Hello City of Eau Claire employees, residents, and Council Members –

Here are some updates from around Eau Claire. Note that prior updates can be found here, and you can always send the City Manager’s Office or City Council feedback.

City Manager Stephanie Hirsch

CITY UPDATES 

Northern Lite Launch: Eau Claire Transit announced that our micro-transit pilot will launch next week. Beginning on July 22nd, our Northern Lite service will provide an on-demand, curb-to-curb transportation option for riders. Below are a few basic Q&As on the service, and more information can be found here: https://city.ridewithvia.com/eau-claire

How can I book a ride? Download the app Northern Lite by EC Transit (downloadable here: Northern Lite | On-demand shared rides around Eau Claire) and then book a ride. Rides can also be booked by phone by calling 715-202-6757.

How does it work? Once you book your ride, the app’s technology will match you with other riders headed in the same direction, creating quick and efficient shared trips.

What are the hours? The program will operate Monday to Friday, 6:45AM to 6:45PM.

What area does it serve? Rides can start or end anywhere in the pilot service area on the Northside, which is shown in the map below. The area includes the Transfer Center area downtown, and its Northside coverage includes Costco, the Airport, North High School, NorthStar Middle School, Festival Foods, and more.

Is it accessible? Riders with mobility issues can request wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

How old do riders need to be? Riders must be 13 years old to ride alone.

How is it funded? This program was funded for a one-year pilot using ARPA funding.

Why are we testing this model? We are testing out the usefulness of having micro transit as a complement to our fixed route buses. Micro transit may be most helpful in parts of the city where residents are the most spread out. The program can cover a larger area to connect riders to the fixed route system. If the pilot is successful, we may look at using this tool for other service areas or times of the day/week that do not have enough density of ridership to easily support a fixed route service. At the same time, if a service area generates a large amount of micro-transit rides, then Eau Claire Transit will use that data to decide how to expand fixed routes. The idea is to have different, complementary tools to better serve all our residents.

How does Northern Lite differ from Lyft/Uber? Transit systems throughout the country are subsidized by federal funding, and so the rides are more affordable than private ride-share services. The rides will cost the same as a fixed-route bus ride, and monthly passes can be used on the service.

Where does the name come from? One of our Transit Operators and his family came up with the name. The “Lite” refers to the service operating smaller transit vehicles. The “Northern Lite” theme connects to the space-related names of the Northside, including the Planets neighborhood, North and NorthStar Schools, and Starr Ave. We love the name and hope you do too.

The images below are a map of the service area, as described above, and an image of the van with two young people (age 13 and up can ride on their own), that reads: "Go wherever your summer takes you."

Support Firefighter Charity Efforts: Our Fire Department staff not only literally rescue people, they also work in other ways to support our community. They asked that we spread the word about this fundraising effort underway: "The Eau Claire Firefighters Community Charity is excited to announce our 2025 charity raffle! This year our grand prize will be a 2025 Polaris Sportsman 570. The money raised from the raffle will be used to support Eau Claire Community Firefighters Charity initiatives, like our Coats for Kids program, the Denise Waterman Memorial Scholarship at CVTC, Fired up for the Future Kids Camp, and more initiatives. For more information about our charity or to purchase a raffle ticket, please contact Kevin Blaine at ecffcc@gmail.com or visit our Facebook page. The flier can also be found here: Firefighter Charity Flier.”

Pictured below are members of the Fire Department delivering coats to children in one of our local schools last fall. Through the charity, Firefighters visit schools throughout the region, providing colorful and warm coats to any child who needs them. (They invited us from City Hall to join, and it was great to see how happy the kids were and how excellent the Fire Department volunteers were with finding the perfect jacket match for each child.)

