Wausau City Council races

John Kroll, 38

Occupation: Energy Auditor/Rater 

Prior political experience, if any: No elected official experience. Appointed to two city of Wausau committee positions 

How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our community? 

Community engagement is critical in the democratic process. I’ve taken the initiative to schedule three candidate meet and greets in my district at local businesses that gives residents the opportunity to meet me in person. If the events haven’t worked for people, I’ve been knocking on doors and having hundreds of conversations with residents at their homes as well.  

If elected, I plan on continuing this level of availability in the forms of community input sessions, monthly updates at the neighborhood groups, yearly reports, and being active on email and social media. Some residents have given some great feedback on other communication avenues which I hope to explore. 

How do you feel about the transportation options available in our city? Can all our residents affordably get where they need to go? If not, what would you do to improve transportation? 

Many residents in Wausau, including ones in District 1 that I’ve spoken to, are reliant upon public transit for many of life’s necessities. The transit service is needed to get to work, medical appointments, and shopping for essentials. Yet buses aren’t going to specific areas they desire. Safer bike routes are also a common topic in District 1 as multiple residents have voiced their concerns about getting to destinations safely from the southeast side without having to cross Grand Avenue. 

The Wausau Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Long Ranged Transportation Plan highlights some of the existing issues the Wausau area faces and includes challenges minorities and low income residents face. With so many topics that need to be addressed that have been persistent for so long, I believe an outside consultant may be the best option to put the Wausau metro area on a better course for public transit that so many residents rely on. 

What’s more important for our city right now: Building new homes and commercial space or rehabbing our existing homes and storefronts? 

The new/old building debate is a topic I truly enjoy discussing as my career has involved testing thousands of new and old buildings for energy efficiency. My recommendation is that rehabbing existing buildings to meet current needs is usually more approachable – the building is already there, remodeling is usually more cost effective, and it can increase the value of the building which usually leads to increase tax for the city. 

However, there is always a tipping point when a building needs to be torn down or making a new building is more feasible –if done correctly. I cannot stress this enough; you only get the opportunity to construct a new building once and new construction need to have a substantially higher standard for design, efficiency, and environmental impact so that building new is justified and left useful for many, many decades to come. 

If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new development, how would you evaluate whether or not that project is worth implementing? 

Getting a project from start to finish can be quite the undertaking. It all starts with current city staff and I would get their input and feedback on what they think of any project. From there, there’s a substantial list of steps that would need to be considered which include: collect local business input on the project, assess the monetary cost vs the city need, if the project will increase the tax base, assess the project’s environmental impact, evaluate if the project fits the city’s strategic and comprehensive plans, and also collect public feedback on what the citizen’s think of the project.   

Which does the city need more: A city administrator, or a mayor? Why? 

Our democratic process, from the President of the United States all the way down to city levels, represent the collective voices of its citizens. A mayor symbolizes that voice of the city, serves as the final approval in legislative decisions, and is the image of how the rest of the counties/states/country views us. If we the residents are not happy with their body of work, we have the ability to vote on a replacement when the time comes.  

A city administrator has the capability to potentially fill some holes in a city’s staff. Many cities and counties use them to great success. I would entertain the idea of hiring a city administrator if the city council and city staff supported the measure. However, I would not put their importance above what a mayor does and represents.  

There is a labor shortage nationwide, but at the same time some people say they are unable to find work. What is the best way to attract and retain talent in Wausau? 

My wife and I chose to move to Wausau with our two young daughters for specific reasons. Coincidentally, we’ve chatted with other parents while at local parks and events who have moved here from major metropolitan areas in pursuit of a city like Wausau and its potential. 

1. Promote a “small town values with big city amenities” description for Wausau. In my discussions with other parents that have moved to Wausau, a smaller city with less crime and traffic, excellent outdoor recreation opportunities, and a lower cost of living is a very appealing situation to raise a family. Let’s build on this more. 
2. Advocate for flexibility. The modern work force needs to be mobile, fast, and adaptable. A city and its policy needs to be the same. This is why I’ll support current workforce demands that include: transit improvements in the greater Wausau area to accommodate the needs of all transportation modes, work from home options, increase child care options, and design and renovate buildings that are flexible in how the spaces are used.  
3. Champion a sustainable city. In a recent presentation I attended with a major local business, the presenter commented on how their sustainability efforts are attracting employees to the area and their business. A city can benefit from this mindset as well. As a Western Wisconsin city planner put it best “…when we think about how these systems come together, like housing, health, transportation, water use, energy use, I think sustainability is that sweet spot to address all of that in a fiscally responsible manner. The efficiencies achieved by sustainability will actually decrease costs over time.”

What is the best solution to the city’s drinking water problem? 

It’s promising that the city of Wausau has agreed on some solutions in the form of bottled water and home filters, but let’s not forget these are short term answers. I view the current PFAS situation as a sign of a much larger issue that can only be addressed by finding and addressing the source and not being satisfied with quick fixes on just the symptoms. 

