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1By
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Supervisor Rainey
File No. 15-489
A RESOLUTION

Creating the Dontre Hamilton Memorial Planning Task Force to develop

6 a plan and design for a memorial within Red Arrow Park to honor Mr. Dontre
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Hamilton
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WHEREAS, Milwaukee County is committed to the justice, health, and

11safety of all its residents; and

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WHEREAS, Red Arrow Park has long stood as a monument to signify the
14tenacious bravery of citizens who fought for the protection of all American
15lives; and
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WHEREAS, in continuing to honor the bravery of those who served to

18secure the liberty, livelihood, and freedom for all, Milwaukee County also
19acknowledges the present-day issues of economic struggle, health
20awareness, and crime that affects members of the local community; and
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WHEREAS, on April 30, 2014, 31-year-old Dontre Hamilton was fatally

23shot in a tragic incident involving a Milwaukee police officer, which initiated
24from Mr. Hamilton being found sleeping on a park bench in Red Arrow Park;
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WHEREAS, Mr. Hamilton suffered from a history of mental illness, which

28was brought to light after his untimely death; and
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WHEREAS, Mr. Hamiltons presence in Red Arrow Park, an open public

31space, on the afternoon he was killed has been a catalyst in the dialogue of
32addressing the perceptions and awareness of mental healths image beyond
33a hospital setting; and
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WHEREAS, Red Arrow Park has since become a central meeting place
36that has unified people from diverse backgrounds and various communities,
37and this tragedy has served to galvanize public discourse on law
38enforcements interactions with mentally ill persons; and
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WHEREAS, in an effort to acknowledge and honor the struggles of all

41who battle with mental illness, a memorial to recognize Mr. Hamilton within
42the park would be an appropriate and supportive step towards a peaceful
43resolution between all communities impacted by conflict, tragedy, and loss;
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WHEREAS, in order to determine the most appropriate and meaningful

47composition of a memorial for Mr. Hamilton, community members and
48stakeholders should have input on the design and development of such a
49project that would encompass all perspectives with dignity; and
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WHEREAS, the creation of a memorial development task force will

52serve to incorporate various concepts and develop a plan for an acceptable
53marker, and will benefit from the input of the Department of Parks,
54Recreation, and Culture to assist in the process and analysis of the design
55and cost estimates of a new memorial; now, therefore,
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BE IT RESOLVED, that the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors

58hereby authorizes and requests the Department of Parks, Recreation and
59Culture (DPRC) to facilitate a Dontre Hamilton Memorial Planning Task Force
60(the task force) to develop a conceptual plan and design for a new
61memorial marker to be installed within Red Arrow Park in honor of Mr. Dontre
62Hamilton, to include a message educating visitors on the memorials
63significance and raise awareness of mental health in Milwaukee County; and
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the task force shall consist of five (5)
66members, composed of one (1) representative from the 32nd Red Arrow
67Veteran Association, one (1) representative from The Coalition for Justice,
68one (1) representative from the DPRC, one (1) representative from Pastors
69United Milwaukee, and one (1) representative from the National Alliance on
70Mental Illness (NAMI) Greater Milwaukee office; and
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the DPRC shall provide adequate

73meeting space for the task force to conduct its matters; and
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the task force shall be convened within

76three months of the date this resolution is effectuated, and shall meet as
77needed to discuss the concept, cost estimation, design, and style of an
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78appropriate

memorial marker to recognize Dontre Hamilton and educate

79visitors on the significance of Red Arrow Park, as well as develop a strategy
80to identify funding sources and potential donors for the project; and
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the task force shall submit a written

83report outlining their recommendations for the memorial design and
84implementation strategy to the Committee on Parks, Energy, and
85Environment as soon as practicable; and
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the implementation of any

88recommendations submitted by the task force for the installation of the
89memorial shall be subject to County Board approval.
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