Common Council again recommends Ann Wilson to FPC

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- On Thursday, February 14th, a committee of the Milwaukee Common Council again recommended Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett's appointee for the Fire and Police Commission -- Ann Wilson. This, after she didn't get enough full council votes one week ago.

Mayor Barrett submitted Ann Wilson's name for appointment to the Fire and Police Commission, and a Public Safety Committee recommended the appointment to the full council on January 24th.

On Thursday, Wilson's name was again recommended to the full council.

The vote was the same, and the reason it was necessary is because the last time, on February 5th, when the recommendation reached the full council, there were not enough votes necessary for the appointment.

Five council members abstained, complaining that Mayor Barrett's appointment process wasn't open enough to the public.

"If you really want to change the process then a message has to be sent -- if the process doesn't change we will simply not confirm your appointments," Alderman Bob Bauman said.

"I would hate to vote against a good person, but he delivered her on a messy platter," Alderman Ashanti Hamilton said.

Since then, a new city website has been launched for people to submit their names and resumes to be considered for a board or commission appointment.

"We had more conversations with members of the Common Council who were interested in it and as I said to them, 'look I'm open to having Ann or any other of the commission picks out there, if they have town hall meetings to talk to people,'" Mayor Barrett said.

How does Wilson feel about being caught up in the political limbo?

"I feel that if the process is going to help us to heal our community and work together I'm all for it," Wilson said.

Wilson's appointment will go before the full Common Council for confirmation on February 27th.

There is currently another vacant seat on the Fire and Police Commission, and the terms of three of the current members run out in July.

The boards and commissions applicant web pages – accessible via the Mayor’s Office home page (http://milwaukee.gov/appointments) and the Common Council President’s web page (http://milwaukee.gov/PresidentsAppointments) – can also be accessed by going to the city’s main page at www.milwaukee.gov.