Tuesdays with the Mayor: An update with Stevens Point Mayor Mike Wiza
By Taylor J. Hale
Staff Writer
STEVENS POINT – Mayor Mike Wiza sat down with Gazette staff to give an update on Stevens Point developments. Wiza touched on the recent National Guard COVID-19 testing and the cancellation of Riverfront Rendezvous.
Wiza on the latest COVID-19 testing
Wiza said that last week’s National Guard COVID-19 test results showed that no new cases were contracted in Portage County, though two cases from out of the county were confirmed during the testing.
“The National Guard testing was open to anyone in the state, but no Portage County residents tested positive,” Wiza explained.
Wiza said he was surprised to see no additional cases in the county. He hopes to see this trend continue as shops and businesses around the region begin to reopen their doors to the public.
Wiza speaks on the cancellation of Riverfront Rendezvous
Wiza said that he feels the cancellation of the annual Riverfront Rendezvous is wise from a city standpoint for more than one reason.
“It’s not only the virus,” Wiza said. “If we are expecting 10,000 people to break even, and because of the virus, people are apprehensive about showing up; and we have lower attendance rates, we are going to lose money. If we lose money, that burden falls on the taxpayers. It doesn’t make sense to make taxpayers foot the bill for another $10-15,000 for an event that could easily be cancelled or postponed.”