A lawsuit between a former Wausau alderman and the city ended July 12 with approval for a $97,000 payout. The Judd S. Alexander Foundation donated $92,000 to resolve the issue, according to the settlement agreement. The city, though footing the remaining $5,000 of the bill, denies any wrongdoing
The dust-up started in November when then-Alderman Keene Winters was accused of swearing at and threatening a city department head. Winters then became the subject of an internal probe that resulted in additional allegations of inappropriate behavior and, ultimately, censure by the city council.
Winters, who was running for mayor and lost in the February primary, says the investigation negatively impacted his campaign.
In April, Anthony Wachewicz, a Green Bay attorney hired to review the Winters probe, released a report blasting the city for failing to follow appropriate protocol in the incident. Days later, Winters sued the city, arguing the probe violated his right to due process and that the city violated state open records laws during the investigation.
“The actions taken by the city against me were not lawful, and this settlement resolves my claims,” says Winters.
In return for the payout, Winters agreed to withdraw any existing open records requests and dismiss the complaint filed in Marathon County Circuit Court that named the city and all city council members who were in office prior to the April election.
