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Committee pauses decision on VW settlement grant for 10 buses pending vendor pricing
Summary
Wausau staff told the Finance Committee they are next in line for buses under the Volkswagen settlement but cannot sign the grant contract or write a purchase order until they receive a firm Gillig price; the committee set the item aside for the next meeting.
The Finance Committee on Aug. 12 heard a presentation on accepting a Volkswagen settlement grant and a related 2025 budget modification to purchase 10 buses for Wausau Metro Transit, but the committee set the item aside until staff can provide a firm vendor price.
Staff said the estimated cost of the buses was discussed in the packet and that accepting the grant would require the city to forego $128,000 per year in shared revenue for the next 10 years (staff described this as the city’s portion of the contract price). City staff identified a remaining uncertainty: the state contract with Gillig contains a maximum per‑bus amount used in the grant application, but staff must receive Gillig’s current quote to know the final price. "I cannot sign it until I see what that price is," one staff member said, adding that the Department of Administration grant contract was on staff's desk but cannot be signed without vendor pricing.
Staff told the committee there is a backlog of buses with roughly an 18–24 month lead time; the city was told by the manufacturer that the city would be early in the queue and that grant timing could shorten lead time to 9–12 months. Committee members agreed to hold the item for the next finance meeting so staff can present Gillig’s quote and any adjustments to the number of buses the city can afford if prices differ from the maximum used in the grant application.
Why it matters: Accepting the grant will result in a long‑term shared‑revenue impact ($128,000 annually for 10 years as described in the packet) and commits the city to purchase buses subject to final unit pricing and queue timing.
What the committee decided: The committee set the grant and budget modification aside pending receipt of a firm manufacturer quote; no vote to accept the grant was taken.
