METRO BRiEFS
by B.C. Kowalski
Separation of church and school
A group charged the school with supporting a religious org; but district officials say no favoritism other. The fee structure is meant to allow access while also not subsidizing outside groups.
Former Wausau River District director returns as Community Development Director
The Wausau River District’s former director will return as the city’s new Community Development Director. The city hired Liz Brodek earlier this month. Brodek worked as the Wausau River District Executive Director from Dec. 2014 to March 2018, before working for the city of Eau Claire and later business districts in Milwaukee. “I’m really looking forward Elizabeth Brodek to coming back to a place I love, with people I love,” Brodek told City Pages. “I’d been looking at coming back for years, but I just couldn’t find the right position.” The community development director was a good fit for her and her skills, Brodek told City Pages, and former retired Community Development Director Ann Werth encouraged her to apply. Brodek plans to spend the early part of her time at the city listening to the community and taking note of the gaps that need to be filled. She has some future plans, such as making sure new developments are environmentally conscious and sustainable. Natural resources are an important part of the community, Brodek told City Pages. Mayor Katie Rosenberg expressed excitement about Brodek bringing her skills to the city. “We are thrilled to welcome Elizabeth Brodek back to Wausau,” Rosenberg says. “Her passion for Wausau combined with her deep knowledge of the economic and business development landscape across our region will help us design an economic development program that helps us meet our city goals and needs. I know she’s ready to hit the ground running.” Brodek will start Aug. 11. Her salary is $104,894.
Wausau, Weston seek new contract with convention and visitors bureau
Wausau and Weston leaders are weighing a new contract with the Central Wisconsin Convention and Visitors Bureau following last year’s fallout over room tax dollars. Wausau earlier this month approved a new non-exclusive agreement that lays out specific terms for the CVB to follow. CVB’s services include marketing, providing information to tourists and tangible municipal development such as a convention center. It specifies the room tax dollars are not to be used for a lodging facility. The village of Weston is close to approving a similar deal. The Weston Village Board Monday sent the matter to its tourism commission. Village President Mark Maloney told City Pages the village is interested in a very similar contract to Wausau’s. Greater transparency is a key element, he says. City leaders and several other municipalities pulled out of their agreements with the CVB to handle their room tax dollars after Wausau Mayor Katie Rosenberg accused CVB Director Dick Barrett accepting room tax dollars from Expedia on behalf of the city without disclosing it to city leaders. Barrett at the time had said he intended to hand them over, but didn’t mention the money until city leaders confronted him after learning Expedia had sent him the money. Barrett retired earlier this year. Municipalities must work with a tourism entity for a portion of their dollars, and another portion can be allocated via a room tax commission, following a law meant to restrict room tax dollars from being used for non-tourism uses. Yet another portion can be retained by the municipality, though that amount diminishes over time.
Wausau leaders pass compromise over botched incentive contract
City leaders approved a new agreement with software firm CGI over a botched contract with the company CGI took over for. The city council earlier this month approved a settlement with CGI that forgives $145,000 of the $200,000
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An organization concerned with the separation of church and state sent a letter to the Wausau School District accusing the district of improperly supporting a religious organization. The event, which hosted Every Black Life Matters speaker Kevin McGary at Wausau East, the group alleges was allowed to get discount pricing and because it was a religious organization, should have been charged the full rate. The group Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter dated June 17 to Superintendent Keith Hilts via email and U.S. Mail, according to a copy of the letter sent to City Pages. The letter states that the Wisconsin Family Council funded the event, and that Every Black Life Matters promotes a Christian perspective as a “Biblical alternative” to the Black Lives Matter movement. The school district employs a three-tier system for charging events. Tier 1 benefits students primarily, tier 2 benefits the hosting organization and students, and tier 3 only benefits the hosting organization. By charging the tier two pricing, FFRF leaders says, the school district was essentially subsidizing a religious organization to the tune of roughly $970. In a later press release, FFRF said a citizen made them aware of the meeting. McGary also spoke at the Marathon County Board’s education meeting in May, prompting a proposed change in speaker policy after McGary said Wausau Mayor Katie Rosenberg wants to exterminate black people. Gibbs later apologized to Rosenberg for not stopping the meeting when it devolved into personal attacks. Joseph McDonald of the FFRF told City Pages he had not as of Monday received a response to the letter/email. Hilts in a statement delivered to media outlets in response to the letter says the group’s needs were minimal, and so district officials felt the second tier was the appropriate one to charge. Custodial fees were waived initially due to a clerical error, but have been retroactively charged, Hilts says. Hilts says the district adheres to separation of church and state while also wanting to allow for a variety of viewpoints, which sometimes might seem to contradict each
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June 24-July 1, 2021
