District 9:Incumbent David Oberbeck held off Johnny Fortenberrywith 56% of the vote. The results come nearly a week after Election Day, which saw voters turn out at the polls despite fears of the coronavirus. It is, by far, future financial and economic viability and how we incentivize people to move to the city; we have to be very competitive in that regard. That amended motion passed. The vote on. I mean, really? Among those who supported the resolution, Christine Salm said the people who opposed the resolutions were trying to have it both ways. Questions regarding this agenda may be directed to the City Planning Office @ (715) 261-6760. Tracy Rieger, former director of Community Homeless Facilities at Catholic Charities in Wausau, assumed the responsibilities of community outreach specialist on Sept. 1. Thank you Neal for all you said last week, said Lo, who is Hmong American, a minority community in Wausau. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The whole purpose of the program is to leverage city assets for developers to make long term improvements. ?The approved We are Wausau resolution can be viewed here. All rights reserved. District 3:Incumbent Tom Kilian defeated Jo Ann Egelkrout with 65% of the vote. There are few ways to examine social issues without taking data and research into account. Budgets get executed by department heads, they have far more flexibility than the mayor or council in finding savings. Some council members appeared to balk at the idea of forming a new city department, though Wausau did have a city health officer in the past. Linda Lawrence, 71, a former mayor of Wausau and member of City Council. U.N.-branded vehicles were once ubiquitous there, but its staff now appear to be keeping a much lower profile than . Someone died under a Wausau bridge, Gisselman told Wausau Pilot & Review on Monday. District 21:Incumbent Thomas N. Rosenberg defeated challenger Dave Dailey, winning with 52% of the vote. During the Wausau city council meeting, the former manager of. The 11-member Common Council adopted the renamed We Are Wausau resolution by a 9-2 vote. District 16:Tony Sherfinski defeated incumbent Bill Conway with 65% of the vote. This image is present on our property tax forms and is available to us all. Tensions over the citys growing homeless population have risen in recent months and some officials have seen sharp criticism from advocates in the wake of two outdoor deaths. Its important to identify what we mean by affordable housing crisis in Wausau. )-with a vested interest in the success of Wausau for years to come. Thats just cherry-picking to the extreme and does little or nothing to illuminate the discussion.. Mayor Katie Rosenberg was elected Chief Executive Officer for the City of Wausau and is responsible for supervising and directing the day-to-day operations of city government. Gary Gisselman, who represents Wausaus Dist. If the council does not approve Gisselman and Kilians request, a COW meeting can also be called by Mayor Katie Rosenberg or City Council President Becky McElhaney. Between the two organizations, space exists for just 53 residents on any given night during the winter. Neal further said that those who opposed the proposal represent a very small fraction of our population, really. He added that the resolution envisaged equal treatment and opportunity and not equal outcomes. According to reporting done by Brian Kowalski, there are 430 total affordable housing units in the city Removing East High would eliminate 46 of them, according to HUDs data sheet. This should relieve pressure on the library and other structures, and offer an alternative to seeking the bridge area for shelter, given that area should not be considered an appropriate solution for our homeless population in general. Rick Cveykus handily defeated William Harris, with 68% of the vote, to win the seat held by retiring judge Greg Huber. Public Works Director Eric Lindman said the fencing project is a joint venture with WPS and they want to move ahead with their portion of the project.. I dont even know what that will be, but we need to start by listening.. During Tuesdays Council meeting, Wausau Police Chief Ben Bliven gave a presentation on the state of homelessness in the area and shared a Point in Time count that estimated more than 200 people in Marathon County do not have a place to live. While I was not in a position to make decisions or act decisively on the matter, I paid close attention and learned a great deal by listening to all involved parties. 