HINES TO LANGLEY: "WHERE'S THE ERC?"

Is Moribund Agency "Merely an Embarrassment"
or
"Cause for Concern?"

Special to the Readers of Milwaukeeworld.com

By Michael Horne

and the MilwaukeeWorld Hound Dog Team

Milwaukee Common Council President Willie L. Hines, Jr. sent a letter to City Attorney Grant Langley [Marquette '70] yesterday, Thursday, June 12th, 2008, asking for his "legal opinion in regard to the fact that the City of Milwaukee Equal Rights Commission (ERC) is out of compliance. It is my understanding that this body still exists, despite no longer having any members."
Hines goes on to say that the most recent meeting of the ERC was in 2003, and its last annual report was filed in 2002.
"Nevertheless, the Commission is obligated to fulfill its duties as ordered by City of Milwaukee Code of Ordinances," he adds. They include providing equal housing and employment opportunities for all City of Milwaukee residents. Hines says the ERC, "which must be comprised of seven members appointed by the mayor" is not serving its function because it "has no members and has not met in five years, as required by Chapter 109-15 of the City Code."
That chapter provides that the seven members of the commission are to serve three-year terms and "shall receive compensation," which might be a reason why the board has fallen into desuetude. [The salary is $20 per meeting. --Ed.]
Hines goes on to express concern that the current situation might put the city in a "legally vulnerable position."
He concludes, "In other words, is the fact that we have an Equal Rights Commission that never meets and has no members merely an embarrassment, or does it represent cause for legal concern?"

Hines, in his letter, files a missile across the bows of both the City Attorney and the Mayor. The former, since "enforcement will be done through the City Attorney's Office," and the latter since there is no evidence he has ever appointed anybody to the body.
The information sheet on file with the City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau, last updated on June 6th, 2005, shows that all members of the board had been "appointed by Former Mayor Norquist," and consisted of Brentell C. Handley, Buddy Julius, Cheryl Keenan, Jay A. Urban, Sr., Martha Lamelas, Minnie L. Davis and William Thompson. Their terms expired between February, 2003 and March, 2006. Members must be City of Milwaukee residents. Julius appears to have moved to New Jersey where he is Director of Governmental Affairs for AT&T; William "Big Bill" Thompson, always a bright presence in City Hall, died earlier this year.