we had specified specific amounts as minimum recruitment rates. One of the things we did not as a part of the report, propose any change to any other footnotes. And our understanding when the it was proved to remove the recruitment footnotes, we took out what we had put in as a part of that report.

Okay. No I don't understand.

Okay. Can you provide more clarity to Alderwoman COGS?

Yes.

Well, with every report that we bring forward, there are the recommended changes to the positions ordinance or the salary ordinance. And that, of course, is approved later on in the agenda. What we had provided were the changes that specified the pay range, but also specified minimum rate. And so our understanding was that if the motion was to take out those minimum rates, we would take some out and we did. But we were not recommending any change at that time to recruit flexibility for any of the titles.

And that's what we pretty much took out what we had requested to put in.

Was the choice was the belief that you all had the authority to do the raise that PC had the authority to do the raise for the police chief based upon a footnote? Yes. So again, I don't know what she's talking about.

So I I can try to provide some clarity. My understanding is that when the executive pay plan was proposed as miss Knickerbocker mentioned, it included a recommendation for minimum recruitment footnotes or minimum footnotes for minimum recruitment rates that would sort of set the floor for each of the positions. Those were added as part of that. It was separate from the pre existing police chief recruitment footnote that provides that recruitment could be at any place in the range. My understanding is that BER's understanding regarding the amendment was to remove the recruitment, the minimum recruitment rate footnotes that had been recommended but not pre existing footnotes.

When the FPC later took up the issue of chief Norman's reappointment, the police chief footnote was still in the salary ordinance and we acted based on that ordinance. Mhmm.

Why did DER have that interpretation? Full disclosure, I made the motion. Right. And if my memory serves me, I said, Mhmm. There was no differentiation. Yeah. So I guess I'm wondering why DER made that difference.

So I think the we're just in talking to staff is that they, the assumption was the file for the executive pay plan was to include any changes that were pertaining to that plan because this existed outside of that because that change was made in I think 07/2008. It was not included in that and so, we're talking about the recruitment rates which were removed. That was the action that you put forward versus a footnote that allow flexibility that did not have a dollar amount. So, when we hear recruitment rates, that's the any dollar amount that say, this is the minimum but that flexibility because for one, it was a separate file and it did not have a dollar amount attached. That was not considered part of that because it wasn't part of this the action for the flexibility was also not part of that larger executive pay plan in 2324 whenever that was happening.

So, that was a a completely separate action. So when the motion was made to remove that, it was to undo anything that was part of that plan. So they didn't look beyond that.

I think that's why it's important to have a city attorney opine. Mhmm. Because I I understand.

Yeah.

Why one might think that. But whether or not that was the correct interpretation, we may differ on that. Okay. And so I do want an official something.

Yeah.

And I know other members have asked for that as well.

Madam chair, on this

exact topic Briefly because then I Alderman Bergalis. Okay.

You. Go ahead, Alderman I watched this recently, and you were very clear, Alderman Cogs, to strip out the footnotes and remember what the purpose of that was. It was to lower the cost of the executive play plan. We're told like a million dollars in the fall and suddenly it ballooned to 2 point something and there was an attempt to get it down and it's curious in the extreme why all the measures that would have ballooned the price except one that created because you remember the executive pay plan established new ranges and stuff and boosted things way up and the recruitment rates were stripped out. But the thing that was left in for the police chief was you can go as high as the moon.

You can go as high as the top of the range. And that that the intent wouldn't be if you're looking at cost cutting to I just think it's beyond belief that that wasn't the intent of the council to restrict cost and to say, well, we always wanted to be able to shoot the moon with the chief. I don't I think that was exactly the sort of thing and in fact the most extreme version of the thing we were trying to curtail in getting costs under control. So I think there's a big question here about whether the motion to remove the footnotes was carried out with the intent. Now I realize it's complicated because it wasn't it was done on the floor.

It wasn't written. So there's wiggle room there. But, it seems like it at least would have been worth a conversation with the sponsor about what her

intent was.

Hold on one second, please. It's clear to me that I think this council needs to consider bringing back the executive pay plan and clean it up because there's so many things there's so many the whole world has changed. There's so many new members. There's so many things in that plan that have been questioned. And so we need to clean it up and bring it back and reopen that discussion. That's what I'm putting out there into the universe. But please go ahead, Mr. Todd.

I was just going to say and I don't know what the exact language that that older woman COGS used regarding the amendment to take out the recruitment footnotes. I wasn't there but I just want to make clear that you know a year plus later when the FPC engaged in the reappointment process for Chief Norman that that was not on our radar that that motion might have possibly affected the footnote that still existed when we when when we started doing research on this. That that's a new issue for the Fire and Police Commission and they did act based on advice that we received from DER from the city attorney from myself based on their understanding of the current state of the salary ordinance at the time.

We can understand how that feels.

Yeah. Madam chair, if

I could.

I think another way to look at it because I really don't want people to think the intent was ill. It was not. The other way to look at the if the exact executive pay plan had never gone forward, that footnote already existed and so, we were not trying to to trick anybody or you know, get over on anybody that already existed. So, if there had never been that plan, this would not have been touched anyway and that was the position that Doctor was taking is that this already existed. This is not part of that conversation we were having and so that was why it was not touched but there was no ill intent here.

And I just wanted if I might. Okay.

And we're

going to

go back into committee. So please.

Just very briefly. I do want to say last thing is that I do think that the footnote that the amendment that older woman Moore has proposed in my opinion is consistent with the spirit of Wisconsin Statute six thousand two and fifty, which is the authorizing statute for the Fire and Police Commission providing for independent civilian oversight. One of their core responsibilities is the selection of the Chief, the Fire Chief and the Chief of Police. Chair Horowitz articulated that very well. And I think that this footnote does set a good balance between the council's budgetary authority and the FPC's authority to have oversight and appointment authority over the public safety departments.

Again, and just to put the bug in your ear about the fire chief's term is somewhat quickly approaching. Its expiration in mid May and it is our hope that the Fire and Police Commission would be able to move forward in the next few months and begin that process of examining that.

Madam Chair. Alder Woman Moore. Just a quick question. With that process, director Todd, because there's this rank. Is there a range for the fire chief for you all to have that conversation? Necessarily because we don't have this footnote?

There is a range but there is to my understanding there is not a footnote or other portion of the ordinance that authorizes the FPC to either impose or request a higher salary than either the minimum or what the Chief's current salary is. That's my understanding. I am not speaking I am not trying to give legal advice but that's my current understanding.

So ideally based on the chair's request, it would be good to have this authority Right. To be able to do that. So let's say that that happens, right? Mhmm. Will you all and then I'm just trying to think of process. There's negotiations you know chief says hey you guys have come to a conclusion on this is what we want to offer. Is that information then brought back to the finance committee that we then approve or how what how does how would that work on our end?

Well,

if I may

say I'm not I don't have a precedent on that, but go ahead.

The city attorney has the authority to recruit at any range at any point in the range but brings that for approval to the chair of this committee. And it's after the chair of this committee approves that, that it goes into effect. However, it's the city attorney who decides what's appropriate. And then it's a question of how much deference, what's the budget and things like that.

The range versus footnote question is just creeping up in every conversation. We have not seemed to been able to move forward. Obviously, this is one situation, but I think it's a symptom of a larger issue. And that's why I'm suggesting we do need to do some some cleanup because otherwise this is one issue. It's going to keep coming up.

And I and and we're all we're we're lacking, you know, united guidance alignment and people are just interpreting it differently and given even in different departments. And like I said, I don't think it is any intent, it is not a good way to move an organization forward. It's a mixed message and it's leaving some people out. And so I think we're trying to fix a symptom of a larger issue. And here's the unfortunate part is we thought in good faith that that was what we were doing. And we were given advice during that time. And it hasn't really played out the way that I think Samal had envisioned it. So that's okay. We stumble and fall and then we have to get back up together. So additional on this issue, we do need to come back in the committee and decide what to do.

It has been up many times. I want to politely mention that and that's okay. Sometimes it takes a little while to get it right. What would be the desire of the committee?

Madam chair,

can just make

one more framing thing is I would, you know, I was never in favor of the SOP ability being taken away from the Fire and Police Commission to begin with, You know, but Act 12 passed as it did and so now by two thirds vote, the council has that authority. The whole idea of an independent FPC deciding police and fire chiefs and deciding discipline matters and things like case was interesting too, it's not in the city attorney's authority to pick how much money is going to come out of the tax payers' wallet. It is in the legislative body's ambit and in this case in the finance chairs. And I think it's a mistake, a huge mistake for this council to cede budgetary authority to any other entity. And you might say, well the Fire and Police Commission is best placed to judge the performance of a chief and decide what's needed to ensure this performance or to reward this performance or things like that.

But when it comes to money, you don't have the full picture. We sit here in budget for a whole month and listen to all the departments and try to piece together the puzzle. And as I said, one chief salary is not the end of this story. Will have a trickle effect. And the Fire and Police Commission does not have the scope, the breadth of the big picture of the financial state of the city to be making that determination on their own.

So I would urge that if this does come back at some point that that authority be squarely placed in the council's authority unless there's some state statute prohibiting it because we're the keepers of the purse, we're the ones who should decide in the big picture what financially makes sense and that should not be ceded to any other authority. That would be my opinion. Thanks. Okay.

Okey dokey. Lots of different discussion here. Oliver, when you're the sponsor, I would like to throw back to you and Yeah, Madam Chair, I move to discussion.

I move to hold.

