Alderman Zielinski seeks review of DPW work that has been outsourced
Incidents at DPW worksites reflect lack of diversity, few city residents
Alderman Tony Zielinski is asking the commissioner of the Department of Public Works to report to the Common Council within 30 days all DPW tasks previously performed by city workers that have been outsourced to contractors during the past 20 years.
“I am very concerned that the workers working on projects in the city no longer reflect the population of the community they are serving,” said Alderman Zielinski, chair of the Licenses Committee.
Alderman Zielinski said worksite incidents – most recently a viral photo circulated on Friday (December 8) showing a possible contractor worker’s cooler displaying Ku Klux Klan and Confederate flag stickers at a site near N. 25th and W. Wells Streets – has “shown me there is some evidence to be very concerned about who we have performing taxpayer-funded city work in our neighborhoods,” he said.
“We cannot deny that we’ve had these horrific images circulating in the news media and across social media from city work sites over the past several days,” the alderman said. “As bad as they are, they are the symptoms and not the disease. The disease is the reality that crews working on city projects no longer reflect the population of the city.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Contractor Gun Debate
- City Hall: Complaint Against American Sewer Dropped - Jeramey Jannene - Jun 6th, 2019
- City Hall: Contractor With Guns, White Supremacy Sticker Again At Issue - Jeramey Jannene - May 16th, 2019
- Eyes on Milwaukee: City Releases Contractor Gun Photo - Jeramey Jannene - Feb 5th, 2018
- Eyes on Milwaukee: Another Contractor Caught With Gun - Jeramey Jannene - Jan 30th, 2018
- Eyes on Milwaukee: City Settles with American Sewer - Jeramey Jannene - Jan 17th, 2018
- Eyes on Milwaukee: City Kills Contracts With American Sewer - Jeramey Jannene - Jan 4th, 2018
- Eyes on Milwaukee: Stamper Introduces Bill to Fire American Sewer Services - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 24th, 2017
- Eyes on Milwaukee: Ban On Contractors With Guns Passed - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 19th, 2017
- Eyes on Milwaukee: Embattled Company Leader Absent at Hearing - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 18th, 2017
- Eyes on Milwaukee: Labor Groups Rally Against KKK Supporter - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 12th, 2017
Read more about Contractor Gun Debate here
Recent Press Releases by Ald. Tony Zielinski
No money for police, lead hazard issues or infrastructure, but let’s pump up the streetcar we can’t afford
Nov 1st, 2019 by Ald. Tony ZielinskiStatement of Alderman Tony Zielinski November 1, 2019