One comment that stuck with me during the initial phase of the PFAS discussion between city council members and the water commission pertained to the fact that other cities and municipalities are having similar issue. If other cities are having these problems as well, what is Wausau learning from these other municipalities? Can their approaches translate to Wausau? I understand studies are needed, but time is of the essence since all of Wausau’s wells have higher than desired levels.

What are the top three challenges you see Wausau facing in the next four years? 

• Tackling the quickly rising cost of living in the city. At the most recent affordable housing task force meeting, it was noted that roughly 50 percent of Wausau residents are living paycheck to paycheck. The rising costs of housing and child care is a major contributor to this scenario. Transportation plays a role in here as well. 
• Attracting and retaining families. Wausau saw a positive growth of population in the latest national census; will the trend continue? City policy developed on how we bring in new members of the workforce will be key.  
• Address the current drinking water situation with a sustainably sound plan. Wausau can choose to quick fix the visible symptoms, but a deep dive is needed to find the source of the problem. Future environmental contamination and disasters are bound to happen, what type of planning will Wausau develop to combat these inevitable events?

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I was born and raised in Wisconsin. My family and I chose to relocate to Wausau because we wanted a place where we felt we can make a strong impact in the local community, a city that was on the verge of making some real positive progress, and a great park system for our young girls.  We’re blessed to call Wausau our home. 

You can find me on Facebook @JohnKrollforWausau 

Carol Lukens, 57

Occupation: Teacher

Prior elected office, if any:  Have not previously held elected office.

How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our community? 

I plan to use a variety of methods to engage residents in the decision-making process in this community including surveys/questionnaires, personal contact, district meetings, city meetings, and any other innovative methods I learn of! The Marathon County Metropolitan Planning Organization and Metro Ride have a survey that residents can complete right now to help in forming a five-year plan. I think surveys can be useful for involving residents and could be distributed in several different ways (both paper and electronic form, distributed by agencies and departments) to reach a spectrum of residents in this community. 

If elected, I would like to hold regular meetings with residents as well to both inform and seek their input and encourage residents to attend meetings and events. However, not everyone has the means or ability to attend meetings, participate in electronic surveys, etc. Thus, a willingness to go to residents for their input will be an important part of the process rather than just expecting residents to come to my events. 

How do you feel about the transportation options available in our city? Can all our residents affordably get where they need to go? If not, what would you do to improve transportation?  

I don’t believe all our residents can affordably get where they need to go. Owning an automobile is expensive considering costs of fuel, maintenance/repair, registration, licensing, and insurance, and our public transportation is at present quite limited. Lack of extended hours and routes is a tremendous barrier to employment for both adults and students. However, the remedy of extending routes and hours of public transportation is not a simple solution given the differential between expense and demand. I would like to see expanded public transportation, but the solution cannot rest solely on the City of Wausau as many businesses needing employees are in the larger Wausau metro area. Additionally, perhaps there is a combination of solutions that could be implemented for public transportation. Do we need traditional buses for each route or are there options that would be more cost-effective depending on average numbers of riders for some routes? There may also be other innovative ideas that I don’t yet know about; this is a precise situation where resident input would be an asset.

What’s more important for our city right now: Building new homes and commercial space or rehabbing our existing homes and storefronts?

From a space perspective, I would like to see us use the existing space we have before building new homes and commercial spaces. At the same time, I am not an expert in city planning or building structures and know that sometimes building new is preferable to rehabbing a structure. Hence, while those decisions would depend on an analysis of structures and needed work, I would like to see a focus on planning from an environmental/sustainability perspective, including parking areas. 

There is a labor shortage nationwide, but at the same time some people say they are unable to find work. What is the best way to attract and retain talent in Wausau?

As an educator working with young people, I am fortunate to hear their perspectives on various issues and believe many embody wisdom and a tolerance that is an asset to building community. To attract and retain talent, it’s important not only for organizations to provide a sense of belonging and purpose, but it’s just as important for a community to impart the same. We live in a much more diverse community than what existed when I graduated from high school. That diversity has helped me grow as an individual and broadened my world view. If we want to attract and retain talent, we’ve got to embrace that talent. 

Employees need to know and feel they are valued and that also needs to show in both wages and benefits. The Economic Policy Institute revealed earlier this year that income disparity in this community is worse than in many metro areas throughout the U.S. and worse than overall income disparity in the state. The top 1% of Wausau’s residents earn over $1 million per year while the majority of residents earns just over $50,000 on average. Working to lessen this income gap by instituting equitable wages is an important step in achieving employee retention and tackling the employee shortage. 

We are fortunate to have two quality colleges here in Wausau. If we want to attract and retain talent, community support of these schools and their programs is important. The public school I work at is fortunate to be partnered with a national nonprofit program, Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), that supports secondary students toward and after graduation. An expansion of programs such as JAG and Wausau’s Youth Apprenticeship Program would benefit both young adults and employers, and raising awareness of trades that offer apprenticeships (as some that are part of the Marathon County Labor Council do) could help attract adults to careers where they could learn while making a living and provide opportunities for growth. 

