The Social Development Commission’s board voted 5-3 Wednesday, Sept. 23, to reelect Commissioner Jorge Franco as chair, during a virtual meeting marked by disagreement over the election process and calls from residents to restore the agency’s services. The board also elected Peter Fetzer as secretary and Spencer Coggs as vice chair and treasurer. Franco, who is serving as the commission’s interim CEO, said his focus is on bringing services back. The SDC, a Milwaukee-area anti-poverty agency, once provided services including tax assistance and job training for low-income residents. It stopped operating about two years ago amid financial turmoil. It now has no active programs, little to no remaining funds and multiple legal judgments, as board members consider whether bankruptcy or another course of action could address its debt. The officer election drew objections from Commissioner Pam Fendt, who said she received a calendar invitation Friday but learned only this week what the meeting would address. She said some commissioners had more than five days’ notice because Franco had discussed an officer election with them earlier, and moved to postpone the vote. Franco disputed that account after the meeting, saying all commissioners were notified Friday. He said the agenda was later posted on the SDC website and at the Milwaukee Public Library. The agenda was online by Monday, though the posting time was unclear. When the board reached the election item, Commissioner Michael Harris proposed Franco for chair, Coggs for vice chair and treasurer, and Fetzer for secretary. Coggs seconded the motion. Fendt argued that nominations for other officers should be considered at the same time and called the process “tainted.” Commissioners Richard Diaz and Walter Lanier also opposed the motion. Lanier said the procedure did not follow Robert’s Rules of Order, a guide to meeting procedures used by many organizations. After the roll call, Lanier asked whether the board had approved the nominations or merely accepted them; Franco said the vote accepted the nominations. Public comments also focused on former board member Dessie Levy, the agency’s stalled services and vacant community seats. Levy told commissioners she felt targeted as a Black woman when she was removed from the board in May for exceeding the permitted number of unexcused absences. She and other commissioners questioned the removal, including because the board had not approved minutes showing attendance records. Franco said the decision followed the bylaws and was based on roll-call records from public meetings. Residents urged the board to reinstate Levy and hold elections for six vacant publicly elected seats. Tracey Carey, a Milwaukee resident for nearly 40 years, called for approved minutes and stronger public representation. Ophelia Carr said her family and neighborhood need services close to home, rather than continued disputes among commissioners. The SDC board held two meetings the previous week and is conducting informational sessions this week as it weighs how to respond to the agency’s financial crisis.