Common Council Votes Unanimously to Proceed with Public Hearing to Remove Mayor

Complaint Filed Seeking Removal of the Mayor Bob McManus

OnFocus – The City of Marshfield Common Council met in a special meeting Tuesday to conduct a closed session “review of Fire and Police Commission members activities and procedures” and “review of complaint filed related to Mayor Bob McManus.”

The following motions were made when Council resumed in Open Session:

1. Motion to require Andy Keogh to deliver a bond in the amount of $1,000 pursuant to Wis. Stats. § 17 .16(4) in a form acceptable by the City Attorney conditioned for payment of actual costs incurred by the City arising out of the hearing or investigation of the
charges he has preferred to be heard by the Council. This motion was approved 7-3.

2. Motion to Authorize the President of-the Council to work with the City Administrator to secure special legal counsel for the purpose of providing legal services to the Common Council in the investigation and hearing of the Complaint filed seeking removal of the Mayor and authorize the execution of agreement related to such services. This motion was approved 9-0.

3. Motion to Authorize the President of the Council to coordinate the scheduling of a
hearing on the Complaint filed seeking removal of the Mayor. This motion was approved 9-0.

4. Motion to Authorize the President of the Council to coordinate the service of the
Complaint and notice of hearing on the Mayor. This motion was approved 9-0.

5. Motion to authorize issuance of subpoenas. This motion was approved 9-0.

The next steps will be to serve Mayor Bob McManus with an official notice of the hearing. The hearing will be open to the public. It is unclear at this time if the hearing will be broadcasted live. The City must provide Bob McManus, the elected official with a 10 day notice prior to holding the hearing.

In April of 2020 an open records request was filed seeking communication that Mayor McManus had with members in the community that may have influenced the outcome of decisions made by the Fire and Police Commission. McManus has not provided the records at this time and has previously accused city staff of deleting the records.

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