Okay. Alderwoman Moore has moved to hold to the call of the chair item two. Discussion of hold to the call of the chair. Objections to hold to the call of the chair. Hearing none item two has been held to call the chair. I would like to say I do feel like even though we weren't able to move completely forward we moved the discussion forward today. So thank you to everybody who participated. Yes. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. Have a great day. Now we wish you success in your meeting tomorrow. Know it's going be long one. Item three, two hundred fifty one thousand four hundred fourteen, substitute resolution directing all city departments to notify the finance and personnel committee whenever an account balance variance of $100,000 or more is projected to occur. And this is sponsored by Alderman Peter Bergelis. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. This is another trailing resolution coming from a unanimous budget amendment that we passed in the fall. This was modified with input from the Comptroller and the Budget Office to ensure that smaller departments departments don't necessarily need to report something that is more of a rounding error. But this resolution directs all city departments to notify this committee whenever a deficit or surplus in any departmental account is projected to equal or exceed $100,000 or 5% of the accounts budgeted amount, whichever is greater. And there is a sub A in the file that I move to be before us.

Okay. Any questions or comments on Item three? The substitute is now it's actually proposed substitute A and Alderman Berglis is moving that that be before us. Any objections to substitute A being before this committee? Hearing none, we're now on substitute A. Alderman Bergelis moves adoption of substitute A and that is now open for discussion. Questions or comments the

Directors

Item four, two hundred fifty one thousand four hundred thirteen substitute resolution of relating to the listing of city internship opportunities online on appropriate mobile applications and on social media. Alderman Mielele Cox.

Thank you, madam chair. Members may remember it was a footnote. This is a resolution to follow the footnote that passed during budget. I think the title is self explanatory. Just trying to make the opportunity for the internships as known to the public as possible with tools that we already have. So that's the intention behind this resolution. Okay.

Questions or comments on item four? Madam chair. All there will be more. Would love to be

added as a co sponsor.

Okay. Hearing no objections so ordered. Any other discussion of item four? Objections to adoption which has been moved by Alderman Cox. Hearing none, so ordered. We're now on item five, two hundred fifty one thousand four hundred forty five. Substitute resolution directing the comptroller's office to develop a fund balance policy. Alderman Cox.

Thank you. Members may remember this is also a resolution of follow footnote from budget and it's self explanatory. Okay.

Any questions or comments on item five? Alderman Cogs moves adoption of five. Let me do Alderman Berglis and I'll come to you, comptroller. Alderman Berglis?

I just ask unanimous consent to be added as a cosponsor.

Okay. I would ask the same. Everybody okay with that from the committee? Alderman Spiker, is that okay with you to be added as a co sponsor? It's okay now? Yep. Okay. Great. I think this will help us do our business together. We got good team spirit here. Along with that, Controller Christensen. Yes.

Sure. Yes, definitely supportive of this. I just want to confirm that so I see it requires me to come back with a policy in thirty days. So this would be on the schedule for, I'm assuming, the next finance committee, which is three weeks later in February. As long as this can get on the agenda, I'm happy to present.

Okay.

Chair, one Okay. I'll run this back here. Yes. Madam Madam Chair, I know last time we kind of did something like this, the Comptroller's Office and the Budget the company, the

company,

that concern still exists. But I will do as directed and present, I think, not just one policy, but perhaps a range of different policies to consider. And I think it's certainly worth having a robust discussion on it. But I don't think we're going to be ready to where I would recommend that you adopt what we would be bringing forth just yet until we've had conversations with the city attorney about some of the language on the tax stabilization fund and its allowable uses?

Yes. So I'll remove my co sponsorship because I just want to understand what's going on. I do like the idea of getting the range, but I didn't think what you all were saying last time was crazy in that having an automatic trigger or something might not allow for you just had raised some concerns last time. Think director Kovac had been belaboring it effectively that I just wanna give you guys the flexibility. Coming back to report and saying, look, these are your menu of options is going able

so

that. Ir to And policy we develop, it's still going to do provide constraints that may, in your judgment, not be wise to pursue?

Yes. I think that is a that's still a concern. And I've got a presentation that I had prepared for, I think, last time when this came up in December. And I'm happy to deliver that next cycle that kind of runs through those concerns. And think it's also important to we have a fund balance policy, the key thing is to abide by it.

So in terms of bond rating agencies and how they view a fund balance policy, it's probably worse to have one and not abide by it than it is to not have a strong fund balance policy in the first place. So that's just one of the considerations that I'd like to raise. And I guess I have the presentation ready today, but I don't think we're ready for that. So I can run through that next cycle.

Yes. Because in the result clause, it says the Comptroller's Office is directed to develop a policy that establishes minimum balances that shall be maintained in each of the accounts. You may come away and say, Well, I don't know if we do want to establish that. So that should be an option on the table too. I'm totally supporting come back to us and talk about what options are. Again, one of the options might be establishing a minimum balance is maybe not the best policy for this, that or the other reason. I mean, I don't see why I wouldn't, So I

this sneak preview of the presentation is that I think there's I think the end result should be a fund balance policy, but there's some changes that I'd like to recommend assuming that they're viable before we go through with fund balance policy, primarily to do with the tax stabilization fund and its allowable uses and how it sort of limits us in some ways.

Okay. Thanks. Okay.

Let's update then the sponsor ship of this item. And I don't is there any other discussion otherwise on adoption of five? Any objections to adoption? Hearing none, so order. Okay.

We will now move on to item number six. 251,456 substitute resolution directing the Department of Administration to examine city and county purchasing opportunities for potential collaboration. Alderwoman Causes sponsor and you have the floor.

Thank you madam chair. This again is a resolution to effectuate budget footnote that passed. I know over time, the city has occasionally done this anyway. I just thought now would be a great time for us to do it again.

Okay. Great. Seems like a wonderful goal. I personally don't have any questions. Any questions on item six? I see everybody here but we'll just do the question based questions on six. I You want to add

something here? Sure. If I

could please. Just As the director of purchasing for the city of Milwaukee, I can provide a brief update. To your point, We have regularly met with Milwaukee County to pursue opportunities for collaboration and efficiencies. Last year, we were going able do to And And

month to continue conversations about how we can

build do on that. The work that we're already doing. We include cooperative purchasing language in our contracting documents and bid solicitation documents. Oftentimes, the county will piggyback off of our some of our larger contracts, commodity contracts like our rock salt contract with Cargill. So this this work is definitely happening. And, again, we will be reigniting those conversations for the 2026 calendar year.

And I I I will meet with you offline about some very specific stuff that I just became aware of that I wanna make sure that we're personal. Absolutely. Okay. Alright. Great.

Thank you.

Thank you. Madam for department heads, though, here on these items, we're happy to hear from you. We had also talked about it during the budget, so it's a follow-up to the footnote. Footnote. So we're kind of limiting discussion on it, but I appreciate everyone being here.

Yes. To your point Yeah. The intention is to have a communication file

Right.

Later to actually come in. I know a lot of people work on it right away, so you can't be ready, but it'll be a file when

you get to do that.

Okay. So let me first go to Alderman Spiker, then Alderman Bergelis.

Just quickly, so there was the Ernst and Young study that, you know, with the city in the greater Milwaukee committee. I can't remember what it said in particular about purchasing but would you be revisiting any of the recommendations there as part of your

Yes, absolutely.

In addition to that report, you're probably aware of the twenty twenty three public policy forum So again, we will be revisiting some of those recommendations and again, some of those things are already underway, Okay. Thanks. Thank you.

Okay. Next up was Alderman Berglis, but did you Alderman Cox, did you wish to speak now? Respond to that

or no?

Because you're

the author. Okay. Let's do Alderman Berglis and I'll go back to you. Berglis?

And just to I think I know the answer but purchasing does not include a prescription drug plan or a health maintenance or a health care provider, correct?

We do not handle those contracts. Those contracts are handled by

By benefits. So if the city wanted to help the county out and collaborate with health insurance plans or prescription plans or other, not just signaling out the county, we all know they've had kerfuffle recently, but other larger governmental entities, City of Madison or even MPS' health plan, that would be something that we would look to the benefits director for not purchasing.

Correct. All right.

Thank you. Thanks for that clarification.

Okay. We'll go back to the sponsor, Alderman Cox. Anything else to add

here? No approval.

Okay. Adoption has been moved. Any other discussion of adoption? Any objections? Hearing none, so ordered. Thank you so much. We'll now move on to item 7,251,451, substitute resolution relating to a master list of city controlled social media pages by Alderman Cox. We're joined here by Mr. Henke. Thank you so much. Alderman Cox, go ahead on item seven.

Okay. Again, thank you, madam chair. This again is a resolution followed by the the footnote that we passed during budget. I you know, years ago, I started doing files on the social media. Some of it because I saw fake city pages out there that kinda looked about that too.

As well as and, you know, mister Henke, you and I have talked about it, and I used to talk about it with your predecessor as well. Stuff like, you know, how they're how they look, how they're managed. It's not even similarity. So to know which is official, which isn't, or even just to know all of the ones that are out there through the years that have been a challenge. I think that work is has been done and is being done to to improve that.

But just wanted to make sure that even as odd as ourselves or community, that is somewhere you could go to say, well, okay. Here's all the Facebook, all the Instagram, all the, you know, all of those things. And I know some work has already been done to accumulate that list, and I know more work is being done to make sure that it's comprehensive of all the stuff. So that was the intention just to make sure that we're aware and that the public is aware of the official city social media pages that are out there. Okay.

Wonderful. Anything you want to add to this? It's like, you know, forthcoming information.

Go Mr. Henke, good morning. Good morning. David Henke, Chief Information Officer with Department of Administration, Information and Technology Management Division. Just only thing to add is being supportive of this effort and that we are prepared. I believe the resolution mentions ninety days from adoption, but we are ready to prepare for our communication file at any time.

