Committee Weighs Trail Cost Overruns, School Resource Officer Funding, and Employee Time Tracking

By David Ballerstein - Marshfield Now!

Marshfield, WI--
The City of Marshfield’s Finance, Budget and Personnel Committee met on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, addressing issues ranging from trail construction overruns to a new agreement with the school district for resource officer funding, as well as a lengthy debate over tracking hours worked by exempt city employees.

Adler Road Trail Project Over Budget
Finance Director Jennifer Selenske presented a resolution seeking council approval to close out funding for the Adler Road bicycle and pedestrian trail project. Originally launched in 2020 with an 80/20 state Transportation Alternatives Program grant, the project’s costs have nearly doubled.

Initial estimates placed construction at roughly $379,000. However, final costs are expected to reach $768,672, due to higher-than-expected bids, land acquisition expenses, and non-participating costs such as city staff time.
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While the Wisconsin Department of Transportation increased its award to help offset overruns, the city still faces an $85,500 shortfall. Staff recommended covering the gap using fund balance reserves and contingency funds.
Despite the explanation, some committee members expressed frustration with cost escalation and oversight.

“Eight hundred thousand dollars to finish a trail, when we can’t even hire firefighters without a referendum—that’s hard to accept,” said Alderwoman Rebecca Spiros.

The resolution to fund the shortfall failed on a split vote, leaving the matter unresolved.

Certified Sites Grant Video Approved
The committee unanimously approved a procedural budget resolution related to a promotional video for the Yellowstone Industrial Park. The video, produced internally by the city’s media team in collaboration with Wood County and Mackey, cost $5,000. Wood County covered half, while the city redirected $2,500 from its marketing contribution to MACCI to cover its share.

School District to Share More in SRO Costs
City Administrator Steve Barg presented an updated agreement with the Marshfield School District for funding the School Resource Officer (SRO) program.

Under the revised contract, the district will contribute $100,000 annually toward one officer’s salary and benefits, a figure closer to actual costs. Future increases will be tied to the Consumer Price Index, with a 1% minimum and 5% maximum cap per year.
Committee members praised the district’s cooperation. “This really should have happened years ago,” said Alderman Mike O’Reilly. The resolution passed unanimously.

Debate Over Tracking Exempt Employee Hours
The meeting’s longest discussion centered on Alderman Mike O’Reilly’s request to explore requiring exempt city employees to track their work hours.

Human Resources Director Sarah Dresel presented research outlining potential benefits—such as accountability, preventing burnout, and improved project tracking—as well as risks, including morale impacts, administrative burden, and possible reclassification issues under labor law.

O’Reilly argued that tracking hours would provide needed transparency for taxpayers and help identify workload imbalances. “Not tracking creates a lack of trust. This is about accountability,” he said.

Other members raised concerns about micromanagement, employee retention, and whether the data would meaningfully improve performance oversight. After nearly an hour of debate, the committee voted to refer the issue to the full council for further discussion.

Looking Ahead
Committee members also requested that future agendas include ways to improve communication between department heads and the council regarding ongoing project costs and change orders, to avoid surprises like those seen in the trail project.
The meeting adjourned without a final resolution on the trail funding gap, leaving the matter for further council deliberation.

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