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Wausau parks director outlines 2026 budget trade-offs, recommends fee increases and pool rotation
Summary
Parks staff presented a cost-to-continue 2026 budget that relies on a county wage adjustment, a 7.5% fee increase and service cuts including rotating pool openings and removing dumpsters to meet a $149,000 reduction target.
Jamie, Parks, Recreation and Forestry Director, told the finance committee on Sept. 30 that the parks department’s 2026 budget is shaped largely by county decisions on wages and indirect-cost allocations and by the department’s new asset-management software costs. The department recommended a 7.5% across-the-board fee increase and a set of targeted reductions intended to preserve core services while meeting a required $149,000 cut.
The parks director said the county’s compensation “true up” and a reallocation of county HR and finance indirect costs increased the city-side wage obligation. Parks managers spread full-time wage charges among several funds (city, county,…
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