WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — A new year means a new set of problems to examine in Wausau.
The city’s HR Committee and Water Works Commission will hold a joint meeting later today to discuss funding options for the utility, specifically how employees are handled. Mayor Katie Rosenberg says it stems from a desire to make sure they are being as efficient as possible with taxpayer and rate-payer dollars, because if you pay into one of those pots chances are you pay into both.
“That’s probably what you will hear a lot about during the meeting. People want to [know] that the money they are paying is going to the right things and that we are not going to them again and asking for more,” said Rosenberg. “That’s really the big discussion. It’s about rates and how that affects what we are doing with the utility.”
The discussion will center on staffing and training needs at the plant along with some salary requests. Rosenberg says having both groups involved is important to make sure everyone is on the same page. “Right now utility employees, technically, can be governed separately. But I particularly like it when we treat our employees equitably. That’s the discussion we are going to have, to make sure we are all aligned, then figure out how we are going to move forward together.”
Monday’s decision will likely be part of a big-picture look at the funding for the water utility and how different funding mechanisms could alter the current rates, which have more than doubled in the last five years giving Wausau some of the most expensive water in the state. Some have recently implied that adding staff to the plant could bring a need for another increase, though Rosenberg previously told WSAU News that she would rather “light herself on fire” than go through another rate-case study and hike.
RELATED: Mayor Rosenberg Calms Rumors of Another Water Rate Case Study, Potential Increase
Rosenberg adds that the discussions could also include a sidetrack regarding the Water Commission itself and whether it should be disbanded in favor of a utility committee of the City Council which would give the elected officials more control over the utility and its financing. “We have a lot of opportunities to discuss. We have a lot of changes that we have already put in place, so I think there is an opportunity to make sure that elected [officials] have the last say. I think that’s really what I’m hearing from people on the Council and our community. They want to make sure that they have a say, and that’s not necessarily how they feel when you have appointed citizens.”
Monday’s meeting begins at 4:45 at City Hall and will be available on cable access and the city’s YouTube page. City leaders are also promising to dissect how eliminating the annual $2 million payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) from the utility to the city could impact rates. There’s also the wild card of PFAS settlement money which the city is in line to receive and how that could be used to possibly lower rates through retiring debt. Rosenberg says those discussions will happen when they have more data available.
Other topics Mayor Rosenberg discussed with WSAU’s Mike Leischner include:
Start of video- Primary election prep
3:50- Joint Water Works and HR Committee meeting
9:10- Upcoming contractor open house for lead service line project
11:50- Foundry on 3rd update
14:00- New Deputy Fire Chief
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