Okay. That's wonderful. Thank you. Any other questions or comments by members on No. Seven? Alderman Cox moves adoption. Any objections to adoption? Hearing none, so ordered. Thank you. Item eight thousand two hundred fifty one thousand four hundred and fifty two, substitute resolution relating to an annual application usage report. Alderman Cox.

This again is a resolution following a footnote to effectuate a footnote.

Okay. And this is also pertinent to ITMD, the application, like the apps you're talking about? Okay. Anything to add here or kind of similar you're prepared to share?

Similar. We're prepared at any time for communication files.

And members in preparation for the communication file. Part of what I wanted I know many of us have put forward legislation to get stuff included on the app, but I thought it'd be great if on an annual basis, we knew how the pop how residents were using the app. So, you know, the trend that that might help us and some of the work that we have to do. So this is just a report out annually on that.

Okay. Anything else to add here? Any other questions or comments? Okay. Adoption has been moved. Any objections to adoption on item eight? Hearing none, so ordered.

Thank you. I'm sure could I be added as a yes on '7. Sorry, stepped

out You got for a seven and eight then?

Yes. I was here for eight. Wonderful. Thanks.

And thank you for being here. We're now on item nine, two hundred fifty one thousand six hundred sixty seven, substitute resolution relating to the creation and maintenance of an inventory of all artificial intelligence products in use by city agencies. Alderman Spiker.

Yes, very briefly. So we had a robust discussion during budget about both the current uses of generative AI and other AI products in city departments and plans for future ones. Want to carry that forward in part through the CIMC's discussions with the IT experts there and then bring the results to this committee. But this is just an attempt to wrap our arms around what the usage is throughout the departments so that we're aware of the products in use both officially and maybe unofficially. But we just need a survey of what's coming on board to make sure we're intentional about how we move ahead.

And I guess GovQA will be a product for all departments, but I don't want that appearance of that thing to restrict us from thinking more broadly beyond chatbots. So that's the intent of the file. Thanks.

Okay. Mr. Henke, anything here?

Again, happy to help with this file initiative. I guess I want to make sure when ITMD reaches out to other departments to clarify the definition of like an artificial intelligence product. If it's dedicated for that, if it uses a large component of that because a lot of things today everything in AI or in IT is AI infused, right? Kind of getting a good feel when we work with departments together that list, what's appropriate for the list or what's not.

Yes. And instead of you and me sitting down and trying to figure out what we I think the CIMC that would be useful discussion with the IT experts in the various departments of what would be helpful border because otherwise, yes, Word has Copilot in it.

And sorry that

good. All right. Thank you.

Yes. It's actually more work to try to like ask AI not to be involved. So I feel like it's good space to bring that up. Okay. Anything else on this? Any other questions or comments by committee members on item nine? Alderman Spiker moves adoption. Any objections to adoption? Hearing none so ordered. Have a wonderful day. Thank you. I see some people going. Oh, you're still here on item 10. Sorry, I don't want to dismiss you. But still I hope you have a wonderful day.

Item ten, two hundred fifty one thousand five hundred eighty two, Resolution relating to approval of funding for the 2026 Department of Administration Information and Technology Management Division, Public Facility Communications Capital Improvement Program. Great. Mr. Hanke, please, this is a lot on this file. Go ahead if you want to speak on this.

Sure. Hopefully, can make it pretty simple. This is an annual file to unencumbered funds that had been previously allocated in the city budget. These funds are used to enhance, repair, replace communication lines, fiber optic cables between buildings and the roadways. This is similar to a

lot

of public works files for unencumbered funds. That's kind of its history. That's what this is about.

Will we see any improvement to our phone lines? That was been like a lingering question, like kind of our phone voicemail system. I know some alders have brought that up.

Typically not. These funds would typically not be used within like the City Hall Complex, but potentially to remote sites. We do have other efforts underway with relation to phone system, one of which being a new voicemail platform going into place next week.

I did see that. Well, that does affect our city hall offices.

That will affect City hall offices.

And I think with all due respect, that's quite overdue. So I'm looking forward to

of

you you would ordered. Thank you. For We're now moving on to Item eleven, two hundred fifty one thousand five hundred thirty resolution relating to acceptance and funding of a twenty twenty five-twenty twenty six resiliency in communities after stress and trauma also known as the recast grant.

And could you please introduce yourself? Good morning madam chair. Yasmin Morton, recast program Manager with the Department of Community Wellness and Safety. Oh, great.

Okay, Yasmin. Nice to see you this morning. What do we need to know about this grant?

Yeah, so the grant essentially provides mental health and wellness resources to community residents in the city of Milwaukee who are often, plagued by, trauma and violence. And so we work on a prevention and an intervention standpoint where when community residents have been impacted by violence, we provide mental health and wellness resources to them free of charge. They can go as far as meeting with mental health professionals for 10 sessions with no cost or questions about insurance plans. Additionally, we'll provide community based workshops centering mental health and wellness throughout the city. We have about 64 Healing Hub sites throughout the city that offer their space to the city to host those workshops.

It helps them. It brings more exposure. It also brings mental health resources to the populations that already attend their

programs. Fantastic work. Great. Other questions on item 11?

Madam Chair?

Oliver Warren Moore.

I did not see anything included in the file. Am I missing that?

Think it's there.

Or is it

just because I can't see it? Is there something are there attachments?

There should be.

There are. Yeah. Let's have all this.

Okay. It's not coming up on my system. I'm so sorry. Okay. No problem. What was the total for the for this funding source

before final year it's $680,646

Okay and that and this was part of recast was part of a thank you a part of a five year.

Yes it was a five year grant. This is year five.

Okay, perfect. And then

what are the options of what we're doing after this ends? So we are working diligently to locate new funding sources to enhance or maintain, I should say Mhmm. The programs that we are offering through recast. I can't say that we won't come to you all for assistance with something similar to help continue the work that we're doing through the department in this capacity. However, right now it is not reforecasted through SAMHSA's website, but there are other programs that we may go after grants that we may go after that could help continue the work.

Perfect. And Madam Chair, I would just request that this is, you know, I know you all have been doing some really great work, especially some of the, like the summer of healing and the healing networks. Really awesome opportunity for our community, especially when it comes to mental health. We can't have we need more support services for that. I just ask that we get, probably by the end of the year, just a report out on the events that have transpired and just sort of how everything went. Okay. Perfect. Would be the only

request that I

would have.

I'll just add that request if I may. So this is the fifth year of the recast. What is the plan to reinitiate this grant or extend it or is it like apply

So to a new because we are in our second cycle of a five year grant, so the city of Milwaukee has had the grant for this is year ten. Okay. As of right now, SAMHSA and the Department of Health and Human Services through the federal government has not re released SAMHSA, I mean, recast as an optional grant for the fiscal year of 2627. Okay. However, should it be reforecasted, we have every intention on reapplying for the grant because it's done so well within the city. Our impact numbers are pretty high.

Okay. But what would be a plan B to replace the funding that would be missed in the services that would be lost if that unfortunate situation happens from the federal government?

Yes. So currently we're looking for new funding opportunities by way of grants through SAMHSA and other governmental organizations. There are a few available through OVC right now and so we would look to apply for those.

Yeah, I think periodic updates would be helpful. This committee in the past during the budget sometimes we get the news when we feel like it's maybe after the fact or too late and we'd like to be helpful as possible to continue this funding of this or at least for me of great work. Thank you for your work. Alderman Moore then would you want to move adoption here?

Yes, please.

Okay. That's of Item 10. Discussion of Item 11. Yes, sorry. Item 11. Adoption of Item 11 by Alderman Moore. Discussion? Sure. Alderman Spiker?

I guess briefly, so there's been a huge amount of discussion in the media about the shift in the department head for the new department. But what hasn't been discussed is how we're going to have a department in a few years. So this is appropriate focus on that, but the next head has to have a plan and the mayor's office has to have a plan on how you're going to financially move this department forward because once their money runs out, ARPA is gone, we need a plan.

You. Yes. You. Thank Thank you. Currently or post the February 11, then it will be miss Tyler that'll be in charge of the office?

From my from my understanding. Yes.

I know it's a challenging time. We just want to know who to reach out to and who to talk to because unfortunately trying situations continue and we do need to contact somebody. But please let us know.

Okay. Yeah. And we're fully committed to the work.

Of course, no, we know that for sure. Adoption has been moved on item 11 by Alderman Moore. Adoption of 11? Any objections? Hearing none, so ordered. Thank you. Thank you. Item $12,251,500 and in the Department of Employee Relations to extend the contract with Freighter Workforce Health for the city's wellness program, occupational health and clinic services. Here representing the Department of Employee Relations and the Benefits Division is Ms. Molly King. Good morning.

Good morning, Madam Chair and Finance Committee members. Thank you for taking this file today. I really appreciate that. And I want to say also thank you for your ongoing support for the city's benefits and wellness programs that we administer. We really appreciate if you would consider this a one year extension of our workforce health service contract between us and the city, the city and workforce health.

In the past year or so, we've spent enormous amount of time, specifically myself dedicated to the everyday experience of our employees in addition to our overall structural review of this wellness program that is administered workforce health and throughout this time to ensure that they are providing the best service and dedication to our employees and their families. And when I say families, we mean children at 18 and older can be seen at our clinics and our vascular clinics and things like that. And so consistently been working very closely with Workforce Health. And throughout this entire time, they've demonstrated a real commitment to provide the highest quality service to our employees and very dedicated to our employees. So we are really asking for this extension.

So it gives me some time to review what the marketplace is offering, what is best in class going on when it comes to benefits, competitive benefits and wellness, including relevant services that we provide for our employees and make sure we're still meeting our employee needs. And so this will allow us to have no disruption in services as we continue to do the exploration in those areas. So with that, I ask if you would consider approving this extension.

