Milwaukee County has made a strategic move in appointing Joe Lamers as the new Director of the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation (MCDOT). A seasoned veteran of local government, Lamers comes with nearly two decades of experience under his belt, with a notable tenure as Director of the Milwaukee County Office of Strategy, Budget, and Performance. Bringing a keen fiscal acumen to the job, he’s been instrumental in reducing structural deficits and enhancing vital services, particularly in areas of public transit and infrastructure, according to Milwaukee County's website.
The county's leadership holds Lamers in high regard, with County Executive David Crowley praising his integrity and expertise. "Since I took office, Joe Lamers has served my administration with integrity and expertise. His leadership in creating County budgets and initiatives has closed structural deficits and enhanced essential services for the community, including in public transit and transportation infrastructure,” Crowley said in a statement obtained by Milwaukee County's news release. Lamers’ expertise in strategic planning and budget management has been a boon for Milwaukee, having managed a $1.4 billion annual budget and working towards improving the County’s fiscal health.
Fiscal sustainability and creative revenue generation are core tenets of Lamers' approach to overseeing transportation services in the county. During his previous role, he played a key role in coordinating negotiations around the state of Wisconsin Act 12, funneling an additional $100 million annually to Milwaukee County and managing long-term pension funding issues, according to county news sources. Moreover, his expertise contributed to a significant tax levy increase for the 2024 Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) budget.
His knack for securing funding is evidenced by the successful acquisition of over $130 million in competitive grant funding since 2021, which was critical for countywide transportation safety projects, pedestrian and bicycle trail enhancements, bus replacements, and a suite of other transportation services. This has been partly due to the centralized grant development unit that Lamers supported, which has become a crucial element of Milwaukee County's finance framework. Crowley's announcement anticipates that Lamers will carry this momentum into his new role, where he will tackle challenges and develop viable funding options for transportation and transit services well into the future, as mentioned in the same news release.
With an educational background boasting both a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Lamers is well-equipped for this high-caliber administrative role. His prior stints in NYC's social services, where he managed a colossal $12 billion budget, and various policy analyst roles, have groomed him for the intricate financial oversight required at MCDOT. Lamers steps into the Acting MCDOT Director position amid high expectations and pending confirmation by the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors.
