Animal exit | The Weekly Wausonian

Wausau news for the week of Sept. 12, 2024

Wausau leaders Tuesday eliminated the city’s animal control officer - replacing her with a team of Community Service Officers.

The city council voted 7-4 to eliminate the full-time animal control officer position, adopting the team of CSOs to handle animal complaints instead.

Why? When the city first started the animal control officer position in 2012, the idea was that it would self-fund by collecting increased fines for Wausau residents not licensing their pets, and the staff would increase as other communities came on board, adding more funding to the program.

None of that happened, said city leaders Tuesday night. Instead, the current control officer only makes first contact on about 40% of animal calls, since the majority of the calls come on nights and weekends outside of the officer’s daytime hours. And with Everest Metro pulling out of the service as they merged with Rothschild, that left even less money to fund the program.

Police staff instead proposed a team of CSOs trained in animal control who can work a more flexible schedule. That proposal, after months of controversy, was adopted on Tuesday

Opponents of the move attempted a compromise that would have added CSOs with the full-time officer - but that would cost even more money, critics argued. They argued that losing the full-time officer and her education would have a negative impact on the area’s animals.

But proponents of the new proposal adopted Tuesday said it’s already happening that officers are responding to most of the calls, and even while the animal control officer was on leave, the predicted difficulties never materialized.

Wausonians this week read about the Big Eau Pleine Reservoir being over-run with algae, so much that it looked like someone poured green paint into the water:

What else in Wausau?

Water worker addition: The City Council Tuesday approved a plan to add three more staff members to the city’s utilities — two at the wastewater plant and one at the drinking water plant. While those new facilities include more automation than the previous versions, Public Works Director Eric Lindman says, but new testing and regulation requirements are adding even more work for utility staff. The additional staff will cost $130,000 through the end of the year, according to city documents.

School tax relief: Preliminary numbers for next year’s budget show Wausau School District residents getting a pretty substantial break on their tax rates. The mill rate for the district is projected to be $7.41 per $1,000 of property valuation - that’s down from $8.83 last year and is the lowest mill rate since at least the late 1960s according to records shared by the district. How that will impact residents remains to be seen, however, since properties were re-valuated this year and most people’s home values increased substantially.

Around the metro

School bus crash: The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a school bus crash in the town of Elderon last week. The bus had 21 students on board but none were injured, though the driver of the other vehicle was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Business

Bull Falls closure: After a year of confusion, Bull Falls Brewery announced it will officially close its doors later this month. The Wausonian first reported last summer that the brewery was listed on an auction site (story linked above). Leaders later confirmed via Facebook that they were closing. But later the brewery announced it was trying to sell the business, and had several buyers come and fall through in the past year. The brewery has one last batch of Oktoberfest finished, and brewery owners say there will be special deals this year.

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Entertainment

Through Oct. 26: OK, so to get something out of the way: Yes, the Monk Botanical Gardens earned itself some controversy earlier this year after it announced it would change its name. People did not like that, and eventually the board changed the name back. But you shouldn’t let that stop you from enjoying this colorful festival at the gardens. The gardens during this time period will become a garden of light, bringing something to the area it otherwise hasn’t seen. Plus there are a number of special events such as Pet Night, Trick or Treat Night and Sensory-Friendly Night. Wednesdays through Saturdays 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Learn more on the event page.

Thursday, Sept. 12: There has been a decided lack of food truck rallies in the Wausau area in the past. Now, there are two in less than a month? That’s right, following right on the heels of the food truck rally and makers market downtown last week, Rib Mountain will feature its own food truck. This one is in the evening hours and features half a dozen food trucks at the lovely Doepke Park in Rib Mountain. Besides the food trucks, the village will have on hand Marathon County’s K9 program and Section 715 Throwing Co. But they had me at food. 4:30-8:30 pm. See the event page for more.

Wausau Welcome Week: This one is super interesting. A couple of things to note about the new Wausau Welcoming Week: One, it’s a little more than a week! The events stretch out through Sept. 22, with plenty for Wausau folks to do. And, it’s not just for those new to Wausau - everyone can enjoy it! The big two events are a reception for the artists behind The String Project 6 pm Friday at WMOCA and a Welcoming Week Kickoff Fair 10 am Saturday at The Grand Theater. Other events throughout the week and beyond are a book display at the Marathon County Public Library Wausau Branch; a Fiesta Party at Community Partners Campus; and an open house at the ECDC center in Washington Square. Check out the event page for the whole schedule and details.

Thursday, Sept. 12: Carper’s music can be best described as mountain music - a particular set of bluegrass that, as she puts it (borrowing from the documentary Down from the Mountain), just needs to be “borned in ya.” At least that’s how she would describe it. Throwing on the track “Making Memories,” the song evokes a mix of old school country with a little bit of a jazz element. Other songs like “No Home” sound a little more like traditional bluegrass but of the style one might hear on an old country radio station. And her track “Borned in ya” has a gospel call-and-answer element to it. Carper’s voice is unique, and it’ll be a treat to see at Lamplight Sessions. Did we mention she sings and plays upright bass? 7 pm. $36. See the event page for more.

Looking for kids/family events? Check out the family-oriented listing from The Wausonian’s partner Wausau Mama, who puts together a weekly listing of children/family activities.

Sports

Football: D.C. Everest and Wausau West both notched their first conference wins Friday, putting them tied for first place in the Wisconsin Valley Big Rivers Conference. The Evergreens beat Wisconsin Rapids 34-6 and the Warriors defeated Eau Claire North 26-3. Everest will head to West next week.

Volleyball: D.C. Everest won the first game of its conference season Thursday, defeating Merrill in three straight sets. That puts them tied with Rapids and SPASH for first place.

Boys soccer: Wausau West put in a valiant effort but came up short as D.C. Everest notched its first conference win last week, defeating the Warriors 5-4. Everest today will take on SPASH, which also has a 1-0 Valley Conference Record.

Girls tennis: Wausau East came out strong in the first conference game of the season, winning all seven matches against Merrill, 7-0. Wausau West also notched a conference win, beating SPASH 4-3.

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