William O'Donnell (Wisconsin politician)

William F. O'Donnell (February 6, 1922 – September 4, 2004) was a Wisconsin politician and the second Milwaukee County Executive, serving from 1976 to 1988. Prior to serving as county executive, O'Donnell was the chairman of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors from 1975 to 1976.

William F. O'Donnell
Milwaukee County Executive
In office
1976–1988
Preceded byJohn Doyne
Succeeded byDavid Schulz
Chairman of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors
In office
1975–1976
Preceded byWilliam E. Meaux (acting)
Succeeded byF. Thomas Ament
Personal details
Born(1922-02-06)February 6, 1922
DiedSeptember 4, 2004(2004-09-04) (aged 82)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
NationalityAmerican

Early career

O'Donnell was raised on Milwaukee's near west side, where his father worked as a plumber.[1] O'Donnell attended Lincoln High School but dropped out at age 17 to seek employment, as his family's income was severely affected by the Great Depression.[2] He served in the United States Army during World War II and was employed as a factory and brewery worker in Milwaukee following his discharge.[3] In 1948, O'Donnell was elected to the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors.[3] A political liberal and supporter of City of Milwaukee interests on the board,[4] O'Donnell introduced legislation in 1958 establishing the office of Milwaukee County Executive.[2]

The William T. O'Donnell House in the Green Bay Road Historic District, Wisconsin, built in 1929

In 1964, County Executive John Doyne appointed O'Donnell as chairman of the Milwaukee County Welfare Board; in May 1975, O'Donnell's fellow county supervisors elected him as county board chairman.[5] A transit advocate who commuted to work by bus, O'Donnell oversaw Milwaukee County's acquisition of the privately run local bus system in 1975.[6] Upon Doyne's retirement in 1976, O'Donnell ran to replace him as county executive. He emerged first in the February 1976 primary and defeated Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann in the April general election.[2]

Tenure as County Executive

O'Donnell characterized his political persona as that of a "good solid anchor".[7] As county executive, he centralized county administration, creating cabinet positions by removing administrators' civil service protections and abolishing independent agencies such as the Welfare Board and the Milwaukee County Park Commission.[2] O'Donnell expanded the county's administrative staff, was the first county executive to appoint a chief of staff, and sought to reduce the county's property tax levy. Generally supportive of welfare programs, he directly supervised county services for the elderly and disabled and worked to reduce number of individuals on county welfare rolls.[2]

Despite his long tenure as a county supervisor, O'Donnell clashed at times with the board and his successor as chairman, F. Thomas Ament. In 1980, after Ament supported O'Donnell's general election challenger, O'Donnell backed another supervisor's unsuccessful bid to unseat Ament from the board chairmanship.[8]

Schulz firing and 1988 reelection campaign

In 1984, O'Donnell appointed Chicago budget official Dave Schulz, a Milwaukee native, as Milwaukee County budget director. In 1985, O'Donnell appointed Schulz as director of the Milwaukee County Parks Department; the charismatic Schulz gained notoriety for his promotion of the park system.[9] In 1987, Schulz violated O'Donnell's prohibition on political endorsements by county administrators, publicly supporting reformist candidate John O. Norquist for Mayor of Milwaukee. O'Donnell dismissed Schulz, who promptly filed to run for county executive in 1988.[10]

Schulz waged a vigorous campaign and defeated O'Donnell in the April 1988 general election.[7] Following his defeat, O'Donnell lived in retirement until his death on September 4, 2004, at age 82.[11]

Notes
  1. Ahern, Tom (16 April 1983). "O'Donnell has staying power of a Missouri mule". Milwaukee Sentinel. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  2. Sandler, Larry (29 February 1988). "Poverty, politics shape O'Donnell's career". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  3. Wittenberger, Avery. "New Chairman Earned Respect". Milwaukee Journal (9 May 1975). Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  4. Resler, Jerry. "O'Donnell outpolls McCann". Milwaukee Sentinel (18 February 1976). Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  5. Resler, Jerry (19 March 1976). "O'Donnell's Doubt Has Disappeared". Milwaukee Journal. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  6. "O'Donnell: For the people". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 8 September 2004. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  7. Resler, Jerry (7 April 1988). "Vote stunned "solid anchor" O'Donnell". Milwaukee Sentinel. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  8. Sandler, Larry (7 December 1987). "Backing O'Donnell may serve Ament well in future". The Milwaukee Sentinel.
  9. Sandler, Larry; Rabideau Silvers, Amy (9 October 2007). "Leader was larger than life". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  10. Hajewski, Doris A. (9 October 1987). "O'Donnell says firing aimed to protect parks". The Milwaukee Journal. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  11. Former Milwaukee County Executive dies
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