Wausau Fire Department Engine 1. MWC photo by Mike Leischner
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — The Wausau City Council heard the pitch for a possible public safety referendum during the April 2026 non-partisan election.
Fire Chief Jeremy Kopp opened a committee of the whole by reiterating the same pitch that the department made in January of 2022- the department has been stretched thin as the city grows. But now that the new positions have been filled, he doesn’t want to see them go backwards.
“Here we are with a money dilemma, right?” Said Kopp. “In order to keep the progress alive in the department. We’ve gotten to a place where our department is now a destination department. It’s no longer a stepping stone department. We have overcome a lot of obstacles in the past few years.”
RELATED: Wausau Fire Department to Seek Grant Funding for Additional Firefighters
The department won grant funding for the additional positions later that year, while hiring additional positions with one-time funds from the federal government. Those funds expire next year, meaning it’s now up to the city to cover those salaries or cut the positions.
Council President Lisa Rasmussen said the city attempted to time the positions to come on the levy with the closure of Tax Increment District 6, which will add about $600,000 to the coffers. But inflationary pressures, including a more expensive contract for garbage and recycling collection, have already eaten up those gains and then some. “When you look at some of the ongoing costs that we have to balance each year: health insurance, the cost of healthcare, all of those pressures are more than what the levy limit can offer each year,” said Finance Director MaryAnn Groat.
Alders also heard from representatives of Mueller Communications, who offered to create a uniform marketing campaign to help inform voters about their options if the question makes the Spring ballot. Many agreed those services would be worthwhile, even if it’s just a one-time session to help create elements for a campaign that can then be implemented by city staff through social media or the city newsletter.
Thursday’s discussion was for informational purposes only; no decisions were made. Alders scheduled an early November committee meeting for further consideration of that agreement, which would require approval at a future City Council meeting.
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