5, and Tom Kilian, representing Dist. If we wish to ensure our city is able to afford the greatest opportunity to its constituents, focusing on reducing our capital and debt services so that we can increase the effectiveness of our local police and firefighters, ensuring public safety is at the forefront of where our budgetary dollars are spent. Additionally, the original developer enjoyed a low interest loan from the city, city property tax relief as well as state tax credits to offset the subsidized rents. WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) This week's winter storm has postponed a much-anticipated discussion by the Wausau City Council. All Rights Reserved. District 2: Ann Lemmer defeated Destiny Goretski with 61% of the vote forthe seat vacated by Jenifer Bizzotto. Strategic, responsible planning for thefuture landscape is the foremost challenge facing Wausau. Gain sharing pools can be shared with departments that create a surplus. While making the community attractive to talented, industrious, and creative individuals, as well as new industries and employers vital to the prosperity of this citys future, we must engage and encourage those members of the community that are already invested and involved residents. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order. District 8:Incumbent Sarah Watson defeated Thomas "Tony" Brown with 65% of the vote. If we were able to allocate more funds to various projects in the area using foresight instead of hindsight, we might be able to get ahead of potential issues before they ever arise. The citys leadership needs to foster citizen engagement if it ever hopes to solve these issues, which means Wausaus leaders need to do the work of outreach to a much greater degree in order to understand the drivers and incentives of the local populations needs. What is the best way for Wausau to tackle its affordable housing crisis? I will say that my offhand comment about some peoples qualifications for parenthood was dumb and unnecessary. It is likely that members of, and a quorum of the Council and/or members of other committees of the Common Council of the City of Wausau will be in attendance at the abovementioned meeting to gather information. Mayor Rosenbergs new housing task force meets this month, Feb 23. And in the next breath (they say) these resolutions are going to destroy the city, that they are going to take away all the economic growthYou cant have it both ways. Two incumbents and a challenger won the three Wausau School Board seats. Bliven also addressed the death of a woman in December who was staying in a tent underneath a Wausau bridge. District 7:Incumbent Becky Buch won against Alex Eichten with 58% of the vote. Candidates vying for the Wausau City Council District 1 seat will face off in a primary race on Feb. 15. That space, she said, provides a barrier from the wind and snow for people with nowhere to go. Rasmussen questioned the need for a Committee of the Whole meeting or a new city department, which she said is likely redundant with the work the county social services already does. She appeared to brush off recent negative publicity about the citys processes, characterizing critics as being woefully misinformed.. I wouldnt. 61-4074 1(part), 1967; prior code 2.03(7)). February ? Among those who played a key role in the adoption of the measure was Mayor Rosenberg. I was also sympathetic toward the concerns of the residents living near the proposed site for the day shelter, as they had legitimate concerns and questions about what services would be offered to the likely increased number of people in their area who faced mental health and addiction issues. Meetings are only held upon issuance of the official agenda notice. Our Customers are organizations such as federal, state, local, tribal, or other municipal government agencies (including administrative agencies, departments, and offices thereof), private businesses, and educational institutions (including without limitation K-12 schools, colleges, universities, and vocational schools), who use our Services to evaluate job . The Salvation Army reported 55 clients in November. Even with that plan, gaps remain and daytime shelter is a significant issue especially in extreme weather. If the council does not approve Gisselman and Kilian's request, a COW meeting can also be called by Mayor Katie Rosenberg or City Council President Becky McElhaney. District 11:Chad Henke defeated incumbent Debra Ryan who received52% of the vote. It simply states that we still see an uneven playing field with barriers that disproportionately affect certain marginalized segments of our community.. Lindman said his department will be working with WPS and going over the bid received in the coming week or so. We like Wausau. On Tuesday, Feb. 14, the Board of Public Works opened bids for the project, which received one response to a request for proposals issued in January. :showVizHome=no, Privacy and Conflict of Interest Policies, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Tactical Emergency Medical Services (TEMS). Being scientifically literate is something that every person should have an opportunity to become. In District 4, incumbent Tom Nealbeat out Judith Miller, with 63% of the vote. District 4:Doug Diny defeated Jesse Kearns by 20 votes. Whether that means being there in person to ask questions or reaching out to organizers to coordinate discourse, it is crucial that our leaders make the effort to listen and be present. . Kilian and Giselman are well aware that an emergency preparedness plan wont address homelessness long-term. Published content is property of Wausau Pilot and Review. Occupation: Inside Sales Representative, Heartland Business Systems (HBS). 