GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Green Bay’s ethics board has ruled Alderman Randy Scannell violated the city’s code of conduct for elected officials.
Alderman Andy Nicholson filed an ethics complaint against Scannell after an incident last year involving Aldermen Tom DeWane and Chris Wery.
Nicholson says Scannell used profanity and put his finger in the chest of both Wery and DeWane. Both aldermen testified with the same stories.
“He confronted me and he said the F word and he just started poking me and I’m like baffled like what is going on?” said DeWane.
Scannell admits he acted inappropriately after being accused of basing a Colburn Pool decision on Mayor Jim Schmitt’s desires.
“I lost my temper,” said Scannell. “I overreacted.”
Scannell admits to swearing at both aldermen, but says he had zero confrontation with DeWane and only incidental contact with Wery.
“We were animated, but we weren’t yelling” Ironically, Scannell proposed the code of conduct for elected officials in 2015.
Scannell argues Nicholson’s complaint wasn’t filed in a timely manner. He also says members of the city council are supposed to handle conflict amongst themselves without involvement of the ethics board.
“The code was never designed for this committee to be a political football, to get in between two alders”
The board disagreed finding it does have authority to hear Nicholson’s complaint. The board also found Scannell did violate the code of conduct and should be censured.
Afterwards, Nicholson spoke to WLUK….
“I feel that justice has been served”
The full city council now must vote on whether a censure or a different punishment is appropriate.
Scannell says he’s ready…
“I’m perfectly willing to accept responsibility for what I did. If the council believes I deserve a censure, I will accept their judgement”
A censure is essentially a formal statement of disapproval. It does not mean Scannell would lose his position on the council.
