{"id":2508834,"date":"2025-11-10T14:46:02","date_gmt":"2025-11-10T19:46:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/town-of-palmyra-violated-wisconsin-open-meetings-law\/"},"modified":"2025-11-10T14:47:49","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T19:47:49","slug":"town-of-palmyra-violated-wisconsin-open-meetings-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/town-of-palmyra-violated-wisconsin-open-meetings-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Town of Palmyra violated Wisconsin Open Meetings law"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftown-of-palmyra-violated-wisconsin-open-meetings-law%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2508834&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A Jefferson County judge ruled that the town of Palmyra in Wisconsin violated the state&#8217;s Open meetings Act on five occasions.The <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >violations included town <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/president-trump-please-pardon-jon-woods-a-victim-of-process-crimes-like-michael-flynn\/\" title=\"... Trump, Please Pardon Jon Woods, a Victim of Process Crimes Like Michael Flynn\">board members<\/a> discussing official business<\/a> via email instead of during public meetings, addressing an agenda item not properly posted, and holding closed sessions without adequate notice or justification-particularly regarding interviews for town attorney candidates, which should not have been conducted in secret. The case was brought by the Wisconsin Clarity Fund on behalf of a former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-video-links-biden-to-ukrainian-corruption-burisma-indictment-reveals-ex-president-yanukovich-illegally-obtained-7-4-billion-laundered-thru-fund-close-to-us-democratic-party\/\" title=\"New Video Links Biden to Ukrainian Corruption \u2013 Burisma Indictment Reveals Ex-... Yanukovich Illegally Obtained .4 Billion Laundered Thru Fund \u201cClose to US Democratic Party\u201d\">board member<\/a>,Weenonah Brattset. The court found the Town &#8220;categorically noncompliant&#8221; and ordered fines for board members along with an award of $35,000 in attorney fees and court costs to Brattset. A sixth complaint alleging an undisclosed meeting about equipment leasing is pending trial. Brattset emphasized that Open Meetings laws are straightforward and should be followed to ensure transparency.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Town of Palmyra violated Wisconsin Open Meetings law<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2397823\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square) &ndash; The Town of Palmyra board violated <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/wisconsin\/\">Wisconsin&rsquo;s<\/a> Open Meetings Act on five occasions, a Jefferson County <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/judges\/\">judge<\/a> recently ruled.<\/p>\n<p>The claims ranged from Town Board supervisors Rob Martens and Josh Gajewski discussing town business over email instead of at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-president-trumps-executive-order-from-yesterday-directly-impacts-the-bidens-investments-in-china\/\" title=\"EXCLUSIVE: ... Trump\u2019s Executive Order from Yesterday Directly Impacts the Bidens\u2019 Investments in China\">board meeting<\/a>, discussing the lease of a Bobcat to the Town Airport at a meeting without that item appearing on the agenda and going into closed session three times without sufficient notice of the reason, including twice to interview town attorney candidates when those interviews should not have been done in closed session.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3881291\/trump-quietly-meets-syria-former-jihadist-president-white-house\/\">Trump quietly meets with Syria&#8217;s former jihadist president at White House<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3881325\/democrat-senators-stand-by-vote-to-end-shutdown\/\">Democrat Senators stand by vote to end the shutdown<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3881278\/christine-pelosi-running-san-francisco-california-state-senate-seat\/\">Christine Pelosi running for California state Senate, nixing opportunity for mother&#8217;s House seat<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The case was brought by the Wisconsin Transparency Fund on behalf of former board member Weenonah Brattset.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The judge said the Town was &lsquo;categorically noncompliant&rsquo; with the Meetings Law,&rdquo; explained Tom Kamenick, President and Founder of the Wisconsin Transparency Projec. &ldquo;He said he had &lsquo;no difficulty&rsquo; concluding that they broke the law.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Brattset was awarded $35,000 in attorney fees and court costs while forfeitures were issued against Town Board chair Frank Sauter ($300) and both Martens ($350) and Gajewski ($250).<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;As a new Palmyra Town Board member 10 years ago, I too failed to follow Wisconsin&rsquo;s Open Meetings Law when I requested that an item be placed on the agenda that did not fully apprise the public of the subject of the discussion,&rdquo; Brattset said in a statement. &ldquo;I pleaded &lsquo;no contest,&rsquo; paid my fine, and paid the court costs at no cost to town taxpayers.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3880712\/democrats-voting-against-ending-government-shutdown\/\">WHAT DEMOCRATS HAVE SAID ABOUT VOTING TO END THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Through that experience, I learned that meeting laws are clear and not difficult to follow.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>A sixth complaint is set to go to trial where Sauter and Martens allegedly met with the chair of the Airport Commission to discuss the Bobcat in what would be considered an unnoticed meeting of the Town Board.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Palmyra Town Board broke Wisconsin Open Meetings law five times<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2869,"featured_media":2508835,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP16286583755232.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[32690,66813,66812,66811,4124],"class_list":["post-2508834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-government-transparency","tag-legal-violation","tag-open-meetings-law","tag-palmyra","tag-wisconsin"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP16286583755232.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2508834","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2869"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2508834"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2508834\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2508838,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2508834\/revisions\/2508838"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2508835"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2508834"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2508834"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2508834"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}