4 and chair of the Economic Development Committee which approved the resolution last week by a 4-1 vote. District 12 and 13:Mike Ritter defeated James Juedes with 62% of the vote. First: Istrive for transparency and accessibility in my personal life and would do the same as a city council member, offering the community clear information about what theirlocal government is doing, as well as relaying their concerns and advocating for their needs to city leadership. In this area, state subsidies and GRANTS should be aggressively sought and welcomed to ease the growing demand and recent losses in Section 42.Critical position city workers who need special skills, qualifications and certifications are being poached by our neighbors. I dont mind COW, but I dont like the way this Council speaks to each other, she said, pointing to social media posts she said were written by council members. Ive agreed to hold quarterly citizen feedback and exchange sessions with county supervisor John Robinson should I be elected. To that effort, I would seek to optimize available state and federal financing so that progress can be realized without overburdening taxpayers or cash-strapping essential departments. WAUSAU - The Wausau City Council hasfivenew members after the vote totals from the spring election were released. City of Wausau Economic Development Committee Meeting 12/07/2021: https://www.ci.wausau.wi.us/Portals/0/Departments/Council/Archives/Standing%20Com mittees/Economic%20Development%20Committee/2021/ECON_20211207_Packet.pdf? After a contentious discussion on Tuesday, the Wausau City Council approved a request by two alders to hold a meeting on the way the city responds to homelessness. 4 is on the east side of the city just north of the downtown area, as shown on the map below. As for next steps, the Mayor said we have a lot of really important planning and it will be important that we infuse those plans with a multi-cultural, multi-ability, multi-experiential mindset so they address the needs of Wausau residents., She added that she was referring to the Citys strategic planning that well be kicking off shortly and the transit development plan were working on in conjunction with the Marathon County Metropolitan Planning Organization. Rosenberg said she expects heavy public engagement for both of those processes and we want to make it as easy as we can to include as many voices as possible., At the beginning of the Common Council meeting, Neal was criticized by name by Orlando Alfonso, a Wausau resident and husband of the assistant city attorney. Wausau continually faces a paradox when it comes to retention and growth where its population is concerned. Damakant Jayshi is a reporter for Wausau Pilot & Review. 2023 www.wausaudailyherald.com. The numbers given by Tracy Reiger at the public Health and Safety committee show a shortage of at least 140 beds. My current customer base includes over 120 Central Wisconsin companies, I talk to business owners and operators every day, I can help bring a jobs approach to our council team. That alone would be enough of a problem, but to compound the issue some in the city feel the answer is to build newer, higher end housing, meant to draw young professionals and empty nesters alike from other communities to Wausaus downtown, according to Nick Patterson of T. Wall Enterprises. Wausau City Council meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers of Wausau City Hall, 407 Grant Street. During last months ferocious snowstorm and bitter cold, Marathon County health officials were forced to scramble to coordinate shelter, working with area nonprofit agencies and advocates to ensure safety. The meeting had been called at the request of two Alders. Ill be there, as 46 apartments in my East High Apartment building have been given notice that the Citys agreement for WEDA Section 42 has ended. Two City Council members are asking for a special meeting to discuss the way Wausau is responding to homelessness, as public attention and anger continues to bubble in the community. The results come nearly a week after Election Day, which saw voters. The Council Holds the Purse Strings! All rights reserved. The sole bid, from Fortress Fence, is roughly $87,000, which is more than twice the amount initially budgeted as a capital improvement measure. But while a plan for high-end housing in downtown Wausau that relies on millions in taxpayer funding drew dozens of supporters from area hospitals, clinics, nonprofits, businesses, Wausau School District administrators and the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce, discussions on housing proposals for lower-income residents have seen little, if any, public advocacy from those same entities. District 25:Timothy M. Sondelski beat incumbent Sandy Cihlar with 59% of the vote. To achieve this, Wausau must be both economically and financially viable which is why my top