Water Incident Response: The Eau Claire Fire Department (ECFD) released this notice this week. "The ECFD responded to the Chippewa River for a water rescue for one person in distress under the Water Street bridge on Sunday, July 12th. ECFD Medic 5 was first to arrive and found a bystander pulling a victim from the river to shoreline under the bridge. Medic 5 began medical treatment on the victim, while two additional engine companies navigated steep terrain to assist with patient care. Due to the hazardous terrain, the patient was transported by ECFD Boat 5 from the Water Street bridge to Hobbs Boat Landing where medic 9 immediately transported the patient to Mayo Hospital. The ECPD and Communication Center assisted with the incident." Pictured below is an image from WEAU's reporting on the incident, including an update that the individual passed away at the hospital. UPDATE: Man pulled from the Chippewa River identified

New Library Collection: Our Library recently shared this news: “In an effort to better serve residents whose first language is not English, the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library has launched a new Community Languages Collection, available for checkout as of early June. After analyzing language data from area schools and surveys of local communities and support groups, the Library identified a gap in materials available in the primary languages spoken at home. The result: a carefully curated collection of popular fiction and nonfiction for all ages in Hmong, Spanish, French, and Ojibwe. The new titles were sourced from a combination of the Library’s regular vendors and smaller bookstores, especially for the Hmong and Ojibwe titles.” Library staff report that there has been a lot of interest in the books so far. More information can be found here: New Library Book Collection Speaks the Languages of Our Community | L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library An image of the collection is below.

Vigilant Parenting Program Offered: Our Police Department and its partners invite residents to learn how to help children navigate the internet and social media safely. This two-hour program for parents of middle and elementary school children is sponsored by a number of regional law enforcement agencies. It will help parents “recognize the signs that your child could be in dangerous online waters.”

The course will occur on Monday July 21st from 5:30 to 7:30PM. Organizers noted that the course is not intended for children, and children should not attend. More information can be found here:

• About the Program: Vigilant Parenting Program

• Signup: Vigilant Parenting Signup

• Questions: Contact gail.gregory@eauclairecounty.gov

• Other tips: Protect Kids Online - WI ICAC Task Force

Kubb Championship Visits Eau Claire: We shared in last week's newsletter a note about the 1,000 bicyclists who travelled to and through Eau Claire for Ride Across Wisconsin. Also last week, the region hosted the U.S. National Kubb Championship. Each year, the Eau Claire Soccer Park becomes home to the U.S. National Kubb Championship, welcoming players and teams from across the U.S. and around the world. This year, 144 teams came together for a weekend of fun and good sportsmanship. People came from as near as Chippewa Falls and Menomonie and as far away as Salt Lake City, South Pasadena, and Belgium. In the end, three home-grown teams from Eau Claire filled the top four slots, with the "Wrecking Crew" crowned as the champions, with members from Eau Claire and Westerlo, Belgium. Learn more about this fun sport by visiting usakubb.org. 

COUNCIL UPDATES: There are a number of big topics currently under consideration by the Council, as follows…

Final Century Code Review and Adoption: The City, Council, and community have been working for over two years to update several of the City’s most important ordinances that relate to land use. The last time our zoning codes were overhauled was about 100 years ago, so staff dubbed the zoning rewrite process a “Century Code” review.

The Council allocated ARPA funding to this project, recognizing the need to take action because existing ordinances are either out-of-date or not fully consistent with our Comprehensive Plan and Department of Natural Resources’ expectation for management of erosion, flooding, and stormwater.

The project team included City staff, consultant Houseal Lavigne, and sub-consultant Birchline Planning. Additionally, key groups of stakeholders have been actively involved in deliberation about decision points, including meetings of the following groups, which have each occurred 11 times over the last two years:

• A Zoning Policy Advisory Committee, which was made up of members of the City Council and Plan Commission;

• A Zoning Technical Advisory Committee, which was made up of individuals with specialized knowledge; and

• Open houses for the community to provide input and learn about the code changes.

Additionally, staff and consultant team members have attended many neighborhood meetings, events, and more to engage with stakeholders.

At these different meetings, stakeholders looked at options for zoning language and considered how changing our land use ordinances might be expected to achieve goals related to:

• The look and feel of neighborhoods and composition of businesses in them;

• The availability, appearance, and cost of housing;

• How the community may grow; and

• Tools to protect natural features such as trees.