What is the best solution to the city’s drinking water problem?

I’ve been researching scientific information on PFAS/PFOS and from what I’ve learned thus far, drinking water is not nearly the only concern we should have about the chemicals in terms of our health. There are literally thousands of PFAS/PFOS and the water issue is a complex one that should not be left solely to municipalities to solve. To truly solve the issue, it appears that we as consumers play an important role and industries, an even greater one. I’ve learned it’s important to differentiate between “influent” and “effluent” in terms of water treatment, and the difficulties with lack of regulatory standards at the moment are partly due to the fact that the research is still in process. According to PFAS/PFOS researchers, right now concentrations of PFAS in “influent” (water entering the treatment plant from outside sources) need to be a heightened concern as compared to “effluent” (the water after it has been treated) because the “influent” is more so the root of the issue, contains the greatest concentrations, and the largest source is typically from manufacturing industries. 

For a few examples of consumer contributions to the PFAS problem, PFAS have been found on Mount Everest and they were not deposited from the atmosphere. Instead, the deposits are from climbers’ gear, tents, ropes, food packaging and other supplies. PFAS deposits even exist in dust in homes and many everyday products we purchase and use including water-repellent textiles, cosmetics, food packaging, certain dental floss brands, and many other items. PFAS are so ubiquitous in our daily lives and our environment that we are making choices every day that could be harmful to us. For instance, there is a growing trend among school districts to convert traditional grass turf to artificial turf, but artificial turf contains PFAS as well. Thus, it seems to me that to really solve the city’s drinking water problem, it’s important for us as community members and consumers to educate ourselves as more information becomes available and to approach the drinking water problem with intentionality by working with the city to solve it. For those concerned about the levels of PFAS in our drinking water at present, purchasing filters and reverse osmosis systems will help. For the long term, the science seems to indicate that in places where people have changed their lifestyle/consumer habits and reduced their use of products containing PFAS, the concentrations of PFAS in their blood have decreased. 

What else would you like voters to know about you?

By far, my favorite part of this campaign process has been meeting residents and hearing their stories! We have such a wealth of knowledge, skills, wisdom, experience, and compassion in this community and in District 1. I am truly grateful for this experience!

Doug Diny, 60

Occupation: Process control and automation: Pulp/Paper, Power, Renewable Fuels, Food/Beverage plants, Water Treatment

Prior political experience, if any: I’m in my second term as a Mayor Appointed Airport Committee member and N2N Committee. I’m an active researcher and speaker to the Council on critical issues.

If elected, what three steps would you take to put our city on firmer financial footing?

1. Start with the 10-Year Budget Plan for capital projects: When administration and council spending priorities change dramatically in the short term, it requires juggling and deferring previously planned events.  For example, building two new fire stations at the same time disrupts long term planning for other projects. Large capital expenditures should not be a surprise; properly layering them into long range planning is the logical start.

2. ARPA funds should be treated as windfall revenue, not windfall spending.  Federal ARPA rules have a “Lost Revenue” category that allows cities to use the funds to recover revenue lost due to Covid.  The benefit of this category is that it adds flexibility for debt service and existing capital improvement priorities; it also enhances efficiency of administration. 

3. Stability of reserves is getting better, but the trend needs to continue as there’s always the temptation to expand services and staff at the expense of reserves and projected revenue… and borrowing should not be considered revenue for street maintenance. Never. Street maintenance is like shaving, you’ve got to do a little bit every day, budget for it.

How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our community?

Residents need an easy path to get information; I would call to boost city use of multi-level media press releases for issues affecting a lot of residents. We can’t rely on the city webpage as the sole informant, for various reasons, we need to partner with our local media outlets. 

Residents need an easy path for input. My email: [email protected] and cell phone: 715-803-5040 are available to anyone.  I’ve also agreed to hold quarterly citizen feedback and exchange sessions with county supervisor, John Robinson should I be elected.

I trust citizens’ judgement: I support letting people choose. On major financial decisions, let the people decide through referendum what they want, and whatever decision comes of that – I’m fine with. 

How do you feel about the transportation options available in our city? Can all our residents affordably get where they need to go? If not, what would you do to improve transportation?

Short answer: A city-limit bound system cannot serve those who need public transit most and does not offer long term 21st Century value and viability.

Next, if I were mayor, starting tomorrow, I would advertise nation-wide for a creative and experienced transit director. Department heads, not council members, are key to the success of every division in the city. Creative cities are using ride sharing and smaller vehicle point to point services and saving money. This could help fill the gaps in the transit fixed route system if not eliminate it.  

Thoughtful stewards should be able to manage costs efficiently and provide enhanced services to more citizens. Rib Mountain and their big box stores spend money on parking lots to subsidize free parking for cars.  They see that as a value, but currently, bus service doesn’t provide the same perceived value; we need to start those conversations with our neighboring cities in earnest.

