Wausau City Council waives attorney-client privilege to respond to Jan. 21 records request

The Wausau City Council approved a resolution waiving statutory attorney-client privilege for the purpose of responding to an open-records request filed Jan. 21, 2025, by Keane T. Winters, the council confirmed during its meeting. The motion passed 6-5 with one member absent.

A council member read the resolution aloud as "resolution approving waiver of statutory lawyer client privilege as it relates to a response to 01/21/2025 open records request of Keane T. Winters regarding a verified complaint." The council proceeded to vote after a brief procedural exchange about the online voting interface.

Council members and meeting participants recorded in the transcript said that an individual identified only as Anne had recommended the matter be sent to counsel for approval before release. Meeting remarks show that the council agreed the city attorney would be consulted on how to release the material — specifically whether documents should remain stamped as privileged, be redacted, or accompanied by a statement explaining the release. The transcript records a council member saying, "I'll have to get with the city attorney. My concern originally was the marking and how do we release it." Those details were not resolved at the meeting.

There was no extended public comment on the item recorded in the meeting. After the vote and the discussion about release formatting, the council moved on to other business and then adjourned.

The resolution and the council's direction to consult the city attorney set the procedural path for responding to the Winters open-records request; the transcript does not record the specific redaction approach or whether the released material will carry privileged markings.