Council President Becky McElhaney, who voted to hold the COW meeting, cautioned her colleagues not to promise too much as the way the city addresses the homeless issue also depends on Marathon Countys response. In August, the body of a 74-year-old war veteran was discovered in a Rib Mountain field and in December, a woman who had an encampment beneath a downtown Wausau bridge also died. 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. Contact at rhickman@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter at @ReneeNHickman. Ka Lo, who is a Marathon County Supervisor and Wausau School District Board member thanked Neal for his support of the resolution. This process should not pit competing groups against each other; rather, ARPA is a straightforward budget priority process. Im not sure if the council will agree to it, but I think we need to have an opportunity to engage in the conversation. Photo; FIRST: PDF: Carol Lukens. The city has a severe affordable housing shortage and advocates have called for building more units for low income people. All rights reserved. Thursday's Committee of the Whole meeting on the issue of homelessness. As affordable housing opportunities continue to shrink in Wausau and rents skyrocket, more people are unable to secure a safe place to live. All rights reserved. Few TIF districts meet or beat what we were originally told they would, and those that do, we have fallen on a bad habit of using them as TID DONORS, meaning the city siphons off tax increment from successful projects and donates it to failing project areas. Consistent with my message on the economic and financial long-term viability challenges we face, I believe we must revisit budgetary commitments that are unsustainable, be honest with ourselves on the direction of property assessments, and reassesscurrent tax practices that prioritize spend over long-termeconomic viability. Experts say that eradicating homelessness altogether relies largely on a housing first philosophy, which prevents at-risk people from falling into such situations at high rates. The best way to prioritize our budget is to encourage civic engagement so that as the funds collected from local residents is spent, the residents themselves are able to guide the hand of their local leadership. Laura Schulte can be reached atleschulte@gannett.com and twitter.com/SchulteLaura. Someone died under a Wausau bridge, Gisselman told Wausau Pilot & Review. District 34:Jason Wilhelmdefeatedincumbent Gary Beastrom with 54% of the vote. Of note, the diversity resolution retains the word equity and the phrase help us all gain entry to the American dream but we realize that we dont all start in the same place, both of which were subject to significant past debate. James Bouche and Jon Creisher were reelected, while challenger Joanna Reyes beat out incumbent Jane Rusch and challenger Kayley McColley for the third spot. We have to start somewhere.. Six contested races were before voters in the Wausau City Council election this year after two primary races on Feb. 15in districts 1 and 4. There, I learned the value of celebrating the culture of Indigeous People and the dignity it can bring to acknowledge every culture in a community. 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. District 3:Incumbent Tom Kilian defeated Jo Ann Egelkrout with 65% of the vote. But before that vote they spent more than an hour hearing a presentation on the issue from Wausau Police Chief Ben Bliven, hearing input from a handful of residents on the issue, and finally discussing the idea among themselves. At the same time, thecity is responsible for maintaining cost of living (both property tax and rents) at a reasonable level that will not only retain but attract new and talented residents,further adding to our citys vibrancy. Even with that plan, gaps remain and daytime shelter is a significant issue especially in extreme weather. 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. Meetings may change due to any situation covered in the standing rules of the Common Council. 407 Grant St Wausau, WI 54403 . 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. Occupation: Fitness instructor at Woodson YMCA, Other public service, if any: Pro bono legal services while at Marquette Law School, Education: B.A. 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. Wausau continually faces a paradox when it comes to retention and growth where its population is concerned. The 32-bed prison's price tag is now $78.4 million . All rights reserved. Current Minutes & Agendas can be found on the Recent listing. And the topic of how the County and City can work together jointly and more effectively on this important issue rarely, if ever, comes up in city council meetings to date, Kilian said. WAUSAU - The Wausau City Council hasfivenew members after the vote totals from the spring election were released. The womans death wasnt directly attributed to the cold, meaning she did not freeze to death or die of exposure. fbclid=IwAR3jJboS7d6LgHsDdP7MT5eDAo7gyYYsK1aHp_hDMR20n2aS9ySHplzbvjA, Wisconsin Policy Forum, public.tableau.com, Municipal DataTool:https://public.tableau.com/shared/7MD9M9RCH?:showVizHome=no. Council President Becky McElhaney, who voted to hold the