Fall Regional Spotlight: Joint Sessions with WRDA

Because our meeting is shared with the WI Register of Deeds Association, we'll have one afternoon of coming together to enjoy some shared interests.

First, we'll be learning about Restrictive Covenants from Heather Godley, a high school Social Studies teacher at Case High School in Racine.  She began learning Milwaukee's history as part of the education committee for the "200 Nights of Freedom" initiative to commemorate the marches for open housing in the 1960s, and now writes curriculum with "Divided by Design" to help students see how Milwaukee’s past history of segregation impacts the present and to help them feel empowered to create change in their own communities.  With us, we'll  explore the history of racially restrictive covenants in Wisconsin, and briefly address ways that communities can identify covenants through their own county governments. A number of municipalities and counties in Wisconsin have formally repudiated these covenants in recent years. The presentation will discuss the process by which this has happened in several communities, providing models and exploring ways that community groups can be involved in this process. Finally, the presentation will address why this history is important to know and discuss, particularly because of its continuing impact on our communities and the way that it can help bring together communities in a shared commitment to addressing the continued effects of segregation today.

Afterwards, we'll move to a panel discussion with Ms. Godley along with Kathleen Bach - GIS Lead Analyst, and Steven Kroll - Register of Deeds Real Estate Supervisor.  They will discuss racial inequities and how they are dealt with in the public record of the Register of Deeds Offices.

Next, we'll explore how Sauk County integrations have developed with Kelly Felton, Brett Bailey, and Joe Fleischmann.  They'll describe how their Register of Deeds office, GIS office, and Real Property Listing have developed workflows to make their lives easier and improve customer service.

Last, we'll hear from Emily Champagne - GIS Supervisor at Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, and Kevin Bruhn - Director of GIS & Land Information Office at Milwaukee County.  Their discussion entitled "Adventures in Data Sharing: Past, Present, and Future" will highlight what they've found to be true over the years.  The ability to share geospatial data and collaborate on projects has become easier with new technology and software solutions. However, there is always more to the story to facilitate data sharing. Milwaukee County and MMSD will discuss past, current, and future cooperative efforts focusing on successes and lessons learned.

For more details on the agenda, registration, and hotel information, visit the Fall Regional Event Page. We hope to see you soon!