Hello and happy new year to City of Eau Claire residents, staff, and Council Members,

Here are some updates for around the City. As a reminder, prior updates can be found here, and people can sign up for updates here. Feel free to send me feedback. 

 

CITY UPDATES: I’m kicking off 2026 with a review of 2025, including a few of the highs and lows of the year.

Looking through the news of the year reminds me of the themes I see in our City government, which I believe also reflect the personality of the Chippewa Valley as a whole. Our community and its City government are impacted by external factors, such as:

• Forces of nature (like flooding this spring, urban wildlife, or abundant snow this fall);

• Decisions made at other levels of government (including new administrators in both Eau Claire and Chippewa Counties, constraining Wisconsin municipal finance laws, and changes of the federal administration); and

• National trends (such as rising mental health challenges, communicable diseases, and growing numbers of people without housing).

Regardless of what comes our way, the City of Eau Claire approaches our work with a focus on prevention, continuity, and stewardship. Though we operate with an extremely lean workforce, our employees take great pride in their work. They are the best in their diverse fields. From mechanic to paramedic, they are well trained and well equipped.

In my experience, the City’s philosophy matches the community of Eau Claire as a whole, where stakeholders have consistently invested in our institutions over decades and centuries. Despite our community's general preference for continuity, the City and its leaders nevertheless try to band together to tackle emerging challenges and to use new tools thoughtfully.

While we can’t control all of the external factors, we can work together to promote the wellbeing of our community and all of its members as we head into 2026. We can try our hardest to make the best decisions given current conditions, opportunities, and constraints.

As we think ahead to 2026, read on to look back on 2025 and see how the year unfolded...

January 2025

Our wreaths stayed green. We started off 2026 with an achievement. There were no fires among Chippewa Valley fire agencies during the 2024-2025 holiday season. This was a first year in the 29-year history of the "Keep the Wreath Green" public education campaign!

Despite the great start of 2025, the Eau Claire Fire Department (ECFD) experienced a high level of structure fires and an increase in all types of calls over the course of last year. Deputy Chief Bob Haller tracked the data until 5PM on December 31st, 2025. By then, we had responded to 11,582 calls in 2025, including 126 fires (of which 49 were building fires). In comparison, in 2024, there were 95 fires (of which 28 were building fires). This year we had a very significant building fire of the Drummond House on State, and even more tragically, one fire fatality.

We don't know all of the reasons for these increases, but we will redouble efforts to find and address controllable factors in 2026. Below is a table of the counts of calls by type for 2024 and 2025, with the percent change, with increases across all categories.

	2024	2025	% Change
EMS responses	8,557	9,056	+6%
Fires	95	126	+33%
Other (including rescues)	2,279	2,400	+5%
Total calls	10,931	11,582	+6%

 

Friendly deer approach cars. One of our recurring questions in 2025 was how to best handle the wildlife on our doorsteps. In January, a resident asked about the abundance of deer in the City and their excessive familiarity with people. In fact, this resident saw deer being fed through car windows in Carson Park!

According to Community Services Operations Manager Ty Fadness, "Deer population within the City of Eau Claire is generally considered above the typical urban deer density level, due to abundant food sources (gardens, landscaping, bird feeders, etc.), lack of natural predators, limited hunting, and lots of ideal 'edge habitats' within the city (where urban forests meet open spaces like parks). A 2022 survey found certain parts of the City contain over 50 deer per square mile. A healthy urban deer herd is between 15 to 25 deer per square mile."

Feeding wildlife of all types is discouraged. As the Parks Manager wrote: “We have signs posted in the park asking people not to feed animals. (See below for an example). This has been an ongoing concern for many years.”

Growing housing crisis. Our community, like many others, has witnessed the emergence of a humanitarian crisis. In recent years, the number of people who are unhoused has increased. In many cases, individuals who do not have housing also have significant physical, health, or mental health challenges. Living without stable shelter exacerbates these issues.

Because Eau Claire is the largest City in the northern and western halves of Wisconsin, we are a regional center for quite a few things, including medical services, shopping, recreation, and social services. As we wrapped up 2024, the Council allocated ARPA funding to a number of initiatives to help the situation. Then, beginning early in 2025, we started work on those projects. They included rollout of a Street Ambassador program and support of the effort to establish a Day Resource Center, which became known as One Better Way. Later in the year, we also joined an effort that became known as Housing Our Neighbors Planning Collaborative. We also continued work on our Housing Opportunities Commission and through our Housing Authority. Pictured here is a meeting of housing leaders in May, where we discussed housing supply.

Meeting held about plans for Dewey Street Bridge. Planning for major downtown projects – including how to phase these projects that will be disruptive -- continued in 2025. One of these projects in the planning phase is full reconstruction of Dewey Street Bridge. As a reminder, a hole opened up in the bridge in 2024. Our Engineering Department arranged to have a steel plate placed over the hole and imposed a weight restriction on the bridge. This restriction prohibited use by heavy vehicles, which has required our Transit buses and Fire engines and trucks to find alternate routes.

On January 29th, the City and DOT held a Public Information Meeting to discuss the bridge's reconstruction. The work will include removal of the existing bridge, construction of a new structure, sidewalk replacement, and the addition of a trail underpass under the bridge to connect the current two legs of trails. (Plans are visible here: Dewey Street Bridge Project.) A key goal of the project is to preserve the historical look of the bridge. The project’s design is scheduled for completion in 2027, with construction planned for 2028. That said, there are many major downtown area projects planned, and staff will be carefully monitoring how to time these improvements so that the downtown doesn’t become gridlocked.

The photos below show the current bridge, with its historical features, and also show examples of the types of trail underpasses that the community and engineers considered for the newly constructed bridge. Some are more open than others.

Trash system analysis continues. In January, City staff held meetings with Trash haulers as part of our ongoing study of our trash hauling systems, with consideration of changes to our current largely free market model. As a reminder, the study of our trash hauling systems can be found here: Wisconsin Policy Forum | Sorting Through the Options Pictured below is a table from the report that compares trash collection in the cities of Eau Claire and La Crosse.

Fire personnel learn about methane gas transport. As an example of what our teams to do prepare for most any kind of emergency, in January, our Fire Department participated in training with a new transport company in our area that hauls compressed methane gas from Rock Creek to Augusta. ECFD firefighters, as well as other fire departments, spent the day learning how to handle a crash or fire if one of their vehicles were involved. The training is pictured below.

Homicide occurs. In the early morning of Saturday, January 25th, a homicide occurred on Western Avenue. The incident spread heartache through the community, as both the victim and the suspect were young people with many ties to Eau Claire. The victim in the January 25th homicide was Andre Simmons Jr.

Federal funding pauses. With the change in administration at the Federal level, local governments experienced some uncertainty. On January 27th, the White House issued an Executive Order that paused dispersal of federal funding. After the release of the memo on Monday, there were additional developments throughout the week, including a court order that blocked implementation, a clarifying memo from the White House, and a rescission of the order.

