By Shereen Siewert

Members of the Wausau City Council will hold a special meeting Wednesday to consider allowing members to call in for meetings during the current COVID-19 outbreak and associated mandates.

A notice of the meeting was sent late Tuesday, just hours after Wis. Gov. Tony Evers placed a moratorium on gatherings of 10 people or more. There are 11 council members in Wausau.

Officials have not said how accommodations will be made for public involvement at future meetings or how operations will be handled at City Hall in the near future, except for the city’s inspections and zoning departments.

In a news release, city officials stated:

“As a precautionary measure, the City of Wausau Division of Inspection, Zoning and Electrical Systems will have limited availability for office hours. We encourage all citizens and contractors to reach out to the division via phone calls and emails at the information listed below.•Many transactions can be completed online.”

Residents and contractors will have access to submit permits and documentation through the online portal: https://evolveportal.ci.wausau.wi.us/?portal=inspections

•The inspections staff will be available by phone (715.261.6780) and email ([email protected])

•No interior inspections regarding tenant/landlord complaints until further notice, unless it is an emergency. Photos will be acceptable and the normal complaint form provided.All exterior complaints will be inspected.

•No public/commercial building inspections where the occupancy is greater than 10 people, until further notice.•No Inspections at this time for assisted living, adult family, CBRF’s, elderly housing buildings.

All inspections will be performed to one- and two-family dwellings and additions, new commercial buildings and additions as normal.•All exterior alterations, fences, decks, sheds, accessory structures, pools and anything outside of the dwelling or building will be inspected as normal

On Monday, Mayor Robert Mielke sent an email to several news outlets including Wausau Pilot & Review stating that the city will follow all mandates by the state and federal government.

In a follow-up email Monday, Mielke said city officials were already beginning to postpone or cancel some meetings.

“Employees at this time are going to be determined as to being essential and if they have the capability to work from home….this situation is changing quickly and I want to be sure that we are doing everything properly, correctly and legally for our employees and our residents,” Mielke wrote. “There is a possibility of Virtual meetings for staff which we have been discussing about since last week….when we know for sure of what we can and cannot do, I will be in touch and soon….and again, we will follow of what has been declared by the president.”

The meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall, 407 Grant St., Wausau.