By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
ASHWAUBENON – After the village board cleared Village Manager Allison Swanson of any wrongdoing or unethical conduct following an investigation by the von Briesen & Roper law firm, an attorney retained by the Ashwaubenon Public Safety Officers’ Association (APSOA) has informed The Press Times he will conduct a follow-up investigation.
William Rettko of the Rettko Law Offices in Brookfield will look into the investigation the board used to clear Swanson related to complaints the APSOA released when it announced its no-confidence vote of Swanson in February.
“In this respect, I need to mention that unlike the von Briesen & Roper firm, which has served as the village counsel in labor relation issues for a number of years, I have no prior connection with the APSOA and have agreed to look into this matter without any relationship to any of the parties,” Rettko said.
According to a statement released May 9 on behalf of the board by Village Attorney Tony Wachewicz, the board accepted the findings in the investigative reports it was provided by Jim Macy of von Briesen & Roper with the board expressing its “full faith and support in Ms. Swanson.”
Rettko said he will be conducting his follow-up investigation “after the village officially releases the Macy reports of March 24, 2020, and April 28, 2020.”
“In addition, I have some outstanding requests for information cited in those reports, which I have requested from the village attorney, who has forwarded my requests to a Milwaukee law firm retained to represent the village in regard to the APSOA’s requests,” he said. “Once I have a better understanding of the evidence the village is relying upon in the Macy reports, I will likely need to do additional follow-up…”
The Press Times has made an open records request to the village for copies of Macy’s investigative reports, but has yet to receive them.