Quite a few City operations receive significant Federal funding, including Transit, Health, Engineering, Fire and Police Departments, the Housing Authority, and Utilities. We also serve as a passthrough for Federal funding that goes to non-profit service providers. We have continued to monitor Federal funding plans to see what implications there will be for City operations. 

Parking deliberation continues. At their January 28th Council meeting, the Council continued their discussion about the future of parking management in Eau Claire, and in particular, in the downtown and near-downtown areas. In most of recent history, Eau Claire charged for paid parking (about 10 cents per day in 1952!). However, in 2013, when the City converted Barstow and Graham from one way to two-way streets, we removed the meters and instead restricted parking to two hours. At their January Council meeting, the City’s Parking Consultant shared a draft report of ideas for the City to consider.

The consultant’s recommendations included creation of an professional parking management division to improve constituent services, rollout of on-street paid parking, and replacement of parking supply that is being removed. Additionally, throughout the spring, the City held meetings with stakeholders (like this one pictured below) to discuss options and approaches to paid parking.

February 2025

Street Ambassadors program launches. During the week of February 3rd, the City’s new Street Ambassador program launched. The City sponsored this initiative through one-time ARPA funds, which will run out at the end of 2026. We contracted with a company called Block by Block that provides public space management services.

The goal of the Street Ambassadors is to offer a touchpoint for people downtown who are in need of help, with possible handoff to service agencies, and to help maintain order and cleanliness within their downtown service area. Since their launch, the Street Ambassador team has evolved as they have gotten to know local stakeholders, residents, business owners, and partners and tackled a lot of clean up. The team is pictured below meeting businesses in their first few months of work. 

Zoning heads into final stretch. Throughout 2025, the “Century Code” rewrite process continued, with meetings among stakeholders and the public throughout the winter and spring, including one that was held on February 17th, which is pictured below.

Voters go to polls for February election. On February 18th, we had a primary for the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. The temperature that day saw a low of -18°F. With the cold weather and just one election on the ballot, only 11 percent (or just over 5,000 voters) came out to vote.

Neighbors discuss data and perspectives. On Saturday, February 22nd, a team of organizations hosted a “summit” at the Senior Center for current and future neighborhood leaders. The effort was connected to grant called Invest Health that funded collaborative work among representatives from the Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corporation, the Health Department, the University, and the City of Eau Claire. At the summit, attendees looked at data (see: Eau Claire, WI | City Health Dashboard) and they exchanged perspectives as part of conversation circles, pictured below.

Council reviews Transit Development plan. At their February 25th meeting, the Council discussed the ongoing work to draft a Transit Development Plan that will help guide future transit decision making. You can see their slides here.

Fireworks finalized after surprise vote. Also at the February 25th meeting, the Council deliberated over the acceptance of a donation for July 4th fireworks to be held in 2025, 2026, and 2027. In a somewhat confusing turn of events, due to our governance rules, the acceptance failed, even though a majority of Council Members at that meeting supported it. This was a rare situation where a close vote can cause an item not to be passed. The item was then brought back to the Council at the next meeting for further discussion and approval. More on the history of discussions about July 4th celebrations can be found here.

Fiscal Stability Committee created. Also on February 25th, the Council approved the formation of a five-member Fiscal Stability Committee to consider strategies to address the City’s growing structural deficit, whether those be service reductions or pursuit of new revenue sources. This was part of our continuing effort to address the long-term financial challenges Eau Claire (and other communities in Wisconsin) face due to municipal tax law and state aid in Wisconsin.

As described in communication throughout the year, the funding mechanisms for municipalities in Wisconsin increasingly result in over-reliance on property taxes and a structural deficit. These images below show the trend in Wisconsin toward relying more on property taxes due largely to cuts in aid from the State and restrictions on how communities can generate revenue.

Mild weather allows for maintenance. So far in our current winter, lots of snow has meant more work for our Streets and Parks crews. But last winter, the mild weather lighted workloads. The lack of snow freed up staff to catch up on some long-delayed projects. This included tree removal and stump grinding, and maintenance to the City’s stormwater retention ponds, pictured below.

Care of stormwater ponds prevents flooding of homes and businesses. According to the DNR, the ponds must have no brush, tall grass, or trees on the floor or embankments. Though the work was necessary and required by the DNR, some neighbors expressed dismay, as the clearing impacted the look of the spaces that had long gone without maintenance. We hope to stay on top of maintenance in coming years.

Council discusses tree preservation strategies. Also this month, Council members discussed how to preserve and strengthen our urban tree canopy. Some of these steps ended up getting incorporated into the zoning code overhaul, and some are still planned for implementation in 2026, such as the updating of the two chapters of code (8.20 and 5.52) that are related to tree maintenance licensure. Pictured below are a row of newly planted boulevard trees.

Development projects move forward. The City was pleased to share a few key development milestones this spring, including approval of a large residential and commercial project across I-94 from the Oakwood area and planning for utility extensions into the newly annexed Orchard Hills neighborhood.

March 2025

Council discusses tourism dollars. At its March 11th meeting, Council Members continued discussions of how the City uses tax dollars generated by overnight stays. With the contract renewal for our current tourism partner coming up at the end of 2025, the Council had earlier asked for discussion of the options and contract. Since that process started, the City and Visit Eau Claire staff and board members worked hard to lay the groundwork for the City/VEC contract renewal. At the March meeting, possible terms for an agreement were discussed in closed session.

Trash discussions continue. Also at its March 11th meeting, the Council continued to discuss our trash systems and priorities. At that meeting, they heard feedback from both the public and haulers. Most residents said they’d like the City to carry out more coordination of trash. Their top trash concerns were cleanliness of streets, support for small operators, options for yard and bulk waste pickup, waste reduction, eliminating multiple trucks serving one street, affordability, and responsive customer service. A chief concern for haulers was the wish to have the ability to shift to every-other week pickup for trash and/or recycling. Pictured below is one of the haulers vehicles transporting bins to or from households.

PFAS building gets foundations. Throughout 2025, work continued on the construction and equipping of our state-of-the-art PFAS filtration building. In March, our Utilities Division shared the update that underground and footing work for the building was complete. That work is pictured below. In the weeks that followed, masons arrived to help the building take shape.

April 2025

Voters go to polls. On Tuesday, April 1st, voters came out for a number of election decisions, including selection of a State Superintendent of Public Instruction and Supreme Court Justice, and votes on local races (Judges, Council, and School Committee plus one referendum question). Election day followed two weeks of in-person absentee voting, which is pictured below.

Vehicle creates dangerous conditions during morning commute. On April 3rd, an incident put City residents and our Police Officers in danger. The ECPD does not carry out vehicle pursuits unless absolutely necessary. In this case, though, a person was driving out of control, jumping curbs, driving on a trail, driving the wrong way, and nearly missing a pedestrian. Because this was occurring close to 7AM, many children were heading to bus stops and other people were traveling to work.

Our Police and partner agencies had to stop the vehicle by blocking it in with their own vehicles. In the picture below, you can see how much damage our police vehicles sustained. This is an indication of how much danger the situation posed for residents and officers.

