Community members gathered at North Division High School to hear from the final three candidates vying to lead Milwaukee's Office of Wellness and Safety, a position many believe could significantly impact the city's future.
"That position holds a lot. It can make the city go in a different direction one way or the other, good or bad," said Desilynn Smith, executive director of Uniting Garden Homes Inc.
Smith, who grew up in Milwaukee and has spent years advocating for mental health resources and violence reduction, emphasized the importance of this leadership role in addressing community challenges.
Watch: Milwaukee residents voice concerns, priorities as final 3 candidates vie for Office of Wellness and Safety
"It's important who has that position," Smith said.
TMJ4 was there as residents listened to presentations from the three finalists: Milwaukee-native Karin Tyler, the current acting director who has worked in violence prevention for decades; Abraham Morris, manager of Orlando's Children Youth and Families Division and a Wisconsin native who attended UW-Green Bay; and Paul Callanan, former director of Louisville's Office of Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods.
The Tuesday event marked the second of two public forums where community members could hear directly from candidates before a final selection is made. The city has not revealed when a final decision might be announced.
Crystal Scott, a Milwaukee resident attending the forum, expressed her desire for leadership that truly understands the city's unique challenges.
"A lot of it is mental health and I feel like in order for us to start reaching out and helping what's going on in the community, you have to be a part of the community," Scott said.
Both Scott and Smith shared concerns about the selection process itself, questioning how the final three candidates were chosen and wishing for greater community involvement in the decision.
"It should be more of a community-based decision," Scott said.
Smith agreed, adding, "I definitely would love to see more clarity as well as understand how we picked these last three."
The Office of Wellness and Safety has been without a permanent director since former director Ashanti Hamilton left the position in January.
As residents await the announcement of a new director, many emphasized that addressing gun violence must remain a top priority for whoever takes the helm.
"It's time something immediately be done to what's going on in our community," Scott said.
Smith noted she's looking for specific qualities in the next director: "My investment in it is to see someone that has strong leadership qualities to go into that space and strong community ties."
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
