Damakant Jayshi
The Wausau Finance Committee on Tuesday will consider approving contracts tied to environmental investigation work along Thomas Street and engineering services for a proposed city solar project.
The city’s engineering division seeks approval of a sole-source purchase request for environmental services from REI Engineering to complete a site investigation for a roughly one-block area on the north side of Thomas Street, referred to as Area A.
The proposed contract totals $31,250.
The latest round of testing in Area A found dioxin contamination in deeper soil samples at some of the highest levels ever documented on non-industrial property in the city, state records show. Officials are working to determine next steps.
The DNR said no further action was required for other nearby areas, but Area A will require more work to determine the extent of contamination and potential remediation steps.
City officials are asking the committee to approve the sole-source contract so REI Engineering can perform additional investigation work needed to comply with state environmental requirements and move the project toward cleanup planning and potential redevelopment of the corridor.
The Thomas Street corridor lies near the former Wauleco facility and other industrial properties historically linked to contaminants including dioxins, pentachlorophenol and related compounds.
Solar array proposal returns to Finance Committee
The committee will also consider approving a proposal from Clark Dietz, Inc. to provide engineering professional services for the city’s planned solar array project.
The engineering work would support planning and design of the solar installation, which the city is exploring as part of broader efforts to expand renewable energy use and potentially reduce long-term energy costs for municipal operations.
A key step in the city’s solar array project stalled in December when the Finance Committee split 2-2 on a request to approve a sole-source engineering contract for the project, leaving its timeline uncertain. The tie vote meant the request failed under city purchasing rules, which require committee approval for sole-source contracts exceeding $25,000.
If approved, the contract would allow Clark Dietz to begin engineering work needed to advance the project toward final design, permitting and eventual construction.
City officials have been pursuing the solar array for several years as a way to stabilize long-term water utility costs. In October, the Finance Committee unanimously approved borrowing $2.5 million for the project, with annual debt payments estimated at about $300,000 beginning in 2027, though grants and tax credits could reduce the amount the city ultimately needs to borrow
The proposal will go to the Wausau City Council for final approval.
The Finance Committee meets at 5.15 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 407 Grant St. Residents can attend in person, watch on Wausau’s government access Channel 981, or livestream the meeting at tinyurl.com/WausauCityCouncil.