Lastly, if interested in public transit, consider filling out the city TRANSIT SURVEY HERE.

What’s more important for our city right now: Building new homes and commercial space or rehabbing our existing homes and storefronts?

One should complement the other.  Gentrification is obviously bad.  Balancing priority should be based on need and how it fits with our city mission and strategic plan.  We generally don’t build 100% new and abandon the old unless the strategy was to renovate the old area.  Some neighborhoods get little attention.  Let’s add new in old neighborhoods.  Let’s encourage more businesses to locate new or renovated in existing neighborhoods that need a boost?  Kwik Trip understands this philosophy.

If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new development, how would you evaluate whether or not that project is worth implementing?

Assuming you’re asking about city involved (TAXPAYER INVESTED) projects:

Does it compliment the city’s mission? Does it advance the strategic plan? Does it meet the “But For” clause outlined in State of Wisconsin Tax Incremental Finance guidelines? It must meet all three.

I will call for a Pro Forma analysis that details success as well as risk. The ROI time can be a little longer for city investments, but the city should not be satisfied with 30-year ROI, the life of many TIDs.

Let’s trust citizens to recognize acceptable risk and reward when presented to them in an easy-to-read executive summary that states best and worst-case payback for the investment in terms of increased tax base, jobs, housing, and enhanced quality of life?

Which does the city need more: A city administrator, or a mayor? Why?

Again, I trust citizens’ judgement: I support letting people choose. Let Wausau residents decide through referendum what they want.

The trick with the framing of this question is that it appears to be a vote of no confidence of the mayor at the time the referendum is voted on.  I think people should evaluate it more objectively. We have a county executive position we can compare notes with. Does a long-term professional administrator add value in terms of continuity, experience, and “at will” hiring status the council controls?

It was last put to referendum 7-8 years ago, and the administrator idea was voted down about 52/48 as I recall.  I think I voted with the majority then, but I cringe every time I hear someone, particularly an alder, say that some issue “was a previous administration” or “previous council mistake” … we heard the argument in debates over the TIF ceiling limits, PFAs, and developer deals gone bad like Mike Frantz, West Side Battery (multiple RFPs), T-Wall on the Riverfront, Great Lakes Cheese, Loss of Funding on Thomas Street, Brewery deal to name a few. Those issues span 3 different mayors, could the continuity and experience of a professional executive administrator help manage the gaps?

Another wrinkle I would offer is that the mayor’s position as currently structured is grossly underpaid if we’re looking to attract CEO experienced candidates. If put to a referendum, the salary is likely going to need to be $140,000 to $170,000 to attract an experienced executive administrator.

If put to a referendum, I would not eliminate the mayoral post in exchange for an executive administrator, rather, the position’s role would change, becoming an arm of Economic Development and promotion of the city.

There is a labor shortage nationwide, but at the same time some people say they are unable to find work. What is the best way to attract and retain talent in Wausau?

Former GE CEO, Jack Welch, said that his VP of Human Resources was the most important staff member in the organization. The relationship and communications between HR Director and department heads is key.  I’ve said before, department heads, NOT Councilmembers, are responsible for recruiting, training, and retention.  Hiring great leaders in director positions is the first step. 

Next is making a career with the city a desirable option again with our young high school and college graduates. Part of that is marketing but the other part is structural; city employment should provide a path for education, advancement, and career growth on par with area mills and industry.

An underappreciated factor is housing. Our strategic plan markets Wausau as a great place to live, let’s start by recognizing what that looks like… jobs and amenities are a magnet, but the attracted workforces need housing.  We’re lagging in certain ranges of workforce and affordable housing. The Mayor’s Housing Task Force has gotten little support from city council… it’s really a big deal.

What is the best solution to the city’s drinking water problem?

The first solution is to establish an emergency communications plan for any future hazard or natural disaster. I would have sent the drinking water advisory via US Postal letter to every rate payer (could have included it in the water bill). Included would be a return addressed post card survey to help us collect valuable data by now. A survey could have gauged interest in filters, water, or to find out how many homes have infants who are at the most risk according to the advisory? 

The intermediate and long-term solution will be retrofit to the new treatment plant in August.  I support full transparency on the options and costs as they are presented. The fix will not be free. 

What are the top three challenges you see Wausau facing in the next four years?

1. Economic Development: We should project that Wausau is open for business and help set priorities for what we are willing to negotiate moving forward.  Our priorities should be businesses that can impact JOBS, HOUSING, TAX BASE, and Quality of Life.  See my opinion piece on TIF management and the “BUT FOR” Clause: https://wausaupilotandreview.com/2022/03/01/your-letters-wausau-needs-tif-relief-now/

2. Critical position city workers who need special skills, qualifications and certifications are being poached by our neighbors. Shoring up staffing is a leadership issue, not a big budget issue, as most departments are budgeted for full agency, we need to aggressively recruit, retain, and train our workforce.

