By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
ASHWAUBENON – After meeting in closed session Tuesday, Feb. 25, the village board approved an independent investigation by hiring the von Briesen & Roper law firm to address complaints involving the Ashwaubenon Public Safety Department, said Village Clerk-Treasurer Patrick Moynihan Jr.
Details as to the terms for hiring the firm and the scope of the investigation were not immediately provided to The Press Times with the newspaper’s request referred to Village Attorney Tony Wachewicz.
The board’s action comes nearly three weeks after the Ashwaubenon Public Safety Officers’ Union announced a vote of no confidence in Village Manager Allison Swanson.
When contacted Wednesday, Feb. 26, APSOA President Eric Paulowski said the union had no immediate comment regarding the law firm, but would be issuing a statement in the future.
On Feb. 6, the union announced the no-confidence vote with a list of complaints about Swanson with 22 bullet points related to what it called “some of the egregious behaviors the association has witnessed.”
For instance, the APSOA stated multiple lawsuits and grievances are now pending against the village, and the union blames Swanson for her handling of those matters.
The union also stated an internal affairs investigation related to Trustee Ken Bukowski’s conduct last September recommended criminal charges of battery and disorderly conduct, but Swanson emailed the head of internal affairs saying she was “comfortable with no action being taken,” despite her position having no law enforcement or prosecution component.
Public safety case reports released by the union state Bukowski was involved in a disturbance when he allegedly harassed and yelled at a woman Sept. 2 because garbage cans along Commanche Avenue were left out for more than five days, longer than allowed by the village ordinance.
The union also released a copy of emails from Swanson dated Sept. 30, 2014, in which she contacted an Ashwaubenon officer, who issued two citations to whom the union stated is an officer in another department for an accident in a mall parking lot, and she sought to have the tickets dismissed.
Because Swanson is married to an Ashwaubenon public safety officer, Kevin Buckley, Paulowski said she has a conflict of interest and should abstain from matters related to the union and the public safety department in general.
Paulowski has also called for an independent party to handle human resource matters related to the public safety department.
Prior to the board approving an independent investigation, it held a special meeting Feb. 11 in response to the APSOA’s vote of no confidence and the complaints the union made about Swanson.
The board released a statement at that time to “express its full confidence” in Swanson and characterized the vote of no confidence and the complaints against her by union as a “personal attack.”