City of Eau Claire residents, staff, and Council Members,

Here’s some news from around the City for this week. As a reminder, prior updates can be found here, and people can sign up for updates here. Feel free to send me feedback.

You can view the update online here as well, which may help for anyone whose email program does not download pictures: News | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin (eauclairewi.gov)

CITY UPDATES:

Oakwood Mall: At our most recent City Council meeting, Community Development Director Aaron White shared an update on the study that has been carried out by Vandewalle & Associates on the possible future uses of the parcels that make up Oakwood Mall. 

Aaron started by sharing that the mall is still doing well, and efforts are a pro-active response to nationwide trends that suggest traditional malls must evolve to adjust to new dynamics in retail. He also shared that the properties at and near Oakwood are owned by different entities, and the City cannot directly impact any of them. That said, similar to steps taken with the Cannery District, we hope the study will help potential developers figure out where their ideas for housing, retail, or other uses could fit into the mix of the greater Oakwood area.

The area remains the most retail dense part of north central Wisconsin. But, Aaron said, we have to stay in front of possible challenges the mall may face. People are shifting away from the kind of retail that used to be popular. Online retail has pulled customers away from malls, while a growing demand for services and experiences can drive more people to redesigned retail areas.

The consultant suggested that to strengthen Oakwood for the long-term, future developers should:

• Rethink parking spaces;
• Look at pedestrian flow, creating spaces where people will want to gather, stroll, watch a performance, eat lunch, etc.;
• Consider how to repurpose indoor spaces (such as the vacant anchor store) for activities and services, such as athletic facilities or other experiential purposes;
• Look at adding micro-retail that opens directly to the outside; and
• Continue to promote and build a mix of housing, retail, experiences/services/amenities, and office space.

Council Members asked questions such as:

• What’s a way to create more “third spaces”? This is a term which has been coined to mean places where people can gather and connect outside of home and work. For example, where can high school students hang out together at 9PM on a Saturday, as they did in the heyday of popularity of malls?
• Can we preserve the indoor walking? People really value this indoor space when sidewalks are icy and when the weather is too cold or too hot.
• How do we preserve and strengthen the food court? It has a wide variety of foods served, including start-ups that may be able to launch without a large initial investment. Some communities have food halls that work as incubators for new businesses, and the food court is not entirely different from that model.

Staff and Council Members also talked about how the Oakwood area, and potentially a mile radius around Oakwood, is developing into its own “node” or “activity center”. When Oakwood Mall opened in 1986, it was regarded as a threat to London Square Mall and the Downtown. As Eau Claire has grown, however, we now can see that our community can support both a thriving Downtown and other mixed use “activity centers.” As we work on the Century Code update and as we move into an update of our Comprehensive Plan, we will be thinking carefully about how to support a mix of retail, services, amenities, transportation options, parking, and residential in more than one part of Eau Claire. This approach will help different parts of Eau Claire be complete as live/work/play spaces but also unique, and it’ll help each area feel like their own center of gravity.

Pictured below is one image from the conceptual plan. It shows retail in the lot in front of Oakwood, which would help create more activity and engagement to break up the current large parking lot.

Green Waste Facility Open: Please note that the City’s popular Green Waste Facility (aka “the Brush Site”) is now open for the season. Their hours are Monday and Wednesday from 10AM to 6PM, plus Saturdays from 8AM to 3PM. Compost created at the Green Waste Facility will be available for purchase. Residents should bring their own buckets/containers when purchasing compost. For additional information on the size and type of accepted items and prices, visit: EauClaireWI.gov/Brush. Below is a flyer for the facility.

Fire Hazmat Training: The Fire Department shared a photo from a training this week. They wrote: “Today, hazmat team members trained on train tank car chlorine leaks. Luckily, these types of incidents are extremely rare, but when they occur, they can be extremely hazardous.”

City Hall Duck Family Update: As we wrote about in a recent newsletter, we have had a front seat view of our duck family who has been nesting in one of the City Hall planters. At one of the community meetings that Emily and I have done, one attendee asked for detailed duck updates… Here you go!