3. Housing: I will insist future city developer deals with affordable housing be negotiated to the city and residents’ best long-term interest. In this area, State subsidies and grants should be aggressively sought and welcomed to ease the growing demand and recent losses in Section 42. 

What else would you like voters to know about you?

You can reach me, Doug Diny, at 715-803-5040 anytime!

Jesse Kearns

Occupation: Inside Sales Representative, Heartland Business Systems (HBS)

Prior political experience, if any: Student Senator, Student Government Association (SGA), UW Marathon County 2012

If elected, what three steps would you take to put our city on firmer financial footing?

The city does not appear to lack the funds it needs to do what we ought to do for the people of Wausau, but we need to revisit our priorities when it comes to where that money goes and how much more of it we will continue to add to the purse of projects that appear to have unending needs for upping the ante. To do this we need to 

1.) Put forth meaningful policy that ensures transparency in all public projects and limits the amount any given project can be invested in beyond its proposed budget without strict oversight by the council. 

2.) We must reevaluate our policies surrounding TIF districts and the spending that relies on them, taking a hard look at what these funds were intended to do and how far we have drifted from those intentions, no matter how well meaning.

3.) We should strongly consider a proposal to add an elected Treasurer to our roster of local officials to foster a sense of service and devotion to the public where our fiscal realities reside. Why Wausau does not have an elected Treasurer when the smallest municipalities in the county around us do is not clear to me and should be visited as something we may benefit from greatly.

How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our community?

If we expect people to take more than a skeptical and adversarial discourse with the city’s government we are going to have to regain the trust of the residents that has been lost due to a lack of public engagement when decisions have been made behind closed doors. Our community has seen a local government try to dodge soil testing at Riverside Park to simply save face and/or to protect local private interests, in addition to local agencies appearing to withhold information about the levels of PFAS in our water either out of ignorance or an infantilization by decision makers at the wheel on larger projects. Working with local community leaders who are willing to enter into relations with City Council is a step in the right direction. What these leaders say matters and winning their trust can go a long way in rekindling relations with a population that feels a lot of anxiety about things being done with little to no attempt to seek out their perspectives. Doing right by the people by actively engaging them on decision that affect them directly from here on out is a start. 

How do you feel about the transportation options available in our city? Can all our residents affordably get where they need to go? If not, what would you do to improve transportation?

Wausau’s transportation system is clearly driver-centric and the public transportation options are abysmal according to the city bus drivers who are at the heart of it. The buses are outdated and under maintained. The routes do not connect the greater Wausau area, nor do the take riders to the industrial hubs far from downtown that many people rely on for gainful employment. According to one local area driver the funds that were made available due to the pandemic were not well utilized and he found himself coming up with adhoc solutions to airflow concerns on his bus in place of real investment that offered a real solution. Many constituents who rely on our bus system have spoken to the infrequent pickup times causing them to waste a lot of time orchestrating being much too early or having to adjust to being late in response. When opportunities to spend wisely on our public transit system we need to be brave enough to see them through instead of leaning on a sense of fiscal responsibility that appears to apply more strongly to those programs that serve community members who face the most adversity.

What’s more important for our city right now: Building new homes and commercial space or rehabbing our existing homes and storefronts?

This question creates a false dichotomy. I think both of these options can occur to varying degrees, so long as we are intentional in looking at what it means for our community, not basing our decisions on the successes of cities we have nothing in common with. The economic theory that building newer, higher end properties for high paid professionals will somehow lead to a stabilization in mid to lower range rent only works if the housing market is completely saturated and the local economy is rife with young, well paid professionals who want to spend more but simply can’t. Local developers have openly said that building more than a dozen or so high end housing units in a short period of time will put them in the unwanted position of have them compete with one another and cut into profits. Wausau doesn’t have the kind of booming economy required for theories like this one to be successful, and we need to keep that in mind when we consider which projects should receive public support and investment. 

The city needs to work directly with landlords and renters to find out how their very different sets of needs can be met in an equitable fashion. If the landlords who own dozens of properties in the area want the city’s support in maintaining and renewing their properties, those landlords should want the city to inspect their properties to help them understand whether or not the properties are suitable for the tenants who pay to live in them. Additionally, renters need to be protected from predatory and negelant behaviors as much as the landlords need to be able to have reasonable expectations that their property will not be consistently devalued because of poor relations with tenants. If the city can broker these relationships by being engaged with these individuals, it is my belief that we could see existing structures being beautified, while at the same time private investors can feel confident and comfortable building new structures that are reasonable and affordable.

If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new development, how would you evaluate whether or not that project is worth implementing?

