Wausau–Marathon County task force urges quick RFP and shared funding to keep '365 Shelter' open ahead of May 1 deadline

Members of the Joint City of Wausau–Marathon County Homelessness Task Force said Tuesday they need a prompt, joint city-and-county approach to fund and issue a request for proposals to replace operations now run by Catholic Charities, which the task force heard will stop providing shelter services on May 1.

The issue is urgent because, Chief Barnes said, "we have an exigent issue of shelter ends on May 1," and the task force must draft measurable performance standards and an RFP immediately so the community can solicit proposals, evaluate responses and negotiate a contract before that date.

Task force members said the county board has asked for clearer performance standards, capacity targets and billing safeguards before committing public dollars. Chair Robinson said committee members wanted to know "what sort of performance standards, expectations, service delivery, outcomes would there be? Is it serving 30 people a night? Is it 45 people a night?" Robinson described the current situation as a "chicken and egg conundrum" between seeing a concrete RFP and securing a county funding commitment.

Why it matters: Task force members and city staff told the committee they believe an ongoing shelter is needed to maintain recent improvements in public safety and service outcomes. Without an interim shelter after May 1, officials said encampments under bridges and in parks are likely to increase and police will lack alternatives when enforcing ordinances.

What the task force recommended and discussed

- Short-term funding ask and timeline: The City of Wausau has budgeted up to $400,000 for fiscal years 2025–26 for shelter-related services; members reported that city leaders are seeking a county match in the order of $200,000 for the same period. County staff noted that a county budget amendment would require a two-thirds vote of the county board.

- Capacity and operational goals: Participants expressed a consensus target shelter capacity of roughly 50–60 beds with the ability to expand 10–15 additional beds under peak/activation conditions. Chief Barnes and other members said nightly activation counts typically range 45–50 during cold-weather activations.

- RFP content and contractor protections: The committee recommended that the RFP include clear, measurable performance indicators, a price-per-month or price-per-day structure to allow budget planning, monthly invoicing tied to actual costs, an "amount not to exceed" cap, and periodic audit/reconciliation requirements so vendors cannot bill a maximum if their actual costs are significantly lower. As one staff member put it, contracts should avoid incentives to inflate expenses.

- Service expectations and time-limited stays: Several members urged that the RFP require term limits or maximum days of stay tied to participation in case management, treatment and housing search activities. Chief Barnes and other speakers described a model such as a 60-day engagement with benchmarks; vendors should propose specific protocols and accountability mechanisms rather than the task force prescribing a fixed number.

- Safety, population groups and site design: Task force participants asked that proposals address gender-separated sleeping areas and accommodations for people who are intoxicated or experiencing acute behavioral-health episodes, and that proposals explain how youth and families would be handled given existing county systems for those populations.

- Private fundraising and community contributions: The faith-based representative (Craig) reported that two private-sector contributors and one nonprofit together commit more than $1 million annually and that fundraising for a new campus has reached $3.6 million to date; he estimated, projecting incomplete responses from other organizations, that private-sector contributions across providers could total about $2.5 million annually. Task force members said this information should be shared with the county board to show broader community investment.

County-board concerns and next steps

County board members and HR Finance asked for more detail on outcomes, capacity, service handoffs, and assurances that an ongoing shelter would not unintentionally grow the unhoused population. Chair Robinson asked the task force to identify a clear set of RFP parameters and performance expectations the HR Finance committee could review the following day.

Several task force members urged that staff—if funding were committed—begin drafting the RFP immediately and consult provider organizations and people with lived experience before finalizing requirements. Administrator Leonard and county staff said HR Finance would consider the information if provided in time for their meeting (the task force noted a HR Finance meeting scheduled the next day at 5:50 p.m., followed by a full county board meeting at 6:00 p.m.).

Actions recorded in the meeting and timeline

- Extension: Task force members said the Marathon County Board passed an extension of the task force to April 1 to allow more time to develop action items and a plan.

- Funding item: Task force members reported the county temporarily pulled or tabled the funding item from its agenda to obtain additional answers requested by board members.

What remains unresolved

Members agreed on a set of RFP priorities but did not record a county funding commitment at the meeting. County staff warned a budget amendment to add county dollars would require a two-thirds vote of the county board; members emphasized the need to provide HR Finance precise answers about capacity, outcomes, and cost accounting to give the board the information it requested.

Next meeting and deliverables

Task force members set short timelines for draft RFP parameters and asked HR Finance Chair Robinson to take the committee's guidance and data to the HR Finance committee. The task force tentatively scheduled follow-up meetings and asked members to prepare short slide reports on existing municipal roles, nonprofit services, healthcare gaps and fundraising. The task force chair said the group will aim to present a final report and recommended strategy after the extension period ends on April 1.