Wausau Ethics Board moves forward with Mayor Diny investigation

The Wausau Ethics Board will move forward with their investigation into a complaint against Mayor Doug Diny.

The complaint, filed in January, claims Diny’s removal of an absentee ballot box last year from City Hall violated the city ethics code.

At a meeting last week, the board rejected requests to postpone the hearing again. The hearing is scheduled for this Friday. It’s been over a year since Diny moved the dropbox.

Board chair Calvin Dexter said one witness, who was subpoenaed to appear at the Friday hearing, requested to be excused from the hearing because they have plans for the upcoming holiday weekend. October 13 is Colombus Day / Indigenous People’s Day.

“I’m not very open to the idea that we should have another delay here. You know, I think it’s time to get this thing dealt with,” Dexter said.

Dexter said the witness claims they were not given sufficient notice of the hearing. 

“That’s not to say we couldn’t or shouldn’t have gotten the new subpoenas out earlier, but I don’t think this there was any great surprise here to anyone,” he said.

Special counsel Eric Larson confirmed that the mayor’s attorney and an attorney who represents city employees scheduled depositions for City Attorney Anne Jacobson and City Clerk Kaitlyn Bernarde regarding the complaint. 

“The board appreciates those attorneys proceeding in good faith to accomplish the depositions at long last,” Dexter said.

Both Jacobson and Bernarde had previously refused to sit for depositions due to an ongoing criminal investigation into the ballot box removal by the Wisconsin Department of Justice. 

The depositions were scheduled for Monday. 

The board also confirmed the list and order of witnesses that will appear on Friday, including Wausau Police Chief Matt Barnes and City Council President Lisa Rasmussen.

The board also plans to deliberate in closed session on Oct. 15 at 4.30 p.m. before reconvening in open session to discuss their next steps. The board must issue written findings within seven days.

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