City of Milwaukee given extension to file lead abatement plan

MILWAUKEE -- The City of Milwaukee was supposed to tell the state how it’ll turn around its scandal-plagued lead abatement program by June 30, but has been given an 11-day extension.

The deadline is now July 11, said Jennifer Miller, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Health Services.

The state found major problems in multiple areas of the Milwaukee Health Department’s lead program. Among them: the department improperly closed cases of children with high levels of lead in their blood, failed to open cases for other children, and lacked proper oversight.

Janalle Goosby, a spokeswoman for the city's health department, said the plan was in draft form. She would not provide it.