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Wausau committee votes unanimously to enter closed session over legal counsel engagement in ethics complaint involving mayor
Summary
The City of Wausau Committee of the Whole voted 11-0 to go into closed session under Wisconsin statute 19.85(1)(g) to discuss continued engagement of CIDMEC-appointed counsel in a matter before the city's ethics board concerning a citizen complaint against Mayor Denny.
The City of Wausau Committee of the Whole voted 11-0 Monday to enter a closed session to discuss legal strategy and the continued engagement of CIDMEC-appointed counsel in a matter before the city’s ethics board concerning a citizen complaint filed against Mayor Denny.
Committee member Carol Lukens moved “that we go we enter into closed session pursuant to 19.85 sub 1 sub g of the Wisconsin statutes for conferring with legal counsel for the governmental body who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with respect to litigation in which it is or is likely to become involved, to receive report from and make recommendation to counsel regarding continued engagement of CIDMEC appointed legal counsel to represent the city and unelected city staff in the manner current matter currently pending before the city's ethics board pertaining to the citizen complaint filed against mayor Denny and related actions.” The motion was seconded by Watson and approved in a roll-call vote recorded as 11 ayes, 0 nays.
The committee recorded ayes from Lukens, Martins, Killian, Neil, Gisleman, McElaney, Rasmuson, Watson, Tierney, Larson and Henke. The clerk announced the motion passed and the group recessed to convene the closed session in the Maple Room. Chair opening remarks said there was no open-session material to present prior to the closed session and that the group would reconvene the chamber if there was action to take after the closed session.
The committee cited Wisconsin’s statute for closed sessions to consult with legal counsel about strategy in pending or likely litigation. The motion specifically asked members to receive a report from counsel and to make a recommendation regarding continued engagement of CIDMEC-appointed legal counsel to represent the city and unelected city staff in the matter currently pending before the city’s ethics board.
No further public actions or votes were taken in open session during the meeting. The committee scheduled the closed-session discussion to occur immediately in the Maple Room and indicated it would return to open session only if action were required after the closed discussion.