They also looked at whether or not the zoning supports our Comprehensive Plan (a document that’s updated once every 10 years)

Each proposed chapter of code was reviewed at least three times. All this work culminated in a May 5th meeting of the Zoning Polic Advisory Committee, where members affirmed that the proposed revisions should be brought to public hearings for final review, possible amendments, and adoption. The project team then finalized ordinance drafts with legal, grammar, cross-reference, and formatting review for the public hearing versions. All related documents can be found at the project website: https://eau-claire-zoning-code-rewrite-hlplanning.hub.arcgis.com/pages/023ff0b4ed7e4610a3a7fb61aeae7a42

At the Plan Commission’s public hearing meeting on June 30th, the Commission recommended approval of two foundational documents -- the Land Development Ordinance (LDO) and Comprehensive Plan amendment. Slides from that meeting can be found here: Plan Commission Hearing Presentation.

The Commission made two additional amendments to the proposed code, which both provided a bit more flexibility for housing projects:

• "Allow one-to-four unit residential structures to have a maximum front-loaded garage projection of 15 feet (See 17.03.03 B. 1. Principal Use Supplemental Standards)"

• "Require two, instead of requiring three, design elements from the list of seven. (See 17.05.08 D. Multi-Unit Building Multibuilding Development Standards)"

The public hearing for the code adoption will occur at the City Council’s July 21st meeting at 6PM, and members of the public my attend and share their comments. The Council will then deliberate on any amendments and adoption at its meeting on Tuesday, July 22nd.

If a version is adopted on July 22nd, the next steps will be:

• The ordinance will become effective October 1st, 2025.

• There will be some LDO “clean up” work relate to cross references in other City codes, minor amendments, and LDO fee schedule adoption in September.

Pictured below is a slide from the June 30th presentation showing an image of one of the engagement efforts.

Open Space Planning: Recreation and Acting Parks Divisions Manager Pat Newkirk shared information about a work session that occurred at the last City Council meeting.

“Staff from the Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Divisions worked with City Council and the Waterways and Parks Commission (WWPC) on a joint work session to provide feedback and final revisions of the Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (CORP). This five-year planning document includes a usability index of all of the City parks in Eau Claire based on a weighted scoring system. This system takes into account factors like playground amenities, seating, usable open space, connectivity to the community via the trail system, parking, safety, accessibility, and more. 

The document also includes recommended improvements to the park system based on the usability index and industry standards from the National Recreation and Park Association. Last year, community feedback was collected via an electronic survey and in person discussions at various community events. City Council and the Commission also reviewed current drafts of the plan to provide input on its development during the process.

Tuesday’s work session was a chance for the Council and the WWPC to provide input on the plan prior to its finalization. During the work session, attendees were broken into three groups to discuss topics, including:

• Strategies of how to allocate limited capital funding to open space maintenance;

• Strategies for increasing funding;

• Balancing development of new parks with maintenance and upkeep of the existing parks; and

• Considerations for how to weight the conditions and value of different open space areas.

Some of the points made by participants included requests to:

• Ensure community input is used to guide any decisions related to open space, including possible repurposing of open spaces;

• Consider how to address parts of the community that have fewer open spaces, which the group referred to as ‘park deserts’; and

• Consider how to support maintenance needs for parks based on criteria, such as: safety, high park usage/visibility, usage that contributes to economic impact and hotel stays, and a few other considerations.

High-level guidance from these bodies will be incorporated into the final draft of the Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan that will be brought back to the WWPC and then Council for adoption. The draft that the Council and Commission reviewed can be found here (it will be further revised prior to finalization):

Section 1:  https://indd.adobe.com/view/23a569b8-54c8-43d4-97e3-c6e73acce9b6

Section 2: https://indd.adobe.com/view/5a0e9ef6-ae38-4fa3-bc54-655813e6d1a5

Section 3: https://indd.adobe.com/view/9d1153bc-32d0-4c4f-b978-43b6b013e821

Pictured below is an image of one of the metrics discussed in the report - "Acres of parkland per 1,000 residents." The graph indicates that Eau Claire has more open space per capita than average, but less than the top 25 percent of communities.

