WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — A county employee who is the subject of an external investigation has released a statement.
The Marathon County Executive Board voted on Monday evening to approve an external investigation into Facebook comments made by County Clerk Kim Trueblood. The comments were made in a Facebook group called “Parents for Wausau Schools Reopening” and mentioned her position as Clerk.
Tuesday afternoon Trueblood released a statement about the investigation. The statement reads: “Last night, the Marathon County Board Executive Committee voted to authorize an independent investigation into some comments I made on a Facebook page focused on efforts to re-open the Wausau schools. In the course of a passionate and emotional discussion, words I chose to use have been misinterpreted, and that has led to some unfortunate repercussions for my office, my staff, County Board members, my fellow County employees, and the job I love so dearly. It is regrettable and heartbreaking that these statements I made have been misunderstood.
“I appreciate the work of all our elected officials, including the school board. I and my office have a proven track record of providing ethical service to every person within our amazing county. My office is completely open and transparent, and any citizen is welcome to inspect any public record at any time.
“In these difficult times, where resources are in such demand to deal with so many needs, I am saddened that my friends and neighbors are spending 25,000 of their dollars to look into a Facebook post. I’m sure that upon reflection, we can all point to a time where we might have worded something more effectively to convey our true meaning.
“It is the privilege of a lifetime to serve the citizens of Marathon County, and I am confident an investigation will show that they can continue to have confidence in the safety and integrity of the election process here in our County. Those values are at the forefront of why I got involved in local government and just a few of the things I hold dear in my position. I value my position and take great pride in my track record of conducting safe and ethical elections. I look forward to working to assure that all future elections are carried out with the high level of integrity for which our office is known.”
Trueblood was appointed as the county clerk back in September of 2019 after longtime clerk Nan Kottke retired. The Board of Supervisors approved her appointment despite some misgivings by some, including her criminal record for writing worthless checks in Dodge County. She was also taken to civil court for money owed four times, most recently in 2016.
Others on the board felt it wasn’t right to appoint a clerk and would have preferred to call a special election to fill the position.
Comments