Equal Rights Commission re-elects chair, elects vice chair; approves minutes and outlines 2026 priorities incl | TheCommon

Summary

Equal Rights Commission re-elects chair, elects vice chair; approves minutes and outlines 2026 priorities including housing and LGBTQ advisory charter

MilwaukeeJan 21, 20263 min read

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Meeting called to order at 4:11 PM in City Hall Room 301-A. Attendance: seven present, three excused. Tony Snell Rodriguez re-elected Chair; Elle Halo elected Vice Chair. Commission approved October, November and December 2025 minutes (Jessica Boling abstained on December). 2026 priorities highlighted: focus on housing, LGBTQ advisory charter (scope on anti-trans violence), justice reform, immigrant/undocumented voices, digital outreach, community engagement, and expanding complaint capacity. Staff and committee updates noted high December complaint volume, 2025 annual report data, and planning for International Human Rights Day (Dec 2026). Fair Housing Council (Megan Wanke) is scheduled to present at the February ERC meeting. Governance committee is interviewing candidates to fill the final vacancy; city departments were asked to present per Charter 109.

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EQUAL RIGHTS COMMISSION

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Budget & TaxPublic SafetyHousing

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Key decisions

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Re-elected Tony Snell Rodriguez as ERC Chair and elected Commissioner Elle Halo as Vice Chair.
Approved minutes for October, November and December 2025 (Commissioner Jessica Boling abstained from December approval).
Planned Fair Housing Council presentation at the February ERC meeting (Megan Wanke to present).
Governance Committee to interview candidates and fill the final vacant commissioner seat.
Planned International Human Rights Day (December 2026) event using same venue and caterer as 2025; committee arrangements in process.
Requested city departments to present to the ERC per Charter 109 on equity and inclusion (Treasurer’s Office, Housing, Department of Neighborhood Services).
Prioritized expanding complaint capacity for 2026 following high complaint volume in December.

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Meeting information

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EQUAL RIGHTS COMMISSION

Jan 21, 2026, 12:00 AMCity Hall - Room 301- Ascheduled

Agenda

This is a hybrid meeting. Those wishing to attend virtually may do so by clicking the following link: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 232 595 068 609 Passcode: Hw2XZ2X7
Agenda Item
Call to Order
Roll Call
Welcome from Chair
Introductions
Approval of Previous Minutes (October, November, December 2025)
Communication from Office of Equity and Inclusion Staff and ERC Updates
Communication from Committees
Community Announcements
Adjournment
Agenda Item
Agenda Item
In the event that Common Council members who are not members of this committee attend this meeting, this meeting may also simultaneously constitute a meeting of the Common Council or any of the following committees: Community and Economic Development, Finance and Personnel, Judiciary and Legislation, Licenses, Public Safety and Health, Public Works, Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development, and/or Steering and Rules. Whether a simultaneous meeting is occurring depends on whether the presence of one or more of the Common Council member results in a quorum of the Common Council or any of the above committees, and, if there is a quorum of another committee, whether any agenda items listed above involve matters within that committee’s realm of authority. In the event that a simultaneous meeting is occurring, no action other than information gathering will be taken at the simultaneous meeting.
Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities through sign language interpreters or auxiliary aids. For additional information or to request this service, contact the City Clerk's Office ADA Coordinator at (414) 286-3475, (FAX) (414) 286-2025, (TDD) (414) 286-2025 or by writing to the Coordinator at Room 205, City Hall, 200 E. Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
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Persons engaged in lobbying as defined in s. 305-43-4 of the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances are required to register with the City Clerk's Office License Division. Registered lobbyists appearing before a Common Council committee are required to identify themselves as such. More information is available at http://city.milwaukee.gov/Lobbying.
Election of Chair and Vice Chair

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