GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – While Mayor Jim Schmitt has maintained he will not resign despite agreeing to plead guilty to three misdemeanor violations of state election laws, one option to remove Schmitt from office is once again being questioned.
Alderman Guy Zima, one of the mayor’s loudest critics, is questioning the city’s code of conduct for elected officials, as well as the use of the city’s ethics code.
Zima has been saying for months that the code of conduct is unconstitutional.
Zima isn’t changing his tune, even though the code is an option that could be used for those who want to remove the mayor from office.
Zima wants a written explanation from the city attorney on why the code of conduct is constitutional. Zima also wants to know how to operate under the city’s ethics code.
“I feel uncomfortable with it. I’m certainly not here to defend the mayor, but I am here to defend the general rights of people.”
The alderman recently sat out the council’s deliberations when there was an ethics complaint against Alderman Chris Wery.
Council supporters of the code of conduct and ethics deliberations, like Randy Scannell, admit changes might be needed. However, they don’t agree with Zima’s notion that it may be unconstitutional.
“Some of it hasn’t quite worked out the way we envisioned and I think we should tweak some of it to make it a more smoother process, but on the whole I think the code of conduct is appropriate”
If an ethics complaint were to be filed against Schmitt or anyone else, the ethics board would first have to determine whether a violation occurred. The full council would then decide if a punishment is warranted.
Three quarters of the council would need to agree on the punishment. Removal is one possible punishment.
Mayor Schmitt has been in support of the code of conduct.
