Wausau City Hall to See Safety and Security Updates

Wednesday, October 25th, 2023 -- 8:01 AM

(Mike Leischner, WSAU) Wausau City Hall will be getting a facelift this winter in the name of safety and security.

According to Mike Leischner with WSAU, Public Works Director Eric Lindman says the project will involve creating a "buzz in" set up for anyone who needs to visit with an employee.

"To get up the stairs and go to different division and departments within City Hall there will be a remote call and then they'll be buzzed up to the appropriate place. We do have appointments for people coming in, but this will be just so we know when people are coming into City Hall, where they're going, so we can direct them better."

Anyone who needs to make a payment or take care of small business will still be able to walk in and out. "The front entrance vestibules are still going to be wide open. For the Municipal Court Clerk, they'll actually be in the is room and they'll be facing the lobby, so they have direct access to the lobby."

The building will remain accessible for things like city council or committee meetings.  "They'll be wide open, so the front doors will still be open, so people can walk directly back there with no buzzing or anything. Just the way it is now."

Lindman says the changes are not designed to make city leadership less accessible, they are designed to protect employees. "It restricts the rest of City Hall, so people can't hide out. We have had some people in here overnight and sleeping, so we want to prevent that."

The improvements will cost just over a quarter of a million dollars, which is more than the original 180 thousand dollar budget for the project. Alders did approve using over 68 thousand from the city's reserve funds to cover the difference.

Lindman says the higher cost is largely because the original estimates did not take into consideration the correct amount of ballistic glass.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.