Inside the Wausau's new homeless shelter

The Wausonian was the only press to attend a volunteer session by the city council Monday, which included a tour of the shelter

Community Outreach Specialist Tracy Durante speaks to Lisa Rasmussen and Jean Diny during a tour at the WMC Shelter. Council members volunteered at the shelter in various roles.

Monday night a quorum of the city council met in a building downtown. But they weren’t there to discuss city business.

Instead, six members of the city council — Council President Lisa Rasmussen, Carol Lukens, Victoria Tierney, Lou Larson, Sarah Watson and Tom Neal — gathered to volunteer at the WMC Shelter housed at the First United Methodist Church.

As The Wausonian reported earlier, the city earlier this year opened the homeless shelter after Catholic Charities said it could no longer run the shelter, and after a request for proposals to run a shelter for the city went unanswered.

The shelter is run via city and county money after a joint task force on homelessness concluded its recommendations.

Previously The Wausonian wasn’t allowed to see the shelter itself. Police were concerned about sharing the identities of residents, some of who are employed around the area.

But with a possible quorum being present, that meant the press was allowed access by law. The Wausonian voluntarily didn’t feature photos of those utilizing the shelter - Police Chief Matt Barnes had explained that a surprising number of the homeless using the shelter have jobs, and it could cause problems with their employers.

But there is still journalistic value in seeing the operation first-hand, and a tour provided by Community Outreach Specialist Tracy Durante provided a nice window to understand how the shelter works, how it’s organized and to get some photos without causing a burden to those already in a tough spot. It’s important for journalists to see what they’re writing about.

The Wausonian was the only media outlet to attend.

It also highlights the efforts that the city has undergone to assist the homeless in recent years. And it comes at a time when the city is about to hear a proposal from another organization, Bridge Street Mission, to run the shelter starting next year. (The Finance Committee will look at that proposal tonight.)

Here are key takeaways from Monday night:

Tracy Durante gives instructions to City Council Member Lou Larson at the WMC Shelter Monday.