Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
Just as day two of a jury trial in a former deputy’s civil suit against Shawano County Sheriff Adam Bieber was set to begin, both sides reached an agreement Tuesday simply calling the whole thing off, according to court records.
Attorneys for both parties informed the court of the agreement and stated a written document would be prepared that would be shared only between the two parties.
The agreement states there will be no future claims brought by either side against the other, that each party will be responsible for its own legal costs and neither side admits any wrongdoing or liability.
Wade Wudtke had maintained in the civil suit that he was targeted by Bieber and several members of the Shawano County Board over his support for then-incumbent Sheriff Randy Wright in the 2014 election.
The agreement to dismiss came after a full day of testimony Monday, during which jurors heard from Bieber, three sheriff’s detectives, former chief deputy John Gutho and a representative from the Wisconsin Professional Police Association.
Wudtke’s attorney had previously approached the county with an offer to settle the lawsuit for $250,000, according to county Corporation Counsel Tony Kordus.
“We ignored it,” Kordus said.
He said the other side made another try at settling the suit, asking what the county would be willing to pay.
Kordus said the answer was “nothing.”
Bieber recounted some of the details in a Facebook post, writing that the first day of the trial had gone well for him and that Wudtke’s attorney was still seeking a settlement Tuesday morning.
“We refused knowing the facts of the case. … About an hour later they dropped their case completely,” Bieber wrote.
Bieber also wrote that “a huge weight has been lifted” as a result of the case being dismissed.
“It has been difficult for Amy and I, but we appreciate your support and prayers through this storm,” Bieber wrote. “As before I wish nothing but success and God’s blessing for the former detective and his family. I appreciate the support of our County Board, friends and family. I will continue to learn and do the best I can for the citizens of Shawano County while leading the good men/women of the Shawano Sheriff’s Office.”
Kordus said the county was always confident the case would be dismissed.
“We thought it never should have been filed, and now it appears Mr. Wudtke agrees,” he said. “We’re pleased with the complete exoneration this dismissal brings.”
The suit initially named Bieber and five county supervisors who were serving at the time on the county’s administrative and insurance committee: Jerry Erdmann, Deb Noffke, Bonnie Olson, Gene Hoppe and William Switalla.
The suit maintained the committee conducted an investigation targeting Wudtke for political retaliation as a result of a confrontation between Wudtke and Bieber at a Republican Party picnic.
The committee determined there were no disciplinary actions necessary and closed the matter.
Last month, U.S. District Court Judge William Griesbach dismissed all but one of the claims filed by Wudtke and ruled the five county supervisors named in the suit were no longer defendants.
The court ruled that the committee was within its rights to investigate the matter.
The one count against Bieber that remained in the jury trial alleged petty harassment.
Wudtke had been a deputy sheriff for Shawano County since 1999. He was hired as a patrol officer and became school resource officer in July 2006. He became a detective in December 2007.
Wudtke resigned in March 2015, about two months after Bieber took office.
Neither Wudtke nor his attorney could be reached for comment.