This week, right around the same time that the tulips bloomed, the ducklings hatched! We noticed them first thing in the morning. As we watched, all the ducklings jumped out of the planter and began waddling around the area outside of City Hall, close to busy Farwell. We saw that they couldn’t get back into the planter, so my co-worker Tess Morgan and I brought them a box that they could use as a step stool to get back into the planter. They then seemed to take a rest, safe under their Mama Duck’s feathers. But after a few hours, Mama Duck left the nest, and the ducklings followed her! City Hall problem-solver Rod Bonesteel leapt into action. He said: “I counted ten little ducklings. She acted as if she wanted to lead them away. She started heading for the street, but the traffic must have made her rethink that idea. She had the whole bunch gathered around her, and she was hiding in the corner of the glass wall.” We were getting ready to try to collect and transport the whole family, but while we weren’t looking, apparently the Mama Duck led the family to the river. We didn’t catch a glimpse of them making their way through the busy downtown. If anyone else did, please send us a photo, and we will share it with you all next week!

Day Resource Center Update: Staff shared an update this week on our collaborative effort with local providers to establish a location for a Day Resource Center to support and help coordinate and consolidate service delivery for people who are facing challenges. Staff wrote:

“A Day Resource Center can bring together, in one location, a variety of services that help serve unhoused individuals in our community. For 25 years, these services have been provided by a number of agencies in various parts of the city. Having these vital services in a single, easy-to-find location that is also near organizations that provide free meals and low-cost transportation will help to break down barriers for those in search of support and provide opportunities for a better tomorrow. The concept of a Day Resource Center has been discussed for a few years by community members, non-profit agencies, and the City of Eau Claire. These groups, including Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council, Hope Gospel Mission, the City, Community Haven House, Inc. and many community members have been working together to make the dream of a single, centrally-located Day Resource Center a reality. This Center will help individuals identify services they’re eligible for and make follow-up easier and more effective. Therapeutic activities and counseling will be offered in addition to employment, housing, and other necessary services. The Day Resource Center will also provide a place for people to go during the day to escape weather extremes in winter and summer.

A City Council work session on this topic was held on Monday, March 25th. Staff presented the work that has been done to date. Partners have spent about ten months looking at locations, including existing buildings and vacant lots. Through the process of viewing locations and discussing the various needs of each agency, it became clear that to be of the greatest efficiency and effectiveness, the Day Resource Center should be centrally located in the downtown Eau Claire area, close to service providers and public transportation. Through this process, one location was identified as having all these qualities – the parking lot at Main and Farwell.  

In order to make the Day Resource Center at the corner of Main and Farwell a reality, the municipal lot will need to be declared as excess land. In coming weeks, City staff will bring this request before the Plan Commission and City Council. If approved, the next steps include a development agreement with the partner that will own the building, and this also requires approval from the City Council. All of these steps will allow for public comment, which is welcomed. Partners in the project are working on fundraising strategies with a consultant, and that work will continue during the process of declaring the land excess. There are many steps needed before construction can begin.

Partners working on a Day Resource Center are committed to working with the community. A Day Resource Center will fill a deep need in our community, offering respite and resources that may help the most vulnerable members of Eau Claire by providing a safe place to be during the day and resources that can help move individuals into housing and a brighter future.

Please contact Billie Hufford at billie.hufford@eauclairewi.gov, or 715-839-4903 with any questions.”

Recovery of Missing Person: Fire Department staff shared this week that a person who has been missing since February, Margarite Endres, was found deceased. The case had connections to a number of jurisdictions. Multiple agencies, including volunteer search and recovery groups, aided in the search effort. Endres last known residence was in Altoona; however, she occasionally was without housing during which she spent time in the downtown Eau Claire area. Property belonging to Endres was found near the Chippewa River Trail. Last week, a body was recovered from the Chippewa River downstream of Meridean. The Altoona Police Department conveyed that the body was positively identified as Margarite Endres. While not the outcome we had hoped, the identification brings closure for Margarite’s loved ones.

