Common Ground Issues 5 Conditions for Third-Party Veolia Audit

“After pressure from Common Ground, it appears the MMSD Commission has accepted our call for an independent audit of Veolia,” said Bob Connolly, Co-Chair of CG’s Water Investigation Team. “To determine whether Common Ground will support the effort, and whether it is in good faith, the audit must satisfy five conditions.”

• INDEPENDENT. The audit must be truly independent—accountable to the Commission, not Kevin Shafer or the MMSD staff. Veolia and its lobbyists cannot be allowed to influence the scope, depth, or findings.
• PUBLIC. The auditor’s full report of findings and recommendations must be shared with the full Commission and the public before a new operating contract is decided upon.
• PROTECT WORKERS. Every effort must be made to keep the identity of current and former employees confidential in the audit process.
• COMPREHENSIVE. The audit must be comprehensive, covering all aspects of the operation and maintenance of the wastewater treatment system and MMSD’s oversight of Veolia. This includes, but is not limited to, finances, maintenance, worker safety, reporting, staffing, environmental impact, maximizing system efficiency/capacity, and redundancies/resilience.
• RIGOROUS. The auditor must have sufficient technical ability to understand the intricacies of wastewater treatment and water systems engineering. A generic auditing firm will not suffice.

“Common Ground has 20 whistleblowers who have come forward with concerns,” said Connolly. “Many will speak to an auditor if the circumstances ensure true confidentiality. We have sent these conditions to MMSD Commission Chair Corey Zetts, requesting both a meeting and a Common Ground representative on the Audit Advisory Committee.”

MMSD’s shift comes after a month of mounting pressure. On April 30th, 175 Common Ground leaders requested an audit of Veolia’s management of the wastewater treatment facilities. Initially, MMSD attacked whistleblowers, expressed “total confidence” in Veolia, and tried to hire an HR attorney to investigate. However, soon after, nearly a dozen County Supervisors and several Common Council members echoed Common Ground’s call for an audit.

MMSD recently changed tone. On June 1st, MMSD Commission Chair Corey Zetts told the Common Council that the Commission is initiating “an independent, third-party audit,” an “independent advisory committee,” and hosting a Special Commission meeting on Monday, June 8th at 9:10am (260 W Seeboth St) to discuss. The Monday agenda outlines a resolution allotting $100,000 for an audit.

“These conditions will prove whether the MMSD Commission is acting in good faith, or just checking a box politically,” said Connolly. “This audit must not be rushed. We need an independent, comprehensive audit of how Veolia has been managing our tax dollars and treatment plants—or we will not support it.”

In the meantime, Common Ground will continue to explore the possibility of the Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources conducting investigations of Veolia’s management of the MMSD facilities.

Common Ground (CG) is a powerful, non-partisan, non-profit, organizing alliance of 45 member institutions across greater Milwaukee—including congregations, schools, non-profits, small businesses, and neighborhood groups.

Anyone with first-hand knowledge of Veolia or MMSD’s mismanagement can call Common Ground’s whistleblower hotline at (414) 751-0755.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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