Supervisors approve spending increase for War Memorial, Art Museum

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- In a unanimous decision on Thursday, July 25th, Milwaukee County Supervisors voted to approve an increase in spending on the County's War Memorial Center and Milwaukee Art Museum. However, it's not a done deal.

The vote required plenty of passionate discussion.

"If you don't make a commitment to this War Memorial, then why do you make a commitment to anything else? Because nothing else, really, can exist," Supervisor Mark Borkowski said.

"I'm gonna support this, support both entities because both of these entities are doing great things for this county," Supervisor Michael Mayo Sr. said.

The unanimous vote approves new lease management and development agreements with the War Memorial Center and Milwaukee Art Museum.

The decision means the county would give the War Memorial Center and Milwaukee Art Museum a combined $1,586,000 per year, from 2014 through 2023. This includes a payment of $1.1 million to the Art Museum and $486,000 to the War Memorial. The annual funding commitment ends after the ten-year period, but the other portions of the agreement could extend for up to 84 years.

The measure still needs approval from County Executive Chris Abele, which we're told should not be expected.

Abele's Director of Administrative Services, Don Tyler, says regardless of the unanimous vote, Abele feels the county should contribute $1,278,000 -- more than $300,000 less than what the Board approved.

Tyler says Abele will veto the decision.

"I'm a veteran myself, so obviously, we are very supportive of their mission, for both the veterans and the Art Museum. I think the County Executive is committed to serving the county and to do it in a way that doesn't put a burden on the taxpayers," Tyler said.

If Abele does veto the measure, the Board can overturn that veto with a two-thirds majority, or 12 of the possible 18 votes.