New Public Hearing Time: At this week’s Legislative Session, the Eau Claire City Council voted to change the start time of its Public Hearing meetings. Starting in June, the Public Hearing, held on the Monday before the Council’s Legislative Session, will begin at 6PM. By moving up the start time, the Council hopes to increase and encourage resident participation in public hearings, with fewer meetings running late into the evening.

Measles Case in Wisconsin: The Health Department passed along this update: “State health officials have confirmed a case of measles in Dane County. Cases of measles have been rare in Wisconsin due to high vaccination rates, but measles is highly contagious and can cause serious complications for people who aren't vaccinated. 

Our Health Department’s Communicable Disease Team has been preparing to respond to a potential case of measles for the past month, working closely with partners. Measles is highly contagious, more so than COVID, because it is airborne and can potentially be spread throughout buildings with shared air. A local Health Department’s response to a measles case, if one occurs, would be intense. If someone becomes exposed, and they are not vaccinated, a Health Department works rapidly to ensure that they can get vaccinated within 72 hours of exposure which can potentially prevent disease.
 
The best way to protect yourself and our community from measles is to get the measles (MMR) vaccine. Two doses of the vaccine are 97 percent effective at preventing the disease. Unsure if you've received an MMR vaccine? Check the Wisconsin Immunization Registry: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/immunization/wir.htm”

UPCOMING EVENTS: Here’s what’s happening this weekend…

Meet our Forester: We’re excited to note that our very own Matt Staudenmaier will share his forestry wisdom with author Nickolas Butler this Saturday, April 27th at 10AM at the Library. “Learn more as Matt discusses how to deal with large scale threats like the nefarious emerald ash borer, how he manages species diversity to protect the whole forest, how you can care for new trees while maintaining their elders, and so much more.” Knowing Matt, this is going to be a fun and lively event!

Here Comes the Marathon: This annual adventure is back this Sunday. Taking place in the Downtown Eau Claire area and neighborhoods through the city, the races (a marathon, relay, and half-marathon) will mean road closures on Sunday with a handful of closures on Saturday. Some closures will last less than an hour, and some will be longer. If you live, work, or travel in Eau Claire, familiarize yourself with the closure areas, give yourself extra travel time, and use caution -- watch for runners and their supporters along the race routes. See a full list of closures and anticipated time frames here: Eau Claire Marathon Road Closures | News | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin (eauclairewi.gov) We are hoping that the weather forecast improves before Sunday!

SHOUT-OUTS:

Cleanup Roundup: The weather was very chilly, but we had such a great morning last Saturday at the 2024 Amazing Eau Claire Clean-Up! We appreciate everyone who played a role. We were honored to have had over 1,450 individuals register for this year’s clean-up.

Thank yous are due to MANY people from all different parts of the City and community, including:

Event Sponsors: We have many wonderful event sponsors to thank that all contributed to this AMAZING day of giving back to the community. Their support provided the materials and supplies that volunteers used for the cleanup. The 2024 Amazing Eau Claire Cleanup would not have been possible without the support of Xcel Energy, JAMF, Minnesota Wire, Monarch Paving Company, Festival Foods, Banbury Place, and Downtown Eau Claire, Inc. Thank you!

Claire Ystebo, Emma Bowe, and Hayley Harder: The efforts of some of our Recreation Staff made it all work out so well. Claire, the City’s volunteer coordinator, recruited and coordinated all the volunteers. Can you imagine overseeing almost 1,500 people spread out throughout the City? Recreation Manager Pat Newkirk said: “Claire has been doing a wonderful job coordinating this year’s event, and we continue to get higher and higher numbers of volunteers each year. Claire and Hayley have worked together on the marketing for the event, so we owe it to them for this year’s big turnout." Also thank you to Spring Recreation Intern Emma, as she ran the Lucky Trash prize giveaway portion of the event. 

Parks Crews: Another big thank you is due to our Parks crews who picked up garbage bags today, delivered items to sites, and helped many volunteer groups through the city. Council Member Andrew Werthmann was out cleaning and he shared this thank you: “Just a word of thanks I would like to share for all of the City staff who helped support community members during the Spring Clean Up! I had a chance to meet Brian Baier. Such a nice person, and grateful for his work picking up the full trash bags after we scoured the riverbank for litter. Thanks, Brian for all you and your colleagues do to make Eau Claire better!” Brian is pictured below.

