Waukesha Common Council Rejects Mayor's Veto on Water Negotiation Team

The Waukesha Common Council overturned Mayor Jeff Scrima’s veto Tuesday night in front of a crowded meting room in City Hall, keeping city’s Great Lakes water negotiation team to three members – Waukesha Water Utility General Manager Dan Duchniak, City Administrator Lori Luther and Director of Community Development Steve Crandell.

The council decided to stay with past practices of keeping elected officials out of the negotiations. The negotiation team will meet with Milwaukee, Oak Creek and Racine to purchase water from Lake Michigan if the city’s Great Lakes water application is successful.

Scrima, in his veto presentation, asked that the Common Council match Milwaukee’s negotiating team.

“The mayor and the council will make every decision,” said Alderman Steve Johnson. “We have the best informed staff that can answer the questions and eliminate the politics from this that Milwaukee brings into the process.”

Aldermen Vance Skinner, John Kablinger and Eric Payne voted to uphold the mayor’s veto.

“My conviction remains the same,” said Skinner, who wanted elected representation on the water negotiation team.

“I am going to support the mayor this evening which is probably no surprise,” Payne said. “… I think we need more representatives. I think we need elected officials.”

The public comment portion of the meeting lasted for nearly 1.5 hours while speakers brought up concerns about the Great Lakes application and the city’s water negotiation team. However, others came forward and noted the mayor has not brought forward any proposals or data for other means. Members from the Town of Waukesha also showed up and requested to be on the city’s water negotiation team as portions of the town are included in the city’s future water supply area.

“It is about politics,” said Waukesha resident Ron Kading, asking the Common Council to put the mayor on the team. “It is about money. That is the bottom line.”

Waukesha resident Ronald Edlund stated that Scrima comes from one of the oldest families in the city and that the council’s past decisions have “cut the man off at the legs before he has even had a chance to stand up.”

Others who supported the mayor stood up with Edlund as he brought up reasons why he wanted the mayor on the water negotiation team.

“You have no idea what is coming down the line,” Edlund said.

The meeting brought forward familiar faces, including former Mayor Paul Vrakas, who praised the Common Council for the three people who were selected to be on the water negotiation team.

“You have got three key people on there for negotiation who know how to talk about money,” Vrakas said.

However, Vrakas said he did not want the Town of Waukesha on the negotiating team. He also wanted the council’s decision from June 7 to remain as is.

“I am asking you to override the mayor’s veto,” Vrakas said.

When Vrakas left the building after the vote, a blonde woman was verbally showing her displeasure with his statement and was wagging a finger in his face.