How to Make Your Voice Heard Without An Alder

With Nik Kovac becoming the city’s budget director, the 3rd District does not have representation on the Common Council. File photo by Edgar Mendez/NNS.

With former Alderman Cavalier Johnson becoming mayor and former Alderman Nik Kovac taking a new position as the city’s budget director, both the 2nd and 3rd Districts are without leadership on the Common Council.

This leaves a chunk of the city, including the East Side, Riverwest, parts of downtown, Thurston Woods and Havenwoods, unrepresented for now by an elected official.

We spoke with City Clerk Jim Owczarski about what residents can do to be heard and what’s being done to fill the positions.

What residents can do

According to Owczarski, how residents reach out to the city on specific district matters depends on the issue.

If it is a services issue, he said, Amanda Cervantes, who served as an aide to Kovac, continues to be available to help people in this regard for the 3rd District. You can call  414-286-2221.

With former Alderman Cavalier Johnson now serving as mayor, 2nd District residents should call 414-286-2221 with concerns. The call will be referred to the appropriate person or department. File photo/NNS.

Second District residents should call 414-286-2221 and the call will be referred to the appropriate person or department.

Residents can click on the city’s website for guidance on services.

Owczarski also encouraged residents to write to the Common Council if they have concerns about legislation.

“We do read it when people write in, and it does go on record,” he said.

Here is where you can find other council members and their contact info.

In addition, Owczarski said the city sends out e-notifications. Residents can sign up to keep up with whatever they need to know about what’s going on in the city and their neighborhoods at city.milwaukee.gov-enotify.

When will the positions be filled?

The city will hold special elections for the 2nd and 3rd Districts on Aug. 9. The fall election, on Nov. 8, will determine who ultimately fills the seats.

How to make your voice heard when you don’t have a representative on the Common Council was originally published by the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service.