In an interview with WEAU, Chief Rokus praised the courage and problem-solving work of the team: “Trained police officers make controlled pragmatic decisions. Untrained officers make emotional decisions. And the training of our officers really showed in this circumstance. They were able to control and manage the situations to the best of their ability and bring it to a conclusion.”

Staff (temporarily) shut down water treatment plant. In April, our Utilities staff shared that they shut down our water treatment plant for two days to remove old venturimeters and upgrade them to new magnetic flow meters. (As a reminder, the Water Treatment Plant is where the water goes before it is delivered to homes. And, in case you didn't already know, a venturimeter is a device that measures the amount of water that leaves the plant.) There was a significant amount of coordination with contractors to make sure that the shutdown went as smoothly as possible. 

The process reminded us of how important the Water Treatment Plant is. What would happen if our plant shut down in an emergency? Residents would not see an immediate impact due to water stored in water towers and pipes. After a few days, however, water would continue to flow but at a lower pressure than usual. Water stored in the reservoirs and towers would become depleted to the point that water pressure would be low. Service for fire protection would be impacted as well. Eventually the water would stop flowing. As Chemist Mark Nelson said, “Obviously, everyone in Utilities works hard to make sure that doesn’t happen! Our Water Treatment Plant is staffed 24-7, 365 days a year to keep the systems functioning.

In case you’re curious, at the WASTE Water Treatment Plant (where the water goes after it leaves houses), extended down time would result in poor treatment for effluent flowing to the Chippewa River as well as potential wastewater backups in the collection system. 

Pictured below are two parts of the water treatment process. Parts of it occur deep underground, while others are high above the city in water towers that our brave and capable staff maintain.

UWEC’s Student Senate and staff go on evening walk. On Thursday, April 10th, City and University staff, along with elected officials, joined students from UWEC in an annual spring walk-around near the campus. My team, pictured here, walked down Water Street, and included the interim UWEC Police Chief Amanda Carrier, who was eventually promoted to the permanent chief later in 2025. The team members noticed missing trees, uneven sidewalks, areas that need more lighting, crosswalks that need repainting, and more.

Trash discussions continue. Also on Thursday April 10th, Deputy City Manager Solberg facilitated a well-attended Trash discussion to help further gather input to guide Council deliberations on our trash systems.

Council Members sworn in and assigned seats. Each year in April, we swear in newly elected Council Members. The elections are on a three-year cycle. In year one, five “District” Council Members get elected. The next year, five “At Large” Council Members get elected. And the final year, a Council President gets elected. (We are currently in the Council President cycle of elections for this upcoming April vote.)

Last spring, we saw the election of the five At-Large representatives. In that election, Council Members Kate Felton and Roderick Jones submitted “non-candidacy” forms to express that they didn’t plan to run again. Subsequently, there were seven candidates for the five seats. The three incumbents (Larry Mboga, Joshua Miller, and Charlie Johnson) were re-elected, along with two newcomers (Nate Otto and Ethan Reed).

At the organizational meeting on Tuesday, April 15th, Judge Harless swore in the five At-Large Council Members. The Council also appointed members to Committees and Commissions, elected a Vice President (this year electing Council Member Andrew Werthmann for that role), and picked their seat assignments from a hat. We were excited to be able to flip a commemorative coin when there was a tie vote for one of the Boards, Commissions, and Committees seats. Pictured below is a photo shoot for the outgoing council, the historical coin flip, and the Council changing seats after the VP elections.

Compost-Palooza launches. During Earth Week (the week of April 21st), residents were invited to pick up free compost from the City’s Green Waste Facility, which is pictured below. The Green Waste Facility’s high-quality compost is created on site using waste materials dropped off throughout the season and screened to remove non-compostable debris. Brush Disposal | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Turkeys take over Old Wells Road. In a recuring theme related to urban wildlife, residents wrote in April about aggressive wild turkeys. A constituent said she was attacked by three turkeys at once. (More information on Turkeys can be found here Nuisance, Urban And Damaging Wildlife | | Wisconsin DNR and Turkey Fact Sheet.) The saga continued throughout the year and into this winter. It received local and even statewide media attention, like this Wisconsin Public Radio article pictured below. In recent months, we became convinced that we should work with State agencies to try to relocate the aggressive turkeys. Whether we like it or not, this story will continue into 2026!

Fire Department responds to fatal fire. On Monday, April 28th, the community experienced a fatal fire, as described the ECFD report: “Our crews were dispatched to the scene on 8th Street for a report of a structure fire with entrapment. They arrived to heavy fire involvement of the home and quickly began their fire attack and search. When they found the victim, it was determined that he was deceased and beyond help of life-saving measures.” The Fire Department's response is pictured below, as captured from WEAU's coverage of the incident.

Cleanup completed. Finally, at the end of April, our Recreation Department coordinated about 1,500 individuals as they carried out the annual Amazing Eau Claire Cleanup. Volunteers were out across the city. For example, the Upper Westside Neighborhood Association shared this crew of cleanup volunteers. And, also pictured below, Council Members took a break from their work cleaning to test the swings at Carson Park.

May 2025

Fire practice confined space rescue. As another example of the preparedness work our staff undertake, in May the ECFD worked on their confined space rescue skills, pictured below. They shared: “Throughout the City of Eau Claire, there are numerous confined spaces where an incident may occur. The training was a great refresher on all the gear and processes that a rescue may require.”

Partners drill on disaster scenario. As another example of planning for possible scenarios, members of different departments from the City joined with staff from the Health Department, the County, the City of Altoona, and the Red Cross to work through coordinated response to a hypothetical scenario of a failure of the Altoona Dam on the Eau Claire River, which would result in flooding throughout Eau Claire and Altoona.

Partners carry out simulated school threat scenario. And one more training occurred this month. Eau Claire Police and Fire Departments worked with partner agencies and the School District to carry out wide-scale school threat training. The training occurred at DeLong Middle School, while DeLong was closed for a professional development day.

These kinds of trainings can make people uneasy, however, they result in a more ready network of first responders and related stakeholders. Our goal is to have the best training and equipment, so staff can handle the most difficult situations in ways that protect the health and safety of both potential victims and suspects.

When possible, officers use distance and time to slow down a crisis to de-escalate and allow for the safest resolution. For situations that can't be slowed down and that require split-second decision making, training and practice using proper equipment help strengthen intuition that staff will need to act quickly. At the threat training, staff practiced both strategies of de-escalation and rapid decision-making. A meeting before the simulation is pictured below.

Health Department picks up prescriptions. In May, this team held its spring prescription pick up, which was well used, and thankfully the weather was great.

New artwork installed. In the spring of 2025, TDS began wrapping 14 utility boxes with artistic designs selected from a pool of 40 local submissions. Visit Eau Claire coordinated the work, in conjunction with TDS and the City. One of the designs is pictured below.

Lifeguards train for summer. Summer preparation work continued in May, as our Recreation Division trained its lifeguards on a very cold spring day.

Staff flush hydrants. Also in May, Utility staff work on its annual hydrant flushing process.

Eddy Street bridge closed. In May, an inspection of the Eddy Street bridge, which is owned by Union Pacific, identified structural flaws. Unfortunately, especially for neighbors of the relatively isolated Mt. Simon neighborhood, the structural assessment resulted in a closure that lasted all summer and into the fall. (After repairs, the bridge re-opened in November, with weight restrictions.)

