Another Contractor Caught With Gun

Email to Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs.

Yet another employee of American Sewer Services has been caught with a gun on a city job site.

The stunning news comes after two high-profile incidents involving employees of the city contractor. Three employees were photographed openly carrying handguns on November 30th and a city resident spotted a cooler with Ku Klux Klan and Confederate Flag stickers at an American Sewer Services job site on December 8th.

Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs shared a photo of an email from firm owner Dennis Biondich, with Biondich reporting that the employee was immediately terminated and the company will forfeit another contract.

Biondich says the handgun was found during an inspection by the Department of Public Works.

Consequences came swiftly this time for Hartford-based American Sewer. In the email, Biondich states: “After meeting today with Commissioner [Ghassan] Korban, I have informed him that I am withdrawing our recent winning bid on the latest lead replacement project. In not accepting this award, we will be forfeiting another approx. $500,000 contract. When combined with other recent actions taken by the Commissioner, this brings the total ‘fine’ we’ve paid for these three incidents to nearly $1.5 million.”

A settlement with American Sewer was approved by the Common Council on January 17th that included American Sewer forfeiting two contracts worth a combined $891,586. American Sewer has received over $50 million in city contracts since 2013.

Biondich has yet to appear before the full Common Council, sending a low-level employee in his place in December. Multiple members of the council characterized the move as “disrespectful.” In a statement, Biondich cited health issues as the reason for his failure to appear and agreed to meet with council members one-on-one.

The Common Council opened a formal investigation into American Sewer which grants the investigation’s chair, Ald. Robert Bauman, subpoena power to compel Biondich’s appearance. When the investigation was opened on the 17th, Bauman said he would confer with his colleagues to decide if and when they could compel Biondich to appear.

Korban confirmed to Urban Milwaukee that a DPW site inspection did find the gun. The inspection was routine according to Korban, with the gun only being noticed in a photo of a lead lateral replacement.

American Sewer Services employees. Left photo by Brian Oliver. Right photo by Sam Singleton-Freeman.

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