This week the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported:

Milwaukee County officials will soon open a newly refurbished facility in Franklin that will house county inmates and state prisoners who have tested positive for COVID-19.

Work on the new facility, which will house up to 120 patients, is expected to be completed this week. It is expected to begin accepting inmates and prisoners from around the state as early as Sunday. 

So far, the project has cost $6 million — a bill that is being footed entirely by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Federal officials had budgeted $12 million for the construction project. 

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley made it clear that the inmates will not just come from the county. He labeled it a “regional” facility but then said it will also take patients statewide.

“This facility isn’t necessarily just for House of Correction folks,” Crowley said. 

“This is the ability to allow those in our neighboring counties to take particular inmates, to separate them from the general population,” he added. “So we can take care of COVID-19 patients all from across the state of Wisconsin.”

The House of Corrections is right down the road from what I would call a ritzy neighborhood. In some parts of Franklin if folks have their lights on too long the police get a call. So can you imagine how come neighbors reacted when they read that article in the paper?

Today Franklin Mayor Steve Olson sent an e-mail to Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley:

Mr. Exec:

I’m following up on our phone call from yesterday.

As we discussed, my aldermen and I are getting contacted by constituents who are concerned about the new Alternative Care Facility about to go on-line at the House of Correction.  As community leaders we haven’t done a good job communicating with our constituents about the purpose and operations and that’s raising most of the concerns.  I think using both the Covid briefing and perhaps a mailing for the nearby neighborhoods as well as social media (county to provide the city the graphics) we could calm the fears. Here are the issues that I believe need to be answered:

–          When will the facility begin to be available to be used?

–          Number of beds?

–          Types of patients (types and severity of cases)?

–          Where would the patients come from?

–          What levels of crimes would they be convicted of?

–          How would they be transported, both to and from the facility given that the city and county had specially prepared COVID ambulances and paramedic teams?

–          How long will they be treated at the facility?

–          How long will the facility be in existence?

–          Who will medically staff the facility?

–          How will the facility be secured?

–          Who’s paying for the build-out?

–          Who’s paying for the operations?

–          What responsibility does Franklin have for escapes?

–          What risk is there for Franklin residents?

It seems like a lot of questions but NO ONE from Franklin has had the opportunity (other than my brief conversations) has had opportunities to get answers to their questions.

We’re going into the holiday weekend.  Answers to these questions should have been answered and available when the word of the facility first got out.  Let’s do what can be done to get this information to our constituents as quickly as possible.

Thanks.

Mayor Olson

On Wednesday, the Milwaukee Common Council’s most important committee, the Finance and Personnel Committee held a meeting and discussed COV-19.

In attendance, virtually, was Commissioner of Health Jeanette Kowalik. Having listened to that particular portion of the meeting online I wouldn’t say Kowalik was grilled. But she was on the end of numerous questions about the fact that while the suburbs are set to reopen at midnight tonight, the city of Milwaukee per Mayor Tom Barrett remains shut down. I’ve known Barrett since his days in the Wisconsin Legislature and he’s never once suggested that he’s a tyrant, until now.

Some aldermen on Wednesday’s committee, especially chairman Michael Murphy repeatedly questioned Kowalik about when Milwaukee was going to re-open. What are the metrics being used to determine a reopening date? Can we get a specific plan either today or Thursday?

Kowalik offered nary a specific answer, bobbing and weaving like Muhammad Ali in his prime. Clearly the city led by the mayor and his health department have no plan, no clue.

The opening Friday in the suburbs was mentioned. Kowalik’s response was to pivot and divert attention away from Milwaukee having no idea what in the hell to do to the suburbs acting irresponsibly

“So are the public health officials in those other communities being overruled and they agree with you?” asked Alderman Murphy. “For the most part, yes,” she responded.

Franklin Mayor Steve Olson, speaking not for all suburban leaders, said later most of them had pledged full support to their health officers. Where Kowalik was getting her information was mystery. Sounds like she made it up to try to look somewhat engaged and in the know.

Back to the committee hearing. Alderman Nik Kovac, upon hearing Kowalwik submit the suburban health officials were overruled by their mayors from agreeing with Milwaukee to wait reacted in knee-jerk fashion.

“Just because the suburbs are being reckless we shouldn’t be reckless,” said Kovac.

Alderwoman Milele Coggs jumped in saying economy should never trump human life, and that you can always start another business, but you can’t get a life back. Clearly Coggs hasn’t the slightest notion of running a business and never has.

Coggs also came dangerously close to playing the race card, accusing the suburbs of not caring about the fortunes of city residents.

While this was going on another Milwaukee alderman was injecting common sense into the debate when he held a news conference saying the time for the city’s own order to end has come.

Hear more in this Channel 4 report.

The city’s attack on the suburbs is a smokescreen to hide their ill handling of reopening their economy that dies more and more each day.

UPDATE