Wausau council authorizes outside counsel for ethics board in complaint against Mayor Doug Denny

The Wausau Common Council on Tuesday authorized hiring outside legal counsel to advise the ethics board in a citizen complaint against Mayor Doug Denny, approving the measure on an 8-2 vote.

The vote concerned a council resolution (file 250-112) “approving the hiring of special counsel and authorizing the city attorney to hire and manage outside legal counsel engaged to advise the ethics board in the matter of the complaint of [Caldwell], Gerard Phelan, Kurt Hazy, and Scott Bridal against Mayor Doug Denny,” as summarized in the council packet. Alder Watson moved the resolution and Alder Rasmussen seconded; the motion passed 8-2.

The council majority said the ethics board — a citizen panel that reviews municipal code complaints — is entitled to independent legal guidance because the city attorney has a conflict. City Attorney Anne told the council she must remove herself from representing the ethics board because she could be a witness and because the mayor is a member of an organizational client she represents. “I am required to remove myself from representation of the ethics board,” Anne said during council discussion.

Alder Rasmussen framed the vote as ministerial and procedural, not…