Wausau committees advance five‑year contract with Bridge Street Mission for year‑round emergency shelter amid funding and faith‑based concerns

Two Wausau City Council committees voted to advance a contract with Bridge Street Mission to operate a year‑round emergency shelter, despite objections from some alderpersons about the mission’s faith‑based affiliation and the proposal’s five‑year term.

The committees’ action moves the proposed contract to the full council for final consideration. The agreement would fund the mission’s planned emergency shelter buildout — an 8,200‑square‑foot space the mission says will be designed to serve as a shelter — and contemplates a city contribution of roughly $350,000 in the first year.

The chief of police, speaking to members of the finance and public health committees, said the city has limited alternatives and emphasized immediate safety concerns. “What I need to see is how do we keep them safe. And we only have 1 option,” the chief said, arguing that without a contract the city could lose year‑round shelter capacity and see more people sleeping outdoors this winter.

Committee members and staff described how the mission’s plan differs from other local services. The chief and other speakers noted that Catholic Charities’ previous emergency shelter operation used about 3,000 square feet and served roughly 30 people; Bridge Street Mission’s day‑shelter plans could serve up to 120…