The Eddy Street bridge is one of two narrow bridges that are owned by Union Pacific/Chicago North Western Railway and that cross railroad tracks. The other is on Jeffers Road. Eddy Street bridge is pictured below. Due to the bridges’ private ownership, they are not eligible for funding for improvements from state or federal bridge programs. (In contrast, the Dewey Street bridge replacement is mostly funded by grants, with the City providing some funding as well.)

Going into 2026, we are working to take ownership of one or both bridges, after some investments are made, so that they can be eligible for bridge funding for improvements. The bottom of the bridge is pictured below.

Fire staff train for special role. In May, select members of the Fire Department, pictured below, started their training to become Tactical Emergency Medical Service responders (TEMS). This certification provides enhanced knowledge, skills, and abilities for our Fire Department personnel to assist our local law enforcement agencies during critical incidents.

East Hill neighbors experience perimeter search. East Hill neighbors experienced a period of worry in May. The ECPD reported: "On Friday, May 23rd, officers attempted to locate an individual (Leo J. Lacy) who had threatened a person with a handgun. When officers found Lacy and tried to stop him, he drove away. A short time later, officers learned that Lacy had crashed his car and fled, and was running near Margaret Street and Badger Avenue.

Officers quickly established a perimeter and began to search for Lacy. Nearby schools were notified to go into a hold within minutes of the crash. Law enforcement personnel from multiple local agencies responded to assist in locating Lacy, who was considered to be armed and dangerous. Officers on scene worked to utilize drones and a K9 track to assist in the search. Ultimately, Lacy was located by officers in an upper storage area of an open garage. He was taken into custody without further incident just before 2PM. A loaded handgun and magazine were recovered nearby in this highly populated residential area." Pictured below is an image from WEAU's reporting on the incident.

Revaluation year kicks off. In May, our Assessing Division started their process of carrying out a “revaluation” for all taxable properties, which occurs every five years. During the process, the Division estimates the market value of all locally assessable properties to produce an updated “assessment roll” by January 1st, 2026. Once the revaluation is complete, property owners will receive an Assessment Change Notice in the mail stating the new assessed value of their property. (Assessed value can go up or down.) For more information, see: Assessing | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin" Pictured below is one of our Assessors visiting a home. Though our Assessors have a tough job of evaluating properties, we nevertheless regularly receive thank yous from the public for their professionalism and kindness.

Pollinator land conversion work starts. In May and June, our staff and a contractor began work to prepare land for conversion to pollinator spaces. To eliminate the prior vegetation, they sprayed herbicide. Some residents expressed concerns about the use of herbicide, while others argued that a herbicide worked best for a widescale conversion process. While recognizing the dilemma, the work moved forward. Much more information can be found here: our website, click “Planned Areas for Conversion”. Pictured below is one area that is getting converted, with related signage.

Infrastructure improvements stress traffic and business. As the summer construction season got underway, the City and its contractors carried out work on some major downtown infrastructure projects, including work on North Barstow Street, Galloway, and East Madison Street. We are grateful to our partner organization, Downtown Eau Claire Incorporated (DECI), plus nearby Business Improvement Districts and a Neighborhood Association.  They provided advice to the City on timing and signage of the work and spread the word to those who were impacted. While a headache for commuters and nearby residents and businesses, the important investments resulted in improved pavement, gutters, sidewalk, lights, and more. Madison is pictured below.

City delivers water safety messages. During May’s Water Safety Awareness Month, we worked to convey the importance of taking seriously the risks that come along with having a lot of water in our community. Those efforts included having the Fire Department’s Water Safety Task Force visit the Eau Claire School District’s fourth and fifth graders and working with partners to ensure that we provide safety messaging as we talk about the use of our riverways for recreation, such as this message about tubing: Tubing in Eau Claire, WI | Floating Down the Chippewa River. Additionally, the City removed trees at Mt. Simon Park that had rope swings connected to them and put up a fence. We took this step to reinforce the prohibition on jumping and swimming in this area, which is very dangerous.

Pack it Up and Pass it On returns. The UWEC Student Office of Sustainability and University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire along with Eau Claire City-County Health Department and City of Eau Claire hosted another Pack It Up and Pass It On event mid-May, which is pictured below.

Street improvement season gets underway. By May, our Streets and Engineering work groups were hard at work carrying out reconstruction and improvement to our streets, trails, and sidewalks. Here is a group working on crack sealing.

June 2025

Utilities hosts safety day training. Continuing the theme of training, on Wednesday June 4th, the Utilities Division held its annual Safety Day training at the Water Treatment Plant. Each year, all Utility employees are brought together for a morning of learning, interaction, and camaraderie. (And for a chance to get a photo!) A few of the training topics included confined space entry, electrical safety, and work zone safety. 

City participates in Housing Our Neighbors Collaborative. In the spring, the City joined in on a collaboration that was formed to develop a plan to address gaps that are contributing to a growing unhoused population. The effort is being spearheaded by the Eau Claire County Department of Human Services, the Eau Claire City-County Health Department, and the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce. At the June Council meeting, representatives from the group shared an update on their efforts.

PFAS settlement funds received. In June, the City of Eau Claire received a check for $1.68 million, which was the first installment of the class action settlement with 3M over PFAS contamination. The total award for the 3M settlement is expected to reach $9.4 million, paid in installments through 2033. It is the first of four class action settlements in cases filed by the City against manufacturers of PFAS. Payments to the City from the settlements of all four claims are expected to exceed $12 million. This funding will help offset the cost of building PFAS remediation capacity. Over the summer, construction of the PFAS filtration plant continued, as pictured below.

Eau Claire tops the rankings. In June, US News ranked Eau Claire first on Wisconsin's list and 49th on the national one. See: 14 Best Places to Live in Wisconsin in the U.S. in 2025-2026 | U.S. News 

Regular downtown cleanup/outreach begins. In response to concerns about left-behind property and trash, the City began regular cleanups of the downtown area. This included working with partners to carry out outreach to individuals who were unhoused. It has been a challenge to know what to do with property, such as this pictured below from a recent cleanup effort. Some storage exists at the new Day Resource Center, and partners are seeking strategies to help with storage or larger items. Also pictured below are trash bags filled by a volunteer who cleanups the trail from Madison Street bridge to the High Bridge. Our approach is to simultaneously work towards implementing solutions for addressing the underlying causes of homelessness, while also seeking to maintain the safety and useability of all of our public spaces.

Fire Department rescues people tubing in high water. Water safety was especially important this spring, when water was very high. The fast water coupled with unsafe behaviors meant the Fire Department had to carry out a number of rescues. On one day, the ECFD carried out two rescues, bringing in two people from near the Lake Street Bridge and four people from near the UWEC Foot Bridge.

Working Better Together program launches. Our grant-funded community discussion and training program, called Working Better Together, kicked off in June, pictured below. There were 40 participants from all different organizations and parts of the city participating in “a three-month professional development experience for city staff, governmental and institutional partners, and community leaders who want to create more welcoming workplaces and build lasting connections across the Eau Claire region.”

