Setback in Wausau Mayor’s Push to Switch to City Administrator Form of Local Government

Thursday, October 29th, 2026 -- 8:00 AM

(Chris Conley, WSAU) There’s been a setback in Wausau Mayor Doug Diny’s push for a city administrator form of local government.

According to Chris Conley with WSAU, the city’s finance committee has removed $150,000 for an administrator's salary from the city budget. Instead, the money will go toward a citywide audit.

Diny had proposed the administrator's salary in anticipation of a debate over switching Wausau to an administrator or city manager form of government in the coming year. Stripping the salary funding indicates that some council members don’t support such a change.

Some council members said funding a salary for a position that hasn’t formally been created is premature. The last time the issue was raised in the city, voters rejected it at referendum.

Wausau’s budget for 2027 is scheduled for a public hearing on November 10. The budget already includes the largest increase in city spending in a decade, and the largest property tax increase in the last eight years.

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