MILWAUKEE— City leaders are urging residents to take advantage of flood recovery services before the August 31 deadline, as Milwaukee continues cleanup after this month’s historic flooding.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson said FEMA‘s assessments confirm the widespread damage across the city, including boht private homes and public infrastructure.
“The damage is widespread… ” Mayor Johnson said. “I ​know ​that ​the ​Department ​of ​Neighborhood ​Services ​inspected ​thousands ​and ​thousands ​of ​property so ​there ​was ​damage ​to ​people’s ​​individual​private ​residences ​and ​there ​was ​a ​number ​of ​public ​infrastructure ​that ​was ​damaged ​during ​the ​floods ​as ​well. ​And ​the ​millions ​of ​dollars. ​So ​I ​think ​we’ve ​hit ​that ​thresh ​mark ​unfortunately. ​That ​should ​put ​us ​in ​the ​position ​to ​get ​the ​resources ​that ​we ​need ​from ​FEMA. ​But ​again, ​the ​President ​of ​the ​United ​States ​is ​the ​one ​that ​has ​to ​make ​that ​call.”
Johnson also emphasized that while the Governor [Tony Evers] submitted the state disaster declaration, the final decision on federal aid rests with the President.
“These ​are ​Milwaukeeans, ​certainly ​they’re ​Wisconsinites. ​Absolutely,” Mayor Johnson said. “​They’re ​American ​citizens ​that ​were ​devastated ​by ​a ​natural ​disaster. ​And ​I ​hope ​that ​the ​White ​House ​sees ​it ​that ​way ​and ​that ​ultimately ​we ​get ​the ​support ​that ​we ​need ​in ​this ​city ​and ​in ​this ​region, ​in ​this ​state ​in ​order ​to ​help ​people ​to ​recover, ​you ​know, ​from ​the ​flood. So ​I’m ​hopeful, ​I’m ​very, ​very ​hopeful ​that ​the ​White ​House ​will ​see ​it ​that ​way, ​that ​the ​President ​will ​see ​it ​that ​way ​and ​that ​folks ​will ​get ​the ​assistance ​that ​they ​need ​here ​in ​Milwaukee.”
Department of Public Works Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke reminded residents that free curbside pickup and access to city drop-off centers end Sunday, August 31.
“We’ve ​offered ​up ​curbside ​pickup ​for ​free,” Commissioner Kruschke said.  ​Those ​services ​are ​still ​going ​to ​be ​available ​for ​an ​actual ​fee ​that ​we ​actually ​charge, ​which ​is ​a ​small ​nominal ​amount. ​We’re ​asking ​folks ​to ​get ​it ​out ​by ​August ​31st. ​We ​may ​not ​pick ​it ​up ​by ​Sunday ​but, ​but ​if ​you ​call ​it ​in, ​it’s ​going ​to ​be ​in ​the ​system ​for ​fee.”
City officials emphasized that cleanup efforts will continue past the fee service cutoff, and infrastructure repairs-including bridges and streets damaged by the flood- are already underway. Residents who have not yet requested pickup or drop-off are encouraged to do so before Sunday to avoid additional costs.
