City Government Description

The City of Milwaukee operates under a strong mayor–council system, led by Mayor Cavalier Johnson, with oversight by a 15-member Common Council and independently elected officials: City Attorney, Comptroller, and Treasurer.
The mayor heads the executive branch, proposing the annual budget and appointing department heads, while the Common Council controls legislation, finance, and confirmation of appointments.

City government is organized into major functional categories: Elected Officials & Administration; Health, Safety & Services; Business & Development; Judicial & Oversight; and Jobs & Employees. Administration includes offices like the City Clerk, Assessor, Elections, Employee Relations, and Sustainability. Health, Safety & Services encompasses departments such as Fire, Police, Health, Public Works, Sanitation, Library, Water Works, Parking, and Emergency Management. Business & Development houses City Development, Small Business, Port Milwaukee, Purchasing, and Community Development Grants. Judicial & Oversight covers the Municipal Court, Ethics Board, Fire & Police Commission, Equal Rights Commission, and Zoning Appeals. Jobs & Employees include employee relations, retirement, and compensation systems.

Public Works functions through divisions managing administration, infrastructure (streets, bridges, sewers), operations (waste, recycling, snow removal), and water works, and accounts for a large share of city expenditures. Specialized agencies like the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District provide regional water reclamation, flood control, and watershed services across multiple counties.