New Auburn board authorizes offer to top Public Works candidate after closed‑session interviews

The Village of New Auburn Board of Trustees held a special meeting on Aug. 27 and authorized staff to offer the village’s Public Works position to the board’s first‑choice candidate after conducting closed‑session interviews, according to the meeting record.

Village President Shannon Berg called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. at New Auburn Village Hall. Trustees Brad Lotts and Gary Pitts were present; trustees Paul Blodgett and Gerid Dodge were absent. Staff in attendance included Public Works Utilities Garrett Larson, Treasurer‑Deputy Clerk Teresa Dachel, and Administrator‑Clerk‑Deputy Treasurer Bradley Hanson. The record states there was no public in attendance and no public comments were received.

Under Wisconsin Statute 19.85(1)(c), the board voted at 5:02 p.m. to recess into a closed session to conduct interviews for the Public Works opening. The minutes record closed‑session interviews for four candidates: Dylan Bahr (interviewed beginning at 5:15 p.m.), Phillip “Danny” Baxter (5:45 p.m.), Nick Gentling (6:15 p.m.), and Jared Thom, who accepted a late interview slot and was interviewed beginning at 6:45 p.m. The minutes include entry and exit times for each candidate and show the interviews concluded before the board reconvened in open session.

The board reconvened in open session at 7:24 p.m. Trustee Gary Pitts moved and Trustee Brad Lotts seconded the motion to return to open session; the motion carried. In open session, Village President Berg moved that Treasurer‑Deputy Clerk Teresa Dachel offer the Public Works position to the board’s No. 1 candidate for the amount the board had discussed, and if that candidate declines or terms cannot be agreed, to offer the position to the No. 2 candidate for the amount discussed. The motion carried. The minutes do not record which candidates were designated No. 1 or No. 2, nor do they include a roll‑call vote tally; the record simply states “Motion carried.”

The meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m. after the board covered the full agenda. The minutes indicate the offer will be made by Treasurer‑Deputy Clerk Teresa Dachel per the board motion; further hiring details (which candidate was selected as No. 1, the agreed‑upon salary or starting pay, or any signed employment agreement) were not specified in the meeting record.

The board cited Wisconsin Statute 19.85(1)(c) as authority for the closed session, the state provision that allows governmental bodies to discuss employment matters in private. The minutes do not show any public discussion of candidate qualifications or a formal appointment vote taken in open session.