GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – After almost four hours of debate, Green Bay’s city council passed a policy Tuesday night to remove audio recording devices from city hall.
It comes days after a Brown County judge ordered the microphones be turned off as a lawsuit over the issue proceeds.
A month after most city council members first learned microphones were installed in the hallways of city hall, the council voted 9 to 3 to have them taken out.
“In my 20 years on council, honestly, this is the most disturbing issue,” said Alderperson Chris Wery.
The city attorney says Mayor Eric Genrich gave the executive authority to put in the microphones starting 15 months ago. Genrich continued to defend the move.
“Let me be clear, the audio system was used exclusively to provide needed safety and security measures. It was installed with guidance from our PD and it was done at a minimal cost to the taxpayer.”
“12 people making this decision is better than one,” said Brian Johnson, vice president of the city council.
Genrich says the removal of microphones will lead him to ask for full time security staff at city hall and potentially physical improvements.
“If the purpose of installation was safety then why secretly install them and not put up signs? Isn’t signage the whole point of deterring bad actions?” Wery asked Genrich.
“Alder Scannell had mentioned the fact that you sort of get into a he said-she said situation, so this is a way to protect the integrity of staff who’ve been attacked with false allegations,” said Genrich.
Signs were put up a few weeks ago.
At the meeting, about a dozen residents spoke. Most were angry and upset that potentially private conversations were recorded without their knowledge.
“At this point I think you would be doing a service to the people of this city by resigning for your lack of understanding of the constitution and the oath of which you took,” said Justin Schmidtka, a Brown County resident.
Genrich and Alderperson Randy Scannell claim this issue is the result of politics.
“And I know they are playing politics because they knew about this recording months and months ago,” said Scannell.
“Might it have something to do with an election that is four weeks away? Perhaps it does,” said Genrich.
“It stinks from both sides,” said Johnson. “It really does, but the reality is we have this issue before us now and we have to act on it now because it’s before us.”
Despite the council vote, a lawsuit filed by the state senate and three individuals is expected to proceed. It seeks a declaration that the city and Genrich violated state law with the audio surveillance.
The mayor and members of his administration maintain nothing illegal was done because there was no right to privacy in the hallways of city hall.
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