Mayor Doesn’t Sign Confirmation Paperwork For Interim Health Commissioner

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett says the process to appoint interim health commissioner Patricia McManus was “rushed and unprecedented.”  Barrett says that’s why he didn’t sign paperwork confirming her appointment to the position.  His decision is symbolic — McManus is still interim commissioner.  Barrett says the appointment was motivated by politics, not the public health.  He says he will work with the new health commissioner and he does want her to succeed, but he’s disappointed the step wasn’t taken during a committee meeting where the public could watch.