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Ashwaubenon trustee Bukowski involved in disturbance

By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer


ASHWAUBENON – Since announcing its vote of no confidence in Village Manager Allison Swanson earlier this month, the Ashwaubenon Public Safety Officers’ Association (APSOA) has released more details related to complaints about her.

One of those complaints stated an internal affairs investigation of a village board member’s conduct last September recommended criminal charges of battery and disorderly conduct.

Allison Swanson

The union said Swanson emailed the head of internal affairs to state she was “comfortable with no action being taken,” though her position has no law enforcement or prosecution component.

The APSOA initially declined to identify the board member when the union announced the no-confidence vote Feb. 6.

Then 12 days later, an attorney representing the union, Aaron Halstead of the Hawks Quindel law firm, released documents which include the trustee’s name.

According to an Ashwaubenon Public Safety case report, Trustee Ken Bukowski, who represents Wards 9-10, 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 code.

After he moved one of the cans to the Wise Women Gathering Place, the report states Bukowski, who was wearing a Village of Ashwaubenon shirt, knocked on a window and the woman who was cleaning inside came to the door when he allegedly yelled at her about the garbage cans.

The woman’s mother had been called by her daughter and reported hearing an angry, aggressive male’s voice.
She said she thought her daughter was in danger and told her to call the police.

After the mother arrived on the scene and found her daughter near the road on Commanche, Bukowski allegedly followed the daughter when she walked back to the business.

When the mother asked if she could help him, Bukowski allegedly yelled at her, “Yeah, get your ****ing trash cans off the street.”

Another public safety case report alleges Bukowski spit on the daughter and pushed her with his chest after she walked out of the business.

The daughter appeared to be upset and her whole body was shaking, according to the report.

After the officer reports and statements of the parties involved were reviewed by then Capt. Jody Crocker, he said the allegations against Bukowski by statute “rises to the offense of battery and disorderly conduct,” according to a case report.

“I believe this is a situation that could have and should have been easily avoided and remedied appropriately,” said Crocker, who noted appropriately trained people in code enforcement or the public safety department could have handled the matter.

Bukowski denied having a physical altercation, but said voices may have been raised when asked by an officer if there was any yelling or swearing.

He released a statement which can be read here. 

“It is upsetting that the Ashwaubenon Public Safety officer Union is now attempting to discredit our Village Mgr. by trying to intimidate me, a Village trustee,” the statement reads. “I fully support our Village Mgr. and will not be intimidated or threatened by the despicable union actions in attempting to prevent me and other trustees from doing so.”

Citations voided

The union’s attorney also released 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.

The emails have names redacted with Swanson saying she received a call from someone at the Green Bay Police Department regarding the citations.

“Apparently this guy provides useful information to (name redacted) so (name redacted) wanted us to give him a break,” an email from Swanson states. “(Redacted name) tried to work out a deal for a $10 failure to carry insurance but the judge likely won’t sign this so (redacted name) recommended just dismissing it if we wanted to help the guy out. I told him that would be ok.”

Memo on conflicts

When union representatives were asked at the news conference about Swanson being married to an Ashwaubenon public safety officer, Kevin Buckley, APSOA President Eric Paulowski said she has a conflict of interest and should abstain from matters related to the union and the public safety department in general.

A memo the union attorney released, dated Dec. 2, 2013, and sent to Swanson and then Village President Mike Aubinger and public safety Chief Eric Dunning from attorney Dennis Duffy, outlined how to “avoid the impression of any conflict of interest or influence from (Swanson’s relationship with Buckley).”

According to the memo, it was agreed as follows:

1. Any village matter that would directly involve Officer Buckley will not be handled by the village manager. The chief will not consult with the village manager on matters related to Officer Buckley.

2. For any human resource issues or questions with the (Ashwaubenon Public Safety Department) that need to be addressed by the village manager, the chief will consult and meet with the village manager in the village manager’s office. The chief will consult and meet with the village president and village manager on any grievances or other internal department matters that require discussion with the village administration.

Paulowski, who accused Swanson at the news conference of continuing to “place herself in positions where there’s a clear conflict of interest,” has also called for an independent party to handle human resource matters related to the public safety department.

Village response

In response to the latest information the union released about Swanson, Village President Mary Kardoskee said the village “will continue to refrain from responding to the union’s repeated public attacks.”

After the board met in closed session Tuesday, Feb. 25, it approved an independent investigation to address complaints involving the Ashwaubenon Public Safety Department and report back to the board, said Village Clerk-Treasurer Patrick Moynihan Jr.

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