Neighbors raise concerns as Plan Commission hears public comment on proposed emergency night shelter at First United Methodist Church

The Wausau Plan Commission held a public hearing on April 29 about a conditional-use permit request to allow First United Methodist Church, 903 Third Street, to use its basement as an emergency night shelter sponsored by the Wausau Police Department.

Brian Bailey, president and CEO of the Woodson YMCA (707 Third Street), testified he has reservations about siting the shelter at that location because of the YMCA's nearby licensed childcare center (serving more than 200 children) and the YMCA-run senior center. Bailey said his organization experienced problems when a shelter operated at the site in 2021, reporting theft, loitering, drug paraphernalia and other behavior that disrupted YMCA members and created safety concerns.

Bailey said he is willing to work with the city and that Wausau Police Chief Barnes told him the city would provide oversight this time, but he told the commission the YMCA board is uncomfortable with the proposed location for the shelter given the facility's vulnerable populations.

The public hearing was closed at the end of the comment period. City staff told the commission that this hearing was the public-comment stage for the conditional-use review; the final conditional-use action will return to the Plan Commission at a special meeting scheduled for Thursday at 4:15 p.m. The commission indicated the conditional-use permit decision will be taken at that special meeting.

Action recorded: public hearing held; final conditional-use decision deferred to a special meeting for full Plan Commission action.