Wausau–Marathon County task force extends charter, urges county to match city on year‑round shelter support

The Wausau–Marathon County Joint Task Force on Homelessness voted to extend its 100‑day charter through April 1, 2025, and recommended that Marathon County match or exceed the City of Wausau’s commitment to support 365‑day shelter services.

Administrator Leonard, speaking as county staff, told the task force that “task forces are generally time limited, and your time limit is coming up,” and said an educational presentation to the county Health and Human Services Committee would be the next step if members seek an extension. He added that staff generally aim for a 15–20 minute committee presentation: “I always aim for 15 to 20 minutes with a committee.”

The task force’s extension motion passed by voice vote after members amended the motion to ask the city and county to appoint a replacement business‑community representative and add “a representative who has previously experienced homelessness” to the task force roster. The amendment was seconded and adopted before the extension motion passed.

On a separate vote the task force recommended local government support for shelter services, moving that Marathon County “match or exceed the commitment that the city has made” toward ensuring year‑round shelter availability. The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. Members discussed whether the county’s contribution should be monetary, personnel, or both; some members said a funded coordinator or project‑management role — modeled on the City/County approach used by La Crosse — would be critical to linking people to services and organizing partners.

Task force discussion noted an impending reduction in available overnight emergency shelter capacity this spring and the need to present findings and recommendations to both the city council and county board. Administrator Leonard recommended an informational presentation to the county Health and Human Services Committee and said the task force should summarize what it has done, what it learned, and what short‑term actions it recommends. Several members said they were not yet ready to finalize a full written report and supported a short extension to allow staff and members time to reduce findings to a draft report.

Members and staff also reviewed existing local options the county can use to support housing, including deed restrictions and redevelopment conditions on county‑owned parcels acquired through tax foreclosure. Leonard described recent examples: the county placed redevelopment conditions on a parcel sold to the city near the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point Wausau campus requiring redevelopment into housing within two years, and the county recently sold a parcel to Habitat for Humanity for housing development. Those county tools were discussed as part of the longer‑term housing strategy, separate from the short‑term shelter ask.

Funding sources were discussed publicly. A task force member said the city allocated $400,000 in ARPA funds to the police department for homeless supports; Chief Barnes has expressed support for ensuring year‑round shelter access. Members emphasized that county support need not be purely monetary and could include personnel, case‑management capacity, or operational support to connect people at the shelter to available services such as those provided by North Central Healthcare.

The task force directed staff to prepare materials for the requested committee presentations and to continue drafting the report that would document task force findings, identified gaps (including shelter capacity, mental‑health and substance‑use treatment availability, and coordination with nonprofits and businesses), and potential recommendations. Members said they intend to present an interim oral update to the relevant committees promptly and to follow with a written report.

Votes at a glance

• Motion to extend the task force charter through April 1, 2025 (motion by Vicky; second by Bill). Amendment adopted to add a business representative and a representative who has previously experienced homelessness (seconded by Becky). Motion passed by voice vote. Notes: no roll‑call tally recorded in the transcript; outcome recorded as approved. Provenance: topic introduction and conclusion spans in the meeting transcript.

• Motion to recommend that Marathon County match or exceed the City of Wausau’s commitment to fund year‑round (365‑day) shelter services (mover: a task force member as recorded in the transcript; seconded by Supervisor Conway). Motion passed by voice vote. Notes: discussion referenced city ARPA funding and the need for both monetary and personnel support; no roll‑call tally recorded in the transcript; outcome recorded as approved.

Next steps: staff will draft an informational presentation for the county Health and Human Services Committee and the appropriate city council bodies, and the task force will continue work on a written report and on filling the amended membership slots. The meeting record indicated the group will follow up with committee presentations and further work before the April 1 extension target.