Milwaukee Common Council approves Mayor Tom Barrett's pick to lead Fire and Police Commission

Mary Spicuzza
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Milwaukee Common Council voted Thursday to approve Mayor Tom Barrett's pick to lead the city's Fire and Police Commission.

Council members confirmed La Keisha Butler as the commission's executive director  during a special meeting at City Hall. Butler was approved on an 11-2-2 vote.

Alds. Bob Donovan and Mark Borkowski opposed the appointment. Ald. Jim Bohl and Nik Kovac were excused.

La Keisha Butler, Mayor Tom Barrett's appointee for Fire and Police Commission executive director, goes before a Common Council committee for the first time Thursday morning.

Barrett picked Butler, the city's lobbyist, to head the commission last month following the sudden exit of its then leader, MaryNell Regan.

RELATED:Mayor Tom Barrett picks city lobbyist to lead Milwaukee's Fire and Police Commission after leader's sudden exit

Regan's resignation came soon after the commission was criticized for violating Wisconsin's open meetings law when it appointed Alfonso Morales as the city's police chief. Barrett and other city officials were blind-sided by the move.

Regan had been making more than $145,000 a year. Butler was making $108,000 in her previous job. She will be paid $140,000 in her new job.

Also on Thursday, Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton scheduled a Nov. 6 special election for the 5th Aldermanic District seat, which was left vacant by the resignation of Bohl.

Bohl is leaving to take a lobbying-related job for the city as part of a shuffling of positions in Barrett's administration. Bohl is getting the job previously held by Kimberly Montgomery as the mayor's senior legislative fiscal manager. 

Barrett recently nominated Montgomery to lead the Office of Intergovernmental Relations as the city's top lobbyist. Montgomery is replacing Butler.