MILWAUKEE — On Monday, the Common Council's Steering and Rules Committee voted to affirm one of Mayor Cavalier Johnson's nominees to fill the understaffed HACM Board of Commissioners.
For years, the seven-member HACM board has operated with only four members.
During that time, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development deemed the city's Section 8 Choice Voucher program troubled and the Housing Authority itself at risk of fraud.
"I want the city and everyone to know we're important," said Betty Newton. "Just because we're low income does not mean all of us are uneducated or unimportant to the people we elect—to the people who hold positions that affect us."
That’s why it was vital for Newton and other Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) residents to show up in person as the future of the Housing Authority board was decided.
"I think it's important that we get new board members and that they actually have some input on this [Section 8] contract that HACM wants to outsource to an out-of-state company," Newton said.
Watch: Nomination for HACM board member moves forward, agency to outsource Section 8
The nominee at Monday's meeting was Karen Goetzler, a Milwaukee native with experience working with out-of-state housing authorities. She shared her background and answered questions from aldermen and HACM residents, like Newton, who raised concerns about accountability and transparency.
The committee ultimately voted to approve Goetzler's nomination, moving the final vote to the full Common Council next month. However, this week's meeting agenda was notably missing one item.
Up until Monday morning, the committee was set to vote on both Goetzler's nomination and the re-nomination of Brook Vandeberg, who has served on HACM’s board for several years. Just hours before the meeting, her name was removed from the agenda.
"What are your thoughts hearing that she's withdrawn?" TMJ4’s Mariam Mackar asked Common Council President José Pérez.
"It was her decision, and she didn’t elaborate on why she made that choice. Personally, I think there’s a problem with any of the status quo, any of the current commissioners wanting to move forward," Pérez responded.
The mayor is now tasked with finding a new nominee to take Vandeberg’s spot.
The Steering and Rules Committee will vote on two other nominees for HACM’s board at their next monthly meeting.
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