Police provides crisis training. In another example of training, the ECPD delivered Crisis Intervention Training to First Responders in the Chippewa Valley. Crisis Intervention provides skills to effectively respond to individuals in crisis, especially those experiencing a mental health crisis. Many partners helped organize and participate, and one unique role played was by the Eau Claire Women in Theater (ECWIT). They served as actors to make the scenarios realistic.

UWEC and Health Department formalize partnership. After a long history of working together on occasional small and large-scale projects and initiatives across many topic areas, in June, the UWEC and the Eau Claire City-County Health Department (ECCCHD) formalized their partnership through a memorandum of understanding signed. A campus-wide kickoff meeting was held in December. The agreement was modeled after similar academic-health department partnerships that are used to enhance public health education and training, research, and community service for mutual benefit. More information is available here: UWEC and HD Partnership. 

Residents speak up at budget Forum. Council Member Aaron Brewster organized a resident budget forum that was held on Sunday, June 22nd, pictured below. We had a great turnout, and attendees asked some excellent questions. Council Members Ethan Reed and Clara Serrano also joined in on the discussion. 

Northern Lite launches. At the end of June and start of July, a new Transit service launched providing on-demand rides in the Northside launched, see: https://city.ridewithvia.com/eau-claire Over the pilot of this service, we have learned a lot about how we may want to use on-depend transit for parts of the City or times of the day or week that see less ridership. We will be making a decision in coming months about whether or not to continue to use micro-transit after the pilot phase ends this summer.

Library creates new collection. As of June, a new collection of books were made available for check out. 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 is "a carefully curated collection of popular fiction and nonfiction for all ages in Hmong, Spanish, French, and Ojibwe." 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.

Strategic planning continues. During sessions held throughout the year, the Council continued their strategic planning update process. The Council's worked on a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) on June 23rd, facilitated by Scott Allen of the West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. A prioritization session from later this fall is pictured below. We hope to have a final version by late winter/early spring.

Capital Improvement Plan budget adopted. On June 24th, the Council adopted its Capital Improvement Plan budget, which it approves prior to looking at the Operating Budget. Prior to adoption, Council Members Jess Schoen and Andrew Werthmann shifted funding from chemical treatment of Half Moon Lake that we have used to manage the Curly Pond Leaf, with the expectation that the City would manage the Pond Leaf by harvesting vs. chemical application. This shift was made in consultation with the City and the DNR, due to the decreasing efficacy of the application. The shift funded two projects, entitled “Tree Planting in Low-Canopy Neighborhoods” and “Biodiversity Projects Fund." Pictured below is the Finance Admin team preparing before a Council Meeting.

Air Show returns. Towards the end of June, the Air Show returned to the Chippewa Valley, attracting many visitors and raising money for area non-profits. City staff helped with components of the big event. Pictured here is my favorite photo from the weekend, taken by Gary Krogman who wrote in his comment "Is it just me, or do Doctors, Police officers, and pilots look so much younger?" (Make sure you look up to the cockpit!) Eau Claire Police Officer and Airforce Reserve Major member Phil Noland also appears on the steps.

July 2025

Community sees good weather for fireworks. The Fourth of July fireworks went off without a hitch, and the weather was great.  The goal of shifting the launch site of the fireworks to the High Bridge was to disperse crowds so as to put space between the fireworks and the observers, make traffic control easier, and ensure room for emergency responders as needed. This was the first year with good weather at the new location, and it appeared that thousands of people came out to watch. The view from Madison Street bridge is pictured below.

Hutchinson Technology Plant is purchased. On July 11th, the region received great news that a major manufacturer, TTM, acquired the 750,000 square foot facility that was formerly occupied by Hutch TDK. According to its press release, TTM manufactures “technologically advanced printed circuit boards”, as well as "components for radio frequency and microwave/microelectronics.”

Eau Claire hosts huge bike ride. We were happy to host the Ride Across Wisconsin on Saturday, July 12th. The Ride Across Wisconsin (RAW) event was planned by an organization called Wisconsin Bike Fed. This was their 10th Annual Ride Across Wisconsin event, but it was their first time in Eau Claire. It was their highest-attendance ride yet. Below is a photo from their website, with more photos here: Photos — Ride Across Wisconsin

Century Code gets amended and then approved. On Monday July 21st and Tuesday July 22nd, the Council reviewed a wrap-up presentation, heard many comments, and voted on some amendments on Tuesday related to the Century Code rewrite. Those amendments returned to the Plan Commission.

Fire Department recovers truck. On Monday, July 28th, the Fire Department dove to recover and tow an unoccupied vehicle that was by Riverview Landing.

Cannery Park playground and skate trail getting used. By mid-summer, the playground area at Cannery Park was open and being well used. A few remaining items need to be addressed before the entire park is complete. Despite that punch list, residents have made great use of the bike/skateboard trail and play features. The parks is pictured from above, with the photo taken from the new nearby apartments.

Employees participate in picnic. At the end of July, employees gathered for their annual picnic, pictured below.

August 2025

Zoning passes. After two years of work, the zoning overhaul passed on Tuesday, August 8th. Our dedicated planning staff then immediately shifted into preparing for the full implementation. The new code went into effect on October 1st.

Staff populate asset management system. Throughout 2025, we continued to build out a new asset management system. The software, called Caretegraph, is keeping track of most every “asset” of the City, whether that be playground swing, boulevard tree, segment of sidewalk, or light pole. Implementation has meant all-hands-on-deck for the Community Services Department, with lots of help from IT and other departments like Engineering, HR, and Finance. The work will continue well into 2026 and beyond, eventually impacting how residents can communicate with the City. The datasets generated by the system also help us make decisions about operations, staffing, and spending. Below is one of the teams of people who have been working to implement the program.

Crowds attend National Night Out. A highlight of each August is National Night Out. Highlights for me were seeing all of our staff (and their awesome vehicles) interacting with the public and getting a chance to take a turn in the dunk tank, as pictured below.

Volunteers seek donation for Owen project. This year, the City had planned to replace Owen Park playground equipment as part of a routine schedule. However, residents and neighbors expressed an interest in trying to fundraise to make a bigger investment in new playground features, given Owen’s status as a downtown, destination space. They kicked off that fundraising effort in August.

Eau Claire continues its rapid growth. In August, the WI Department of Revenue released updated population estimates for 2025. Eau Claire and our region as a whole continue to grow faster than most parts of Wisconsin.

Fire crews carry out swift water rescue training. Continuing the training theme, this month crews trained on swift water rescue in the Chippewa River, pictured below. They shared that this year, water rescue skills have been put to the test: “Our Department has responded to more water rescue calls so far this year than in all of 2024. Please remember to mind water conditions in the rivers and have a form of personal flotation device that will help you if you encounter rough conditions.” 

Foam zone attracts crowds. On August 12th, the Library hosted a “Foam Zone” event. It was pretty amazing to see kids jump around it a yard full of soapy bubbles!