ALL OF YOU! It was so fun to ride around Eau Claire and greet people who were working. Council President Emily Berge, Council Member Kate Felton, and I got to visit many groups. There were people working in every possible configuration – on their own, with their family, with their co-workers, with fellow church goers, and on and on. It was also fun to see all of the pictures shared afterwards of groups of all different ages. All they had in common were big smiles and warm clothes! Pictured here is one of the people Emily, Kate, and I found around town. She said she has been volunteering for years, and each year she recruits a few more people to join. She said she thinks it’s a great way to celebrate Earth Day.

Thank You Administrative Professionals: We would like to say a heartfelt "Thank You" to the City's many Administrative Professionals. The City has 10 Departments and many Divisions that help keep our water clean, buses driving, summer programs running, streets repaired, and much more. Our Administrative Professionals are the backbone of our organization, and we are deeply appreciative of all the work they do.

The Fire Department shared this particular shout out to their administrative staff who, I agree, are amazing and the glue and nerve center keeping our complex Fire Department running smoothly. It’s hard to believe that the administrative tasks of a department with about 100 staff are managed by two people.

Fire staff wrote: “Today is Administrative Professionals Day, and we have two of the best! Without Laura and Tracy to help us every day, our non-emergency operations would come to a screeching halt. Laura and Tracy are the two that keep our department on the rails and moving forward day by day. Thank you for all you both do!” Tracy and Laura are pictured below.

Thank You Police: A resident shared a thank you to the Police Department after we all gave a huge sigh of relief when the teen resident was found safe last week. The constituent shared: “ECPD is truly a huge asset to our community. They demonstrate care and concern for our city and our residents. They seem to understand how to deal with both offenders and those in need. They rely on us and we rely on them. Job well done ECPC.”

NAMI Crisis Intervention Training Billboard Announced: Providing more evidence of the point the resident made, our Police Department received formal recognition of its investment in training to respond to crises. The ECPD shared: “The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Wisconsin is excited to announce the Eau Claire community has been chosen for a Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) community billboard this year. The billboard is part of NAMI’s public education campaign for CIT in Wisconsin and will run for one month. The run time is mostly in May, in conjunction with Mental Health Awareness Month. The billboard will be located at the corner of Madison at Farwell Streets from April 29th-May 26th.

ECPD is proud to be a regular hosting agency for the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) class to officers, dispatchers, and corrections personnel throughout the region. By the end of 2024, 100 percent of ECPD non-probationary officers and dispatchers will be certified in CIT. In addition to internal training, ECPD’s CIT team fields frequent requests to provide training to other City government departments and private businesses. Our staff are locally recognized as leaders when it comes to training and being examples of compassionate and dedicated professionals in how we address mental health crises. Pictured below is the billboard, which reads: "Mental Health Trained Officers are in Eau Claire County to help."

CIT Spotlight Award: In addition to this community recognition, the ECPD CIT team is pleased to announce a new internal appreciation and recognition initiative: the CIT Spotlight Award. Every quarter this year, ECPD personnel will be nominated to receive the award for demonstrating excellence in use of Crisis Intervention Training skills. We are pleased to announce the first quarter nominee winner, Officer Kyle Jentzsch! The CIT award plaque is pictured below and reads: "The CIT Team is proud to recognize you for the CIT Spotlight Award. We thank you for your dedication and compassion towards community members in need. We are proud to showcase the incredible work you do on a daily basis."

Thank You Lt. Pratt: And speaking of public safety staff who have a long track record of contributing and problem solving… Congratulations to our newest retired member of the Eau Claire Fire Department, Bob Pratt. Lt Pratt started his career on November 2nd, 1992, and he completed his final shift this week at Station 9. Fire staff shared: "We got it from here Bobby P. Enjoy your retirement!" Lt Pratt and his co-workers are pictured here celebrating the big day.