priorities are (1)fiscal accountability;(2) business and economic opportunities to attract and retain local talent and promote entrepreneurship; and (3) family focus. Gisselman and Kilian say there must be a better way, moving forward. Advocates are asking Wausau to create a new department of social development and action to ensure the needs posed by the unhoused members of the community are addressed at both the city and county level. Aldi to open new grocery store in village of Weston, Nearly 3 years after Shopko closed, the Wausau VA Clinic is breathing new life into the vacant building in Rothschild, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Wausau Police this week officially released incident reports related to the December death of a woman who was living under a city bridge. In District 5, James Wadinski received 52% of the vote, with Joel Lewis getting 46%. That would leave 384 total units. Mayor Katie Rosenberg was elected Chief Executive Officer for the City of Wausau and is responsible for supervising and directing the day-to-day operations of city government. As such, the phrasing attracted a great deal of debate not only in City Council committees but also with various bodies of the Marathon County Board of Supervisors, which is considering its own version of the community for all resolution on Thursday. It is unsafe and does nothing for the dignity of those in need or to mitigate prolonged suffering.. Even with these efforts, Wausaus warming center reported 72 unique clients who sought shelter there in November alone, according to city documents. Still, they seek to ensure that the citys most vulnerable residents are protected, starting with extreme weather incidents. 3 Alder Tom Kilian, who voted against the measure, openly asked in September just how much of Wausaus sprawling riverfront the city plans to fence off if the project is truly about public safety. The number of unhoused, he said, is likely in the realm of 300 people including people living in parking ramps, parks, cars, shelters and other non-permanent homes. Contact at rhickman@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter at @ReneeNHickman. No action will be taken by any such groups. District 38:Bobby Niemeyertopped incumbent Jonathan Fisherwith63% of the vote. Published content is property of Wausau Pilot and Review. In May, Kilian applauded the work of the Wausau Police Department and private organizations that are stepping up to address these needs, but simultaneously pointed out the structural and departmental void Wausau faces when it comes to such issues given the absence of any Health and Human Services Department. The direct admission by the developer that opening two new, high end housing developments simultaneously would more than fulfill the needs of those able and willing to afford them means that the citys focus from a governance standpoint should be on affordable housing, such as the project by Gorman & Co. A project that is using federal and state funding, rather than municipal tax dollars, and would provide fifty affordable units for local renters of various income levels. A schedule for regular monthly meetings of boards, committees and commissions is available, however the best place to check for a meeting is the online calendar. I believe this is the most essential, grassroots engine to building a great place to live and work. We all want to live in beautiful houses and apartments, but until there are high end jobs in the area, most of us cannot afford to live in high end living situations. If you feel you have been discriminated against, you may file a housing discrimination complaint at:1-800-669-9777 (Toll Free) or 1-800-927-9275 (TTY) or locally, Margaret Riley, Town Clerk, at (850) 638-1781 or by email at townofwausau@bellsouth.net ". Im not sure if the council will agree to it, but I think we need to have an opportunity to engage in the conversation. In District 3, Tom Kilianreceived 71% of the vote, while incumbentDavid Nuttingreceived 28%. Start by recognizing that affordable housing is not just a city but a regional and state issue, seek to collaborate with surrounding communities and explore innovative strategies employed across the nation to address housing shortage (such as tax incentives, flexing zoning, municipal bond elections, etc). District 30:Andrew Venzkedefeatedincumbent Richard Gumz with 57% of the vote. Though the election results will be posted Tuesday night, they won't be official until the local board of canvassers verify them at meetings later in the week. To send an email to a Member, please click here. The City Council is the elected governing body of the City of Wausau. Wausau City Council election results Six contested races were before voters in the Wausau City Council election this year after two primary races on Feb.. Privacy and Conflict of Interest Policies, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. that this community needs. Interest payments on rising debt is costing us opportunity. 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