Measles reported in Wisconsin. Though we didn't see any cases in our region in 2025, the Health Department monitored cases of measles in other parts of Wisconsin, with nine cases of measles reported occurring in Oconto County, near Green Bay.

Grand Ave Bridge event. I was excited to volunteer with Council Member Brewster at the very unique DECI-sponsored Grand Evening on the Bridge. The weather was perfect!

City hosts table at Multi-Cultural Festival. Pictured here are staff at the August Multi Cultural Festival in Phoenix Park.

Region gets more kudos. In August, USA Today named Eau Claire as the second best “Hidden Gem to Explore” in the United States. Read more here, and take a look at an article that Volume One wrote about the announcement, which says that the report's “findings were informed by how many landmarks, museums, restaurants, and bars there were in any given community, plus how safe and clean everything was.”

Council passes paid parking ordinance. In August, the Council passed a plan to implement paid parking, after several years of study and discussion. Once implememnted, the hours will be 1 to 11PM, at $1/hour, with $.50/hour in buffer areas around the core of the downtown. It will be implemented in the spring of 2026 (We are starting work on this now!). The City will be working to increase coordination and management of parking-related issues, and we will also work out loading zones and some other details before full implementation. The paid parking will help cover the cost that the City incurs by maintaining parking, which you can see in the image below.

Council adds bike speed limit. Also at their second August meeting, the City Council approved a 15-miles-per-hour speed limit for bicyclists on City trails. Though it is not feasible to carry out enforcement of this limit, the hope is that it will serve as a standard that trail users can follow largely through self-enforcement and public education for their safety and the safety of others. A new sign on the trail is pictured below.

Homicide occurs on Sunset. The Eau Claire Police Department responded to homicide that occurred at a residence on Sunset Drive in Eau Claire on Saturday, August 30th. A 911 call was received just after 2PM for a report of a shooting. Upon officer arrival, Michael Lee, 37 of Eau Claire, was found dead from apparent gunshot wounds.

September 2025

City improves bus stops. In September, the City shared an update about efforts to improve nearly 50 bus stops (pictured below), with a goal of making the stops more accessible to all. Work on the stops was funded by roughly $350,000 in federal funds.

Transit Development Plan considered. Our study of Transit continued this fall, as a consultant worked to update our Transportation Development Plan (TDP). The goal of a TDP is to suggest changes to routes, and this particular study also explored the possibility of adding on-demand transit for areas and times of the week where transit service is limited. 

Fire destroys historic structure. On Friday, September 12th, at about 5:30PM, the Eau Claire Fire Department responded to 1310 State Street for a report of a structure fire. Responders fought the fire in the nine-unit apartment for more than five hours. Fire crews also rescued one cat. Three firefighters were injured, and two were transported by ECFD ambulances to Mayo Hospital. Though thankfully there was not a significant harm to people (or cats), it was a significant property loss of a historical building.

Fire Department continues training investment. In September, crews have been training on high angle ropes rescue. “It is not a skill we have to use often here in Eau Claire, but is an aspect of the job that we will always be ready for!” Notably, these skills are used when there are rescues required on our river, which are, unfortunately, not too uncommon. The Department also hosted their annual Peer Support Conference, where members gathered to learn more about the resources available to them and to reaffirm the importance of ensuring no one faces the battles of trauma in silence. 

Trees removed/replaced through grant. Also in September, we were excited to announce that the City received a grant to help fund the removal of diseased ash trees on private property for income qualifying residents and neighborhoods. Council Members Schoen and Werthmann worked with the Northside Hill Neighborhood Association to draft the grant.

Pollinator planting completed. By September, all of our new pollinator spaces had been planted. The contractor planted winter wheat, which helps stabilize the soil, and a mix of pollinator species. Learn about what got planted here: Pollinator Seed Mix. Pictured below is the pollinator space behind the Sonnentag, which we expect may look like future City pollinator spaces.

First bus leaves Transfer Center. Starting at 5:30AM on Monday, September 29th, people gathered to take the first bus out of the new Transfer Center. The early-morning crew is pictured below. We were so excited to have the Transfer Center in use after decades of using a temporary transfer center, plus years of planning and work on the new facility.

October 2025

Fatal crash occurs in early morning hours.  Early on October 1st, a driver traveling "at a high rate of speed and going into oncoming traffic" ultimately ended up crashing into another motorist at the intersection of West Clairemont Avenue and Craig Road. The crash left the victim's vehicle engulfed in flames. Officers exhausted all efforts attempting to extract the victim. As a result of the crash, the victim was tragically killed.

UWEC Homecoming returns to Water Street. On the first weekend in October, the UWEC Homecoming parade returned to Water Street, and the game at Carson hosted thousands of visitors. A ECFD fire truck in the homecoming parade is pictured below.

New tunnel murals unveiled. By October, downtown area visitors and residents could check out two new immersive tunnel murals -- one in the tunnel under Fifth Avenue, and the second in the tunnel that connects Boyd Park to the nearby neighborhood. Pictured below are a tunnel before mural, and scenes from the two new murals.

Government shutdown generates food access concerns. In October, we received questions about how to make sure our residents have access to food, since Foodshare benefits are pausing due to the government shutdown. There are about 10,000 residents in Eau Claire County who rely on FoodShare, with about a quarter of those residents being children. Ultimately, the funding was restored, but some ongoing questions about future funding continue.

ECFD practices live burn response. In October, I got to observe the Fire Department carry out an active burn simulation at their training area at Station 9, adjoining the CVTC West campus. In an active burn training, a specialized building with a real fire recreates the conditions of a structure fire.

City says thanks for the District Discussions. In the fall, we held four District Discussions at parks and shelters. Council Members and staff enjoyed talking to residents about their hopes, concerns, and questions.

Birch Street opens to traffic: On Wednesday, October 8th, Birch Street, Franklin Street to Bergen Avenue was fully opened to traffic. Construction over the summer on Birch Street in this area included removing existing concrete and replacing it with new asphalt, spot repair of concrete sidewalks, curb and gutter replacement, pedestrian ramp installation, and addition of traffic calming features. 

Graham Riverside Parking Deck planned for closure. Due to structural issues, the City announced a planned closure of this two-level parking deck next to the river. Plans for this parcel's future are being discussed. The damaged ramp is pictured below.

Carson improvement work underway. In late summer and early fall, the City began long-hoped for work on the Carson Park Baseball stadium. Several projects are planned, including, but not limited to (and contingent on funding) dugout replacement, first and third base line bleacher replacement, a new restroom/storage/concession building, waterproofing, tuck-pointing, window and door replacement, electrical and HVAC upgrades, and installation of artificial turf on the field. Learn more about how to help preserve this historical gem in our community: Carson Park Baseball Stadium Renovation Fund - ECCFWI

City disables social media commenting. On October 17th, we turned off the ability to comment on the City’s social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc.). We didn't want to make this change, but over the past year, comments had become increasingly abusive, profane, and threatening. The attacks have been aimed at staff and public officials, as well as residents, including crime victims, suspects, and family members. The comment sections have also been used to promote scams and identity theft.

