GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ- WLUK) – A hearing regarding a petition attempting to remove Mayor Jim Schmitt from office will be held on February 20th.
The vice president of Green Bay’s city council, Mark Steuer, announced the date at the beginning of Tuesday night’s meeting.
Patrick Knight, Schmitt’s attorney, has said he believes the council has no legal authority to remove the mayor from office.
Green Bay resident Scott Vanidestine submitted the removal petition after Schmitt was convicted of three campaign finance crimes.
The council agreed to hire an outside attorney to guide it on the removal process.
Council President Tom DeWane tells WLUK he has picked Milwaukee Attorney Jeremy Levinson.
“We talked to three or four other attorneys. We felt he was….that he had the most valuable experience on doing something like this.”
Council members say they should be able to sign off on that hire.
“My concern is there is obviously some friction between members of the council and the mayor and I don’t want that to be part of his proceedings,” said Alderman Bill Galvin.
De Wane says the attorney will charge the city $285 an hour for his work. De Wane says that money will likely be taken out of the city’s general fund.
