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Wausau council votes 10-0 to enter closed session on waiver of attorney–client privilege tied to open-records request
Summary
The Wausau Common Council voted unanimously Feb. 11 to enter closed session under Wisconsin statute to consider waiving attorney–client privilege related to a Jan. 21, 2025 open-records request about a verified complaint; motion moved by Rasmussen, seconded by Neil.
At the Feb. 11 Wausau Common Council meeting, the council voted 10–0 to go into closed session to consider a resolution described as a waiver of statutory attorney–client privilege related to a Jan. 21, 2025 open-records request.
The item was read as “Resolution approving waiver of statutory lawyer client privilege as it relates to a response to a 01/21/2025 open records request of Keane T Winters regarding a verified complaint,” under file number 250204. The motion to move into closed session was made pursuant to chapter 19.85(1)(f) of the Wisconsin Statutes, which the mayor read aloud as authorizing closed discussion of certain personal histories and personnel matters.
Ald. Rasmussen moved the motion; Ald. Neil seconded. The clerk conducted a roll-call vote. The tally recorded aye votes from Lukens, Martins, Killian, Neil, Gisselman, Rasmussen, Watson, Tierney, Larson and Henke; the mayor announced the motion passed, 10–0.
Earlier in the meeting the council also approved the consent agenda by voice vote on a motion from Ald. Neil, seconded by Ald. Henke; the mayor announced that motion passed 10–0.
Why it matters: The council’s vote to enter closed session signals it will consider information that the council believes falls within a statutory exception to open discussion, specifically matters tied to individual histories or personnel and an attorney–client privilege waiver associated with an open-records request. The council reconvened in open session to take subsequent action as required by statute (the transcript shows the council took the closed session but does not include the closed-session deliberations or any final public vote on the underlying waiver).
The resolution’s text and any subsequent public action on the waiver were not read into the public record in detail beyond the description cited above; members who participated in the roll call voted yes and no other public vote on the waiver is recorded in the provided transcript.