PFAS filtration media arrives. In October, our Utilities Division shared that they had received delivery of the PFAS "vessels". The vessels are large tanks that hold the “media” that filters the water. The City is still on track for the project to be fully operational by the late 2026. Pictured below, a crew moves one of the new vessels into the new PFAS treatment building.

November 2025

City passes challenging budget. Over the summer and fall, the Council and staff considered options for the 2026 budget. On November 10th, a public hearing on the proposed 2026 Operating Budget was held. You can find more detailed information on the budget here, including presentations to the Council that outlines some of the constraints: Budget | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Perhaps our number one focus in the coming year is to continue to seek relief for property tax papers by identifying both service level reductions and alterative revenue sources.

Firefighters deliver coats. As part of their community charity, each year Firefighters deliver coats to students who need them. They are pictured here this past November.

One Better Way public campaign launches. On Thursday, November 13th, partners carried out a fundraising launch for the City's new Day Resource Center. Using some of its ARPA funding, the City helped support the creation of a permanent Day Resource Center. For the last several years, a Day Resource Center has operated out of temporary spaces. The permanent Center is located downtown at 630 Gibson Street, which has been renamed One Better Way. Leadership from partners Western Dairyland and Hope Gospel describe the Center's mission as follows: "Together, we’re creating a compassionate, coordinated response to homelessness and housing insecurity in our community."

We were very excited to visit the Day Resource Center when it opened in December, as pictured below. It is a peaceful and clean place, where we believe many people will come together to be served and to problem solve. We encourage all residents who are able to donate to support this critical mission. Visit this site: Day Resource Center - Western Dairyland

City shifts health insurance providers. Some of our staff have been very busy trying to shift all of our employees and retirees to new health insurance. It has been a long and very intensive process to select an insurer, create the benefit plan, and then help employees during open enrollment. The City of Eau Claire made this transition in 2025 to combat rising health care costs and to remain an employer of choice for the region. Much of the work is now underway as we transition our 600+ employees from one provider to the new one. Pictured below is one of the many meetings held with staff on the topic.

Mt. Simon Park completed. Late in the year, our Parks Division was happy to share that the new playground has been installed in upper Mt. Simon Park. The park was made possible by a donation from the Jane Honadel estate. We are so grateful for the donation, and we know that children for many decades to come will enjoy this space. The new playground equipment and memorial bench are pictured below, prior to the first snow.

Visit Eau Claire agreement signed. The Council approved an agreement between the City and Visit Eau Claire to govern our work together over the next three years. It was a significant accomplishment, and we believe it lays the groundwork for continued progress on marketing the region. In 2026, we will be working on a number of projects. Perhaps most significantly, we will be developing the Destination Master Plan together that will help us make strategic investments in our tourism-related infrastructure and services. An image from the Visit Eau Claire website is below. 

December 2025

Half-century birthdays celebrated. Over the course of 2025, we celebrated a number of 50-year birthdays, including the following:

• 50 Years of Hmong Families in the Midwest and Eau Claire: According to the Chippewa Valley Museum’s timeline, in 1975 the first Hmong families arrived in the United States (in Minnesota), and in 1976 the first family arrived in Eau Claire, sponsored by Trinity Lutheran Church.

• 50 Years of WIC: The Health Department noted this birthday announcement in 2025: “The federal program that helps income-eligible families in Eau Claire get healthy food, nutrition recommendations, farmers’ market vouchers, breastfeeding support, and more is turning 50!”

• 50 Years of Room Tax Collection: As we studied our Visit Eau Claire agreement this past year, we learned that the City of Eau Claire has charged a room tax since 1975, so it too celebrates its 50-year birthday.

• 50 Years of City Transit: Our City Transit system celebrates its 50 years of existence (in its current form) this year. (A historical bus is below.)

Regional leaders appointed. This was also a lively year with public leadership transitions. Those included:

• New Administrators for Eau Claire, Chippewa, and Dunn Counties,

• A new mayor for Chippewa Falls, and

• A new (Interim) UWEC Chancelor.

We have greatly appreciated working with the prior leadership, and we are enjoying getting to know this new set of collaborators.

City staff appointed. We also had some promotions and shifts within City government, including these transitions:

• Ty Fadness shifted from Transit Manager to Community Services Operations Manager, while Katrina Running shifted from Community Development to become Transit Manager;

• Billie Hufford shifted from Neighborhood Services to Community Development, and Janiece Ruhling became the Neighborhood Services Manager, coming to the City from the Department of Human Services (and also nearly 20 years of service in the Reserves);

• Nick Koerner shifted from Assessing to City Clerk, and Eric Gilge was hired as Deputy City Clerk. Kristina Kuzma who had been City Clerk filled Katrina's position in Planning; and

• Phil Lubke shifted from Forestry to Parks Manager, after the summer retirement of Steve Plaza.

Additionally, we saw the following promotions:

• Dan Steffen was promoted to supervisor in the custodial division;

• Aaron Roths was promoted to Parking Administrator;

• Samuel Monahan was hired as the City Surveyor;

• Jenessa Stromberg was promoted to Deputy City Attorney; and

• Nate Nispel was promoted to Transit Supervisor.  

We are very grateful that we have a deep and growing bench of talent within our City government and within the community as a whole. We are happy when we have a chance to exchange employees with community partners, such as the County, as it strengthens connections and shared knowledge. We are also happy to promote outstanding staff from within, because we'd like our staff to be able to spend their entire career with the City if they wish to. Additionally, we are happy to hire from outside the organization or community, as then we get a fresh insight. Our exceptional workforce is, by far, our best asset.

Council president candidates pick up paperwork: As of December 1st, Candidates can pick up or download nomination papers for Council President. Late in 2025, our current Council President Emily Berge announced that she would not run again. More information can be found here: City Council Candidate Information | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. 

Council revises Weeds and Yards Ordinance. At their one December meeting, the Council updated weed ordinances to allow for natural planting areas.

City announces free rides for kids in 2026. In December, we shared more information about free rides for students and children. As part of next year’s budget, we have funded free rides for children 18 and under (plus young adults enrolled in High School). I dug into my old photos to find this one of my kids taking the free Fairfax Pool bus on their own about 10 years ago.

Cross country ski trails groomed. In December, our Recreation Division shared that for the first time since 2023, cross-country ski trails at Pinehurst Park, Northwest Park, Fairfax Park, and Carson Park have been groomed and packed, and they are officially open. For additional cross country ski trail information please visit: https://www.eauclairewi.gov/recreation/trails/ski-trails. For updates on all winter recreation activities follow the Recreation and Parks Divisions' Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cityofecpr.

City testifies at incorporation hearing. Also in December, City staff attended a hearing that focused on the request by the Town of Washington to incorporate into a village. The City of Eau Claire joined the review process for this second incorporation petition, due to the incorporation’s impact on the region’s ability to grow, consistent with joint agreements, and for the efficient use of public and private investment, the ability to generate diverse and affordable housing, the capacity for private job creation and investment, and the ability to deliver public safety through fire, EMS, police, and other essential public services provided by the City. These are all essential to the health of our community and West Central Wisconsin.

