Community Relations - Social Development Commission.
Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 320-23
in effect320-23. Community Relations - Social Development Commission.
1. ESTABLISHMENT. a. Pursuant to 66.0125, Wis. Stats., as amended, the city elects to participate in the establishment of an intergovernmental community relations-social development commission in cooperation with Milwaukee county, low income representatives and private sector agencies. It shall be named the community relations-social development commission in Milwaukee County, and is hereinafter referred to as the commission.
2. PURPOSE: MISSION AND POLICY. In compliance with s. 66.0125, Wis. Stats., as amended, the purpose and function of the community relations - social development commission shall be as specified in s. 66.0125, Wis. Stats., as amended. In further compliance with s. 66.0125, Wis. Stats., as amended, the mission of the commission is to study the causes and effects of poverty and to develop and implement strategies, programs and services to meet the unmet needs of the community.
a. The commission shall accomplish its mission by:
a-1. Analyzing and studying the factors that prevent residents of the county from participating fully in area social and economic institutions and from promoting healthy and safe communities.
a-2. Working in partnership with public and private institutions, community groups and low income people to effectively fulfill community needs and minimize duplication of services.
a-3. Recommending solutions for the county’s social problems, plan for their implementation, coordinate efforts and provide technical assistance to community groups to solve these problems.
a-4. Advocating greater participation in community affairs and creating ways to help the economically or otherwise disadvantaged achieve self-sufficiency and independence.
a-5. In cooperation with other governmental and non-governmental organizations, piloting, launching and operating services intended to achieve its mission.
a-6. Analyzing, evaluating and monitoring the effectiveness of programs designed to accomplish its mission.
a-7. Actively working to fight racism and build an inclusive society.
b. The commission may:
b-1. Recommend to the county and city of Milwaukee the enactment of such ordinances or other actions as it deems necessary to achieve its mission.
b-2. Cooperate with state and federal agencies and non-governmental organizations having similar or related functions.
b-3. Employ such staff as is necessary to implement the duties assigned to it.
b-4. Have the authority to determine program policy and approve program plans.
3. COMPOSITION. The commission shall be comprised of 18 citizens residing in the county, each of whom shall hold the title of commissioner. The commission shall be nonpartisian and shall include representatives of the clergy and minority groups. One-third of the commissioners shall be representatives of low income residents of the county; one-third of the commissioners shall be representatives of public officials; and one-third of the commissioners shall be representatives of private agencies and organizations in the county. In selecting individuals other than low income representatives to serve as commissioners, consideration shall be given to persons having expertise in legal, financial and management services needed to oversee and direct the business of the commission. No person may serve as an appointed or elected commissioner while that person is an employee of the commission.
a. The 6 commissioners representing low income residents shall be democratically selected as follows:
a-1. The county shall be divided into 6 districts, each containing approximately equal numbers of low income residents based on the data of the most recent federal census. “Low income resident” means a resident who is a member of a household in which the annual household income is less than 125% of the poverty line as determined by the U.S. department of health and human services.
a-2. A commissioner shall be elected in each district by the residents of the district through popular election. Any resident of the district who is at least 18 years old and who presents verified nomination papers signed by at least 50 other adult residents of the district may be a candidate in the election. An individual may be elected to represent a particular district by write-in ballots if satisfactory evidence is provided to establish the individual is a resident of the district and at least 18 years old.
a-3. The election shall be conducted under the supervision of the staff of the commission who shall follow procedures reasonably designed to:
a-3-a. Assure a fair and orderly election process.
a-3-b. Create public awareness that the election is for a commissioner who will represent low income people in the community served by the commission.
b. The 6 commissioners representing public officials and agencies shall be appointed as follows:
b-1. One commissioner appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the common council.
b-2. One commissioner appointed by the county executive and confirmed by the county board of supervisors
b-3. One commissioner appointed by the governor of the state of Wisconsin.
b-4. One commissioner appointed by the superintendent of Milwaukee public schools and confirmed by the board of school directors of the Milwaukee public schools.
b-5. One commissioner appointed by the president of Milwaukee area technical college.
