Council rejects mayor’s pick for commission

Milwaukee’s Common Council voted down Mayor Tom Barrett’s pick for the Fire and Police Commission on Tuesday in a decision that appeared more about the process and the mayor rather than the qualities of the candidate.

The council, on a 5-to-9 vote, rejected William Gielow’s appointment to the commission, a powerful civilian oversight board that gives community members a direct say in how the police and fire departments are run.

“His appointment is being held hostage for political reasons,” Barrett said Tuesday in an interview. “There’s something wrong about that.”

Gielow retired from the Milwaukee Police Department in 2000 at the rank of deputy police chief after a 41-year career. He has pledged to be objective and fair but came under criticism for his answers, or lack of them, during recent public meetings.

Ald. Terry Witkowski, who asked Gielow to apply for the post, had requested council hold his appointment because Gielow had not had a chance to meet with every alderman. That measure failed.

Barrett said a number of aldermen did not have “the courtesy” to meet with Gielow, whose appointment was first sent to the council in February.

“I think that he deserves to be treated with respect,” Barrett said. “I think that he was disrespected because people are mad at me.”

Council clashes with mayor

The council’s discussion focused on two issues: The stalled reappointment of current commission members who still want to serve and the amount of influence Barrett has over the commission.

“We all know going back several chiefs, it was the mayor that controlled the commission and not the commission that controlled the police chief,” Ald. Nik Kovac said.

Kovac and Ald. José Pérez said they would not vote for any commission candidate until current commission members Steven DeVougas and Marisabel Cabrera are reappointed. Their terms have expired, but they can serve until a replacement is confirmed.

On Tuesday, Barrett said he has submitted DeVougas for reappointment but does not intend to reappoint Cabrera.

Cabrera, an immigration attorney, is running for the 9th Assembly District against incumbent state Rep. Josh Zepnick (D-Milwaukee) in the August election.

Barrett has cited that as one reason he has not reappointed her, saying the commission should not be a political board.

“I view this body as almost a quasijudicial body and that means it should not be used to create a political career, in my mind,” Barrett said. “Others obviously are going to disagree with that, but that’s where I’m coming from.”

The city attorney’s office, at the request of Pérez, released an opinion saying it appears Cabrera could continue to serve on the board if she were elected to the state Assembly.

A majority of the Common Council signed on to a letter urging Barrett to reconsider his decision, calling Cabrera thoughtful, independent and “free of undue influence.”