Wausau Mayor Doug Diny moving an absentee ballot dropbox. Image courtesy: Doug Diny
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — The Wausau Ethics Board has officially scheduled a hearing on the complaint against Mayor Doug Diny for Friday morning.
According to an agenda posted on the city’s website, proceedings will begin at 10 AM. Ten witnesses will testify, including Police Chief Matthew Barnes, Public Works Director Eric Lindman, Council President Lisa Rasmussen, City Clerk Kaitlyn Bernarde, and City Attorney Ann Jacobson.
Diny is scheduled to testify last.
The agenda also includes an opportunity for those who brought the matter to the Ethics Board (complainants) to testify.
Witnesses will be sworn in by members of the board, with Chair Calvin Dexter asking questions. Board members and Diny’s legal team will have the chance to ask follow-up questions.
The complaint centers on Diny’s handling of a locked, unsecured municipal drop box in September 2024. Clerk Bernarde had intended for the box to be installed and opened to collect completed absentee ballots ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election. The action led to a week-long back-and-forth between the two that ended when the box was returned and installed a few days later.
At the time, Diny noted that he moved the box for safekeeping, saying anyone could have walked away with it. He also mentioned that there were security issues he wanted addressed, including the installation of upgraded cameras and lighting.
His supporters praised the move, but others felt the move broke election law.
After hearing from witnesses, the board will move into closed session for deliberation. They may return to open session and deliver a determination of whether a violation of the city’s ethics code has occurred.
Comments