A Marathon County presentation and subsequent debate on Thursday focused on short‑term repairs to Marathon Park’s ice arena and a related federal grant application for a safe room.

The issue surfaced twice during the meeting: in public comment and later under committee business, when staff described a plan intended to keep ice available while the county evaluates long‑term options.

What speakers said
- Visitor impact: Tim White, director of Visit Wausau (the Wausau Central Wisconsin Convention and Visitors Bureau), told the board the arena supports local events and tourism. White said a conservative estimate for the September–March season shows “at least 10,600 plus attendees” with about “5,700 visitors” and estimated visitor spending of “$1,400,000,” averaging roughly “$150 per visitor.” He urged support for a temporary fix to preserve the Badger State Games and other major events.
- Short‑term repair plan: Parks staff and Administrator Lance Leonard presented a short‑term, flexible repair strategy intended to ensure ice for the next season while leaving options open for a long‑term decision. The plan centers on installing a mat system over the existing slab, targeted floor repairs and addressing key mechanical components; staff described that approach as less invasive than a full floor replacement and as reusable or resalable if the county later builds a new arena.
- Funding and timing: Staff said the short‑term package was discussed by the Park Commission and HR/Finance and would require county funding unless outside grants or donor contributions are secured. A cost figure discussed during the meeting — cited by supervisors during questions — was approximately $940,000 for the short‑term work. Staff noted some components (for example, replacement of the cooling tower) could be deferred at the cost of increased operational risk; staff estimated the cooling tower component at roughly $120,000.
- BRIC safe‑room grant: Jamie (Parks/Emergency Management staff) explained the county previously received a $300,000 planning grant to study a safe room that could be integrated into any new ice facility and is preparing a federal Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant application for construction. She said BRIC would fund up to 75% of a safe‑room construction project; the local match would be 25% and could be provided via levy, in‑kind contributions or fundraising if the board accepts any award.

Board discussion and outstanding questions
Supervisors debated whether and how much county taxpayers should cover. Questions centered on user group contributions, fundraising, fee increases, and whether short‑term county funding should be provided while a long‑term facility plan is developed.
- Several supervisors urged staff to seek private sponsorships, increase user fees, and produce alternative funding proposals tied to user commitments and timelines.
- Parks staff said user groups, local teams and promotional partners would be engaged for fundraising if the board directs a longer‑term project; staff also noted that many area rinks are near capacity and that losing ice at Wausau would create scheduling strain for youth and adult programs.

Actions on the agenda
Parks and finance committees moved a short‑term repair recommendation forward to the full board and asked staff to seek grant opportunities for the safe‑room element. The meeting did not record a final vote on construction funding; staff said a funding decision would be brought to the board in a future session. The board also considered a resolution authorizing a letter of commitment for the BRIC grant application; Jamie clarified the letter does not itself obligate the county to spend funds but is a standard prerequisite for applying for BRIC construction funds.

Ending
County staff said the short‑term repair plan is intended to buy time while the board weighs a longer‑term decision (repair, rebuild one sheet, rebuild two sheets or exit the ice business). Supervisors asked staff to return with alternative funding scenarios that include increased fees, private sponsorships, and user‑group fundraising commitments prior to any larger county capital commitment.