b-6. One commissioner appointed by the chancellor of the university of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
c. The 6 commissioners representing private sector agencies and organizations in the county shall be appointed as follows:
c-1. One commissioner appointed by united way of greater Milwaukee, Inc.
c-2. One commissioner appointed by the interfaith conference of greater Milwaukee.
c-3. One commissioner appointed by the Hispanic chamber of commerce.
c-4. One commissioner appointed by the African-American chamber of commerce.
c-5. One commissioner appointed by the Milwaukee county labor council, AFL-CIO.
c-6. One commissioner appointed by the greater Milwaukee committee.
4. TERM OF OFFICE. a. The following commissioners initially appointed or elected, shall serve terms of one year:
a-1. The commissioner appointed by the superintendent of the Milwaukee public schools.
a-2. The commissioner appointed by the governor of the state of Wisconsin.
a-3. The commissioner appointed by the Milwaukee area technical college.
a-4. The commissioner appointed by united way of greater Milwaukee, Inc.
a-5. The commissioner appointed by the Hispanic chamber of commerce.
a-6. The commissioner appointed by Milwaukee county labor council, AFL-CIO.
b. The following commissioners initially appointed or elected shall serve terms of 2 years:
b-1. The commissioner appointed by the mayor of the city of Milwaukee.
b-2. The commissioner appointed by the county executive of Milwaukee county.
b-3. The commissioner appointed by the university of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
b-4. The commissioner appointed by the interfaith conference of greater Milwaukee.
b-5. The commissioner appointed by the African-American chamber of commerce.
b-6. The commissioner appointed by the greater Milwaukee committee.
c. Low income representatives shall serve terms of 3 years.
d. The term of each commissioner elected or appointed after initial election or appointment shall be 3 years, with the exception of the 2019 election of 6 low-income representatives.
d-1. The following terms apply to the 6 low-income representatives elected in 2019:
d-1-a. The commissioners elected to represent districts 1 and 2 shall serve a one-year term.
d-1-b. The commissioners elected to represent districts 3 and 4 shall serve a 2-year term.
d-1-c. The commissioners elected to represent districts 5 and 6 shall serve a 3-year term.
d-2. Any vacancy in the position of an appointed commissioner shall be filled for the unexpired term in the manner as the original appointment. Any vacancy in the position of an elected commissioner with at least 24 months left to serve shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the original election. Any vacancy in the position of an elected commissioner with fewer than 24 months left to serve may be filled by a process whereby an ad hoc nomination committee of the board presents a candidate or candidates to the board for election by the full board of commissioners to serve out the unexpired term.
e. Every person appointed or elected as commissioner shall take and file the official oath with the county clerk of Milwaukee county.
f. No person may serve more than 2 consecutive terms as a commissioner, excluding service as a member of any predecessor of the commission. If a commissioner fills a vacancy for an un-expired term with 12 months or fewer left to serve, the un-expired term shall not count as a term with regard to the prohibition against serving more than 2 terms.
g. A commissioner may be removed from office for such cause and in such manner as is provided in the bylaws of the commission.
5. ORGANIZATION. The commission shall meet at least monthly and may meet at such additional times as the commission determines or its chair directs. The commission shall elect from the commissioners a chair, vice chair, a treasurer and secretary. A majority of all the commissioners shall constitute a quorum for meetings of the commission. Commissioners shall receive no compensation, but each commissioner shall be entitled to actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of commission duties. The commission may appoint consulting committees consisting of either commissioners or non-commissioners or both, the appointees of which shall not receive compensation, but shall be reimbursed their actual and necessary expenses to be paid by the commission on certification by the chair or acting chair.
6. OPEN MEETINGS. All meetings of the commission and its consulting committees shall be publicly held and open to all citizens at all times in accordance with subch. V of ch. 19, Wis. Stats.
Source: City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau, Milwaukee City Charter and Code of Ordinances (city.milwaukee.gov master PDFs)URL: https://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/ccClerk/Ordinances/Volume-3/CH320.pdf#page=26Fetched: 10/26/2026