Okay.

And alternative to the extension would be issuing a new RFP? RFP. Okay. And we have been with this entity since almost the inception of the program, correct?

Since sixteen years ago, we have had our wellness program. Are one of the first in the country, state, I think, to ever a wellness program of its kind.

Nice. Okay. And then is the assumption after the one year extension to possibly consider going out further?

So the six months or so or less, we will I will come back to you with the plan of action and what direction we're going, whether we're asking sort of 19 different agreements we have, one for, for example, the clinic, the others for our health appraisal, health reward program, the FASC, many different subsets of agreements. And so we evaluate each one and see which ones we want to come back to you to see are they the best provider out there still? Is there a better competitor out there that we want to evaluate? And so within the next six months, it will give me that opportunity and then I'll bring back a recommendation to you and let you know what direction we're going.

Right. And I'm going to get on your calendar because I do have some feedback to provide on possibly like a little bit more of an aggressive exchange for healthy rewards and seeing if there's anything we can work on with the metrics. I think there should be an exchange for hard work and harder work. But also we have to see, you know, if it will every action has a reaction. So I'm aware of that. I want to talk about that. But I can understand how this would give us a little bit of breathing room to now I understand it's kind like an umbrella and you may look at the things underneath it. So that's helpful. Alderman Moore and then Alderman Bergalis. Alderman Moore.

Thank you so much, Madam Chair. I just want to say that, you know, like we are the ones that are supposed to be the champions of, you know, our wellness component. And I love that. I try to participate as much as possible. But I love the options and the opportunities for our wellness program.

And glad to see that, you know, we're probably one of very few entities that really invest back into our employees. And so I'm excited about, you know, just the the work ahead, but, you know, that we figure out ways to continue to have some champions that are really spearheading, getting the word out, and getting employees. It's so much in our benefit to participate in these options that, you know, you all have done a really great job laying out. So I appreciate you all coming to the table providing this sort of update and I move adoption when the appropriate time comes. Thank you.

Okay. Adoption has been moved on item 12 for that extension. Alderman Bergelis.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. And I just want to point out that this great program was started by the city and copied by the county and other municipalities in Southeastern Wisconsin. Kudos to that. Has there been any discussion with the county collaborate and amplify our scale with maybe not a contract extension, but when contract renewals come up to have a better scale, a better negotiating platform. Our benefits, I wasn't privy to the benefit package at the county because that was prohibited for county supervisors.

But I imagine that the benefits offered by the city and the county are very similar. And given what we've seen happen at the county for their regular contract, are there any discussions that have started in recent days to collaborate this particular item that's in front of us for workforce health, but to collaborate with the county or MPS or other governmental organizations to expand our size and our bargaining capacity to reduce costs to taxpayers, not just at the city but county and wherever else moving forward?

That's a really good question. Interesting. You mentioned that just less than two weeks ago, I've met with the former Benefits Director for the county in exploration of their clinics to see if there's some opportunities for expansion and we're going to do some due diligence and do some field trip to see what it is and if they meet the need, there's one on the North Side and another one on the South Side that we think we could potentially look into in the future and may have some opportunities That would be there

allowing city employees to go to the county clinics

as Yes. So that's the first discussion we have, but this is a discussion started, oh god, over a year ago with our Innovation Director, Jim Boes, has been facilitating some meetings with the county and the city to talk about some benefits that they offered, some redo. And just to backstep a little bit, reaching out to my predecessor, the I call him the godfather of the benefits program of the city, Mike Brady, who I asked him about, tell me a little bit more why haven't we looked with the county and yes, the municipality. And he did stated back in the 2000s, Mayor Barrett had offered asked him to reach out to them. And at that time, the service weren't apples to apples.

Because of various work dynamic, it wasn't a feasibility for us to do that kind of a collaboration. Recently, I reached out to UnitedHealthcare and I did reach out to a member in the county just to see if there is any opportunity for us to be a system. But UnitedHealthcare alluded to that it's all or nothing kind of agreement because we're self insured and they are self insured. And we all did this back in the 2000s when we started early two thousand, I believe, when we decided to go self insured or even earlier. But so that being said, there is still some opportunities that we can look at to if there is feasible for us to do.

And I think the low hanging fruit, I think the wellness program was a good start. And if there are other opportunities out there, we're happy to consider it. But we are looking into that with the Innovation Director and myself.

And just for the record, a little off topic, but close enough to ask a question on this item. Our county or our city health contract expires soon? So

I need to share a memo with all of the committee members and just for the public record, we have an evergreen contract, which means that it's ongoing. And however, we do a every five years, we do an RFI or an RFP as it relates to it. So even if we miss something, we still have that contract going, no employee will ever lose their to

right

right

an RFI, RFP or whatever direction we decide to go. So you'll see a file to coming your way.

Great. Thanks so much. Appreciate it. Thanks, Okay.

Questions? Any other questions? Adoption has been moved on twelve. Questions or comments on twelve? Okay. Any objections to adoption? Hearing none, so ordered. Thanks for this update. Thank you. Wonderful. We are now on item thirteen, two hundred fifty one thousand six hundred ninety three communication from Department of Administration, Budget and Management Division amending the twenty twenty six positions ordinance relating to position authority for positions in the Department of Public Works Operation Division. We're joined by Public Works and then our budget office. I had Mason Lavey, but you're here instead.

That okay? I'm here for

Director Kovac, Brian Reiner's Budget Management.

You're for Kovac and Lavey?

I'm here all day.

Hope you're going to get a lunch out of that or something. All right.

Okay. Yes. So this file is just to add a program assistant two in DPW operations and that will be offset by a reduction in equipment operator three. Department came to us saying they would like this position to help us some administrative needs. They came up with an offset. So the budget office was willing to support us since there is no fiscal impact. For more direct department questions, we have a representative Chuck Schumacher here.

Okay. Mr. Schumacher, good morning. Anything else we need to know other than that? It seems fairly straightforward.

No, madam chair.

No services will be impacted. In fact, it sounds like you are doing the opposite, how to better use the resources. Correct. Questions or comments for Mr. Schumacher from the Department of Public Works on this position change? Any other questions? Then Alderman Berglis moves to place on file. That is the correct motion to have it go forward. Objections to placing it on file? Hearing none, so ordered.

Item 14251652 communication from the Department of Administration Budget and Management Analysis Division regarding vacancy request fund transfers the a future. We have the we discuss. Beginning And with property tax levy supportive positions, assessor's office commercial property appraiser three, city clerk customer service representative two, Comptroller Accounting Program Assistant two Department of Emergency Communications, Emergency Communications Supervisor, Emergency Communications System Administrator Library, library services manager, two positions. Police department, detective, seven positions. Police lieutenant, four positions.

Police sergeant, five We

pleased

one, street repair supervisor, civil engineer two, custodial worker two, engineering technician five. Department of Public Works operation division program assistant one, self help yard supervisor. That concludes the property tax levy supported positions. Any other questions on property tax levy supported positions? We'll now move on to non property tax levy supported Comptroller Accounting Program Assistant III, Department of Public Works Sewer Maintenance Civil Engineer II, Department of Public Works Water Works Water Plant and Systems Manager CAD and GIS Technician four.

That concludes non property tax levy supported positions. Any questions on non property tax levy or property tax levy supported positions? We'll now move on to fund transfers. There are two, Department of Employees Retirement System in the amount of $869,105 You can see the reason for transfer and for the record I'll read it. Expenditures are based on the salaries of hires post 01/01/2024 who were enrolled into the Wisconsin Retirement System.

Actual expenditures were greater than budgeted in 2025. Funds are available in the wages supplement fund. Department of Employees Retirement, dollars 3,258,563. Social Security expenditures are based on actual salary expenditures. 2025 actual expenditures were greater than budgeted. Funds are available in the wages supplement fund. I have a question and I'd like to know with this transfer, what does that leave the fund the wages supplement fund total at?

Sure. Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, Brian Reiner's Budget Management Division. The 2025 wages supplement fund today has 24,300,000.0 After both of these transfers, there will be over 20,000,100 and approximately $45,000

In 2025?

Correct. Does

that include the retro that we're paying out to MP?

We will have to pay that out of this fund as well.

Do know how much how much the department was able to absorb and how much?

Yes. According to our financial system, before the retro payments were applied, there were $7,200,000 left in the salary budget. Their total retro is approximately $26,300,000 So they're probably going need somewhere around the neighborhood of $19,000,000 We will try to scrape some funds available from their operating equipment and any special funds that help offset or reduce that amount. But they'll probably need somewhere around high 18,000,000 to $19,000,000 out of that $20,000,000

Madam Chair.

Alderman Spiker?

So I remember the 2025 Wages Supplement Fund was pretty high, but there was an expectation that maybe the contract would be settled. And then so the this is a lot of money to come out of that, and I guess whatever we had left to to go into 2026. Are we I guess I have two questions. One is for the employer's pension contribution, WRS fund, the underage that we're covering for or overage that we're covering for, sorry. Is that of a piece with our general trend of the WRS numbers are coming out worse than we

anticipated? What was that?

Yes. Yes.

So this account obviously is relatively new to us. So all members hired after 01/01/2024 have been enrolled into the WRS. So this is our 2025 was our second year of account. So we're wrapping our arms around it. It has come in over budget both of the years. We're definitely working on refining that projection for we increased it from $5,200,000 in 2025 up to $10,300,000 in 2026. And I would assume another significant multimillion dollar increase in 2027, obviously being because every new hire goes into that system. So that number is going to continue to increase. But we will continue to work on that projection through our office as well as our colleagues over in the employee retirement system.

