City ethics committee takes no action on ‘complaint’

The City of Rhinelander ethics committee met in closed session July 8 to consider a complaint.

Following a brief discussion, the panel determined the concerns reported to them did not constitute an ethical violation.

“Related to the discussion in closed session, no formal action will be taken on the complaint,” committee chairman Michael Miller reported.

“Basically, it wasn’t an ethics complaint,” city attorney Steve Sorenson explained.

The discussion did lead the committee to conclude that there is a need for greater clarity and education with respect to the rules and requirements related to the operation of small businesses in the city.

Committee member Nate Sheppard, a small business owner himself, observed that other entrepreneurs/small business owners may not be aware of all of the rules and regulations the city expects them to follow.

Sheppard stated he wanted to try to find a way to “promote clarity, clear information” so those interested in starting a small business will “know what the expectations are with respect to the city.”

Ultimately, the committee asked Sheppard to confer with city administrator Patrick Reagan regarding potential options for addressing the issue.

The ethics committee was formally created in 2020 and the current panel has been meeting regularly since the fall of 2023.

According to Sorenson and Miller, individuals have been bringing concerns to their attention but a number of them have not fit the definition of an ethical violation.

“What’s been happening is we’ve been getting complaints (where people) are saying ‘well, take this to the ethics committee’ but they’re not ethics complaints,” Sorenson said.

To illustrate the point, the attorney offered two made up examples. For instance, he said if the mayor or another city official wore a sweatshirt that said “support Eagle River” that would not be a violation of the city’s ethics code. Similarly, it would not be an “ethical” violation if an alderperson’s’ lawn was in violation of a city ordinance because “that has nothing to do with ethics.”

“Now, if the city crew were out mowing the alderman’s yard, we’d have an ethics issue,” he added.

Sorenson and Miller stressed that they discuss every complaint/concern that crosses the ethics committee’s inbox and “anything that is even remotely on the line” is brought to the attention of the full committee for consideration.

Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected].