Nonessential Milwaukee businesses staying open despite emergency closure should have their power shut off, alderman says

Milwaukee Ald. Khalif Rainey on Monday called on the city’s health commissioner to order that water and power be shut off to nonessential businesses that violate emergency orders requiring that they close because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Rainey asked Milwaukee Health Commissioner Jeanette Kowalik to add the directive to her stay-at-home order and that she create a process to warn nonessential businesses before power and water are shut off. Under his proposal, businesses that don’t comply would lose power and water indefinitely.

“I find it incredibly selfish and reckless for any nonessential business to continue to operate during the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency,” Rainey said in a statement in which he noted that the city’s north side and his district are “at the epicenter.” 

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Rainey said a business that stays open could unwittingly spread the disease.

“As a city, we need to do everything we can and use every tool at our disposal to stop the spread of the virus, and I believe shutting off the lights and the water to scofflaw businesses is one key option Milwaukee must pursue,” Rainey said.

But on Monday afternoon, Kowalik said such a move was premature.

"We haven't had enough time yet to even go in that direction, in my professional opinion," she said during a virtual press conference. "It also is very dictator-like to be able to do something like that. It seems like that would be something you would do as a last resort."

She said it was necessary to look at other measures before taking the steps Rainey called for and she focused instead on outreach. Kowalik said it was necessary to give people time to understand the message and the risks, and move into voluntary compliance before using "heavy-handed" approaches.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett also said he had seen widespread compliance throughout the community with the order to stay home. 

On Monday, police in West Allis were told that Hobby Lobby, 6900 W. Greenfield Ave., was operating in violation of the Gov. Tony Evers’ safer-at-home order. Police said they educated the business about the order and it closed without incident.

Journal Sentinel reporter Bob Dohr contributed to this story.

Contact Alison Dirr at 414-224-2383 or adirr@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter @AlisonDirr.