We have continuing coverage of the RNC in Milwaukee in today’s update, but our first story focuses on the beleaguered public school system in our state’s largest city.
It’s a story that we’ve highlighted often. We also have another story on the Constitutional Amendment referenda on the August ballots and a preview of the new-look Kohl Center in Madison.
Let’s dive right in.
Milwaukee’s Public Schools are a mess. But none of the so-called leaders seem to be in a hurry to fix things. After forty-plus years of disappointment and dysfunction, what’s another year, right? As we report today:
Scandal-ridden and rudderless, Milwaukee Public Schools has yet to begin search for permanent superintendent | Dairyland Sentinel
Facing continued abysmal student academic scores, the loss of federal Head Start funds, and the emergence of a financial scandal that will force the district to repay tens of millions of dollars in state aid, Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Keith Posley tendered his resignation in the pre-dawn hours of June 4, 2024.
Now, 42 days later, the MPS Board has concluded their interviews of three candidates for the position of Interim Superintendent.
Southwest Regional Superintendent Eduardo Galvan, part of Posley’s administration, has been serving as Acting Superintendent since June 17th.
If a candidate is selected for, and accepts, the interim position their appointment and compensation will be formalized by the School Board at a future board meeting.
The Milwaukee Board of School Directors say they hope to have an Interim Superintendent in place before the beginning of the school year, which begins on August 28th — 86 days after Posley’s resignation.
The Board agreed to let Posley remain employed for nearly a month after submitting his resignation and gave him a $160,000 severance payment. As part of the settlement, the school board and Posley agreed not to disparage each other.
According to a statement released by the MPS Board, “The Board intends to engage a firm to lead a robust national search for a permanent superintendent. The district will seek input from the community and other MPS stakeholders.”
However, they have yet to begin that search for a permanent Superintendent.
Governor Evers says he’s going to wait for the results of his Administration’s audits before suggesting any changes in how MPS is governed. However, those audits, one fiscal and one reviewing the overall performance of the district, also have not yet begun.
There are no announced deadlines for the Evers audits to begin or conclude. Last month, the governor announced he had solicited bids from nine firms, which had until June 24 to submit proposals. Those proposals are currently being reviewed by the Department of Administration.
Big changes (and big bucks) coming to the Kohl Center at the University of Wisconsin.
Construction underway on Kohl Center premium seating | UWBadgers.com
There will be a new and improved game day experience at the Kohl Center this upcoming season. On Tuesday, Wisconsin Athletics revealed details and renderings for innovative premium seating options beginning with the 2024-25 season.
In February, the Wisconsin State Building Commission approved the reduction of the Kohl Center ice sheet to NHL dimensions. Prior to this change, the Kohl Center was one of only five NCAA Division I men’s hockey ice arenas with a rink size larger than 200-by-92 feet.
The reduction of the ice sheet will create six additional feet of permanent space on each side of the ice sheet at the event level of the Kohl Center. Wisconsin Athletics is excited to offer this opportunity for newly developed premium seating that will provide a unique and exciting in-venue experience for Badgers fans.
Among the amenities included with the unique new premium seating options are:
- Access to a new premium club space on the event level, the Krantz Club (beginning in Jan. 2025)
- All-inclusive premium food and non-alcoholic beverage
- Full-service cash bar
- Wider, padded, premium seating
- Enhanced parking priority
“The Kohl Center is one of the top venues in college athletics and we are adding to its legacy with the recent renovations in the building, including new premium seating options that will provide high-level services and amenities,” UW Director of Athletics Chris McIntosh said. “These upgrades will help to create an exciting, new fan experience and drive additional revenue that will support Badger student-athletes across our 23 sport programs.”
The updates to premium seating are the latest in a number of recent improvements made to the Kohl Center:
- New locker rooms
- Strength and conditioning spaces
- Sports medicine and rehab rooms
- Dining hall and nutrition room
- Academic support facilities
- New offices for coaching staff
- Hockey shooting room
These changes are all part of continued work by Wisconsin Athletics to improve the atmosphere and experience at the Kohl Center. Later this summer, a survey will be coming to gather input from Badgers fans to help shape the future of the Kohl Center fan experience.
For more information about Kohl Center premium seating options and opportunities to be a part of this exciting new space, click here for men’s basketball and click here for men’s hockey. Fans can also call the Wisconsin Development Office at 608-262-1000.
There are two very consequential questions that appear on all ballots in Wisconsin next month.
Report: Wisconsin’s August amendments could have big impact | The Center Square
Wisconsin voters are being asked whether the state lawmakers who currently write the state budget should have any say in how billions of dollars in federal money are spent.
There will be two constitutional amendments on the ballot in August, both look to give the legislature some say in how federal money is spent. A new report says it’s a limited, and little-covered question that could have a big impact on Wisconsin’s budget going forward.
The Wisconsin Policy Forum released the report which details the current process of spending federal money, and the process the Republican-controlled legislature would like to see going forward.
“Wisconsin legislators say they advanced these amendments in response to the governor’s role in allocating tens of billions in federal pandemic relief funding,” the report states. “Billions more passed through programs such as unemployment insurance and Medicaid, as funding and eligibility for these programs were substantially expanded through federal action. However, more than $4.4 billion went directly to the state through the Coronavirus Relief Fund and the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. [Gov. Tony] Evers had broad discretion over the use of these funds.”
The governor had almost unlimited discretion, which Republican lawmakers said was the problem.
Some of that discretionary money went to community theaters, movies theaters, minor league baseball teams and other smaller community development grants.
Republicans at the time called it a “slush fund for the governor.”
As the longest serving governor in Wisconsin history, one who won four consecutive statewide elections, Tommy Thompson knows what it takes to win and keep winning at the ballot box. In Milwaukee yesterday, Governor Thompson was bullish for the Republicans’ prospects this November.
Tommy Thompson: GOP has ‘greatest opportunity I have ever seen’ for Republican sweep | WPR
During a fiery speech to Wisconsin delegates at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, former Gov. Tommy Thompson said he senses a GOP “sweep” in November following the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
… Thompson told delegates that this year stands to top them all for Republicans, and the attempted assassination of Trump over the weekend had changed the election.
“People took notice. Democrats took notice. Independents took notice. And when he came up off of the floor, blood on his face, disheveled, fist in the air, the American flag behind him, saying, fight … that was an iconic picture,” Thompson said.
“…and that is a picture that’s going to go into this election. And I’m here to tell you, ladies and gentlemen, we have the greatest opportunity I have ever seen for a Republican victory from the presidency down to the house.”
Wisconsin will be the center of the American political universe for two more days. But the hard fought campaigns are just starting to heat up across the state. Long after the Fiserv Forum’s bunting comes down, the balloons are popped and the confetti swept up, political volunteers and paid staff from both Republicans and Democrats will be knocking on doors and making phone calls here. The TV ad wars have already hit their stride. Oh, and don’t get us started on the text messages and automated phone calls.
We’ll continue to bring you news on the local and state races of interest. But we’ll also bring you education, agricultural, economic and other news as well. That’s our charge: Keep you informed without making you feel overwhelmed.
And we’ll be back with another update tomorrow.
