Civil and Municipal - Mar 2023

30 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 3 Fifrick explains, “This is a nationwide problem that has generally meant companies don’t have enough workers to fuel expansion and growth, especially with the rise of remote work. What many people don’t understand is, while Wausau is made up of five or six different communities, villages, and towns that make up our metro area, the city itself is pretty much landlocked. “ “Our focus has been on redeveloping existing areas rather than new single-family homes, which take up valuable land. One of our city’s most significant offerings is our central location, but Wausau also maintains a slower pace and fosters a positive work-life balance for those who come to live and work here,” Fifrick notes. Mayor Rosenberg chimes in. “Remote work becoming a more viable option for companies and their workers has had a big impact on this problem, simply because people have far more choice on where they want to live. By really focusing on the utilization of our natural amenities and upgrading our city infrastructure, we are working to attract new residents as well as retain the workers that are currently living here.” Pausing to reflect, Mayor Rosenberg continues, “It’s something we take very seriously. People are moving down to the Southern states in droves- they’re leaving the Midwest in general. Last year, we had 6000 open jobs in our county alone. 11% of our population is Hmong, hailing from refugees who came to our area fleeing the Secret War. We have also welcomed refugees from Afghanistan, many of whom are highly skilled folks who have worked alongside our military. I’m also currently in talks with the Department of State regarding the number of visas available to people who want to come and work here.” Infrastructure investments have been another high priority for city management of late, including $44 million dedicated to a new drinking water facility and almost $90 million spent on wastewater treatment refurbishments. Mayor Rosenberg details other infrastructure projects currently underway.