Strategic Planning: Next week, the Council will continue its process of reviewing its strategic plan, with an objective of building out a high-level work plan that’s connected to community values. This discussion will occur on Monday, July 21st, from 4 to 6PM in the North Conference Room at City Hall. The Council's work on a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) exercise on June 23rd is pictured below.

WAYS TO SERVE: 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.

Job Openings: The City of Eau Claire offers a wide variety of positions. We hope you will keep an eye on our job openings and come serve the community. View the full list of our current job openings, applications, complete job descriptions, and more at www.eauclairewi.gov/jobs.

Assessing Intern: Are you looking for an internship in real estate or assessing? Join us! The City of Eau Claire is accepting applications for an assessing intern position. The intern will be exposed to all aspects of assessing, including updating property record cards, shadowing assessors, recording sales, and more. Deadline to apply: July 20th at 11:59PM.

Network Support Intern: Are you looking for an internship in information technology? Then check out this amazing opportunity. We are currently accepting applications for a Network Support Intern in our Information Technology Department. In this internship, you will support computer network infrastructure systems using the most suitable technologies, monitor network performance and availability, gain exposure to network infrastructures, and more. Deadline to apply: July 27th at 11:59PM.

Boards, Commissions, and Committees: Apply or learn more about the City's Boards, Commissions, or Committees: EauClaireWI.gov/BCC

Administrative Review Board: This Board meets on an "as needed" basis and provides the opportunity for a hearing to a person contesting a decision made by an agency, board, or department of the City. The Board is quasi-judicial in nature.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC): BPAC's work is to provide advice to the City Council that reflects community values on bicycle and pedestrian practices relative to the city. BPAC is accountable to the City Council.

CLOSURES/DETOURS, OPENINGS, DEADLINES, ALERTS, & REMINDERS:

Country Jam Detours: Country Jam kicked off Thursday and runs through Saturday. Expect heavy traffic in the area of Clairemont Ave/Hwy T on the northwest side of Eau Claire in afternoon and evening hours. The attached map shows the EVENING detours (roughly 10:30PM to Midnight) for traffic leaving the Jam grounds. The shuttle/Uber route can also be used for Lyft and anyone picking someone up from Jam. When in doubt, follow the posted signs and have a safe and fun weekend! Updates can be found here.

Bicycle Thefts: ECPD shared recently that the Department has seen a recent spike in bicycle thefts. They advised residents: "You can help stop them. Use a sturdy lock every time you park -- even for quick stops. And remember, you can register your bike. Use this link to learn more: Register Bikes." An ECPD bike is pictured below on the rail pedestrian bridge by Phoenix Park.

Auction Items for Sale: Note that the City of Eau Claire has new items available for auction on govdeals.com.  Please see here: GovDeals Link. New items for sale include a Vanguard Generator, a Honda EX650 Generator, an STIHL Hedge Trimmer, tables, chairs, and more. The hedge trimmer is pictured below.

Food Truck Fridays: During Food Truck Fridays, one lane of Riverfront Terrace is closed to accommodate the Food Trucks, which will occur on Aug 8th and Sept 5th.

Eddy Street Bridge: Repairs have been completed on the Eddy Street Bridge. Union Pacific, who owns the bridge, will be carrying out an inspection to determine if the repairs are adequate to reopen the bridge. We are awaiting a response from them and will update the public once resolved.

Street Updates: Take a look at an updated Street Closure Report. You can also view the work underway via this interactive map: Active Map of Street Construction Some projects have been recently completed, as marked below.

Downtown Street Construction:

COMPLETE: North Barstow Street Intersection of Galloway Street & North Barstow Street (scheduled to be closed July 8th to July 18th)

Closures/Work Underway in Other Neighborhoods: Some of these are "reconstruction" projects, and others are "micro-surfacing" projects, which you can learn about here: https://www.eauclairewi.gov/government/our-divisions/street-fleet. 