Thank you to Risk Manager: A co-worker shared this thank you to Jasmine Dutton: “I just wanted to share that, as far as I can tell, we’ve had over 1,000 new opt-in registrations for Alert Eau Claire since our rebranding launch! This is an even more impressive feat when you know we only had around 2,900 users prior to the relaunch. Jasmine has done a remarkable job organizing us and our handling of Alert Eau Claire, and she did a beautiful job with interviews when we announced our rebranding. Jasmine, we appreciate your enthusiastic encouragement and your knowledge about the system.” Add your contact to the Alert system here: Alert Eau Claire | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin (eauclairewi.gov)

Wisconsin National Guard National Guard Patriot Award: Staff Sergeant and City of Eau Claire Civil Engineering Technician Devin Moore nominated his co-workers for an "Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Patriot Award" in recognition of their support for Devin's National Guard service. He selected Deputy City Manager David Solberg, Engineering Director Leah Ness, and Deputy City Engineer Tim Pluth for the award. Devin said about his team of awardees: “They’re always supportive of my many trainings and deployments I have to go on. There’s a quote that sums it up well: ‘On the battlefield, the military pledges to leave no soldier behind. As a nation, let it be our pledge that when they return home, we leave no veteran behind.’ That’s what it feels like working for them; I never feel left behind or forgotten no matter how long I may have to be gone serving my country. I appreciate that more than words can say.”

National Guard Area 6 Chair Mike Hallquist helped Devin present the awards this week. Staff Sergeant Moore has been working for the City of Eau Claire for eight years. During that time, all three Patriot Award recipients have been very flexible and supportive of Devin’s military obligations, which have included deployments and training requirements. David, Leah and Tim are very proud to have Devin in their office as well as the other active military members working for the City of Eau Claire. Pictured below are Mike Hallquist, Dave Solberg, Devin Moore, Leah Ness, and Tim Pluth.

OPEN POSITIONS: Take a look at our open positions here: Job Openings | Sorted by Posting Date descending | JOB OPENINGS (governmentjobs.com) Here are a few roles that we hope to fill with awesome contributors.

Utility Operator: Do you want to provide safe, clean drinking water for our community? Work to maintain this critical service for our residents by becoming a Utility Operator I at the Water Plant! Complete job description, position requirements, and application: www.eauclairewi.gov/jobs Application Deadline: May 5th, 2024

Fire Fighter: Protect and enhance the quality of life in Eau Claire by providing emergency medical service and controlling and extinguishing fires. Join the City of Eau Claire’s Fire Department! We are now accepting applications for current Fire Fighter openings and the hiring eligibility list. To apply please go to https://tinyurl.com/ECFDjobs Application Deadline: Open until filled, apply by May 5th, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. to be considered for the first round of interviews. Interviews expected to take place May 16th, 2024. Pictured below is a flier, and the same information can be found on the website: https://tinyurl.com/ECFDjobs

Human Resources Specialist: Are you interested in a position in Human Resources? Do you want to work in a collaborative team environment? Looking for a job that encompasses a wide range of tasks? Join our small team and help us support the employees who serve this community! We are looking for a creative self-starter, with a positive attitude to fill our full-time Human Resources Specialist position. Complete position description, position requirements, and application: www.eauclairewi.gov/jobs Application Deadline: May 13th, 2024

Telecommunicator:  Put your customer service skills to use while serving your community! Help us provide an essential service for Eau Claire County residents and visitors. Join our team as a full-time Telecommunicator (911 Dispatcher)! Application, requirements, and full job description: www.eauclairewi.gov/jobs Deadline: Sunday, May 19th, 2024. Pictured below is a flier, and the same information can be found on the City HR website. 

