Waukesha HR Committee invokes Wis. Stat. 19.85 for city administrator review, approves evaluation criteria

The Waukesha City HR Committee convened in closed session under Wisconsin Statute 19.85 to consider the city administrator's performance review and later approved the evaluation goals and process in open session.

At about the meeting's midpoint the committee chair said it would "convene in closed session per Wisconsin State Statute 19.85 for the purpose of considering employment, promotion, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governing body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility to with the city administrator's performance review." A motion to move into closed session was made and seconded, and the committee voted to enter closed session. The transcript records the committee taking that action in accordance with the cited statute.

After returning to open session, a committee member made a motion (ID 205-636) "as we discussed, in closed session" to accept the goals and evaluation process and criteria for the city administrator. The motion was seconded. The recorded votes included Widdersen voting "aye" and Alderman Christine voting "yes," and the clerk announced the motion "passes unanimously." The committee did not disclose details of the goals or criteria during open session; those items were described as discussed in closed session.

The committee also handled routine business earlier in the meeting (including approval of minutes dated 04/16/2025). The record shows a quorum was present (four of five members) when the committee moved into closed session and when it approved the evaluation criteria.