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Business owner accuses council member’s spouse of leaving dog waste on storefront, urges resignation
Summary
During public comment at the Kiel City Council meeting, a business owner presented video evidence and a police report she says shows a person — whom she identified as married to an alderman — placing bags of dog waste on her storefront and asked the council member to resign; council discussed recall and statutory options but took no formal action.
A business owner told the Kiel City Council during public comment that video evidence and a police report show a person leaving bags of dog waste at her storefront and asked the council to remove the council member whose spouse she said was involved. “I’m asking for the immediate removal of the city council board member whose spouse was involved in this incident,” the commenter said (Unidentified Speaker, public comment).
The commenter said she posted a sign and left multiple warnings, then captured the incident on camera. She told the council the police issued a ticket for littering to the person seen on video and that a police report is on file. “They did issue him a ticket for littering,” the speaker said, describing the citation as “a slap on the hand.”
Council members responded during the meeting. One council member said the accusations were “completely unfounded and unfair” but nonetheless challenged the council member in question to step down. Another said the only recourse available locally may be a recall and suggested voters also could address the matter at the ballot box.
A council member who referenced state law cited Wisconsin Statutes chapter 17.12 and summarized options: the council member could resign; citizens could pursue a recall; or there is a council removal option that would require a supermajority vote of the council. “There could be a call for removal. It’s a three‑quarter vote of that, which would be… the five of you,” the speaker said while outlining procedural steps (Unidentified Speaker, statute reference).
Council members said they could not take formal removal action that night because the item was not on the agenda, and one council member said she would request the matter be placed on the committee of the whole and considered for the December meeting. The council did not vote on removal or discipline during the session.
What happens next: the commenter said she filed a police report and the city discussed statutory recall/removal options; the council indicated it will review the procedural options but took no formal action at the meeting.
