By Shereen Siewert | Wausau Pilot & Review
Wausau’s Finance Committee this week will take up a wide-ranging agenda that includes a borrowing plan, lead service line funding, opioid settlement participation and a possible land purchase for the city’s streets division.
The biggest item is a resolution authorizing up to $10.56 million in general obligation promissory notes for capital projects and work tied to tax increment districts. The borrowing package would support street, sidewalk and parking projects, utility relocations, motor pool replacements and work in TIDs 3, 8, 11 and 12.
Among the listed projects are reconstruction on East and West Wausau Avenue, Stark Street work, asphalt overlay, sidewalk projects, a riverfront parking lot and improvements to Ramp 3. City documents say the notes would leave Wausau with about $74.9 million in outstanding general obligation debt, or about 33% of its legal debt limit.
Finance Committee members last month sent the borrowing package forward but noted that the amount could change if lead service line replacement costs were folded into the borrowing. The committee also postponed action on the lead service line item itself after members raised questions about whether the costs should be covered through more borrowing, reserves or future PFAS settlement dollars.
City materials now show that proposal returning to the agenda, along with a separate discussion update on the lead service line replacement project and funding allocations.
Also back before the committee is the city’s possible participation in the Six Remnant Defendants National Opioid Settlement Agreement. That item was postponed at the committee’s last meeting after members questioned attorney fees, the number of parties involved and how much compensation the city might ultimately receive.
Another agenda item would amend the budget for revised carryover of project funds. According to city staff, the change is needed because the carryover amount for the water plant demolition was understated after the first pay request paid this year and did not include testing costs. The revised amount for that project is listed at $957,000.
The committee is also scheduled to consider the annual Community Development Block Grant allocation. A memo from Community Development Manager Tammy Stratz says staff initially estimated a $549,000 allocation but learned this month that the actual amount is $582,106. The added money would fully fund homeowner rehabilitation at $50,000 and raise acquisition funding to $221,106, according to the memo.
Other items include a budget amendment for a Metro Ride feasibility study, a maintenance support agreement for Metro Ride’s CAD/AVL system, a procurement policy amendment, the annual work and budget from GHD Services for the Wausau Water Supply Superfund Site, and a sole-source request for continued investigation work at the former MBX property on North First Avenue.
The committee also will consider purchasing properties on Adolph Street and Myron Street to add land for the Department of Public Works streets division. That matter is also listed for closed session, with possible action afterward in open session. The same property purchase was postponed at the committee’s previous meeting.
The Finance Committee meets at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, in council chambers at Wausau City Hall, 407 Grant St. The meeting can be viewed on the city’s YouTube channel and on Channel 981. Residents who need accommodations under the ADA are asked to contact the city in advance.