Votes at a glance: Wausau Common Council, Jan. 28, 2025

The Wausau Common Council recorded several formal outcomes at its Jan. 28 meeting. Key results: the consent agenda passed; the sale of Fire Department Ladder 2 was approved; a temporary reopening of 28th Avenue failed; an amendment to a master partnership agreement for water infrastructure passed; a resolution authorizing issuance of sewer revenue bonds passed; and the council approved hiring outside counsel for the ethics board (see separate article for detail). Below are the items, motions and outcomes as reflected in the meeting record.

Sale of Wausau Fire Department Ladder 2 (file 24-1108) The council voted 10-0 to approve a resolution from Public Health & Safety and Finance to sell Fire Department Ladder 2 and apply proceeds toward its replacement. City staff said the truck is fully owned by the city, was purchased for about $998,000, and staff proposed listing it at $1,200,000; replacement apparatus is expected to be a different brand but a 75-foot ladder truck. Chief Copp said he expected market demand and that the replacement could be purchased without additional appropriation, though timing is uncertain.

28th Avenue temporary repair and reopening (file 24-1109a) A resolution to adopt a 2025 budget modification for temporary repairs to reopen 28th Avenue (Madonna Drive to West Wausau Avenue) failed in committee and on the floor; the council vote was 1-9 against. Alders who opposed argued the $65,000 estimate could be quickly exhausted and that the work might be only a short-lived “Band-Aid” before a full reconstruction planned for 2026.

First amendment to master partnership agreement with Community Infrastructure Partners LLC (CIP) and Wausau Water Works The council approved, 8-2, a finance resolution amending the master partnership agreement that will allow the city to proceed with lead service line replacement work while aligning contract language with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources preferences. Council members said the amendment does not change project cost and that principal forgiveness loans from the DNR’s Safe Drinking Water Fund are in place for private-side replacements.

Sewer system revenue bonds, series 2025 A finance resolution authorizing issuance and sale of up to $922,476 in sewer system revenue bonds, series 2025, passed 10-0 in council action (it had passed 5-0 in finance committee). No additional discussion was recorded on the council floor.

Consent agenda The consent agenda passed 10-0. One item (the Ladder 2 sale) had been pulled for discussion and was addressed separately.

Context and procedure Several votes were described in committee reports (finance, public health & safety, infrastructure) before floor action. Where recorded, committee tallies were reported at the council dais (for example: Ladder 2 approved 4-0 in public health & safety, 5-0 in finance). When floor votes were not recorded by individual names in the transcript, the meeting minutes and resolution language are the official record.