• Alley East of Bellinger Street (Cameron Street to Platt Street)

• Alley South of Cedar Street (Eleventh Street to Ninth Street)

• Alley South of Clairemont (Patton Street to East Lexington Boulevard)

• Alley South of Cleveland Street (Fisher Street to Cleveland Street)

• Birch Street Phase 1 (Centre Street to Bergen Avenue)

• Boston Drive (W. Princeton Avenue to Freedom Drive)

• Brian Street (State Hwy 93 to Lever Street)

• Broadway Street (Third Avenue to Fourth Avenue)

• Charles Street (Platt Street to Maxon Street)

• Eastlawn Street (Delbert Road to Hallie Lane)

• Eddy Lane (Wellington Drive East to Venus Avenue)

• First Street (Platt Street to Third Street)

• Freedom Drive (Boston Drive to 410 feet north)

• Golf Road (Cottonwood Drive to State Hwy 53)

• West Grand Avenue (Lake Street to Sixth Avenue)

• Henry Avenue (London Road to Mall Drive)

• COMPLETE: Jupiter Avenue (Eddy Lane to Virginia Lane)

• Keystone Crossing (Golf Road to Commonwealth Avenue)

• Mall Drive (Hamilton Avenue to cul-de-sac)

• Mars Avenue (Eddy Lane to Virginia Lane)

• Maxon Street (Charles Street to Whipple Street)

• Mount Nemo Avenue (Birch Street to South Slope Terrace)

• Oakland Street (Delbert Road to Hallie Lane)

• COMPLETE: Saturn Avenue (Eddy Lane to Virginia Lane)

• Seventh Street (Walnut Street to Marshall Street)

• Skeels Avenue (London Road to Mall Drive)

• South Valley View Place (Brian Street to cul-de-sac)

• COMPLETE: Twelfth Street (Bolles Street to Folsom Street)

• Vine Street (Third Street to First Street)

• Whipple Street (Maxon Street to Platt Street)

Upcoming Construction Closures: Tentatively scheduled to start end of July to mid-August

• Alley West of Ninth Avenue (Lakeside Avenue to 250 feet north)

• South Dewey Street (Emery Street to Lake Street)

• Emery Street (South Farwell Street to South Dewey Street)

• East Polk Avenue (Nimitz Street to East Lexington Boulevard)

• West Tyler Avenue (Ellis Street to South Lexington Boulevard)

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

We thank the Police Department for another Officer Spotlight. This week, we learn more about Officer Josh Miller who has been in the Department for 15 years. Watch the interview with Officer Miller here. Thank you, Officer Miller, for the different ways you have served our community with courage and kindness.

Here are some quotes from his interview...

Your Background: "Being a police officer is something I wanted to do, since I was a little kid, but I kind of got away from it for a little while. I decided when I was about 33 years old that it was something that wanted to make a career of, so, I decided to apply and was hired. It felt to me to be a little bit later in life to be starting a job like that, but that was not the stance of the Department. We hire good people regardless of their age."

Roles You have Been In: "I've had a lot of different jobs with the Department. I was on Patrol for the first five years, and then I did Sensitive Crimes as a Detective, working crimes against children for about five years, and then I was a Public Information Officer, doing social media and outreach for about another five years after that. I've done a lot of different things. It's been really nice to mix up the career, always onto something fresh. Now I'm back on Patrol and loving it."

Other Experiences: "I have been heavily involved in crisis negotiation and crisis intervention. It's a big focus for us. Police Officers often see people who are at their worst and their lowest points, not necessarily because there's any criminal aspect to it, but because they have nowhere else to turn, and they need help. We like giving officers the training to recognize those situations, and I personally enjoy being there for someone in those spots, to help them get to the resources that they need and help them understand that they are not alone in what they are dealing with."

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)

• Monday, July 21st, Strategic Planning Discussion, North Conference Room, 4PM

• Monday, July 21st, Public Hearing, Council Chambers, 6PM

• Tuesday, July 22nd, Council Meeting, Council Chambers, 4PM

• Monday, August 11th, Public Hearing, Council Chambers, 6PM

• Tuesday, August 12th, Council Meeting, Council Chambers, 4PM