Council committee backs resolution requiring city attorney to track time on Milwaukee Public Schools work

A Finance & Personnel Committee substitute resolution asking the city attorney’s office to track staff time spent on Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) matters was advanced after a presentation from the city attorney’s office.

Vice Chair Peter Bergellis introduced the measure as a trailing resolution following budget amendments. City Attorney Evan Goicky told the committee the office has not historically tracked or billed its time for MPS work but will comply with the request. “We do not track or bill our time,” Goicky said, adding the office will develop an hourly code to record employee time on MPS matters and “begin to work on a memorandum of understanding” in the event the council seeks compensation for legal work.

Goicky noted the city attorney’s office is assigned by state statute (chapter 119) to serve as general counsel to the Milwaukee Board of School Directors and described the variety of services the office provides, from litigation to labor and real‑estate advice. He said Madison Schools — with fewer pupils — maintains an in‑house team of three attorneys as a comparator.

Council members pressed on legal and practical limits. Alderman Speicher noted that state law mandates the city provide counsel to MPS and said the district could, in theory, refuse an MOU and still be represented under the statute; Goicky acknowledged the statutory assignment but said an MOU could clarify compensation and operational roles and that conflicts might require outside counsel in negotiation situations.

Other alderpeople urged the administration to be creative as it develops an MOU. Alderwoman Coggs suggested non‑monetary exchanges (for example, waiving certain charges or in‑kind services) in addition to or instead of hourly billing. Several alderpeople asked for reporting back to the committee as the MOU effort develops.

The committee added multiple cosponsors and moved adoption of the sponsor’s motion to advance the resolution. The city attorney said the office will implement a tracking code and report to the council on the process.