COW meeting, cautioned her colleagues not to promise too much - as the way the city addresses the homeless issue also depends on Marathon County's response. UW-Madison, J.D. Hours later, the conservative majority of the state Supreme Court put the election back on track. Thats just cherry-picking to the extreme and does little or nothing to illuminate the discussion.. Not returning to the council for the new term, which starts on April 21, are Linda Lawrence and David Nutting, who were defeated by their opponents. Here is what the Dist. In District 4, incumbent Tom Nealbeat out Judith Miller, with 63% of the vote. City leaders in Wausau are renewing efforts to erect a fence beneath the Scott Street Bridge, despite the councils rejection of a prior budget amendment to fund the project. 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. For republication information email editor@wausaupilotandreview.com.. 2 Wausau alders issue call for action on homelessness as anger rises, challenges continue, Privacy and Conflict of Interest Policies, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. I like Candor: When asked, I will tell you what I think. "The Town of Wausau is a Fair Housing Advocate. We are very concerned for the safety and and well being of the unhoused who depend on the shelter these bridges provide from dangerous elements our harsh winter brings, Kelch said. 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. The city is one of the main bases for the some 18,270 MONUSCO personnel in Congo. The top two vote-getters will move on to the spring election on April 5. Also in September, Wausau Police Chief Ben Bliven said the bridge effort was never conceived to solve the homeless issue but a safety measure to keep residents from falling into the river. There are few ways to examine social issues without taking data and research into account. Thursday's Committee of the Whole meeting on the issue of homelessness has been wiped off the calendar for Thursday, with no make-up date announced. 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. Alder Tom Kilian took issue with the idea that declaring Wausau an inclusive community is not an essential use of the councils time. Editor's note: This weekly feature of Wausau Pilot & Review is being published in response to reader concerns about crime and safety in the Wausau area and to keep readers informed about their. We currently defer and borrow money for street maintenance. Qualifications and responsibilities of the members of the plan commission shall be as established by Section 62.23 of the Wisconsin Statutes. 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. Infrastructure investment is often in response to need rather than expansion or innovation. Camelot Care Centers, part of Pathways - one of the largest national providers of accessible, outcome-based behavioral and mental health services, is in search of a compassionate, caring, growth . Going forward, we need to ensure qualified people serve on the task force and communicate with private enterprises that could lend assistance. Members Lisa Rasmussen and Dawn Herbst voted against the measure. 6. I also once referred to an imaginary jasper who might confront me regarding my stance on the CFA issue and how Id respond. That would leave 384 total units. District 12 and 13:Mike Ritter defeated James Juedes with 62% of the vote. What are three things you want people to know about you before heading to the polls? I trust citizens judgement: I support letting people choose. The top candidates will move on to face off in the spring election this April. Among those who played a key role in the adoption of the measure was Mayor Rosenberg. Section 42 is a viable long-term solution; I wont squander those opportunities in the future with short-term solutions that enrich developers and short sheet residents. ?The approved We are Wausau resolution can be viewed here. Wausau cannot guarantee that the county will attend that meeting, she said. 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. Search CareerBuilder for Council Member Jobs in Wausau, WI and browse our platform. Email, Home | Search | Page List | Announcements | Calendar | Departments | Services | Contact | Customer Feedback | Privacy Statement. The challenge will be balancing these considerations, which are often practically at odds despite being aligned in ideals as quality of life markers. Its not just money falling from the sky; its a short-term boost to our revenue stream, so we must spend it within the law and not leverage against our future ability to maintain spending. District 4:Doug Diny defeated Jesse Kearns by 20 votes. No person may be appointed to more than two consecutive regular terms as a member of any city board, committee or commission, unless the reappointment is specifically approved by the common council. District 21:Incumbent Thomas N. Rosenberg defeated challenger Dave Dailey, winning with 52% of the vote. Kelch, in a prepared statement to Wausau Pilot & Review on Thursday, said her organization understands the purpose of the fence but fears the consequences could be grave if built before permanent, compassionate alternatives are in place. 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