Emergency Powers.
Milwaukee City Charter § 6-07
in effect6-07. Emergency Powers.
1. Pursuant to s. 323.14(4), Wis. Stats., the common council is empowered to order, by ordinance or resolution, an emergency existing within the city. The period of emergency shall be limited by ordinance or resolution to an emergency or the imminent threat of an emergency.
2. The emergency power of the common council conferred under sub. 1 includes the general authority to order, by ordinance or resolution, whatever is necessary and expedient for the health, safety, protection and welfare of persons and property within the city in the emergency and includes the power to bar, restrict or remove unnecessary traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, from the public way, notwithstanding any provision of chs. 341 to 349, Wis. Stats., as amended, or any other provisions of law.
3. If, because of the emergency conditions, the common council is unable to meet with promptness, the mayor or acting mayor shall exercise by proclamation all of the powers conferred upon the common council under sub. 1 or 2 which within the discretion of mayor or acting mayor appear necessary and expedient for the purposes of this chapter. The proclamation shall be subject to ratification, alteration, modification or repeal by the common council as soon as it can meet, but the subsequent action taken by the common council shall not affect the prior validity of the proclamation.
4. The office of emergency management and homeland security shall not be employed to interfere with the orderly process of a labor dispute.
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/City-Charter/Master-Charter.pdf#page=43Fetched: 10/26/2026