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Muskego council seeks a reset on decorum, clarifies open‑records and staff interaction rules
Summary
At a March 10 committee meeting, Muskego alder persons heard guidance from outside counsel on mayor–council roles, meeting decorum and when social‑media and texts may be public records; members agreed to seek written legal guidance on agenda control and mayor’s comments.
MUSKEGO — At a March 10 meeting of the Muskego City Committee of the Whole, outside counsel reviewed the legal roles of the mayor and alder persons, urged clearer decorum rules, and warned that social‑media posts and personal communications about city business can be subject to open‑records requests.
Nick Serwin, who identified himself as counsel with Bon Breezen and Roper and said he was standing in as city‑council counsel for the session, told the council the mayor functions as the executive and the common council acts as a unified legislative body. "You all operate as a mayor–council governance," Serwin said, explaining that the council makes policy collectively and no single member can unilaterally create policy.
Serwin cited the council's statutory authority and the mayor's presiding role, and he stressed procedural practices that reduce confusion: recognizing speakers, directing remarks to the chair, and using the…
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