Study, and paper, dump on sewage district

The Journal Sentinel loves to dump on the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. For several years, the newspaper has twisted stories to present MMSD in the worst possible light, and its long-running negative campaign has seriously damaged the district's reputation and standing with the public.

As a former commissioner, I witnessed firsthand how little some of the stories had to do with reality. They all were carefully tailored to fit the newspaper's point of view: MMSD bad, dumps sewage in the lake. The district certainly has had its problems, and not only with PR. But people in Milwaukee would be amazed to learn that in the industry it is considered one of the best operations in the country.

The most recent story would leave most people with the impression that the way MMSD is treating sewage is making some Milwaukee children ill. It's based on a study. Sounds very convincing. But, as Jessica McBride points out:

Two of the study's authors are Cheryl Nenn, a project director at Friends of Milwaukee's Rivers - identified in the story as an environmental watchdog group - and Marc Gorelick, who is married to Lynn Broaddus, the executive director of the group.

The JS story discloses that information. What it doesn't tell you is that Friends of Milwaukee's Rivers is SUING MMSD.

That seems relevant, wouldn't you think? The newspaper knew those facts, and had reported about the lawsuit before.

In addition, MMSD pointed that out as the story was being written. The newspaper didn't care. But Children's Hospital, which was also involved in the study, told MMSD it had no idea that Gorelick’s wife is suing MMSD and its taxpayers.

Children's Hospital was bothered enough by the disclosure, I am told, that it killed the news release it planned to issue on Sunday when the study was presented.

But the newspaper didn't think it was worth a mention?