Wausau panel recommends outside counsel for ethics complaint against Mayor Denny, capped at $10,000

At a special meeting, a Wausau council panel voted to recommend that the Wausau Common Council continue engaging civic-appointed legal counsel to represent the city and unelected city staff in a matter pending before the city’s ethics board relating to a citizen complaint against Mayor Denny, with costs capped at $10,000.

Council member Carol Lukens made the motion, saying, “I motion, make a motion to recommend to the common council the continued engagement of civic appointed legal council to represent the city and unelected city staff in the matter currently pending before the city's ethics board pertaining to the citizen complaint filed against mayor Denny and related actions up to a limit of $10,000.” The motion was seconded by Council member Veil. Members in favor responded “Aye”; no opposing votes were recorded and the motion carried.

The panel’s recommendation will be placed on the Wausau Common Council agenda for a future meeting, which the panel identified as June 10. The meeting record shows no additional discussion of the matter during the panel session and no formal debate or amendments were entered into the record. After the vote the panel adjourned.

The recommendation, if adopted by the Common Council, would authorize continued engagement of civic-appointed outside counsel for representation in proceedings before the city ethics board. The motion as recorded caps such work at $10,000; the transcript does not specify how that cap would be billed or whether additional expenditures would require separate council approval.

No further details about the substance of the citizen complaint or the specific counsel previously retained were stated on the record during this meeting.