SEWRPC Environmental Justice Task Force begins work

Aug. 13, 2007 - The new Environmental Justice Task Force formed by SEWRPC in response to pressure by community groups and others began its work last week.

For meeting information and video, click here.

Planning agency spent $130,000+ on image buffing, book contract
SEWRPC said it was too broke to conduct housing study

SEWRPC has cited a lack of funds for the reason it has not completed an affordable housing study it first promised in 2004.

The agency paid $73,058 to Mueller Communications Inc. for public relations help, and agreed to pay $60,000 to science writer Paul Hayes for a book documenting SEWRPC's first 50 years, according to SEWRPC documents.

The SEWRPC 50th anniversary book is to contain chapters on topics such as "Building and Maintaining Decision Oriented Data Base," "Prepare Comprehensive Plan," "Concepts Underlying Work," and "Community Assistance Planning," according to the documents.

Mueller Communications was paid for, among other things, a "rebranding" campaign that recommended SEWRPC build a new identity as the "The RPC of Southeastern Wisconsin."

Mueller also proposed new logos for the controversial agency as well as a new slogan: "Partners for planning a better future," according to documents obtained through an open records request.

Mueller Communications paid special attention to the Milwaukee County Board, which supplies about $830,000 of SEWRPC's budget, far more than any of the other six member counties.

Mueller Communications identified Milwaukee County Board Chairman Lee Holloway as an "ongoing Milwaukee County issue," and said the firm would sponsor a County Board Black Caucus gathering at Holloway's requestion.

storyhill.net reported last week that SEWRPC also issued a $50,000 no-bid contract to two consultants to conduct a study of Milwaukee's 30th St. corridor, in part to appease black county supervisors, especially County Supervisor Michael Mayo. The study was suggested by Mueller Communications.

The firms, besides trying to build SEWRPC a new identity, also lobbied county supervisors, planted opinion pieces and courted reporters on behalf of the agency, according to documents.

"Schedule one lunch each month with a key reporter to foster ongoing relationships," a Mueller Communications plan said.

Mueller Communications invoices do not make clear how much SEWRPC -- and regional property taxpayers -- paid for its various efforts. The firm's invoices do not list the time spent on any particular effort or rates charged, according to the documents.

In its May 2007 invoice for $2,470, the firm gave this description: "Mueller Communications continued its efforts to raise awareness of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (RPC) and its value to our region. We continued to build strong partnerships with elected officials and business leaders and to assist in other communications and outreach efforts on behalf of the RPC."

It used that exact same language, with no further detail, in a $3,349 invoice for April, a $5,722 for March and a $2,302 invoice for February.

PR firms commonly show on their invoices specific charges incurred for specific projects by individual staff members and the precise amount of time they spent on each task.

storyhill.net asked SEWRPC Executive Director Phil Evenson on Friday how much the agency's rebranding effort cost. He has not yet responded.

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SEWRPC 30th St. corridor suggested by PR firm to "mend fences"

July 9, 2007 -- A public relations consultant dreamed up SEWRPC's study of Milwaukee's 30th St. corridor in part as a way for the agency to court support from key Milwaukee County supervisors, particularly Supervisor Michael Mayo, documents show.

"The plan would ... help the RPC (Regional Planning Commission) mend fences with Supervisor Mayo and other key supervisors concerned with RPC's promotion and hiring of minority employees," Mueller Communications Inc. representatives wrote in a marketing plan for the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission.

Mueller recommended a "minority-led" study effort.

Mueller's strategy eventually resulted in the award of a $50,000 no-bid SEWRPC contract to Jon Wellhoefer and Daniel Boyce, two former colleagues of influential SEWRPC Commissioner William R. Drew. Wellhoefer and Boyce are white, as is Drew.

"It is our hope," the marketing plan said, that key county supervisors "will embrace a shared goal of promiting minority employment and Milwaukee County development projects.".

Neither SEWRPC nor any county committee voted on whether to conduct the study.

The Mueller Commuications plan is undated, but other SEWRPC documents obtained by storyhill.net through an open records request indicate it was written in early 2006. Mueller recommended that it be paid up to $3,500 per month to implement the plan.

SEWRPC is a planning agency supported in large part with property taxes from seven counties. Milwaukee County pays the most.

SEWRPC has promised since 2004 to conduct a regional affordable housing study, but has not yet started on it, citing money and staff shortages.

"It is important that the RPC (Regional Planning Commission) sends the message to the Milwaukee County Board that the commission is actively serving the county, and can help play a key role in priority initiatives," the document said in suggesting the corridor study. To read the full plan, click here.

The first step to advance the study, it said, would be to "reach out to minority supervisors on the Milwaukee County Board, especially Supervisor Mayo, to determine interest and secure participation."

Mayo, who is African-American, is head of the County Board's Economic and Community Development Commitee.

Mueller Communications long has been involved in SEWRPC public relations efforts. and was involved in helping SEWRPC sell its Mueller Communications was paid $61,000 by SEWRPC from May 2005 to May 2007.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported July 3 that Mueller Communications also holds a $611,000 consulting contract with the Regional Transit Authority, which is staffed by SEWRPC.