PEWAUKEE, Wis (WSAU) The City Council in Pewaukee took another step last night toward eliminating its 26 police officers to save money. The aldermen voted 4-to-2 to have the Waukesha County sheriff’s department patrol the city of 11-thousand for at least the next five years.
Mayor Scott Klein says it would save 800-thousand dollars next year, while the city pays the sheriff’s department two-million-dollars. The police union went to court last week to try and stop the move. Circuit Judge Ralph Ramirez refused to approve a temporary injunction that would have stopped last night’s vote – but a final ruling on the union’s lawsuit is still pending. The union says the city is ignoring the will of the people.
Two petitions were filed last month under the state’s direct legislation law. One demands a referendum on dumping Pewaukee’s police force – and the other would require five-of-the-six aldermen to make the change. The city clerk’s office was expected to announce today if there are enough signatures to require the city to respond.
City Attorney Stan Riffle says police contracts are exempt from the direct legislation law. But union lawyer Jim Palmer says that’s not true. Judge Ramirez will hold a conference November 20th to decide how the union’s lawsuit will proceed. Mayor Klein says it’s been a difficult issue for Pewaukee – and the city will need to look for other ways to save money in the future.
