MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee alderman in jail facing federal and state charges is still conducting city business and collecting his $71,000-per-year salary.

While supporters try to collect the $50,000 bail to free Alderman Michael McGee Jr., he remains in the Milwaukee County Jail, where he's been since being arrested May 28.

According to the city clerk, McGee has daily phone conversations with his legislative aide, conveying his stances on any issues that may be up for debate. The aide is permitted to pass along the alderman's stance, but cannot vote for him.

The phone calls, however, take place right next to the other inmates. Sheriff David Clarke said McGee can't do his city business in private, and all the calls are monitored. Like any other inmate, McGee has to pay for the calls he makes and takes, and they're done from a bank of phones that are in each pod area that inmates use.

While McGee was removed from his committee assignments when he was charged, his office is continuing to respond to constituent concerns from Milwaukee's 6th District. McGee's legislative aide works on those issues as she normally would and the city clerk's office provides assistance as needed. All mail and paperwork still passes through the district office, but if there's anything the staff thinks McGee needs to see, it can be mailed, but all of the mail is opened first by jail staff.

"We're not running the Ritz Carlton here. This is a jail," Clarke said. "He's treated like any other inmate. He doesn't get any special privileges. He has been a model inmate, if there is such a thing. He has behaved, he has not caused any disruptions. He has not asked for a lot, but he's treated like any other inmate."

McGee has had a number of visitors in his time at the jail, but none from City Hall. Instead, they're family members, but not his father. A minister and two attorneys are among those that have paid visit.

"If you talk to some of his folks, they think he is being treated different, but in a negative way. It's just simply not true. He's a jail inmate. He's in his jail orange outfit. And he's not getting any privilege or anything that's not afforded any other inmate in the county jail," Clarke said.

By law, McGee remains an alderman until he either resigns from his position or his sentenced for a crime.