Staff report: referendum outreach, training‑center RFP sent and health funding jumped for department

City staff provided several administrative updates at the March 13 meeting, including outreach for a city referendum, issuance of a training‑center master‑plan request for proposals (RFP) and a large increase this year in a Department of Health funding line that supports department equipment.

Staff said flyers for the referendum were sent and that listening sessions were scheduled: a session at the Hotel Marshfield Center Ballroom on March 13 and another at the community center on March 27; an earlier session took place at UW–Stevens Point. Staff also listed planned site visits to local care facilities over the next one to two weeks.

On infrastructure planning, staff reported the training‑center master‑plan RFP was approved by the Veterans, Parks and Works (VPW) committee on March 3, forwarded to the common council consent agenda and issued on March 12. Separately, building RFPs for a city building are due March 24; staff reported that as of March 12 no proposals had been received but said there is more time before the deadline and an update will be provided by the next meeting.

Staff also reported a significant increase in an assistance award from the Department of Health for the department that flows into the enterprise account. The speaker said last year the award was $8,000; for the 2025 disbursement the amount is $104,711.92. Staff described the increase as primarily for equipment and said training dollars changed modestly; department staff characterized the change as a substantial budget improvement for equipment needs.

Staff said they will continue outreach through local media, the city newsletter and targeted visits to community groups and care facilities, and will provide updates about RFP submissions at the next commission meeting.