So then this overage represents bit under 20% of what we had set aside for the WRS. Our contribution to the WRS, if it was in the neighborhood of $5,000,000 for 2025. So that's a pretty large I'm not faulting you because as you said, first couple of years. Do we have projections, I guess, for how the W I think I've seen them in budget slides for how we expect the WSRS to grow and then what factors could lead to us being off. Mean, number of employees has something to it, but a

in

first quarter

nineteen. The to the right.

Right

to projection because it has been such a volatile line item. So we're we're going taking the data we do have for 2024 and 2025, trying to model that out through what we project for 2026 and then kind of using some statistical analysis to come up with what we can project for 2027, 2028, 2029 and '30. Again, I'm not going be the only set of eyes on that. I'm going to rely on some of our staff and ERS to help produce that projection.

Okay. And

then my last question is the other fund transfer, which the 3.26 for Social Security tax expenditure greater than budgeted, that's a much larger number than the $5,000,000 I'm guessing. So if we're looking for percentages, this is $3,260,000 out of

But it's still not in terms of percentage, mean, the budget for $25 was $23,000,000 So a $3,000,000 miss is over 10%. I mean, I'm not going to hide from that math. So some of that, I mean, it's good news, bad news. Obviously, the salary for the city employees has increased, which has done wonders for retaining and attracting or let's reverse that, attracting and then retaining employees. So we don't have a vacancy rate.

So with higher salaries, we have a higher social security expense. In years 2022 and 2023, this was budgeted at $20,000,000 We increased that in 2024, kind of reflects some of start of those increased wages, $22,000,000 25,000,000 we increased that to $23,000,000 and we're still short in 2026, but we increased that by another $3,000,000 to $26,000,000 So that's almost where we were at 2025. We typically do keep some money reserved and weighted supplement fund to help supplement, definitely not the $3,000,000 level. So looking forward, I would suspect at the 2026, we would probably still need some funding from the way to supplement fund to close out twenty twenty six's social security tax. And in the 2027 proposed budget, I would assume this number will have at least $1,000,000 plus higher on top of the '26 that was adopted in year 2026.

And when the budget office is making fiscal estimates of, hey, if you increase wages this much or if you have this slew of in the olden days a few years ago, this classification studies, market studies that increase, I know the rate of the range and what you'll recruit at the rate. We would have an estimate that would the budget office always told us we try to include the pension and stuff. Does it factor in things like the Social Security tax? Is that something that you factor in as well when we're making that decision? Because again, to my earlier point, we don't want to be myopic in our assessment. We want to understand the costs, the full costs.

So our administrative rules in the budget office is that when you propose amendments to the proposed budget that it has a plus or even minus $500,000 impact on salaries, we will add the pension costs along with the Social Security, which is 7.65% for General City.

Yes. So it wasn't that you weren't factoring that in, it was factored in, it's just that the impact of the increases was more extensive than you anticipated? Correct. Okay. Thank you.

Any Sorry, one more question.

Do you air so it should be nice if we air it on the conservative side, I guess, then you'd have more money. But of course then you have bigger problems to make that room. Is there going to be any change with respect to how conservative we're going to be in these estimates in the future? Or does this being off this much, again not faulting anybody here give us pause and make us reconsider how conservative we want to be in our estimates?

Well, I'll tell you right now, I'm putting in a much brighter light on these numbers as we project them moving forward from 2027. Okay.

Thank you.

Okay. Any other questions on anything really in the vacancy report? Anything with vacancy request, equipment or fund transfers? We did have some questions on fund transfers anything else need to be discussed? Okay hearing and seeing none then Alderman Moore moves approval of item 14.

Any objections to 14? Hearing none so ordered. We're now on 15251654 communication from the Department of Administration relating to approval of changes to certain single or sole source contracts or contract amendments. Ms. Kelsey.

Good morning, Chairwoman, Committee members. Rhonda Kelsey with the Purchasing Division. There's one contract that requires your approval. Today, this contract has come before this body in the past. This is the, MATC contract for the fire department, for paramedic, training for fire cadets. So we've added additional $500,000 to the contract to allow them to continue to receive the required training.

Okay. Question. Thank you so much. Questions on item 15. 15. Aller and Spiker moves approval then of item 15. Any objections to approval? Hearing none so ordered. We're on 16251653 communication from the Department of Administration informing the Finance and Personnel Committee of waivers granted for certain single or sole source contracts or contracts amendments. Miss Kelsey.

So there are five contracts included in today's file. The first contract is for the police department, with FLAC. This is a renewal of the, maintenance and license support for the 31 cameras that were already, presented at prior finance and personnel at the prior at prior, excuse me, finance and personnel committee meetings. So this contract, we've added an additional 82, five to this contract to continue to allow, the department to utilize cameras. The next contract

Madam chair?

Mhmm. Yes. All of are more.

My apologize. My apologies, miss Kelsey. So the 82 specifically, was that for light I was trying to read on it. Was that specifically for licensing? Because I know that prior, we were able to we added some additional dollars. I think it was to increase the number of cameras, but I was not sure for the additional dollars because yeah. For the additional dollars, was it is it approving licensing?

So the additional funding will allow for the licensing and maintenance of all 31 cameras. Remember, at prior meetings, we presented the contracts on a kind of piecemeal basis. Correct. You know, there were a a batch of ten and twenty one. And so this particular contract just brings it full circle and provides support for all of the 31 cameras that the department has.

And then the then the additional amount, it's just for the contract period. I I wanna say it goes to 2027.

I believe that is correct.

So when we, go back and just for clarity, when we go back so now that the equipment has been bought, the licensure is in in place. When we go back to renew, what would that look like?

It, hopefully, the cost will be fairly consistent. So we will have to renew come 2028.

And then we would just be renewing at the because we already have the equipment or I don't know if we bought the equipment or it would it would just include probably the renewing of the license and maybe maintenance because the equipment is theirs, I'm assuming, or is it ours?

And there were some and I believe I have representation from MPD on the call. Okay. Were some donations through the bid and a mixed bag of funding. Yep. But I'll let Laura Ingen speak to Good the details of

morning, Laura Ingen, Milwaukee Police city's cameras totaling 31 cameras. We initially had purchased 10 a couple couple of years back and had 21 available through a grant. This moves us forward for the next contract year for the city side. During the course of the summer, what was also brought before you was the addition of cameras within two business districts in District 3 and District 6. The file that's before you today is the city's cameras, the 31 city cameras.

And it just is simply the next contract year for those cameras that we currently have in place.

Alder Okay. Womore, can I

ask him?

Are you Please go.

Yes. Want to ask some questions. Ms. Ingen, do you know that if the use if the Milwaukee Police Department, part of our use contract with FLAC, does that include having FLAC be able to use Amazon's own ring system ring camera system?

I would defer that question to Captain Semmert.

Okay. Captain, did you hear my question? Captain, we see you, but we cannot hear you.

Doesn't look Madam Chair, we're happy to get that information back to you at a later point in time if we're having some technological issues. Issues.

Captain, do want try muting and unmuting or if the channel 25 can help? Because it looks like it's not frozen.

Captain, go to your settings up in the right corner. There's a little gear in your settings. And then check for microphone setting and see if you can switch a microphone because it sounds like that's happening. Does that make sense?

Okay.

Well, I was also okay. Well, I do I would like that question answered, but I can also have it answered. More and more cities across The United States have actually stopped using the FLAC camera system. And given heightened concerns with federal government and additional regulations that are being discussed even at this week at the Fire and Police Commission, I do think that having this open ended contract is concerning by me. And I do understand that by code, this item is not before us for approval but for information.

I do have deep concerns about the flock contract, and I would ask to be recorded in the minutes as objecting to this extension. Further, I would ask that both the Department of Purchasing to see that future contracts executed for this very purpose be brought before us under the approval file and that serious consideration be given to putting this matter out for RFP in the future. I will be following this with great interest and if a reasonable accommodation cannot be achieved, I will seek to revise the relevant sections of the code. And I wanted to be really clear about that because I'm also concerned of what appears to be a general kind of national monopoly. We are stuck in this contract with these devices, with this company.

And coming back and Ms. Kelsey, you're working within the system that's given to you, but I guess I'm questioning the system. And I wanted to put everybody on notice and like to put that out there. So if anyone has anything to say about that, that's fine. I want make sure I'm recorded. So we'll go to Alderman Moore and then Alderman Berglis.

Yes. Madam Chair, I just wanted to also concur with your sentiments. I would like to also object to the extension of this as well just based on just some of your recent commentary. I think we just have to do a better job in, you know, especially advising our constituents of how these sort of apparatuses impact our community in the long term. So I would also like to be noted as an objection as well. Okay.

And that objection is in the minutes recorded as such to the extension. And then furthermore, I put on record that I'd like this to be considered to be taken separately and not in and to be considered for an actual RFP. Alderman Bergelis?

Thank you. And I'll just note we don't have a contract in front of us, but there were several cities Milwaukee City specific concerns that our Office of Corporation or Office of City Attorney did negotiate and correct to which the company did concede. I don't know if I don't know what parts of the contract you're concerned about, but we did discuss, I believe, in public safety. And certainly, this is a topic that isn't going away anytime soon. But the city I do know that the city did negotiate favorable terms given our advice from city attorney when the contract extension was negotiated.

I believe that was back in July, September. It could have been have a lot of September, old notes. Thank you.

I thank you. I recall that conversation. I know I played a role in that as well. I was still wondering, did we get an answer to my question about connecting with the Amazon Ring cameras? Did anybody have that from the police department?

