Milwaukee won't extend deadline for streetcar operator contract

The Common Council voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to reject a proposal aimed at extending the deadline to apply for the contract to run Milwaukee's streetcar.

The move means that Milwaukee County officials can still compete for the city contract, but must meet next week's deadline to be considered.

The Milwaukee County Transit System is still planning to submit a proposal, spokesman Brendan Conway said.

"However, because of the short time frame and the necessary streetcar experience the city is seeking, it is unlikely MCTS will win the bid," Conway said.

City officials set an April 4 deadline back in February when they issued the request for proposals seeking an operator for the streetcar system.

Ald. Tony Zielinski, a streetcar opponent, tried on Tuesday to extend that deadline to June 5.

"I feel very strongly that a local operator should have the chance to bid on this contract," he said. "It's local. They have a strong history of working with labor."

His resolution was rejected on a 13-1 vote, with Zielinski the only one to vote in favor of the delay.

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Ald. Bob Donovan, a vocal streetcar opponent. abstained from voting.

"My doctor has advised me to, at all costs, avoid streetcar discussions," he said to laughter.

Some aldermen said it would have been common sense for the county to operate the streetcar, but noted that county officials had previously tried to block the plan.

"Milwaukee County has at best dragged its feet on supporting this project, and at worst has been an outright opponent," said Ald. Bob Bauman, a streetcar supporter.

He added that county supervisors were also trying to change the terms of the contract by refusing to accept any financial responsibility for operating costs.

"The county can't do that," Bauman said. "This is actually quite disturbing."

He also raised concerns about the legality of extending the application deadline to benefit one potential bidder, and questioned whether the move was an attempt to "sabotage" the streetcar.

The Milwaukee County Board voted last week to authorize MCTS officials to submit a proposal. The board's resolution, which passed on a 13-4 vote, noted that the move "is not the same as an endorsement of the streetcar."

That vote was a change for the Milwaukee County Board, which had previously passed a budget measure preventing county transit officials from submitting a bid.

The union that represents Milwaukee County bus system employees, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998, wants the county to become the streetcar operator.

The streetcar plan aims to connect the Milwaukee Intermodal Station with the city's lower east side. The project's capital budget is about $128 million for a 2.5-mile route, with an estimated $3.2 million annual operating and maintenance budget. Construction of the streetcar route is scheduled to begin in April.

Conway said that Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele will continue to support the project regardless of who becomes the operator.

"The county executive wants to see the streetcar succeed and become an important component of our robust transit system," Conway said. "No matter who runs the streetcar, MCTS will look for ways to work with them within the bounds of state law and county policy."

Also on Tuesday, the Common Council approved an ordinance banning food trucks on E. Brady St. The proposal, sponsored by Ald. Nik Kovac, passed unanimously and now heads to Mayor Tom Barrett for his approval.

Kovac said he has received a number of complaints from Brady Street Business Improvement District members in recent weeks about a proliferation of food trucks taking up parking spots and parking directly in front of restaurants.

"I think it's perfectly reasonable to tell food trucks that are essentially in competition with brick-and-mortar restaurants that have made investments — not just in their brick and mortar, but in the city's brick and mortar — that it's really not fair for someone to come park and siphon off their business, directly in front," Kovac said.

Don Behm of the Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.