William O'Donnell

William F. O'Donnell (February 6, 1922 – September 4, 2004) was a Wisconsin politician and the second Milwaukee County Executive, serving from 1976 to 1988. Prior to serving as county executive, O'Donnell was the chairman of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors from 1975 to 1976.

Early career O'Donnell was raised on Milwaukee's near west side, where his father worked as a plumber. O'Donnell attended Lincoln High School but dropped out at age 17 to seek employment, as his family's income was severely affected by the Great Depression. He served in the United States Army during World War II as a navigator on a B-17 and was employed as a factory and brewery worker in Milwaukee following his discharge. In 1948, O'Donnell was elected to the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. O'Donnell introduced legislation in 1958 establishing the office of Milwaukee County Executive. A transit advocate who commuted to work by bus, O'Donnell oversaw Milwaukee County's acquisition of the privately run local bus system in 1975. Upon Doyne's retirement in 1976, O'Donnell ran to replace him as county executive. He emerged first in the February 1976 primary and defeated Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann in the April general election. As county executive, he centralized county administration, creating cabinet positions by removing administrators' civil service protections and abolishing independent agencies such as the Welfare Board and the Milwaukee County Park Commission.

Schulz firing and 1988 reelection campaign In 1984, O'Donnell appointed Chicago budget official Dave Schulz, a Milwaukee native, as Milwaukee County budget director. In 1985, O'Donnell appointed Schulz as director of the Milwaukee County Parks Department; the charismatic Schulz gained notoriety for his promotion of the park system. In 1987, Schulz violated O'Donnell's prohibition on political endorsements by county administrators, publicly supporting reformist candidate John O. Norquist for Mayor of Milwaukee. O'Donnell dismissed Schulz, who promptly filed to run for county executive in 1988.

Schulz waged a vigorous campaign and defeated O'Donnell in the April 1988 general election.