Street Would Be Named For Former Alderman Terry Witkowski

Alderman Terry Witkowski announces his resignation in 2019 at the Garden District Community Garden. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

A small street in Milwaukee’s Garden District could soon honor the longtime alderman who guided the 13th District’s rebranding and the creation of a large community garden.

One block of W. Norwich Street along the Garden District Community Garden would be honorarily designated “Alderman Terry L. Witkowski” under a proposal pending before his former council colleagues. Witkowski, who lives a few blocks away, continues to be a key volunteer in the garden’s operation thas has grown to include a substantial “Winter Wonderland” holiday light display.

Witkowski represented the far southside council district from 2003 to 2019. He resigned at the age of 74, triggering a seven-way special election won by his aide Scott Spiker. Witkowski’s successor is now nominating his former boss for the honor. The designation doesn’t formally rename the street, but includes a privately-funded addition of a small blue sign next to the traditional green sign.

“We will have to give this very significant scrutiny,” joked Public Works Committee chair Alderman Robert Bauman when the proposal was reviewed Wednesday. During his council tenure, the oft-affable Witkowski was a frequent ally of Bauman.

Prior to being elected, Witkowski worked for the city for 31 years, including serving as safety director for the Milwaukee Safety Commission. “Which was very frustrating when I worked for him because anytime I had an argument for him, he would say ‘Scott, I have been in city government more years than you have been alive,'” said Spiker, who started working for him in 2015.

Spiker praised Witkowski for becoming chair of the Garden District Neighborhood Association after retiring. He was appointed to a role on the Board of Zoning Appeals last year.

“A lot of the work I do builds on the foundation he laid,” said Spiker. That includes maintaining and expanding the garden, which hosts a farmers market and several community events. The garden is located at 3932-3998 S. 6th St., between W. Howard Avenue and W. Norwich Street. “A lot of people say ‘couldn’t have been done without him.’ In this case, it’s absolutely true. Without him that would not be there today and it’s a focal point of the district.”

“I agree,” said Bauman. “This is a great honor and well deserved.”

In addition to focusing on public safety, Witkowski regularly initiated efforts regarding the city’s image. That included directing the 2007 effort that officially named the 13th District “The Garden District.” It’s the only council district with such a brand.

The honorary street name would be the first for a former city elected official. But one only has to look across S. 6th Street to find an even greater honor. The Robert Anderson Municipal Building, formerly the Town of Lake Water Tower, is named for former alderman and council president Robert A. Anderson. The alderman represented what became the Garden District from 1972 to 1996. A handful of streets are officially named for former elected officials, including N. Vel R. Phillips Avenue.

An Honorary Street Name For Long-Time Church Member

A second honorary street name is pending before the Common Council and would join the ranks of dozens of such designations.

One block of W. Atkinson Avenue would be honorarily named for the late William R. Stark. The honor would apply to the block between N. 16th and N. 17th streets. Stark was a longtime member of St. Mark AME Church, Milwaukee’s oldest African American church, 1616 W. Atkinson Ave.

“My dad was a humble servant of St. Mark AME Church since 1957,” said his daughter Ruth Stark-Jordan. Stark passed away in 2022 at the age of 90.

The nomination was submitted by Michigan resident Joseph J. Wilson, who with the late Stark and Stark-Jordan, is a member of the United Supreme Council, a masonic fraternity affiliated with the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry and Prince Hall Freemasonry. Wilson is president of the William R. Stark Class of 2023. The organization is hosting an event in Milwaukee in late May that is expected to draw up to 3,000 attendees.

“We are glad to have you,” said Bauman. The committee unanimously endorsed the honor.

According to the fraternity’s website, Stark was “Illustrious Grand Minister of State for the United Supreme Council NJ, PHA” when he passed away.

Wilson’s nomination says Stark held many roles at the Methodist church, including serving on the board of stewards and chairing the membership committee. As chair of a church building committee, he helped select the site of the current church.

According to Stark-Jordan, Wilson worked for more than 33 years in medical roles at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He retired in 1993 as supervisor of chemistry laboratories. He moved to Milwaukee shortly after serving in the military and marrying. Wilson’s nomination says he was the first African American to study at St. Luke’s Hospital to become a medical technologist.

The full council will consider the designations on March 19.  Both were unanimously endorsed.

UPDATE: An earlier version of this article referred to a street named for a father of an alderman.

Related Legislation: File 231484, File 231698