CARES Act Funding Announcement and MCTS Mask Guidelines
The Milwaukee Unified Emergency Operations Center continues to put out up-to-date information for the citizens of Milwaukee County. This information is also available in the COVID-19 section on the Resources page of our website.
Thursday, July 23, 2020
Confirmed Cases in Milwaukee County: 17,162
Confirmed Deaths in Milwaukee County: 374
Milwaukee County COVID-19 Dashboard
CARES Act Funding Announcement
Today, the Milwaukee County Board voted to move forward with County Executive David Crowley’s plan to allocate more than $77 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds. Amid the growing need for County services, the proposal supports life safety measures, emergency operations and investments in critical economic stability and public health services.
This important step in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19 will provide crucial services to those in need. Local governments have been hit hard by COVID-19. Milwaukee County’s financial needs could reach an estimated $300 million as direct costs, lost revenue, re-opening costs and service needs continue to increase. CARES Act funding provides an important, however temporary, measure to address the immediate needs of the County and its residents.
- $24.8 million will be used for life safety measures, including personal protective equipment, increased cleaning and sanitation, COVID-19 related sick time for employees, and necessary technology enhancements
- $25.5 million will support emergency operating costs, such as enabling social distancing and isolation in the Criminal Justice Facility and House of Correction, countywide emergency planning and communications, and increased death investigations conducted by the Medical Examiner’s Office
- $27.1 million will provide resources for economic support, access to healthcare, and housing assistance, specifically:
- $10 million for eviction prevention programs and directly provides funds to legal advocates seeing unprecedented demand for their services
- $7 million allocated to aid small businesses in Milwaukee County, providing reimbursement for business interruption costs and impacts associated with COVID-19
- $3.5 million of relief funds will support the Community Resource Navigator Employment Program – a partnership with Employ Milwaukee and WRTP/Big Step
- $3 million in mortgage assistance
- $2 million for housing acquisitions
$1.6 million is allocated to mental health services, including services for uninsured populations that are impacted by COVID-19
MCTS to Require Masks on Buses Starting Aug. 1
The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) announced today that masks or face coverings will be required on buses starting Saturday, Aug. 1. MCTS encourages the public to bring their own mask — as many passengers have already been doing — to help protect themselves and others while riding the bus. MCTS is making efforts to provide free masks on buses (one per customer) to passengers who may not have one, while supplies last.
For more information about MCTS’s response to COVID-19, please visit RideMCTS.com/Coronavirus.