Another Council Committee Opposes Wilson
Majority of council opposes Ann Wilson's reappointment to Fire & Police Commission.
Mayor Tom Barrett and Ann Wilson accept a grant in 2018. File photo by Jeramey Jannene.
Yet another Common Council committee voted to reject the reappointment of Ann Wilson to the Fire & Police Commission.
She’s the first commissioner to go before the council for reappointment after the citizen-led commission voted unanimously to demote police chief Alfonso Morales in August.
Wilson, 73, has served on the commission since 2013. Her term expired in 2018, during a period when she lived outside of the city, but she continued to serve. Mayor Tom Barrett moved to reappoint her in December.
After multiple meetings, the Public Safety & Health Committee voted to reject her reappointment in January.
Common Council President Cavalier Johnson requested a report from the Inspector General on a conflict between Wilson’s testimony and that of the City Attorney on when and if guidance on the Morales vote was issued. The report sided with the City Attorney.
“The only thing I would like to say, is that all the things that have been said, some are true, some are not, we have been through all of that, but I would like to serve again,” said Wilson on Monday during an appearance before the Steering & Rules Committee.
The committee voted 5-3 to recommend to the full 15-member council to reject her reappointment. Johnson, Michael Murphy, Robert Bauman, Jose G. Perez and Marina Dimitrijevic voted for the rejection. Council members Ashanti Hamilton, Milele A. Coggs and Khalif Rainey voted for her reappointment.
Three other council members, Chantia Lewis, Scott Spiker and Mark Borkowski, have already voted against her reappointment or told Urban Milwaukee they intend to, giving the council the necessary eight votes for a rejection. Rainey previously voted against Wilson’s reappointment, but voted to back her Monday.
“She has been one of the most open and transparent members of the commission,” said Hamilton, praising her commitment to serve. He was backed by Coggs.
Dimitrijevic also praised Wilson as an individual, and for her work as manager of the Hillside Terrace Resource Center for the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee. But she said she wanted to move in a different direction.
Barrett told Urban Milwaukee in December he judges each of the commissioners differently. In January he said his office remained committed to getting Wilson reappointed.
Whether Wilson’s reappointment is rejected or not, she would continue to serve until she either resigns or a replacement is confirmed.
In early 2019 the council rejected a potential replacement, retired Milwaukee Police Department employee Denise Bartlett, after she publicly sparred with the council.
More about the Fire & Police Commission's Troubles
- City Hall: Johnson Names Former Deputy City Attorney To Fire & Police Commission - Jeramey Jannene - Nov 2nd, 2022
- City Hall: Washington, Burgos Join Fire-Police Board - Jeramey Jannene - Sep 20th, 2022
- City Hall: Kessler Resigns From Fire-Police Board - Jeramey Jannene - Sep 19th, 2022
- City Hall: Committee Backs Johnson’s FPC Nominees - Jeramey Jannene - Sep 9th, 2022
- City Hall: Mayor Acts To Create Full Fire & Police Commission - Jeramey Jannene - Jul 12th, 2022
- City Hall: Bree Spencer Named To Fire & Police Commission - Jeramey Jannene - Feb 9th, 2022
- FPC Suspends Residency Preference For Police, Fire Promotions - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 7th, 2021
- City Hall: Committee Endorses Dana World-Patterson’s Appointment To FPC - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 2nd, 2021
- City Hall: Dana World-Patterson Nominated to FPC - Jeramey Jannene - Nov 9th, 2021
- City Hall: Jeffrey Norman Named Permanent Chief of Police - Jeramey Jannene - Nov 4th, 2021
Read more about Fire & Police Commission's Troubles here
Political Contributions Tracker
Displaying political contributions between people mentioned in this story. Learn more.
- December 31, 2019 - Milele A. Coggs received $250 from Tearman Spencer
- December 13, 2018 - José G. Pérez received $50 from Mark Borkowski
- February 20, 2016 - Cavalier Johnson received $250 from Robert Bauman
- May 5, 2015 - José G. Pérez received $10 from Cavalier Johnson
One thing missing yesterday was any discussion of Wilson’s performance as a Commissioner over her last 8 years on the Board, with the exception of the Morales demotion vote.
To: Milwaukee Common Council
Re: Vote NO on CC File 201191 – Reappointment of Ann Wilson to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners by the Mayor.
Commissioner Wilson has not earned another 5-year term on the Board of the FPC; it’s time for a change. Her main interest is working with young people rather than overseeing the operations, policies and procedures of the MPD and MFD. When asked by Alderman Spiker (jump to 1:23:15 in video http://milwaukee.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=2579) what uniquely qualifies her to serve on the Commission, Ms. Wilson answered that she cares about people and asks the tough question: “What are WE gonna do?”
After 7 ½ years on the FPC Board, she thinks that the biggest problem with the Commission is, “by law”, they can’t talk to each other (1:15:00). Open Meetings Rules do not categorically prevent Commissioners from writing down their thoughts and sharing them. Commissioner Wilson never learned how to work effectively within the Commission and has never served as the Chair of any Committee.
Commissioner Wilson has failed to hold herself, the Board, and its Executive Director, to the standards of governance that we have a right to demand of the most powerful civilian oversight board in the country. The demotion of former MPD Chief Alfonso Morales is the Board’s most recent and glaring fiasco. After 8 years on the Board, sitting as a judge at eight appeals trials, reviewing literally hundreds of suspensions, demotions and discharges, Commissioner Wilson thought it was OK to demote the Chief without giving him due process, or issuing any final written findings or order.
If Commissioner Wilson had read and understood Wis. Stat. 62.50, which governs the FPC, and the FPC’s own rules, she would not have abandoned her own judgement, ignored common sense, and blamed the Board’s indefensible actions in the Morales debacle on the City Attorney’s advice.
Commissioner Wilson has not demonstrated the independence to stand up and fight for us, whether that is demanding police accountability, getting an important item on an agenda or holding her fellow Board members to ethical standards commensurate with their weighty responsibilities. The involvement of Commissioner DeVougas in the interview of an alleged suspect in a sexual assault cried out for an ethics investigation. But when Commissioner DeVougas announced at the FPC meeting on February 6, 2020 (38:25): “in the spirit of transparency… let’s just get it all done and out in the open”, that he had requested a confidential advisory opinion from the Ethics Board, Commissioner Wilson had no problem with that, despite former Commissioner Robakowski quickly pointing out that the Board should be requesting the opinion so that it could review the results.
Finally, when Alderman Spiker asked Commissioner Wilson (1:21:06) if she had any second thoughts about seeking reappointment after her first term expired in 2018, she replied: “I had second thoughts at one time, because things were not as exciting, and the opportunities were not as great as they are now.” The Common Council has a great opportunity – now – to replace Commissioner Wilson with someone who understands how to work within the Commission to get things done; someone who will master the rules and procedures of the FPC; and finally, someone with the courage, dedication and independence to faithfully represent this community on the most powerful governing body of its kind in the nation – Milwaukee’s Fire and Police Commission.
Ditto for Paul Mozina’s comments, Wilson does not deserve to continue serving on this board, not only for the instances highlighted by Mr. Mozina but for the fact that Ms. Wilson does not bring the insight, activism nor the ability to advocate for the needs of our most marginalized and underserved community members. We need someone who can address the problems generated by the actions of law enforcement and to advance solutions that better serve our community. It’s time for new blood on this commission. Reviewing what she has and has not done in her role clearly indicates she is not appropriate for the FPC.