Wausau Finance Committee Budget Session #4 Meeting - 10/20/26

The Wausau Finance Committee’s fourth 2027 budget session was held October 20, 2026. The committee recommended the 2027 budget, including several spending and fee-schedule changes. It removed the $50,000 Flock ALPR-camera appropriation from the 2027 budget and redirected the amount to public-safety motor-pool costs; the 2028 payment was left for a future budget decision. The committee also removed $45,000 for alley paving, $20,000 for trail planning in TID 8, and $150,000 for the TID 12 downtown street-conversion design study. A proposed $25,000 cut to street-tree planting failed. The $150,000 city-administrator allocation was shifted to the Council’s consulting-services line, with members discussing use for the city audit. The committee adopted staff-proposed property-record maintenance fees and alcohol-related fee changes, including late fees and adjustments to selected license charges.

For capital planning, the committee approved moving $250,000 for 17th Avenue, $300,000 for asphalt overlays, and up to $2.5 million for lead-service-line replacements from the capital projects budget into TID 8, subject to the district’s project-plan process. Staff presented debt-service scenarios and a proposed TID 8 infrastructure program, including street and lead-service-line work, but the committee did not authorize a borrowing issuance. A proposal to use reserves to offset borrowing was withdrawn pending further information from the city’s financial adviser. The amended budget recommendation passed 4–1 and was scheduled for Common Council consideration on November 10; no contract award or vendor selection was made.