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Finance and infrastructure committees move into closed session to negotiate multiple DPW land purchases
Summary
The Wausau finance and infrastructure committees voted May 26 to go into closed session under Wisconsin Statute 19.85(1)(e) to negotiate purchases of four parcels for the Department of Public Works Streets Division, citing bargaining needs; the session will reconvene in open only if formal action is required.
Wausau — The Wausau finance and infrastructure committees voted on May 26 to adjourn into closed session to negotiate potential purchases of land for the Department of Public Works Streets Division.
A committee member moved “to adjourn to close session pursuant to Wisconsin state statute 19.85 sub1 sube for deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public properties…for the purpose of purchasing the following properties, adding additional land to the DPW streets division: 108 Adolf Street, 112 Adolf Street, 112 and a half Adolf Street, and 233 Myron Street.” The motion was seconded by Tierney. The committees carried the motion on a roll-call vote and adjourned to closed session; committee leaders said they would reconvene in open session only if there were actions to take.
Why it matters: The motion authorizes staff and council members to negotiate prices and terms for parcels the city has identified as possible additions to its streets division property holdings. Discussions under the cited statute are closed to the public when competitive or bargaining reasons require confidentiality, which limits immediate public access to negotiation details.
What was on the agenda: Earlier in the meeting the committees listed the parcels to be discussed in closed session: 108 Adolf Street, 112 Adolf Street, 112½ Adolf Street, and 233 Myron Street. An earlier separate purchase item for 8101 International Drive related to the Business Campus Trail east–west connector was pulled from the open agenda because the seller had not responded and was deferred to the next finance committee meeting.
Votes and procedure: The motion to move into closed session was made in open session, seconded by Tierney, and carried on a roll call. The transcript records Watson and Tierney saying “I” during the vote; the chair announced that the finance committee would adjourn to closed session. The exact vote tally beyond those recorded affirmative responses is not specified in the transcript.
At the start of the meeting a public commenter, Michael Harlson, told the committees he and associates planned to put a parcel adjacent to the Public Works site up for sale this year if the city did not buy it; that comment was part of the public-comment portion and did not result in immediate council action during open session.
Next steps: The committees adjourned to closed session to conduct negotiations. Officials said they would reconvene in open session only if they had formal action to take after those negotiations.
