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At-a-glance: key council votes on Jan. 13, 2026 — parking, TID, easement, firefighters referendum and more
Summary
The Wausau Common Council approved a package of measures Jan. 13, including a downtown parking ordinance (7–4), termination of TID No. 7 (8–3), a ballot referendum authorizing a $1.45M ongoing levy for firefighters (9–2), confirmation of an ethics‑board appointee (6–5), and other resolutions; an ethics‑code amendment failed as amended (0–11).
Below are the notable formal actions taken by the Wausau Common Council on Jan. 13, 2026, with outcomes and brief context.
- Consent agenda approval — The council approved the consent agenda; a single item (infrastructure and facilities construction projects/procurement policy related to TID bidding) was pulled for separate consideration. (Consent motion passed 11–0 per clerk's roll call.)
- Pulled consent item — Council approved the pulled infrastructure resolution after brief discussion about procurement policy and TID plan visibility (recorded vote 10–1).
- Parking ordinance (file 26‑0104) — The council approved an ordinance amending no‑parking/restricted parking designations on portions of Mackinac, Franklin and 4th Streets to accommodate the YMCA/The Landing expansion and related public parking; debate focused on enforcement and whether a sticker/permit program should be used. Motion passed 7–4.
- Suspension of rules to consider ethics appointments — Council suspended rules to consider appointments and referrals (vote 9–2).
- Confirmation of Tara Alfonso to ethics board (file 26‑0102) — Confirmed 6–5 after a contested hearing and nominee remarks on impartiality.
- Ethics code amendment (file 26‑0106) — Council adopted an amendment to strike language permitting the ethics board to act "on its own motion" (11–0 for the amendment), but the main ordinance as amended failed 0–11.
- Easement resolution (file 25‑0427) — Council approved a second amended declaration of easement for 700 Grand Avenue (10–1).
- Termination of TID No. 7 (file 05‑1209) — Council approved a resolution terminating Tax Increment District No. 7 effective Jan. 10, 2026, and directing staff to notify the Wisconsin Department of Revenue; vote 8–3 after debate about use of increment for affordable housing.
- Referendum to fund firefighters (file 26‑0109) — A resolution to place a referendum on the April 7, 2026 ballot to increase the property tax levy by $1,450,000 ongoing to retain 12 firefighter‑paramedics and offset expiring grants passed 9–2 after finance‑committee discussion about alternative ask amounts and timing.
Several measures were informational only (GEI and NCWRPC presentations). For council actions that passed, staff were directed to complete standard implementation tasks (e.g., notify DOR for TID termination; prepare referendum materials).
