Milwaukee Jobs Act components get boost from Council

The Common Council has approved changes that will make it easier for groups and businesses to help implement key components of the Milwaukee Jobs Act, which could help put dozens of city residents in new jobs this summer.

In a resolution for immediate adoption that was approved on a 15-0 vote today, the Council amended Common Council file # 120313 by approving revised program descriptions for three of the six components of the Milwaukee Jobs Act – Transitional Jobs Program, namely, the Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS) Garage Demolition project, the Department of Neighborhood Services Hybrid Deconstruction project and the Department of Public Works (DPW) Vacant Lot Clean Up / Emergency Board Up project.

The six-part Jobs Act Transitional Jobs Program is specifically meant to create jobs for Milwaukee residents. Three components of the Transitional Jobs Program — the DNS Garage Demolition project, the DNS Hybrid Deconstruction project and the DPW Vacant Lot Clean Up / Emergency Board Up project — are designed to permit community-based organizations and for-profit businesses to collaborate to provide various neighborhood improvement and maintenance projects.

Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, primary sponsor of the legislation that created the Milwaukee Jobs Act, said he is grateful for the detailed changes and planning that have been implemented by DNS and DPW to help sharpen the Transitional Jobs Program components. “These changes will allow for more effective and successful implementation of the program, which will create some valuable job opportunities for city residents this summer,” he said.

“As I’ve said before, this entire Jobs Act initiative would not be possible without the work of staff and the support of my Council colleagues and the administration of Mayor Barrett, and I am very grateful for the commitment that has been shown repeatedly on all fronts over the past several months,” Alderman Hamilton said.

In other matters, the Council today:

• Created a new off-leash dog park at E. Lincoln Ave. and S. Bay St. in cooperation with Milwaukee County.
• Approved the sale of city-owned properties to the Center for Veterans Issues for supportive housing for homeless and disabled veterans in six aldermanic districts.
• Approved an agreement with the city, the county and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District to investigate the cause and solution of street flooding and basement backups in the Dineen Park area.

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.