As our city continues to develop it is crucial that we encourage and incentivize those who are doing the development to hire local labor whenever possible. It shouldn’t be too much to ask that developers have environmental impacts well defined in their planning, as well a willingness to make public any risks to public health that are unearthed as they engage the project, such as the discovery of contaminants in the soil or groundwater. The city shouldn’t be afraid to engage in projects that will benefit residents, but steps should be taken to avoid potential conflicts of interest that put decision makers in a position to profit from their involvement in projects they possess the power to greenlight or put on hold with their authority.

Which does the city need more: A city administrator, or a mayor? Why?

If we begin to rationalize diminishing public accountability for our local decision makers by removing the voters from the process we only further remove any sense of ownership that the people might feel when it comes to their connection to their community. If the city has expectations about the qualifications of their leadership they have the ability to vote for the candidates that meet those criteria, rather than being beholden to an appointment or a role that could be said to have no term limit whatsoever. A city administrator would not have to concern themselves with the interests of the people in a way that makes them liable for their decisions, nor does it foster a need for transparency and potentially obfuscates the processes they utilize to make decisions for the public. We have the opportunity to replace a mayor if we are dissatisfied with their performance at the interval of each election. The process of hiring a city administrator, even when well defined, could easily lead to more and more financially driven outcomes, leaving social concerns without a home in city business. Ultimately, the arguments being made about the advantages of city administrator over a mayor rely heavily on the assumption that if cities were run like businesses there would be less room for shady dealings, despite there being no evidence this is the case, while also failing to acknowledge the fact that many businesses operate outside of ethical boundaries with impunity, precisely because their focus is on profits and not people. Wausau in particular has had its fair share of questionable decision making by its highest elected office…but Wausonians chose to elect a replacement and have done so in moments where their best interests were not being looked after. This tradition is one that has merit in our community and should remain.   

There is a labor shortage nationwide, but at the same time some people say they are unable to find work. What is the best way to attract and retain talent in Wausau?

As someone who recently graduated from college and moved back to Wausau, I was discouraged by the lack of diverse opportunity and wage stagnation I believe is present in the area. I was lucky enough to find work with a Little Chute company that has an office in Wausau that saw its ribbon cutting in November of 2021 and can offer upward mobility, competitive pay, and a flexible schedule. This is not the norm here and many of the careers in the area offer annual raises, but lack a variety of lateral and upward growth for employees, though that’s not to say these jobs don’t exist. The city can encourage employers by incentivizing them to bring their business to the area, but when this is done we need to be highly engaged with the companies and should expect a return on our investment in the form of detailed plans on how they will reinvest and grow, adding employment opportunities to residents or candidates who would consider moving to the area. This is made all the more difficult with the advent of remote work being on the rise, but if we can maintain a reasonable cost of living and implement standards for normalizing and promoting employers offering a living wage, people will consider Wausau when they think of where they want to settle down when geography isn’t a concern for their employment. 

What is the best solution to the city’s drinking water problem?

Research and collaboration with cities that have faced PFAS and other similar issues and seen success, while looking at those cities who have failed and learning from them as well. Actively seeking federal assistance and relief to minimize the financial burden that could end up being the driving force in one decision or another, often lending towards a cheaper solution rather than the most effective one. We also need to address social anxieties by testing at reasonable intervals to show progress when solutions are implemented. In the interim of a tangible larger solution it is imperative that clean water is made available to those who cannot afford alternatives to the tap until we get to a place we can agree is safe beyond the shadow of a doubt. We are going to have to face the fact that we have a water treatment plant that is still in the process of being built that does nothing to deal with the level of PFAS that has been discovered in Wausau’s water supply. How we handle possible alterations to a project currently underway could present itself as an opportunity to show the city we can pivot when public health is a factor, beginning to rebuild community confidence one step at a time.

What are the top three challenges you see Wausau facing in the next four years?

PFAS contamination in our water will be a source of concern long after we come up with a means to reduce levels to what could be considered “harmless” levels, because of the anxiety that we simply don’t know how long we’ve been exposed to increased levels and what that exposure means to our collective health long term. We should begin planning for what could be an increased need for healthcare outcomes in the future. There will also need to be an effort to restore public trust in those who are meant to ensure things like this don’t happen and are acknowledged as a real threat and not simply written off as nothing to be concerned about.

Affordable housing and increasing rent costs weigh heavily on the residents of Wausau, taking the greatest toll on those who are living on wages that are more or less stagnate and who have little opportunity to alter their financial situation. The various developments that have occurred and are in various processes throughout the city that are meant to address this problem may not offset those properties that have offered subsidized housing in the area that are coming to the end of their agreements. As those individuals who have benefited from the opportunities these subsidies generated find themselves in alternative situations without those protections, the number of people seeking affordable housing may outpace the solutions we’ve attempted to implement. We need to get out ahead of this and seek to better understand the underlying conditions that cause this problem to persist.

