Mayor Allows Interim Health Leader
Returns file to the council unsigned, opens door to approval of McManus.
For the first time in a month, Milwaukee has a Health Commissioner.
In response to the Common Council appointing Patricia McManus to the position, Mayor Tom Barrett bided his time for more than a week and today returned the file regarding her appointment unsigned. The move allows her appointment to move forward without the need for another council vote.
Barrett held a brief press conference Thursday afternoon to discuss his decision. He had until the close of business to act on the file.
His decision to return the file unsigned was meant to signal his disagreement with the council. Said Barrett: “The reason I did not sign the document is because I have made clear my displeasure and concern with the rushed and unprecedented application of the council’s emergency appointment authority. The vetting of the interim Commissioner of Health should have gone through the Council’s normal committee hearing process. There was no reason to deviate from that.”
“Unfortunately the actions of the council weren’t motivated by public health, but political concerns,” said Barrett. “I have been around a long time. I know politics when I see it.”
Barrett says McManus has the full support of his administration moving forward. His office is working to help her fill many of the 40 vacancies within the department. A letter from the mayor indicates he has assigned a number of his key aides to directly work with McManus to move the office forward including Sharon Robinson (Director, Department of Administration), Dennis Yaccarino (city budget director), Aaron Szopinski (policy director), Maria Monteagudo (Director of Employee Relations) and Steve Mahan (Director of Community Development Grants Administration).
The mayor says he is confident that McManus will promote vaccinations in her role as Health Commissioner. “We have known each other for a long time, so it didn’t long to break the ice and have a very candid conversation.” Barrett said he shared his concerns with her regarding anti-vaccination remarks and comments that the failure of the department to send out hundreds of letters to families of children that tested for elevated blood lead levels was “deliberate.” An investigation is still pending on the latter matter. A representative of the Health Department previously testified that no disciplinary action could be taken until a new commissioner was in place.
The city is conducting a search for a permanent health commissioner. Applications are due February 23rd. Barrett said that he is assembling a review team for the applications, and that he intends to include a member of the Common Council on the team. An appointment of a permanent commissioner could come in early April according to Barrett.
Legally speaking, McManus’s appointment carries no interim tag according to City Clerk Jim Owczarski. She could be the commissioner for months or years. Alderman Michael Murphy indicated his fear that the majority of the council and Barrett may be unable to agree on a replacement during the remainder of Barrett’s current term, which lasts until the spring of 2020.
Issues related to the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program led to the January 11th resignation of Health Commissioner Bevan K. Baker. Barrett says both he and McManus have a shared priority in fixing the issues. The council opened a formal investigation into the department on January 17th. Barrett had previously nominated former commissioner Paul Nannis to serve in the role of interim commissioner for a period of 120 days, but the council quickly rejected that idea and appointed McManus.
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More about the Lead Crisis
- MPS Will Reopen School Shuttered Because of Lead Dust - Jeramey Jannene - Mar 12th, 2025
- Trowbridge Street School Won’t Reopen Monday, to Allow More Time for Deep Cleaning of Lead Dust - Milwaukee Public Schools - Mar 7th, 2025
- Health Department Will Investigate 10 More Schools For Lead Issues - Jeramey Jannene - Mar 7th, 2025
- MKE County: County Expands Lead Abatement For Low-Income Homes - Graham Kilmer - Mar 1st, 2025
- Health Department Shutters MPS School Over Lead Concerns - Jeramey Jannene - Feb 28th, 2025
- Health Department May Shut Down Some Milwaukee Schools With High Lead Levels - Evan Casey - Feb 24th, 2025
- Alderwoman Coggs introduces file to discuss MPS lead exposure issues - Ald. Milele Coggs - Feb 20th, 2025
- Gov. Evers’ biennial state budget prioritizes clean water, clean energy, and public lands for Wisconsin - Wisconsin Conservation Voters - Feb 18th, 2025
- Gov. Evers Announces Comprehensive Plan to Ensure Clean Water for Kids and Families in 2025 Year of the Kid - Gov. Tony Evers - Feb 18th, 2025
- More Milwaukee Schools Getting Tested for High Lead Levels - Evan Casey - Feb 15th, 2025
Read more about Lead Crisis here
Political Contributions Tracker
Displaying political contributions between people mentioned in this story. Learn more.
- December 4, 2018 - Tom Barrett received $50 from Aaron Szopinski
- September 8, 2018 - Tom Barrett received $50 from Aaron Szopinski
- June 25, 2018 - Tom Barrett received $50 from Aaron Szopinski
- December 31, 2017 - Tom Barrett received $400 from Sharon Robinson
- November 13, 2017 - Tom Barrett received $50 from Aaron Szopinski
- September 21, 2017 - Tom Barrett received $50 from Aaron Szopinski
- August 18, 2017 - Tom Barrett received $100 from Paul Nannis
- June 21, 2017 - Tom Barrett received $50 from Aaron Szopinski
- May 25, 2017 - Tom Barrett received $50 from Aaron Szopinski
- May 9, 2017 - Tom Barrett received $400 from Sharon Robinson
- April 1, 2017 - Tom Barrett received $50 from Aaron Szopinski
- February 23, 2017 - Tom Barrett received $100 from Paul Nannis
- March 30, 2016 - Tom Barrett received $100 from Bevan K. Baker
- March 30, 2016 - Tom Barrett received $50 from Aaron Szopinski
- March 29, 2016 - Tom Barrett received $100 from Sharon Robinson
- March 28, 2016 - Michael Murphy received $100 from Sharon Robinson
- March 28, 2016 - Michael Murphy received $25 from Aaron Szopinski
- March 21, 2016 - Michael Murphy received $50 from Paul Nannis
- February 28, 2016 - Tom Barrett received $150 from Sharon Robinson
- February 18, 2016 - Tom Barrett received $100 from Aaron Szopinski
- February 10, 2016 - Tom Barrett received $400 from Steve Mahan
- February 2, 2016 - Tom Barrett received $100 from Sharon Robinson
- December 7, 2015 - Tom Barrett received $100 from Aaron Szopinski
- December 7, 2015 - Tom Barrett received $400 from Sharon Robinson
- August 29, 2015 - Tom Barrett received $100 from Aaron Szopinski
- August 29, 2015 - Tom Barrett received $25 from Bevan K. Baker