Citizens deserve to hear from Bevan Baker in public proceeding
Statement of Alderman Tony Zielinski - October 22, 2018
Bevan K. Baker.
Last week Council members were notified that Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton has decided not to subpoena former Milwaukee Health Department Commissioner Bevan Baker at this time. President Hamilton made his decision, according to the notification, after consulting with the office of the City Attorney.
President Hamilton’s decision not to subpoena former Commissioner Baker to testify before the Steering and Rules Committee comes about five months after he asked Public Safety and Health Committee Chair Alderman Bob Donovan to back away from issuing a subpoena for Baker to appear before his committee – assuring everyone that he would be pursuing a subpoena so Baker could be questioned about the mismanagement and dysfunction that resulted in thousands of Milwaukee children who had tested positive for lead not being follow-up with and served by MHD.
Today I am calling on President Hamilton to explain to the public and to those affected families why he isn’t issuing a subpoena to compel Bevan Baker’s testimony before the Common Council. He should explain his decision openly and transparently in public so we can hear his reasoning.
Sadly, I strongly doubt we will hear from President Hamilton about his decision not to move forward with a subpoena because he has offered one excuse after another on this matter for months now.
Delay, delay, delay seems to be the President’s mantra here.
The real issue is transparency – transparency (and truth) that the citizens and families of
Milwaukee deserve.
It sure seems to me that by not subpoenaing Baker the President is playing politics with the health and safety of our citizens.
More about the Lead Crisis
- City Hall: Milwaukee on 70-Year Pace To Replace Lead Laterals - Jeramey Jannene - Mar 13th, 2020
- City Hall: Audit Gives Water Works High Marks - Jeramey Jannene - Mar 12th, 2020
- League of Women Voters Presents Forum on Lead Poisoning March 6 - League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County - Mar 2nd, 2020
- AG Objects to Relaxed Lead Pipe Rules - Melanie Conklin - Feb 14th, 2020
- City Hall: Former Health Director Blames Barrett - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 24th, 2019
- Statement of Bevan K. Baker - Bevan K. Baker - Dec 23rd, 2019
- Mayor Barrett Proposes $2.2 Million in Block Grant Funds for Lead Abatement - Mayor Tom Barrett - Dec 4th, 2019
- City Hall: Health Department Probe a State Matter - Jeramey Jannene - Nov 14th, 2019
- City Hall: Proposal Uses Lead Abatement Funds for Marketing - Jeramey Jannene - Nov 7th, 2019
- Op Ed: Everyone Deserves Clean Water - State Sen. Jon Erpenbach - Nov 4th, 2019
Read more about Lead Crisis here
Mentioned in This Press Release
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No money for police, lead hazard issues or infrastructure, but let’s pump up the streetcar we can’t afford
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