I believe Captain Simmer is trying to get back onto the platform here so that you can hear him. But in the meantime, we're happy to respond to that question with a follow after the committee.

Okay. You know, I'll just add that things have changed since last time we talked about this. Things are ever changing. I'm seeing things in the community that I have never seen before. And as I have stated with other surveillance techniques, this is going be an item that's discussed at Fire and Police Commission and I will forward my comments there as well.

We need additional SOPs guidance and guardrails on many of these items together and how they interconnect and work together. And so just continuing to fund, which seems like a matter of business to me is just not business as usual. And so I want to be careful. This particular company is billions. I think last we saw it was over $7,500,000,000 an ever growing flock itself, yes, nationally, not our contract, of course.

And so I'm just a little bit nervous about the oversight that we have, how it grows, how it's being used. And this is a time, I mean, I'm being asked to add more money to the contract essentially, right? And this is where I just wanted to state that I think we need a little bit more light shed on it. But also no indication on Ms. Kelsey, a larger indication on the system that I think needs some more discussion. Yeah. Just

to briefly chime in, I'm happy certainly understand your concerns and prior to the renewal period, I'll be having conversations with the police department about the request for proposal. I think what you're laying out is that the the software component inter intertwines with the Axon body camera solution for our body cams and other types of equipment. So for that reason, it has been communicated to me from a technical standpoint that is proprietary. That's the structure. There's no reason why we cannot pursue an RFP and look at the cost of So I'm happy to facilitate that process.

Yes. I'd be very interested in that and thank you for receiving that information. Alderman Spiker?

Just a quick question. I don't know if MPD has got their stuff together yet. But the 31 cameras, are these all Alper cameras, automated license plate reader cameras?

Yes, that's correct. And Madam Chair, if I might go back, unfortunately, Captain Zimmer is having some tech issues and it cannot access the meeting virtually. But he did inform me that this system does not connect to ring cameras.

Okay. It is from my understanding but I'm happy to be to ask these questions it is able to but you're saying the police department is choosing not to do that.

Perf Captain Simmert our flag cameras are not connected connected to brain cameras.

Okay. I will just reiterate and I will make these comments and pass them along to Fire and Police Commission. The guardrails that we used to have in this community in this country able not do do And to distinction between, yes, we're not not doing it that. Today, I but if someone asks us to, it might be a network that's been created. And this infrastructure is ever growing.

It is billions of dollars. And we need to know and we need to have a role in how things are being seen, how data is being collected, stored, handed over and how access of it is working or not working. So I'm asking just for a continuation of transparency and I'm letting everybody know and putting on notice here additionally that I will continue along that request for transparency. Maybe we deem that this is working out for us but we have to keep asking the hard questions.

And we're happy to provide that information back to the committee.

Okay. Do you know Ms. Ingen if the standard operating procedure at the Fire and Police Commission tomorrow that will govern much of the surveillance technology will be introduced?

I would have to defer that question to our assistant chief. I apologize. I don't have that information, but happy to get that information back to you this afternoon.

I've been informed that it might not be. So that's concerning to me. And so this is a topic. This is why I'm a little unsettled. And that's going to be a public meeting tomorrow. So could you please continue to share that with people that need that to be shared with?

Absolutely.

So this is why I am a little apprehensive. Alderman

Spyker?

Yes. So I mean, apropos of that, I guess I've since the beginning of this discussion when I've heard the discussion of facial recognition technology, which is a piece of software, I always thought that was kind of mis placing where maybe the concern should primarily drive from because some other entity can bring in their own facial recognition software and use our data from cameras. So I think cameras are much more than nub of where this issue will arise. Fair questions to ask what the cameras are capable of, what the cameras what protections exist to prevent data from leaking out of our system to somebody else's system. So all that is fair.

Happy to discuss and open a communication file to discuss that more in detail. It might not be a contract discussion, but certainly that kind of background I think is legitimate to raise in the current climate. So I would like to ask MPD to reach out after this committee and we can discuss some of the technologies on that and getting something before public safety. Thanks.

Okay. Looks like we do have the captain back If there was anything else to offer that we can move forward on this?

I guess I had a couple of questions

for Yes. The Okay. We do have a question. Captain Simmer, can you hear us? It's okay if you just on via phone.

Chief, I think.

Assistant Chief. Oh, says captain.

Maybe he got demoted because of the technical. I'm just kidding.

I don't know.

Oh, Captain I'm sorry. I'm thinking of a different I'm thinking of the Assistant Chief. That is a captain.

Otherwise, can have this discussion at public safety as well. Okay. I'm sorry that we're having all technical difficulties. Okay. The motion is to place on file

contracts. There's more. Yes. That was just the first one.

Okay. Was focused

on that one. Okay. Let's could add you out of here. No, please continue, Ms. Kelsey.

Sure. The next contract is, the funding for this contract, falls under the auspices of the information technology and management division of the department administration, used though by DEC, the Department of Emergency Communications within Toronto. This is a replacement of the prior contract. It is for the text nine one one functionality, with the nine one one system, which is not so this is replacement of the old legacy system. So this is simply a replacement contract next gen capabilities.

The next contract is for the ITMD, Department of Administration. This is this contract is with level three communications. This is the city secondary Internet access contract. We amended the contract to add additional funding in the amount of approximately $19,000 for a total contract amount of $89,000. The next contract, this is managed by our IT department.

This is the go to technologies contract that provides for this platform for folks to join the meeting remotely. We've amended the contract by roughly 10,000 or so to continue to provide that as a meeting option for city employees, city staff. And then the last contract is a citywide contract

New

York

not to able do do

that.

Destruction, confidential destruction requirements of the record center. So we had to move quickly and move forward with this particular outfit, which we've actually contracted with in the past, but they did not win the prior bid. So that concludes all of the contracts in today's file.

Questions on the other contracts. We spoke of one. Anything else, Alderman Spiker?

Yes. Briefly on the text to 911 functionality and I guess in ITMD, but going to be used in D. C, I would imagine. Yes. So with that one, I guess, I don't know from Ms.

Kelsey or the Director of the D. C, just wanted to get a little more clarity about what is going to be possible. I remember I had a deaf, hard of hearing, member a while back, couple of years ago, three years ago maybe, who was decrying and upset very understandably about his inability to, you know, text in information about emergency. So will that problem be resolved with this this new system? So there'll be access to the 911 system and a texting capability for folks?

That is the intent, but I'm going to turn it over to Director Bueno to speak to the details of the rollout and any additional features.

Okay. Director Bueno, did you hear the question?

I did. I assume you can hear me?

Yes. Perfectly. Thank you.

Thank you. Tony Bueno with the DEC. Thank you, Alderman Spiker. This does address that issue. The problem has been in the past. Text 911 isn't a new technology. It's it's been here. There are some things with NG nine one one that make it even better. But the base functionality of being able to text 911 and get it into your system is not new and we are implementing that now. It wasn't able to be implemented with the cut over to the iCAD and there should have been some phone issues that have prevented us from acting earlier. But we're moving forward with that now and excited to get that online.

And is there any sort of language functionality? So if you text in on language besides English, is that built into the system or is there further step?

That is one of the features that is not capable currently with our current CAD and that functionality is available in other deployments. We have internal discussions moving forward about the CAD, CAD feature. But those are some of the NG911 feature sets that we don't have access to at the moment.

I see. So it'll take an upgrade from iCAD to another system in NextGen before we would be able to use that functionality to have the ability to text in multiple languages?

Essentially, yes.

Okay. Thanks. Any other discussion on Item 16? Alder Woman Moore moves to place the item on file. Hearing no objections other than the two noted previously, so ordered. Moving on to Item 17, file 251,697, communication from the Department of Employer Relations amending the salary ordinance to add a percentage increase for water repair work to positions assigned to operate hydrovac equipment in the Department of Public Works, Water Works. Welcome from DER, Andrea Knickerbocker.

Yes. And I can answer any questions on this. I would just say right now the department has four Hydrobacks but only two employees currently certified to operate them.

Okay. I see we I can't read that far away. I see someone from Waterworks on the Board. Please introduce yourself and give us a quick overview of how we how we afford trucks and two qualified employees.

Good morning. Jane Islow, Waterworks Administration Manager. We're making this request because departments. We have been under filling our water work repair three, water repair worker three positions. And so at the moment we maybe only about a third of the people holding the position are at that full title.

We have a lot of people that we have hired who are at the under filled titles. Some of them have been certified to operate the hydrovacs but they are not yet eligible to receive the incentive for having received that training and certification. And so we would like to have the footnote added to the underfill title of water repair worker too because it will incentivize people to become certified, motivate them to take on this assignment which does require some additional skill and responsibility. Then certainly it will increase our pool of workers who are able to operate the hydrovac equipment.

Thank you very much for that. Thank you, Ms. Zulow. Any discussion on the item? Any Alderman moves to place this item on file. Any discussion on that motion? Any objection? Hearing none, so ordered. Thank you very much. Moving on, Item 17, file 251656, communication from the Department of Employee Relations, Item amending 18,

Mr. Chair.

Sorry?

Item 18, Yes. Think,

Okay.

My licks dixia came up a moment ago. Item 18, file 251,656, communication from the Department of Employee Relations amending the salary and positions ordinance relating to clerical or administrative concerns. I will welcome back Mrs. Dickenbacher.

Yes. And that is exactly what you said. These are corrections.

Any discussion on this item? Alderman Cogs moves to place on file. Any discussion on that motion? Hearing none, so ordered. Thank you very much. Moving on, Item 19, file 251,659, an ordinance to further amend the twenty twenty six rates of pay of offices and positions in the city service. We have no substitute in the file or in the file that was reflected from earlier. So we're left we're left with Yep. As is. The file as is that still requires an action. The the request is passage. Alderman Spiker Mr. Church, just a

quick question.