Wausau’s recent reckoning with a less than equitable past when it comes to the treatment of minority populations through the We are Wausau referendum was a step in the right direction when it comes to how the city deals with diversity and inclusion. While this is an important start, we have seen the recent placement of Afghan refugee families has already generated some controversy and the city needs to stay committed to our aspirations if we are going to succeed at helping these folks feel welcome and at home in our community. In the past when Wausau saw an increase in refugee resettlement a lot of the city’s problems were placed squarely on the backs of supposed cultural differences between the majority white population and the minority groups who made their way into the area. If we repeat the mistakes of our past or fail to rise to the challenge of giving our Afghan brothers and sisters the chance they deserve to make a life here, we will do real damage to possible growth this area could experience by embracing diversity and the prosperity that comes from communities that have done so before us. We have the potential to face this challenge and come out ahead, if we commit to working together.  

What else would you like voters to know about you?

Born and raised in Wausau, I’ve never seen the city so ready to commit to real change, but we are going to have to be brave enough to take the calculated risks progress requires. I believe in our ability to look beyond our old ways to find better, more inclusive and equitable solutions that ensure growth of our collective best interest. If we can bring the voices of all community members to the table at city hall, we can earn the attention required to truly call ourselves a community for all. 

Gary Gisselman, 79

Occupation: Retired, working part-time at the Marathon County Historical Society

Prior political experience, if any:

2006-2014 Marathon County Board of Supervisors

2006-2020 City of Wausau City Council

If elected, what three steps would you take to put our city on firmer financial footing?

I would question city of Wausau financial involvement with high end housing development

How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our community?

Elected representatives have to listen to their constituents and citizens have to speak to issues that face the city at city and county meetings. There has to be space for public comment at all governmental meetings.

How do you feel about the transportation options available in our city? Can all our residents affordably get where they need to go? If not, what would you do to improve transportation?

The public transportation issue has to looked at a county level. The metro area and the city are too intertwined to keep public transportation within the city limits of Wausau. With a county plan, all people in the county – rural, metro, and city – can have access to some public transit. The county has to take the lead in this. 

What’s more important for our city right now: Building new homes and commercial space or rehabbing our existing homes and storefronts?

The city, both administration and city council, has to have a concerted effort to look at the housing stock of this city. I am in support of the city being a partner with home owners in rehabbing existing homes in the city. New homes have their place in new developments and on empty lots but we have to look at our housing stock and the city should be a partner in this.

If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new development, how would you evaluate whether or not that project is worth implementing?

It would depend on how it fits into the community and the neighborhood. It would also depend on the exact role of the government in making it happen. 

Which does the city need more: A city administrator, or a mayor? Why?

The city needs both. Can the city afford both? Does the city’s political landscape allow for both positions. It will take some work to answer these questions but we have to try.

There is a labor shortage nationwide, but at the same time some people say they are unable to find work. What is the best way to attract and retain talent in Wausau?

Good wages, acceptance of a diverse population, and affordable housing

What is the best solution to the city’s drinking water problem?

Action is being taken by the City Council to fix the issue at the new water treatment plant. Hopefully some things will be done to provide clean water until the new facility is on line.

The issue of lead water pipes still prevails and it seems that no one is taking about this beside Deb Ryan.

What are the top three challenges you see Wausau facing in the next four years?

The future of downtown

Contaminated soil

Affordable housing

Jim Wadinski (incumbent)

Occupation: I am retired after serving 33 years as a police officer for the City of Wausau. Currently I am employed with the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office as a Reserve Deputy, Courthouse Detail.

Prior political experience: I have served that last two years on Wausau City Council representing the residence of District 5

If elected, what three steps would you take to put our city on firmer financial footing?

For a city to succeed in providing the services residence desire we need revenue and tax base to properly fund it.  So do keep our services the best we can offer for our residence I would like to encourage more of the “right” development, start getting some money back from closing TIDs and lower our debt.

How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our community?

I would like to see more of our citizens involved in city government.  More residence Informed on city planning.  And more feedback from residence on the direction the city should be going.  We currently have avenues for public involvement but very few people make comment on their thoughts.  As a current council member, I am accessible via email and phone.  All meetings are open to the public and public comment is always appreciated.  I encourage everyone in my district to contact me it they have an opinion, question, or complaint.  My contact information is on the city website, or you can call me at city hall.

How do you feel about the transportation options available in our city? Can all our residents affordably get where they need to go? If not, what would you do to improve transportation? 

The public transportation system in Wausau is not adequate for where people want to go.  I think residence should have access to shopping in Weston, Schofield, Rothschild, Rib Mountain, and Wausau.  We should have the option to ride the bus to medical appointments, government buildings like the department of motor vehicles and to visit friends anywhere in the metro area.  But the bus does not go there.  Maybe it’s time to expand bus service so all people living in “our communities” can access reasonable transportation.  Maybe it’s time for a county run transportation service. 

What’s more important for our city right now: Building new homes and commercial space or rehabbing our existing homes and storefronts?

New housing brings more tax revenue which benefits all residents.  Rehabbing current housing and storefronts is more affordable and good for the owner and community.  So, I feel a combination of both is always the best for a community.

