Mayors Monday: Stevens Pointâs Mike Wiza By Mike Leischner
May 3, 2021 5:00 AM
STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU) â The proposal for a RoboCop statue in Stevens Point has gone from a funny viral story to a real possibility.
Mayor Mike Wiza says while the issue hasnât been a priority for him; heâs obviously got bigger fish to fry, he has enjoyed working in the background to connect those who have made the project a priority.
âItâs on the back burner for me, but other people have just taken it up and run with it,â said Wiza. âAnything someone wants to do thatâs going to make our community a little better Iâm in favor of; and if I can help clear the path I will certainly do that.â
The proposal still needs congressional approval, which could be a tough battle, so the city isn t getting ahead of itself, Rosenberg said. Marathon County Administrator Lance Leonhard said the county will be interested in the parts of the proposed $2 trillion that are allocated to local governments.
Until that is finalized, Leonhard had no details on what projects the money would go toward. That s in part because the city and county are still awaiting guidance from the U.S. Department of Treasury on Biden s last spending package, the American Rescue Plan, from which Wausau is slated to get about $15.75 million and the county is to get $26 million. The first chunk of that funding is expected to come in early May.
By Liz Holbrook
Hmong Festival in Wausau, WI (WAOW-TV)
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) â Local residents are reflecting and celebrating the Cityâs largest minority group.
April was declared Hmong Heritage Month in Wausau by Mayor Katie Rosenberg in a proclamation at the April 13th Common Council meeting. Since the proclamation, local Hmong residents have been celebrating their heritage like Pa Thou. An employee at Phou Bia Oriental Market, Thou tells WAOW-TV what the proclamation means to her.
âHmong history month for me, Iâm so proud that I am Hmong and it is an occasion or month that we get to celebrate. I mean you know every time, I celebrate every day because I am happy that I am Hmong,â.
WAUSAU – Wausau could have some new visitors in the parks this summer goats.
Mayor Katie Rosenberg and Parks Director Jamie Polley have been working for a year to bring the furry farm animals into several city parks to eat invasive plant species after a similar program succeeded in the Madison parks department.
The goats, which will be on loan from a to-be-determined local farmer, will mainly graze buckthorn and honeysuckle on Barker Stewart Island, offering an alternative and more sustainable method to removing the plants than utilizing harmful chemicals.
Polley and the parks department have interviewed farmers and are monitoring the island for more growth of the invasive plants, which tend to kill native plant species. Polley thinks the goats will join the parks department in late June or July.