Marathon County committee approves budget moves to add homelessness coordinator, okays shelter funding

Administrator Lance Leonard told the Marathon County Health and Human Services Committee that, following direction from the joint city-county homelessness task force, county staff identified funding by reallocating an existing personnel line to create a public health coordinator position focused on homelessness and coordinated services.

The committee moved to advance the new position request for the 2026 budget. A motion to proceed with the new position was made, seconded and approved by the committee (vote recorded in the meeting as five "aye" votes). Leonard said the proposal is based on La Crosse County's Pathways Home model and that a position description adapted from La Crosse was included in the meeting packet (page 70).

Leonard also briefed the committee on ongoing emergency shelter payments the county has made under a 2025 allocation of up to $200,000 to partner with the City of Wausau. He said the city’s contract with Bridge Street Mission shows a total cost of about $350,000 for 2026; Marathon County’s share would be up to $175,000 for fiscal year 2026, “not to exceed $175,000,” and recommended the committee provide direction on whether to include that amount in the 2026 budget. He noted current monthly costs for the shelter arrangement (after startup) have been in the neighborhood of $12,000–$15,000 per month.

Committee members debated priorities. Several supervisors supported continuing the county’s partnership with the city for emergency shelter services; other supervisors urged focusing county resources on treatment, case management and longer-term housing supports. Concerns were raised that Bridge Street Mission is a faith-based provider and that volunteer tiers include informal volunteers; committee members noted the city's contract contains nondiscrimination language and a clause that beneficiaries cannot be required to participate in religious activities.

Leonard said Bridge Street Mission’s full-year contract envisions a build-out of its space and that it is “highly unlikely” the provider would be ready to operate a full-year emergency shelter by January 2026. He proposed using any unspent portion of the county’s 2025 $200,000 allocation as a first source rather than adding a new, separate appropriation.

After discussion, a motion to provide county funding for the shelter partnership was made and seconded (second recorded as Supervisor Cabelli). The motion carried by a 4–0 vote, with three committee members not attending. Leonard said he will plan the 2026 budget consistent with committee direction and report back.

The committee’s discussions distinguished three items: (1) a formal action to move forward with a new position request (approved by the committee), (2) direction on including emergency shelter funding in the 2026 budget (approved by vote 4–0, not to exceed $175,000), and (3) ongoing discussion about longer-term case management and housing supports that the committee said may require further analysis and possibly a special meeting before the administrator must deliver the preliminary budget at month-end.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to approve the new position request to create a public health coordinator (reallocating existing personnel funding): motion made and seconded; recorded in the meeting as five "ayes"; outcome—approved. (Provenance: committee discussion beginning ~00:118–00:358 in transcript.)

- Motion to provide county funding for the City of Wausau/Bridge Street Mission emergency shelter partnership (county share not to exceed $175,000 in FY2026): motion made; second by Supervisor Cabelli; outcome—approved, 4–0, with 3 not attending. (Provenance: committee discussion beginning ~00:361–00:2075 in transcript.)

Ending

Administrator Leonard told the committee he will incorporate the committee’s directions into the proposed 2026 budget and, if directed, use remaining funds from the county’s 2025 $200,000 allocation as the first source for shelter payments. He also noted the Bridge Street Mission build-out timeline makes immediate transition unlikely and suggested staff and the committee may need to continue work (including possible follow-up meetings) to define the county’s role in long-term housing and case-management strategies.