Brush starts to burn through combustion. On Friday December 19th, a brush fire started at the City's Green Waste facility. It continued until late the next day, while staff worked to spread the material out. Brush fires can occur due to spontaneous "aerobic decomposition," which is heat generated during the composting process. 

Snowfall wraps up 2025. We have had a lot of snow so far in the winter of 2025. Our staff who plow, shovel, sand, salt, and respond to emergencies have had little time to rest. Late on New Year's Eve Day, the parking lot of our Central Maintenance Facility was packed with cars for employees who were out keeping the roads passable. We will see what 2026 weather has in store for us!

Library announces discontinuation of Hoopla service. The Library will discontinue its subscription to the Hoopla Digital streaming service, effective January 1st, 2026, to save money given the services per-use subscription model. https://www.ecpubliclibrary.info/goodbye_hoopla

Clearwater Parade held. And finally, I'm sharing some photos from the most excellent Clearwater Parade, including a mail carrier collecting letters to Santa, a group of kids ready for the parade to start, City floats, the Senior Center float participants, and a West Grand store (Token Jewelry) looking cozy.

2025 had many some good moments and challenging ones. Thank you all for being here with us in our community and for contributing in your different ways, on both the good days and the hard days. We look forward to continuing our work in 2026.

 

WAYS TO SERVE

Employment Openings: Take a look at our open positions here: Job Openings | Sorted by Posting Date descending | JOB OPENINGS (governmentjobs.com)

Police Officer (Police Department): Enhance the quality of life in Eau Claire by partnering with the community to solve problems, reduce crime and disorder, safeguard individual rights, and improve public safety. Join the City of Eau Claire’s Police Department! We are now accepting applications for current Police Officer openings and a hiring eligibility list. Now accepting lateral transfers! Deadline to apply: Sunday, January 4th, 2026 at 11:59PM. Learn more here: https://www.joinecpd.org/

Desk Clerk (Library): Do you love helping people and connecting them with the resources they need? The L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library is currently seeking an enthusiastic and detail-oriented Desk Clerk who has a passion for public service to work at the Library’s front desk.  This is a part-time position, averaging 19 hours per week. The proposed 2026 starting wage is $16.40 per hour and includes paid floating holiday. Deadline to apply: Monday, January 5th at 8AM.

Utility Operator I (Water Plant): 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. We are currently accepting applications for this position in the Utilities division of the Community Services Department. Deadline to apply: Sunday, January 11th, 2026 at 11:59PM.

Boards, Commissions, and Committees: We have several openings on the volunteer Boards, Commissions, and Committees that are listed below. Learn more about these roles and apply here:  Boards, Commissions & Committees | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Zoning Board of Appeals: The work of the board is to hear and decide appeals where it is alleged there is error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the Zoning Administrator. An understanding of zoning and land use is helpful, but not required.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee: This commission provides advice to City Council that reflects community values on bicycle and pedestrian practices relative to the City.

 

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

 

A Few More Reminders:

• Kids/Teens Ride Transit for Free in 2026: Children (and adults who are still in high school) will take Transit for free starting in 2026! Hop on for free starting January 1st, and stay tuned for more details.

• Shelters and Rinks: Pinehurst’s supervised warming shelter is now open. Rinks are planned to be open, though this is weather dependent. Please visit these ties for up-to-date information:

• Rinks: https://www.eauclairewi.gov/recreation/outdoorskating-rinks
• Ski Trails: https://www.eauclairewi.gov/recreation/trails/ski-trails

• Non-Emergency PD Number: To reach the Police Department on their non-emergency number, please call 715-839-4972. More information is here: Report A Crime | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin

• Communicable Disease Updates: Stay on top of the virus outlook by signing up for the Health Department’s monthly communicable disease email newsletter by clicking here.

• Odd/Even Parking Restrictions: The City is enforcing winter odd/even parking restrictions. Alternate Side Parking rules are in effect even if there is no snow. If you're new to Eau Claire or just need a refresher, visit EauClaireWI.gov/AlternateSideParking for what you need to know. Alternate Side Parking rules do not replace more restrictive parking regulations, including any street posted with No Parking sign.

 

WAYS TO GET IN TOUCH: We encourage you to use these different ways to follow City news and reach out to us.

• Follow our social media accounts. Those accounts include: Police, K9 Murphy, Fire, Transit, Parks/Recreation, Fairfax Pool, Hobbs Ice Arena, Economic Development, and the General City account. Some of the accounts allow constituents to send direct messages, which staff will respond to.

• Use web forms. Submit a question or comment via our web forms: Service Request | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin We will reply, and I will continue to share the FAQs we hear in the weekly newsletter.

• Contact City Council. Council Members welcome contacts, and you can reach them here: City Council

• Sign up for City notices. The City sends out notices on many different topics, and you can elect to receive any of them here: Sign Up for eNotifications | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin

• Attend Council Meetings. Individuals can stream or attend City Council meetings, and each Monday evening session has a period of public comment. Meetings can be found here: Meetings | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin

• Attend (or apply to be part of) a Board, Commission, or Committee: Individuals can also attend the meetings of our different volunteer committees. Those also have a public comment period. Residents can learn more here: Boards, Commissions & Committees | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin

• Invite us to a meeting. We are also always happy to send staff and Council Members to other meetings residents or stakeholders would like to hold. We can attend book clubs, lectures, classes, church assemblies, etc. We will come to you -- just let us know where and when.

• Join (or form) a Neighborhood Association. Neighborhood Associations are the building blocks of community ties and community change. Visit this site to learn more about how to join or create a Neighborhood Association: Neighborhood Associations | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin

• Try the ECPD app. Download the app to find the Report a Crime form, track career opportunities, and get instant alerts: https://www.joinecpd.org/ecpdapp

• Volunteer. Get involved in the nuts and bolts of City Operations by volunteering to staff the winter parade, to help maintain a park, or more. Learn more here: Volunteer Opportunities | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin

• Contact the ADA Coordinator. Have a question about accessibility? Contact the ADA Coordinator here: ADACoordinator@EauClaireWI.gov, or learn more here: ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act Information

• Contact Us. Find more ways to reach us via this page: Contact Us - Service Directory | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin

 

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, January 12th, Council Public Hearing, 6PM, Council Chambers

• Tuesday, January 13th, Council Legislative Session, 4PM, Council Chambers

• Monday, January 26th, Council Public Hearing, 6PM, Council Chambers

• Tuesday, January 27th, Council Legislative Session, 4PM, Council Chambers

• Monday, February 9th, Council Public Hearing, 6PM, Council Chambers

• Tuesday, February 10th, Council Legislative Session, 4PM, Council Chambers

• Monday, February 23rd, Council Public Hearing, 6PM, Council Chambers

• Tuesday, February 24th, Council Legislative Session, 4PM, Council Chambers

• Monday, March 9th, Council Public Hearing, 6PM, Council Chambers

• Tuesday, March 10th, Council Legislative Session, 4PM, Council Chambers

• Monday, March 23rd, Council Public Hearing, 6PM, Council Chambers

• Tuesday, March 24th, Council Legislative Session, 4PM, Council Chambers