New development is most often good for a community bringing revitalization, growth, and new tax base to a community.  However, development has to be vetted properly.  We must make sure it is right for the location.  We need to make sure the developer is the right one for the city.  Then with all the information available we must get citizen input and make a decision that will benefit the community the most. 

Which does the city need more: A city administrator, or a mayor? Why?

There are good arguments for both.  Most of my older constituents like the mayoral system.  They like to vote for the person every few years.  They feel that an administrator is hard to get rid of if they don’t like the direction things are going.  Then others like the administrator concept.  I personally lean more toward the mayoral type of government.  But if most of my constituents want an administrator system, I would support them.

There is a labor shortage nationwide, but at the same time some people say they are unable to find work. What is the best way to attract and retain talent in Wausau?

I am not sure why jobs are so plentiful, but some people are still out of work or working in a low paying job when they could move to something that pays more.  The city is also having problems hiring and keeping employees.  But we have been adjusting some of our hiring requirements and offering more training for some hires.  But competition is high for the most talented employees.  

Wausau is getting better at attracting and retaining talented people to the community.  We offer things that you cannot get in the big city.  We have a cheaper cost of living and it’s easier to get around.  We are closer to nature and recreation.  It’s easier to raise children and we are generally safer.  And we still have plenty of entertainment and parks available to enjoy. 

What is the best solution to the city’s drinking water problem?

Wausau’s water problem was a shock to a lot of people.  However, we are in a unique situation being our new water plant developed several years ago will be ready to come online this year.  With this new facility it will be easier and quicker to fit the proper equipment to remedy the problem.  It appears Wausau will be the test bed for the State, and we will be the first water treatment plant in Wisconsin to treat for PFAS in the water.  I have confidence that with the local and state experts working on this we will get it done.

What are the top three challenges you see Wausau facing in the next four years? 

The top three challenges facing us the next four years are:  

• First our water which we are working on, and I am confident we will get is done rather soon. 
• Next is the old mall property and how that will affect the community.  How long it will take to complete and how long before we will see a return on our investment. 
• Then we must look toward other future development and redevelopment.  New development brings new tax base which keeps Wausau’s homeowner’s taxes lower.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

Thank you for considering me to represent you on Wausau City Council.  For me it’s about the best services (fire, police, streets, parks, etc.) for the most reasonable cost.  

Chad Henke, 34

Occupation: Electrical Engineer

Prior political experience, if any: None

If elected, what three steps would you take to put our city on firmer financial footing?

I have spent over a decade in local industries dealing with ever changing budgets. Reaching an agreement on the highest priorities can be a very difficult process and you may not always get the best outcome from your perspective. However, these are the hard conversations that are required to best invest your capital and maintain a firm financial footing.

How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our community?

Becoming more involved will mean meeting tons of new people and I look forward to sharing ideas with them. There are many ways to communicate with me: before/after meetings, email, talking to me if we run into each other around town, etc.

How do you feel about the transportation options available in our city? Can all our residents affordably get where they need to go? If not, what would you do to improve transportation?

Having affordable transportation options in the city is a requirement that should be continuously monitored. Changing technologies, business locations and population movement trends make this an issue that the city should always be evaluating.

What’s more important for our city right now: Building new homes and commercial space or rehabbing our existing homes and storefronts?

I think the answer to this question will vary based on the specific property. The west side battery property will be best utilized with a new structure. The landmark building is still a great asset to the city on that property. It needs some modernization, so that is a great building to remodel.

If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new development, how would you evaluate whether or not that project is worth implementing?

I have been doing project management since I graduated. First, I would get input from project stakeholders to see if the project is of a high enough priority. Then I would do background checks on the people bringing forth the proposal. Do your research on them, ask for references, ask people who have experience with similar projects about the person. Even with the best preparation and management, mistakes can still happen, and things can be missed. Use that experience moving forward to make the next projects better.

Which does the city need more: A city administrator, or a mayor? Why?

The city needs a person that is dedicated to making Wausau the best place it can be.

There is a labor shortage nationwide, but at the same time some people say they are unable to find work. What is the best way to attract and retain talent in Wausau?

Get more young talented people involved in the city’s decision making. Then work with local businesses to find out what are the biggest hurdles in attracting talent.

What is the best solution to the city’s drinking water problem?

I think we need to continue listening to our citizens and keep moving forward with the short-term and long-term plans in place. If better options arise, we should be willing to quickly adopt these better options. This is a problem that the entire state is starting to deal with, and Wausau needs to continue to be a leader in finding the best solutions.  

What are the top three challenges you see Wausau facing in the next four years?

Protecting our local natural resources, dealing with an aging workforce and more than likely some unknowable issue. We must be smart enough and flexible enough to adapt to the changing issues.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I have been endorsed by Citizen Action of Wisconsin and the Marathon County Central Labor Council. I am new to public service, but I am a fast learner. I am looking forward to help shape Wausau’s future.