ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Fox 11 reporting Ashwaubenon’s village board has full confidence in Village Manager Allison Swanson.
The board’s stance comes five days after the village’s public safety union announced it took a unanimous no confidence vote in Swanson.
The union also outlined 20 allegations of wrongdoing involving Swanson. Among them, the union claims Swanson kept criminal charges from being referred against a village board member, didn’t follow protocol for economic development projects, and violated a variety of employment laws. The union says many of the issues have pending lawsuits and grievances.
The village board held a special meeting Tuesday night to address the union’s claims. With public safety officers in attendance, the board immediately voted to go into closed session.
“We’re hoping that we’ll have the ability to eventually sit down and talk with them about the items that we brought forward to them,” Melanie Lovato, secretary for the union, told FOX 11 while the board members were in closed session.
Lovato also tells Fox 11 no one on the board has contacted the union since it went public with its concerns.
“We found it to be pretty unfortunate. The lines of communication are open on our end and we are just waiting for that response.”
A response from the village board came after more than two hours behind closed doors.
“The board does not wish to engage in a public dispute on this matter,” said Mary Kardoskee, Ashwaubenon’s village president, while reading a prepared statement in open session.
Kardoskee told the officers the board has full confidence in Swanson.
“More importantly the board disputes the union’s characterization that the board has not been informed or exercised their decision-making authority.”
Kardoskee says the board is well informed and approved the moves that the union claims Swanson made on her own.
“We do not understand what the union’s goal is in undertaking a personal attack on the village manager while these issues are board decisions.”
Union members says they’ll have a formal response soon.
Seven of Ashwaubenon’s department heads also issued a statement on Tuesday voicing their support for Swanson.
The department heads, village president, and board members have all declined to provide comment beyond their written statements.
The full statement from Ashwaubenon’s village board:
The Village Board believes it is important to issue a public response to the Ashwaubenon Public Safety Officers Association’s press conference regarding its no-confidence vote in Village Manager Allison Swanson. The Board does not wish to engage in a public dispute on this matter nor can it respond in detail as mandated by law due to the sensitive and confidential personnel matters involved. However, the Board does wish to state and express its full confidence in Village Manager Swanson. More importantly, the Board disputes the Union’s characterization that the Board has not been informed or exercised their decision-making authority. The Board is consistently informed by Village staff on a wide array of Village matters and is aware of many of the allegations contained within the Union’s list, which include numerous items that we voted on and approved. Our approach moving forward will be to continue to listen and make decisions in the best interests of the Village of Ashwaubenon. We do not understand what the Union’s goal is in undertaking a personal attack on the Village Manager while these issues are Board decisions. The Board will continue to deliberate over its options on how to fully address the Union’s allegations, which will be addressed at a future Board meeting.
