Joint task force outlines gaps, opens interim shelter as county, city fund short-term services

A joint Marathon County–City of Wausau Homelessness Task Force presented findings Monday evening and recommended a coordinated county‑city plan to reduce recurring homelessness, while the Wausau Police Department is running an interim shelter through Dec. 31.

The task force’s chair, Ron Covelli, told the joint meeting “Homelessness is a very complex issue with many layers.” The group’s report, delivered to the Wausau Common Council and the Marathon County Board of Supervisors, summarized local history, service capacity, gaps in treatment and housing, and short‑term actions to maintain shelter options while officials seek a permanent operator.

The committee identified a mix of short‑ and long‑term needs: stable 365‑day shelter, more transitional and accessible units for people on fixed incomes or with disabilities, non‑faith‑based transitional housing, and additional mental‑health and substance‑use disorder treatment capacity. The task force recommended the county administrator work with Wausau city staff to develop a coordinated, actionable plan aiming for a measurable “functional zero” target and to engage surrounding municipalities about resource sharing and contributions.

Matt Barnes, chief of the Wausau Police Department and a task force member, reviewed a local timeline of responses and enforcement…