Wausau City Hall. MWC photo by Mike Leischner
The Wausau City Council will consider hiring an outside attorney to advise the Ethics Board for an investigation into a complaint against Mayor Doug Diny.
The ordinance calls for the city to retain Eric Larson of Waukesha-based Municipal Law and Litigation Group. Larson’s fee would be $250 per hour plus $30 for document review and $35 for drafting documents or letters.
If approved, Larson would consult with the Ethics Board as they investigate a complaint filed against Diny by eight Wausau residents regarding his handling of the unsecured but locked municipal dropbox outside City Hall last September. The incident is also the subject of an open investigation by the state Department of Justice. It’s unclear what stage that investigation is in, as no updates have been provided in months.
The complaint claims Diny tampered with a ballot dropbox as absentee voting began ahead of the 2024 General Election. “By preventing the use of a secure drop box during a critical voting period, Mayor Diny deprived voters of their ability to participate in the democratic process.”
“If an elected official is willing to tamper with a secure drop box once, how can we trust they won’t do it again?” The complaint continues.
The matter is scheduled as part of Tuesday’s regular meeting at 6:30 PM at City Hall. Public comment is part of the agenda and there will be a live stream on YouTube.
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