For Council, the paper chase is over

The legislative process for the Milwaukee Common Council has gone paperless.

This last Council cycle was the first to be paperless in the 177-year history of the City of Milwaukee. From introduction to archiving, the process was entirely digital. I want to give substantial credit to Common Council members for their long-standing commitment to innovation in legislative processes. They have become skilled at conducting the legislative affairs of the City electronically (from almost anywhere) with nothing but a tablet (or a laptop), saving the taxpayers paper costs, copying costs, and from costs associated with storing and recycling all of that paper.

I also want to thank Mayor Cavalier Johnson for his support of these initiatives in the past and his willingness to embrace his part of these changes.

The digital age makes all of this possible, and it has brought efficiency and transparency to local government. As City Clerk, I will continue to do all I can to make the business of the Clerk’s Office and the Common Council as seamless as possible.

I would like to thank Deputy City Clerk Dana Zelazny and Administrative Services Coordinator Laurie Phillip for their help in making this transition. It would not have been possible without their expertise, hard work, and patience.

I would be remiss if I did not also mention the irreplaceable contribution of my predecessor, Ronald D. Leonhardt, who helped create the Legistar system at a time when few worked at computer terminals and clouds were things that made it rain.

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.