Doug Diny
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Wausau Mayor Doug Diny remains committed to getting to the bottom of the issue that nearly caused the city to get into a development agreement with a teenager.
The incident centered on a proposal to build duplexes, including one that would be owner-occupied, on three parcels of vacant land. The developer was going to buy the land for $1,000, with the city remediating and raising the land out of a flood plain.
Diny vetoed the measure, saying he thought the sale price was too low and questioning the marketing of the land. Then, just days before the Council was due to consider an override of the veto, it was revealed that the developer was a teenager and couldn’t enter into a legally binding document.
RELATED: Nowak Withdraws Wyatt Street Duplex Proposal, Council Votes to Uphold Mayor’s Veto
The teen, Gunter Nowak, withdrew his proposal just hours before the Council meeting. Alders and the Mayor still discussed the matter, with Diny promising an investigation into how that detail was overlooked.
While he can’t share specifics of the investigation just yet, he does share some of what he’d like to see changed about the city’s vetting process. “If you went down to Brickner’s to test drive [a new car], you’re not going to get into that vehicle until they see that you are qualified to buy it and you have a driver’s license. I think any significant deal [requires vetting.]”
He adds that the city’s Rules Review committee is considering changes to the application process for citizen appointments to commissions and boards. “They want to see resumes, they want to encourage these residents to speak before the Council, they want to have references. The council is proposing more vetting for [potential bike-ped committee members] than we currently are for major developer deals involving federal money.”
Fixing that will be key to winning back public trust, which he says has eroded after this oversight came to light. “Citizens want to know [when] the Council votes on something, they have all the information required to make that vote. That is my commitment to the council- that staff will provide all the information that they need.
“We have to face the fact that this was a black eye,” added Diny.
Hear the complete conversation in the player above. Due to a technical issue, the video of this week’s chat was unavailable.
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