VERIFIED OPEN MEETINGS LAW COMPLAINT Now comes the complainant Valley Sentinel pursuant to and as and for a verified complaint Wis. Stat. §§ 19.96 and 19.97, alleges and complains as follows: 1.
That complainant is a corporate person and news media/press organization published in the village of Spring Green, Wisconsin, with a Post Office Address of P.O. Box 144, Spring Green, Wisconsin 53588.
2.
DeNean Naeger whose Post Office Address is 314 Commerce Street, Rewey, WI 53580 was on the 21st day of February, 2022, a member of the governmental body Village of Arena as clerk/treasurer and that such village is a governmental body within the meaning of Wis. Stat. § 19.82(1).
3.
That DeNean Naeger is, upon information and belief, the designee of the Village of Arena Personnel Committee’s chief presiding officer to the public and news media for the purpose of communicating public notice of all meetings of said governmental body, per Wis. Stat. § 19.84(1)(b).
4.
That DeNean Naeger on the 21st day of February, 2022, at Iowa County of Arena, Wisconsin, transmitted insufficient notice to news media of a meeting of said governmental body in violation of Wis. Stat. § 19.96, Wis. Stat. § 19.84(1)(b) and Wis. Stat. § 19.84(3), or otherwise sections in that: a.
Valley Sentinel is a news media organization that has filed a written request under Wis. Stat. § 19.84(1)(b) for public notice of all meetings of the governmental body Village of Arena and subunits. Valley Sentinel received notice by email of the committee meeting in question from DeNean Naeger, to be held at 8:00 a.m. CST on the 22nd day of February, 2022, at 10:09 a.m. CST on the 21st day of February, 2022, with less than 24 hours notice as required by Wis. Stat. § 19.84(3).
5.
That DeNean Naeger is thereby subject to the penalties prescribed in Wis. Stat. § 19.96.
6.
That the following witnesses can testify to said acts or omissions: Nicole Aimone, PO Box 144, Spring Green, Wisconsin 53588, 608-588-6694
7.
That the following documentary evidence of said acts or omissions is available: a.
Email from Village of Arena Clerk DeNean Naeger to news media with subject line “Agenda” that shows the time news media received insufficient notice.
b. Agenda for the meeting in question. 8.
That this complaint is made to the District Attorney for Iowa County under the provisions of Wis. Stat. § 19.97, and that the district attorney may bring an action to recover the forfeiture provided in Wis. Stat § 19.96.
WHEREFORE, complainant prays that the District Attorney for Iowa County, Wisconsin, timely institute an action against DeNean Naeger to recover the forfeiture provided in Wis. Stat. § 19.96, together with reasonable costs and disbursements as provided by law.