Milwaukee County Board Chairman Lee Holloway was sworn-in Tuesday as acting county executive. And as promised, Holloway spent the previous 24-hours firing county officials who apparently showed “disrespect” to the County Board. Budget director Steven Kreklow was told Tuesday morning by the board’s chief-of-staff that his services were no longer needed. County housing director Tim Russell said he got a letter of termination from Holloway on Monday. Russell was a political ally of Scott Walker, who’s last day as county executive was Monday, as he gets ready to become Wisconsin’s governor. Walker’s assistant administrator Cheryl Berdan was also let go, as was Walker’s deputy communications director Bob Nenno.
Holloway had asked all of Walker’s appointees to reapply for their jobs if they wanted to stay on. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Kreklow apparently rubbed Holloway the wrong way when he called a County Board analysis of Walker’s next budget “sensationalized and at times misleading.” Kreklow later apologized – and Holloway said he would overlook the remark. Kreklow said he then tried several times to meet with the board chairman – and it never happened. The 64-year-old Holloway will be the acting county executive for at least 30 days. He has the option to serve until after an election for the post in April.
