Supervisor Wants Part-Time County Board

A Milwaukee County supervisor is proposing a major change in the way county government operates.

Joe Sanfelippo is sponsoring a resolution that would make county board positions part-time and reduce supervisors' annual pay from $50,090 to $15,000, according to a news release. In addition, no pension service credit would be provided to any supervisor after the April 2012 election.

Sanfelippo, a West Allis resident, says this would save county taxpayers $850,000 per year.

"These savings could be used to help preserve safety net services and quality of life programs that are in jeopardy of being cut due to the large structural deficit the County faces in 2012," he said in the news release.

"A part-time county board would operate in a fashion similar to a board of directors. The board should refrain from getting involved in the day-to-day operations of the county. After all, day-to-day management is the responsibility of the administrative branch, in this case the county executive."

In addition, Sanfelippo also wants to increase public access to board and committee meetings by moving them to the evening hours.

Sanfelippo's measure will likely be debated in front of a county board committee in September.

If passed, the reforms would take effect after the April 2012 elections.

For more, Sanfelippo has posted online his "Blueprint for Restoring Financial Solvency in Milwaukee County Government."