Redevelopment Authority and Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (Volunteer Positions): The City of Eau Claire is seeking applicants to join the Redevelopment Authority. The work of the RDA is to carry out urban renewal projects and programs. Appointees shall have experience in the fields of finance, management, and real estate to ensure efficiency in the redevelopment programs, their planning, and direction. Learn more and apply at: Boards, Commissions & Committees | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin (eauclairewi.gov)

Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (Volunteer Positions): The City of Eau Claire is seeking applicants to join the Bicycle Advisory Committee. This committee provides advice to City Council that reflects community values on bicycle and pedestrian practices relative to the City. Learn more and apply at: Boards, Commissions & Committees | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin (eauclairewi.gov)

QUESTION & ANSWER: Feel free to share your question here and we will work on answering it: Service Request Form - City Manager | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin (eauclairewi.gov) Send questions or comments to the City Council via this form: https://www.eauclairewi.gov/government/city-council/city-council-members/city-council-contact

Debris on Plank Hill

Question: “I wanted to contact someone who is responsible for maintaining the Forest Hill cemetery property. When picking up trash with my son today, we saw some trash that looked as if it was pushed off the top of forest hill to the side of the hill to Harding Street down below...My son and I hauled up as much as we physically could and put it by one of the cemetery trash bins, but there is still a good amount of junk on the side of the hill. Forest Hill is a lovely part of the East Hill Neighborhood, and I’d hate to see it turn into a place for dumping trash."

Answer: Parks Manager Steve Plaza shared this information in response: “First, I want to say thank you to the resident and their son for retrieving those items from over the hill. I know my knees could not have handled that steep hill!

Next, we met with our Sexton to look at the concerns. There are two types of dumping that have occurred in this area, to our knowledge.

Over the years, residents have illegally dumped items in the area or over the edge. Cemetery staff have picked up trash, tires, microwaves, TVs, computers, couches, and mattresses, just to name a few types of stuff retrieved. We see evidence that this area is used a gathering spot for people after hours, since it is nestled in a secluded area overlooking the city, and we believe this contributes to some of the dumping and trash.

Also, the City did historically dump soil and brush in this area, however, we stopped two years ago due to concerns. There is a great deal of vegetation growing on the dirt pile, so it has not been dumped on recently. We will keep the area as tidy as practical given its current use as an active worksite for the cemetery. As this area is developed into a park, we will certainly clean it to a ‘park’ standard and will also look at stabilizing the bank. If the overlook will be situated near the bank, stabilizing it will be a must.”

Hobbs Boat Landing Sign

Question: “Could the City add a sign on the river to let people know when it's time to get out of the river at Hobbs?”

Answer: “After talking with the staff, we will add a sign upstream of the Hobbs Boat Landing stating its location – it will read Hobbs Boat Landing with an arrow pointing to the shore. This is a busy time of year for us getting the parks open, so give us a few weeks to install it, I know the sign shop is busy also.”

Herbicide Use in Cemeteries

Question: A resident wrote to express about the use of herbicides to control dandelions in our cemeteries. She expressed concern about the importance of dandelions as pollinators, and she also shared a concern about how wildlife or children may consume the herbicides. She wrote “How can I make sure this doesn't happen ever again?”

Answer: Staff shared this feedback: “We do agree that dandelions play a role in the pollination process. We are working to support pollination in Eau Claire’s public and private spaces. In response to requests, the Council established ‘No Mow May’ to allow residents the freedom to allow their grass and dandelions to grow during the key month of May. We also planted a pollinator garden near Forest and Madison Streets last fall, and we look forward to seeing it become established in years to come. We are also developing a list of City-owned properties that we will be planting additional pollinator gardens as they will be great for the environment and will reduce the areas that we have to mow.” Staff said that, at least historically, our two cemeteries are some of the community’s more manicured spaces. Residents with loved ones buried in the cemetery have expressed high expectations for the upkeep of the cemeteries. There may be an opportunity to re-envision cemeteries as pollinator spaces and/or to modify maintenance practices, and we can share this idea with a consultant who is currently undertaking a study of our open spaces to plan for the future. It may require a shift in public expectations, but we can explore that with the consultant and with residents."

Water Outage

Question: “My home in the John Street mobile home park was without water, and we did not receive a notification. What can be done?”

Answer: Utilities staff shared this information: "For mobile home parks and some other developments, the City of Eau Claire provides water and sewer service up to the mobile home park, but utilities within the park are private. The City of Eau Claire does not own, maintain, or operate any utilities within the park. Because the utilities are private, it is the park owner’s responsibility to notify the residents whenever there is a planned utility outage. The work happening within the mobile home park was not related to any work being done by the Eau Claire Utility Division.  The EC Utility Division did not turn the water off.  If any work is being done by the Utility Division, proper coordination and a 24-hour notice is always given to residents."

