Good Turnout, Informative Debate At South Milwaukee’s County Board Restructuring Meeting

An estimated 200 people attended Milwaukee County Supervisor Pat Jursik’s public information meeting on proposed Milwaukee County Board restructuring legislation — and I’m glad I was one of them.

I found the event informative, as it provided a deep dive on the Assembly and Senate bills calling for a referendum to reduce the role (and pay) of supervisors to part-time, reduce the board’s operating budget (i.e., staff) and transfer some powers to the county executive, among other changes.

The point-counterpoint debate between Rep. Joe Sanfelippo, the former supervisor and author of the Assembly bill, and Supervisor Theo Lipscomb Jr., who spoke out against most of the proposals in the legislation, was also lively and thought-provoking. And the question-and-answer/comment section added to the meeting as well.

I left the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center much more educated on this important issue — as did Pat, who pledged to take all that she heard into consideration in formulating her opinion on the issue of county board restructuring.

I credit Pat for once again showing her commitment to keeping constituents informed on key issues, and for taking a measured approach to her approach on this topic. I also thank the two panelists for the robust debate — and having the courage to sit in front of a room of 200 people and argue their case.

Both had reasonable and strong arguments for their positions, and I left feeling like the best solution — as it so often is — is somewhere in the middle … somewhere between the status quo and the sweeping changes proposed by Sanfelippo.

Of course, I’d like to know what you think. Here is the presentation from the meeting. Read it … and vote in my new poll!