Asks for the floor so he shall have it.

Thanks. So without the sub then the motion motion to hold is basically effectuated and that there is no change to current footnotes and stuff with respect to fire and police positions?

This is Mr. Lee. Yep. The file as is does not reflect the fire chief recruitment footnote. Proposal was prepared just in case that

was Okay.

Sounds good. So with

that previous file being held, that we'll live to see another day perhaps at the next Finance Committee meeting. So we have motion for passage by Alderman Spiker for file two hundred fifty one thousand six fifty nine as is. Any discussion on that motion? Any objection? Hearing none, so ordered. Thank you very much. Moving on to Item 20, file 251,657, an ordinance to further amend the twenty twenty six offices and positions in the city service. Any discussion on that item? Alderwoman Cogs moves passage of item 20. Any discussion on that?

Hearing none. So order. And our last item on the agenda today, Item No. 21, file 251,568, communication from the office of the comptroller relating to the audit of the election commission payroll. Welcome, Commissioner and staff. This is from the comptroller, so we'll start with our audit team.

Yes. We have our audit manager, Adrian Mullen, that's coming up.

Nick Kovac will leave and the audit team will appear. We'll start with the office of comptroller and then move on to the department after that. Welcome. Please introduce yourself and your team and we'll proceed.

All right. Adriana Molina and I'm the Audit Manager here at the city.

Colleen Jornlin, Associate Auditor.

Bashkin Batza, Senior Auditor. Thank you very much.

All right. We will try to be as concise and as quick as possible. We know we are the last item on the agenda. Internal audit perform and audit of the Milwaukee Election Commission payroll processes. High level overview, the Milwaukee Election Commission is to ensure that elections are administered in fair, secure, transparent, inaccessible manner in order to instill voter confidence in the democratic process.

I won't go through the bullet points, but I did want to emphasize that the objectives of the audit were to review the payroll processes within the election commission and the scope was 11/01/2024 through April 30. This included the presidential November election, the spring primary of twenty twenty five and the spring general in 2025 as well. On the procedure similar to others, we performed interviews, walkthroughs, reviewed documentation, which also included a lot of paper time sheets as well as payroll records that went all the way to the HRMS system. Our conclusion, we concluded that the controls in place over the Milwaukee Election Commission payroll processes were not adequately designed and were not operating effectively. All right.

I will turn it over to the team. They will go over the findings.

So the first finding is related to policies and procedures. Finding is that Milwaukee Election Commission did not have documented policies and procedures that outline key aspects of payroll processing including processing of payments data in pool chip and reconciliation with HRMS, onboarding of seasonal workers including documenting position rate of acceptance. Lack of procedures create a weak control environment and the risk rating is medium. Recommendation would be that Milwaukee Election Commission management should create comprehensive policies and procedures for all aspects of payroll administration. The second finding is related to payment rates.

So the finding is that in samples five reviewed, audit identified four informal position titles as Dropbox couriers, tabulator, troubleshooter, table assigner, utilized for payroll processes despite these titles not being approved city position titles. Audit could not obtain pay rates confirmation for these roles as they are not documented in the position or salary ordinances. Additionally, the appointed Milwaukee commission election commissioners are documented in position ordinance but no compensation rate is documented in the salary ordinance. Risk is lack of evidence regarding the approval application of pay rates during processing of the payroll payments. Risk rating low and the recommendation will be that the local election commission should obtain approval for approval for all utilized payroll pay rates.

The third finding is related to incomplete and inaccurate documentation of election inspector attendance. So brief introduction before these findings is that arrival time, departure time, election inspectors and chief inspectors signature are four required attributes on the election worker payroll data sheets that are utilized by seasonal election commission staff working on election day. The reason for these required elements directly impact payroll processing. So the finding is that documentation documentation and certification of election inspector attendance were not consistently completed across the selected selected polling location and election dates in time sheets. In the below table, there are let's missing election inspectors arrival time twenty four.

Missing election inspector departure time, sixty seven. Missing election inspector signatures, 15. Chief inspector did not certify time sheet with his signature, 24 cases. Chief inspector did not record time of time of work on time sheet. Election inspectors added later in 49 cases.

And regarding the central count for all 20 two twenty seasonal employees, position were not identified on time sheet as Chief Inspector or Election Inspector. So the risk is increased risk of inaccurate payroll payments for election workers, risk rating medium. And the recommendation would be to enhance training related to completeness of Forbes should be provided by two chief inspectors, election inspectors, and other staff engaged in election processes by Milwaukee Election Commission. Redesign payroll forms to clarify, identify clearly identify the role of each worker, including a mandatory chief inspector designation, strengthen oversight and implement periodic supervisory review during the election of operations to ensure completeness and accuracy of attendance and payroll documentation. The next finding is related to payroll calculation inconsistencies.

For election day workers, two zero two inconsistencies in calculation out of ten thirty six samples selected were detected including all election inspectors working AM or PM shift were paid 117.33 instead of 117 rate referenced on Milwaukee Election Commission website. The pool chief soldier is programmed using an hourly prorated rate 14.6667, which is also used by auditors. However, in the 33 cases, pay was calculated using the different prorated basis resulting in discrepancies. Pay reductions for late arrivals or early departures were not consistently aligned with the election day manual 2223, which required which requires pay to be reduced when inspectors arrive late or leave earlier. The DER twenty twenty four election workers pay and city time guide stated foolish full election shift averages fourteen point five hours but inconsistent application of this benchmark contributed to calculation variances.

For seasonal pre and post election support workers, hours worked were manually calculated by election commission staff and inconsistency was observed in work hours calculations and application of unpaid lunchtime resulting in paid disparities. So the risk is lack of financial control over applied payment rates in the software and inconsistent manual time sheet processing may lead to improper payment made to election workers. Risk rating low. Recommendation payment rates applied in software should be updated in pool chief or the city ordinances should be updated to reflect the correct data. Additionally, standard methods of time calculation and consistent enforcement of lunchtime recording should be employed for all seasonal employees.

Colleen Jordan, associate auditor, have findings five through seven. So audit finding five was regarding election commissioner payments. These are the two of the three appointed commissioners received a parking stipend in addition to their standard meeting reimbursement resulting in payments that are not authorized by the salary ordinance. Two of the three commissioners reviewed, received multiple payments within the same calendar year of 2024 for meeting attendance, which is not permitted by the salary ordinance. And additionally, for all three election commissioners, the supporting invoices used to process meeting reimbursement payments were created, submitted and approved by election commission executive director indicating a lack of segregation of duties insufficient controls over the payment approval process.

So the risk associated with this, the lack of segregation of duties and oversight may lead to unauthorized stipends, duplicate payments and increased risk of potential fraud. We rated this risk a medium and the recommendation is to strengthen payment controls and segregation of duties by requiring separate preparation and approval of invoices. Audit Finding VI, incomplete or missing resident statement forms. So the findings summary of the issues identified, there were 13 employee files reviewed. In five of the cases, the resident statement forms were missing or not completed per policy requirements.

In one instance, six resident statement forms were submitted by the executive director, none of which were fully complete. Five of those forms, five of the six resident statement forms appear to have been created on the same day. They were not signed by the employee or the payroll clerk and only one of them was signed by the department manager. Was not dated. And in one case, there was no supporting documentation confirming city residency during the period of employment, but the employee was confirmed to have received resident incentive pay.

So related to audit finding six, the risk being a lack of inappropriate residency documentation processes may lead to improper resident incentive payments being made to city employees. We rated this a medium risk. The recommendation being the Milwaukee Election Commission should enforce completion of the resident statement forms for all employees by all appropriate personnel and conduct a period compliance review of the forms and information submitted to ensure appropriate disbursement of resident incentive pay. Additionally, internal audit recommended a review of resident incentive pay program more broadly to be conducted by the Department of Employee Relations to establish and communicate comprehensive policy and procedures, including documentation requirements and clear ownership of residency verification processes. And our final finding, number seven, lack of reconciliation between poll chief and the payroll records.

So the finding is that the Milwaukee Election Commission does not currently perform periodic reconciliation of data entered into poll chief against the actual payroll data processed. Reconciliation of accounts can lead to financial discrepancies, inaccurate payments and potential legal exposure. The risk rating is medium and our recommendation to mitigate these risks, Milwaukee Election Commission should implement reconciliation processes, including regular checks of financial data process between poll chief and payroll administration.

Thank you. Any questions?

I think before we get to questions, there's a lot to unpack in this and some fairly serious. For the audit findings, was there a timeframe? Was a lot of this from the beginning of the audit period or? Yes. And then did you see that any of these audit findings were already self corrected at the end of audit period?

Yes and no. So the findings were from the beginning of the scope, so November 1 through April 30. Some of the processes were in the process of being remediated or worked on. When talking with Paulina, there was a lot of turnover from the beginning of the audit, so from November all the way through April. And so there was a lot of processes influx of change, in the middle of change, I

should say.

Okay. I think it would be fair to go to the department first so we can hear a reaction and explanation for all seven of these and maybe we take them one at a time. If you have a broader statement first or concluding statement

I have I'm sorry. I'll go

and commissioner Gutierrez, please. Sure.

Sure. And just to clarify, I'm Executive Director and then the Commissioners, we have the three appointed. Sorry. No, it's okay. I just get nervous when you call me Commissioner. Anyway, good morning or good afternoon, Chairman, Committee members. Thank you for inviting us here and for helping us get through this audit presentation. I do wanna start off by thanking Adriana and her team. They were amazing in helping us through. Just to level set a little bit, this was the presidential election which of course had oh my gosh, I've been working here since 2011, still do it which was obviously historic turnout.

