Board of Health Appointments Sail Through
Public Safety & Health Committee approves Barrett's appointments, chastises Barrett for not creating board earlier

Bria Grant, Julia Means, Commissioner Jeanette Kowalik, Caroline Gomez-Tom, LaNelle Ramey, Dr. Marylyn Ranta, Ericka Sinclair, Ruthie Weatherly at Milwaukee City Hall after the Board of Health confirmation hearings. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
Mayor Tom Barrett‘s appointments to the city’s newly-formed Board of Health were unanimously approved by the Common Council’s Public Safety & Health Committee Thursday morning. But that didn’t stop committee chair Alderman Robert Donovan from noting that the city has failed to establish the board dating back to 1993.
The board’s formation comes in response to the January 2018 revelation of a cascading series of failures, particularly regarding childhood lead poisoning, at the Milwaukee Health Department under long-time Barrett-appointee Bevan K. Baker.
But it was another public health crisis that led the state to create a long-ignored law that required a public health oversight board. “If you think about what happened in 1993, that was the year of the cryptosporidium outbreak,” said new Health Commissioner Jeanette Kowalik. The commissioner, who said she was in high school at the time, noted the incident gave Milwaukee international notoriety.
The council committee is quite happy with the caliber of the eight other nominees. “I have looked at each and every resume. You are each outstanding,” said Ald. Mark Borkowski.
One after another, the committee quickly greeted the nominees and unanimously approved them.
Nominated to join Lewis are consultant and former health department member Ruthie Weatherly, Milwaukee Enrollment Network program manager Caroline Gomez-Tom who will join the Sixteenth Street Community Health Center in August, UniteMKE executive director Bria Grant, Ascension parish nurse Julia Means, Milwaukee Public Schools director of black and latino male achievement LaNelle Ramey, Children’s Hospital Associate Chief Medical Officer Dr. Marylyn Ranta, Greater Milwaukee Center for Health and Wellness CEO Ericka Sinclair and Milwaukee School of Engineering professor Dr. Wujie Zhang.
Kowalik, who has been at the helm of the department since September, continues to draw high praise from council members. “In the very short time she’s been here she’s made some huge improvements,” said Borkowski. In addition to getting the department back into compliance with state and federal requirements, Kowalik has also undertaken a comprehensive reorganization of the department’s reporting structure.
Weatherly and Zhang weren’t included on the committee’s agenda and are expected to be confirmed when the full Common Council meets on July 9th. The Milwaukee Health Department did not respond to a request for comment on why the two nominees were left off by the time of publication.
The board, according to its authorizing ordinance, is required to meet at least quarterly. A call for applicants issued in March requested that members be willing to meet monthly for the first year.
Terms are to be for a period of two, three and five years, but the nominations do not list specific appointment lengths.
The nine-member board is required to be made up of one council member, five individuals with formal training in science and public health and three individuals with education credentials in the fields of social determinants of health including policy, law enforcement and commerce. All appointees must be city residents, which Kowalik said eliminated some otherwise strong candidates.
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More about the Lead Crisis
- Eyes on Milwaukee: Foreclosed Home Will House Those Displaced By Lead Abatement - Jeramey Jannene - Apr 12th, 2022
- City Hall: Lead Program Investigation Closed Without Criminal Charges - Jeramey Jannene - Mar 24th, 2022
- Following DA Decision Not to Charge, DOJ Releases Files from Investigation into MHD Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program - Wisconsin Department of Justice - Mar 24th, 2022
- AG Kaul Calls on EPA to Strengthen Protections Against Childhood Lead Poisoning - Wisconsin Department of Justice - Mar 17th, 2022
- Testing Kids For Lead Poisoning Declined During Pandemic - Shamane Mills - Mar 12th, 2022
- USDA Secretary Touts Lead Removal Funding - Hope Kirwan - Dec 17th, 2021
- Statement from Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett on the Biden-Harris Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan: - Mayor Tom Barrett - Dec 16th, 2021
- Gov. Evers Celebrates More Than $800 Million Investment Wisconsin to Receive for Water Infrastructure - Gov. Tony Evers - Dec 8th, 2021
- The State of Politics: Infrastructure Funds Impact Entire State - Steven Walters - Dec 6th, 2021
- Wisconsin Awarded $142 Million to Address PFAS, Lead Pipes - Danielle Kaeding - Dec 3rd, 2021
Read more about Lead Crisis here
Political Contributions Tracker
Displaying political contributions between people mentioned in this story. Learn more.
- March 30, 2016 - Tom Barrett received $100 from Bevan K. Baker
- September 8, 2015 - Robert Donovan received $50 from Mark Borkowski
- August 29, 2015 - Tom Barrett received $25 from Bevan K. Baker
- August 7, 2015 - Chantia Lewis received $25 from Bria Grant
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