Submitted
Chris Schock
Wausau’s community development director is slated to leave at the end of June, according to his resignation letter.
Mayor Katie Rosenberg on June 1 signed the resignation of Christian Schock, whose last day will be June 29, according to a copy of his resignation letter requested by City Pages earlier this month.
Schock was often the source of criticism by residents in the Wausau area on social media, and the city’s economic development process has been criticized by Rosenberg on the campaign trail. Rosenberg often cited the fact that term sheets were approved by the city council for city projects, but city council members never saw the final agreements after they were negotiated by the community development department and developers.
Schock, who started with the city in 2015 under mayor Jim Tipple, says he’s proud of the progress the city has made in the time he’s been in office, according to his resignation letter. The city has had record new construction growth, with percentages recently that have bested Madison and Milwaukee.
But there have also been foibles; most notably on the Riverlife Project which is finally being completed by its third developer, the Micon Theater project that fell through and the Liberty Mutual building, a $100 million project the city lost. And Schock was recently reprimanded by former Mayor Robert Mielke for mistreatment of former city council member Dennis Smith during a city meeting following a row between the two.
Former mayor Robert Mielke had told City Pages in March that Schock would be leaving but did not specify when that would be, or by what method. Schock in his resignation letter referred to his ‘retirement.’ Schock did not respond to City Pages’ request for comment.
According to the letter, Shock will be leaving on vacation June 22-26, and his last official day will be June 29.