Preserving Sacred Heart History

Question: “Will there be a way to save artifacts from Sacred Heart and/or St. Joe’s, such as a St John’s Bible set and a statue?”

Answer: Chippewa Valley Museum Director, Carrie Ronnander, shared that she has spoken with the museum’s Curator and Archivist about material from Sacred Heart. The museum doesn’t have space for the larger items. It has, however, received the Heritage Wall and Sacred Bell as well as photographs and other materials. Carrie said: “We continue to work with Sacred Heart to receive and preserve the hospital’s history and heritage. The Chippewa Area History Center in Chippewa Falls has also been receiving materials from St. Joseph's, including a sculpture of Saint Joseph. The Chippewa Valley Museum is still in the process of receiving, documenting, and preparing storage and display spaces for these materials. Consequently, the new acquisitions will not be accessible to the public until a later date. A public announcement will be made when these items become available.” We will stay tuned!

Connection to Putnam Park

Question: “My interest in contacting you is to see if the City of Eau Claire would consider doing a walkway, similar to what has just been installed at Half Moon, from the Kappus Playground (Park) at 800 Gilbert Avenue to Putnam Drive. Since the University reduced access to Putnam Drive and Putnam Park when they closed off Garfield Avenue, a new pedestrian and bike access path is needed beyond the small parking lot at the end of Putnam Dive…  Like the new walkway behind the E.C. Tennis Center, I am sure this proposed walkway would be greatly used and beneficial to the City of Eau Claire.”

Answer: Staff shared: “The City Parks Department is currently carrying out a master planning process for parks and open space, called the Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (CORP). This process looks at our entire park system, including parks and trails. We can add this request to the data gathering underway for that planning process. As with all amenities in our plans, they will need funding for them to become reality, but getting a proposal in the plan is the first step.”

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS: We have the best employees! Get to know one of them this week. (And submit your suggestion for an employee to spotlight here…)

Today we highlight Kelsey Brunner. Kelsey co-workers say this about her: “Kelsey is a great presenter at supervisor trainings." “Kelsey is reliable, proactive, and dedicated to her job. She is a valuable asset to the HR team and a really fun co-worker." “I love how positive Kelsey is! She’s a perfect mix of non-judgmental/easy going and super productive.”

More about Kelsey…

• Your Job: “Human Resources Specialist”
• Something People May Not Know: “I was a pre-med student before I decided I wanted to be in HR!”
• Activities you Love: “Completely opposite things, but my two favorite activities are swimming and playing video games.”
• Best Part about Working for City: “Being able to help support the people who run our City! I knew I wanted to work in the public sector or in politics to try to better my community. However, I knew I could never be a Fire Fighter, a 911 Dispatcher, a Bus Driver, or any other of the incredible front-line workers for various reasons. So, being able to support the people in some capacity who do those amazing jobs is incredibly rewarding.”
• Life Philosophy: “Do good recklessly.”

COUNCIL CALENDAR (Tentative – Please see: City Calendar | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin (eauclairewi.gov) for most complete and up-to-date list of public meetings)

• Tuesday, April 30th, 4PM, North Conference Room, Council Administrative Meeting
• Monday, May 13th, 7PM, Council Chambers: Council Public Hearing/Discussion Night
• Tuesday, May 14th, 4PM, Council Chambers: Council Meeting
• CANCELLED: Monday, May 27th, Council Chambers: Council Public Hearing/Discussion Night
• Tuesday, May 28th, 4PM, Council Chambers: Council Meeting
• Monday, June 10th, 6PM, Council Chambers: Council Public Hearing/Discussion Night NEW TIME
• Tuesday, June 11, 4PM, Council Chambers: Council Meeting
• Monday, June 24th, 6PM, Council Chambers: Council Public Hearing/Discussion Night
• Tuesday, June 25th, 4PM, Council Chambers: Council Meeting Night NEW TIME