In the February election, between November and February, I only had six staff, and then in April, of course, we had the ballot shortage crisis. So there was a lot happening in those three month periods. At the end of the day, though, much of what Adriana pointed out were things that we had inclinations that we had issues with and we were working towards remediating and continue to do so. Just to level set, though, I want to make it clear that this the issues that came here on payroll has nothing to do with election results, security, accuracy on that end. So we have very specific statewide requirements when it comes to reconciling an election.

And because we are such a small staff, all of our energy goes to that. We reconcile every single vote and constantly communicate with the state. We hold people accountable. We report things to law enforcement. We have to. So I just want to make that very clear that none of this is impacting election results or accuracy. So for the audit, that's basically my statement. I guess I'm happy to walk through each one, but I wonder if we want to speak, if you have questions right away, does it matter to you just because there is a lot to cover.

Okay. We'll go to questions then. Any questions from committee members? Yes, sir. Alderwoman Cox.

I don't know how much you need to get into it, but I'm wondering, with all of the recommendations that the auditors have made, first, are there any that you, like, contest?

Yes. Sorry. Thank you for reminding me. I have one slightly. So let's let me get my glasses so

I can

know which one specifically.

Thank you for any older woman. I should have sent that out. I think it is audit finding two. So this said audit found four informal position titles utilized for payroll purposes despite these titles not being approved for city position titles. So I had conversation with Wisconsin Elections Commission. On Election Day, state statute makes it very clear that you're either a chief inspector or an election inspector. And Central Count is unique because it is, you know, you have to think of Central Count as a giant polling location for absentee ballots. And so we have people that have the responsibility at the level of a chief, the machine operators, I. E. Tabulators, and then the table processors are election inspectors.

So just like at a polling location, they're opening the ballots, they're determining eligibility, issuing a voter number to that ballot and prepping it to be tabulated. And so my conversations with Wisconsin Elections Commission is that this is what happens across the state and that on Election Day, it's just election inspector and chief inspector. This was never we never really identified specialties like this before in a formal way because we didn't have a poll worker management system, and now we do. In 2023, we implemented this poll worker management system, which to be we did have written policies that were very old. And then when we got this new system in 2023, we never updated those policies and procedures, which is what we are working towards now.

And then, of course, with Workday coming in, it will marry perfectly with that process. But now that we have the poll worker management system, we can be more nuanced about how we apply our position duties at Central Count and other locations. So we have couriers that are moving ballots from the drop boxes to our office, couriers coming from drop boxes to City Hall to us. We have people that will take the ballots and move them between tables at Central Count. And so there's all these little jobs, but at the end of the day, they're all election inspectors and chief inspectors.

And so that's the one where I have basically a slight disagreement with. On the other pre and post election workers, that one, we are doing a massive seasonal staff reorganization. And I'm happy to say, and I know they will be happy, too, that we actually had all of our seasonal staff reapply for this cycle. We've revamped our application process. We've revamped the interview process.

And we've got now special assignments for our workers. The challenge with pre and post workers is that you can work early voting and then at night you could be processing ballots or organizing ballots at night. So your jobs change every day. But what we did is I'm hoping to come to this committee and civil service in March to show to present our new revamp of our seasonal workers. We're going have five different positions. We've got now written job descriptions, which we've never had before. So there are lots of things happening there. I think the challenges that you all aware is, I think when I was appointed, I mentioned to you all that my goal is we need manuals for everything. And so we've done a lot of work. And it's one of those like, man, if you would have audit me on my other manuals, it would be cool.

But I hadn't gotten to these yet. And so we're in the little bit of a pickle we're in is as we transition to workday, that's going to significantly shift how we do business.

Could AI help you with the manual situation?

Yes. It it's funny that you bring that up. I had an opportunity to participate in a class. And, you know, one of challenges I have is I've got employees that have been here for twenty some years that just have it in their mind. We have little note papers everywhere. And she said to me that she took all of the note papers and stuff and just started, like, saying it into, like, a Google Transcribe and got it in writing. And that's kind of opened my eyes to say, wait. Maybe I can do stuff like that. So we are looking at that as well. It you know, elections is complicated.

And like I said, the we also got a project management application and we met with every single one of our staff one on one and said, we told them, write everything you do, write it down and tell us. And they walked us through their process. And it was really eye opening to see, like, all of the little things that we are required to do. And so, you know, one of the big ones, for example, that I would this would be comparable to that level of nuance is, when we canvass elections, All of the duties and things we have to make sure I's are crossed, I's are dotted, T's are crossed that the process is where it needs to be so that things can be certified correctly. So the same thing for this.

I do want to just bring up one little thing about polling locations and poll workers. Like it is an intimate experience. Your chief at your polling location, you know, you have six people. Some people have been working together for years. Come in at everybody comes in around the same time. You have two shifts. They overlap. The time sheet isn't something that's like floating around in the public. It's an interaction that you're having. And so while it's not acceptable that there are so many people that didn't sign in and out, I think part of it is, do they have enough staff to help themselves?

We need to do more training. But it's one of those things where the issue here is paperwork, but when we did our review, like for example the residency issue, at no point was an employee paid inappropriately for residency. Everybody was paid where they should have been paid. It was a matter of paperwork. And then for the polling locations, November was a hot election, very busy. February, which is an election that's always tough to staff, and we had a lot of new chiefs, which I think is why we had an uptick. And then April, it came back So

but

this was, like I said, really helpful in kind of helping us hone in on where we need to prioritize because there is so much to cover. So

My last question. When do you think you all will have worked through and completed the recommendations that they have given in this audit?

So we put down a target of 2027. I think a lot of it lies to in how workday comes through. You should know that, like, you know, for our pre and post election workers, workday is going to be basically life changing. Think they pointed out in here, you know, like all of our time cards are paper, and we are subject to the pay period as all of you are. And I will never forget in November, we did the election.

That's 3,000 workers. We had to get payroll done by the following Tuesday before noon. Mean, there was that one point where I was I had no staff. Was I the only one that could approve time cards, I had 300 paper time cards that I'm trying to approve before my deadline, which, you know, it's like 02:00 or something. And so that becomes very difficult.

We are implementing an online time card. We're trying to figure out logistically how we make it work, like I said, because we have staff changing bosses, moving to different areas, so trying to just track that. But that, we hope, will then kind of stop the calculation errors. You know, but things unique happen like I don't know if you recall in November, we had the statewide slowdown during iPath. I mean, I had 75 people that worked a fourteen hour day and did not eat.

So those are the kinds of things that we're trying to be better of tracking so that we do make it clear, like you have to take a break. But in that instance, they literally could not. Right? So and, you know, when we talk to our auditor friends, it's always a little nervous when they come in. But I mean, honestly, at the end of day, it's like you just need to write it down, make it clear, right? And for example, when the $117.33 like we just forgot to update the flyer. But, you know, so a lot of it is the writing.

Thank you for that. Alderwoman Moore, any questions for the department? Thank you. You mentioned that this is a department with very small staff. Is there a level of support that you get from other departments, from the Department of Administration to help work through these very seasonal, irregular time period staffing and crunches and work responsibility explosions?

Yes. Thank you, Alderman, for bringing that up. So I we are now part of the Partnership for Large Election Jurisdictions. It's a national group of our colleagues. And sometimes it's very difficult to do comparable cities because we are very unique in the state of Wisconsin in terms of being local, completely decentralized and locally run elections. The closest state Us would be Michigan, but then you have Detroit, which has like a million voters. And then Lansing, it only has 100,000. So states like or cities like Baltimore is probably more comparable. But we are the smallest, if not smallest staff for a city of our size in the country. I mean, so Baltimore, which has similar voter numbers, maybe a little bit higher, they have 49 people working for them full time.

Last year, you know, after

forty nine year round? Yes. And you have?

11. Yeah. And Madison has 12, and then they actually have their budget office during the election season is assigned to do all the poll worker management. So we have to right the ship for sure for us. And as you know, the way that the world is moving, we have to be ready to handle things.

And I mean, I think too a lot of the systemic issues that you see here is because we are such a small staff. I talked to the former director Neil Albrecht, he did it with seven people. And he just was like, I just still don't know how they did it. But after 2024 and the transition in my position in taking over the administration, we've created like an election planning task force and we have been meeting with department heads to get more support. We had a really great fruitful meeting with DPW.

We're going to have an emergency operations center up for every election, not just November. So we're getting support in that way. We have recruited four executives to be with us on Election Day. In addition, you know, with Commissioner Carter now at DER, I've been talking to her about let's revisit our relationship and see how we can how they can provide more support to us. I know that like for for this time period too, if I'm not mistaken, this is when the ERP was transitioning too.

So comptrollers have in the past like provided support, but they couldn't at that time because of that transition. And so like, I mean, at one point, I got some help from the mayor's staff, but we want to create a more we have to create a more sustainable model because, you know, I don't want my staff working thirty hours, right? I mean, that's when mistakes happen. And when you have a small staff, like I said, our energy completely goes to election reconciliation, and so items like this can have more error as a result.

And of course, the workday transition will reduce paperwork and the load. That's refreshing to see that goalpost sometime somewhere near the horizon getting closer and closer every day. I do want to point out that you do not have to administer an election this month in February and do want to just preview that we have a communication file scheduled for next cycle to hear more from the department on how you're going to reallocate and reprioritize those resources that you don't have to spend this February.

Yes. Thank you, Alderman. We are working diligently to have a package ready for you to present. There was one other thing I wanted to bring up. Now I can't remember.

I'm sorry. Let me ask for final questions from committee members while you think about that. Any comments, concerns?

Mr. Chair?

Alderman Cox.