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 use these linked forms to send feedback to the City Manager’s Office or City Council.

City Manager Stephanie Hirsch

SNOW SHOVELING CHAMPIONS: Here are our last few shoveling champions.

The first few come from Barbara Arnold, who is a bit famous locally for delivering papers (and enthusiasm!) to the Third Ward. She shared her report based on her experiences as the neighborhood’s “paper girl.”

Lissa and Tom on Summit: “It’s always free and clear like this except after a recent snow fall. It's a pleasure to deliver the paper to this family.”

Sandy and Mark on Garfield: “The day of the horrible ice, sleet, rain, and storm (on Monday, January 5th, and Tuesday, January 6th), I went into shock when I approached their sidewalk. It was as if they had heated sidewalks...no idea...but absolutely no ice, and free and clear all the way. Having safe access is critical. I don't know how they do it, but they do it so well!”

Karen and Tim on Coolidge: “Their driveway and sidewalk always look like this, pristine as springtime, except after a recent snowfall of course. It's a pleasure to deliver their paper. They are octogenarians, and they tell me they love getting out there with their ice chippers when the weather warms up. I am so incredibly grateful.”

And here are two more submissions from across the City...

Ben on Highland: “Ben is always one of the first people on our block out shoveling and snow blowing. In addition to clearing out his areas quickly, he keeps using his snow blower until the batteries run out, meaning his neighbors get extra help with their sidewalks.”

Brian on Cummings: “Great work keeping the fire hydrant area clear of snow Brian! The neighborhood appreciates it!”

CITY UPDATES

Police vs. Fire Olympics: Our two public safety departments faced off on an Olympic-themed series of challenges this week, as a way to promote community engagement and inter-departmental connections. Practicing teamwork has an outsized impact. It builds trust and camaraderie, which are essential in their line of work. Our public safety staff work together to handle very serious situations on a daily basis.

Please enjoy watching these clips, and cheer on all of our outstanding first responders. The links to the videos are below, and below those are images from each of the "events".

• Opening Ceremonies: An Olympic torch gets extinguished

• Hockey: Fire leads the way

• Toboggan: PD slides across the finish.

• Ski Jump: Ski jump looks a little high. (For the ski jump contest, staff shared: “We visited the Flying Eagles Nordic Ski Complex for our Winter Games and headed up the hill to take on the 55M jump....We wanted to visit the Flying Eagles to help remind everyone to cheer on Eau Claire's Ben Loomis as he competes in the Nordic Combined event in the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics! Good luck Ben.”)

• Curling and Closing Ceremonies: The final score is....

Transit Equity Day: This week, we held our annual Transit Equity Day ceremony, and this year it was at the newly opened Transfer Center. Here are excerpts from two of the comments shared:

Comments from Student Travel Ambassador Hope Wallace: "I am here today to talk about how transit has helped open so many doors in my life. After high school, I wasn’t sure what to do. Then I did a program called Life without Limits, which is for high school students who have an IEP,  which means an Individualized Education Program, for people with disabilities. I learned about adult skills and independence, like housing, work skills, and using public transportation. I was taught how to ride Eau Claire Transit. Transit gives me freedom to go anywhere, and I don’t have to be stuck at home or wait for a ride.... I would like to help other students realize the benefits of using transit through my help as a student travel ambassador." Hope is pictured below with Transit Ambassador Kurt Vuchetich. Learn more how the Transit Ambassadors can help here: Transit Ambassadors | Western Dairyland Programs

Comments from Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) 1310 President Adam Nelson: "Today, we observe Transit Equity Day, a day that reminds us that public transportation is not just about buses and trains. It’s about people. It’s about opportunity...For the ATU, transit equity means that transportation is treated as a public good, not a privilege. It means workers can get to their jobs, students can get to school, seniors can reach medical appointments, and people with disabilities can travel with independence and respect. When transit is affordable, reliable, and accessible, entire communities thrive. Transit equity also means fairness for the workers who make public transportation possible. ATU members are the backbone of our systems. We show up in all weather, at all hours, serving the public with professionalism and care. Equity means safe working conditions. It means fair wages. It means being treated with dignity on the job. You cannot have equitable transit without respecting the workforce that delivers it.

Transit equity is also about investment. For too long, many communities, especially low-income and marginalized neighborhoods, have been left behind when it comes to transit funding and service. The ATU believes every neighborhood deserves dependable service, clean vehicles, and well-maintained infrastructure. Where transit goes, opportunity follows. And where it doesn’t go, inequity grows.

On Transit Equity Day, we recommit ourselves to the idea that transportation is a civil right. We recommit to fighting for systems that serve everyone, not just those who can afford alternatives. And we recommit to standing up for transit workers, whose labor keeps our cities moving every single day. So today, as members of the Amalgamated Transit Union and as allies of public transit, we honor the legacy of Rosa Parks by continuing the work she helped inspire. We stand for access. We stand for fairness. And we stand for a future where public transit truly serves the public, all of the public." Adam is pictured below, from WQOW's coverage of the ceremony.

Values House: Last weekend, we worked with Clear Vision Eau Claire to test out a model of community engagement. Clear Vision Eau Claire is a local nonprofit organization, established in 2010, that focuses on engaging community members in collaborative conversations about the kind of community we want to have.

On Saturday, January 31st, the Clear Vision team facilitated pilot small-group discussions of the participants’ values, concerns, and ideas for community action. The participants included randomly-selected residents, several of our Council Members and staff, and several community advocates.

The facilitators broke the attendees into two groups, and then asked about their most cherished values, what they saw as threats to our community, and finally what might be done about the threats. Below are some examples of responses shared.

Examples of “values” that attendees said were most important to them included:

• “Integrity: When we operate with integrity, it keeps us on the right track…. It means that people are doing the best they can with where they are and who they are in that moment.”

• “Respect: This means treating every person as a human. We all come from different paths of life, different backgrounds, different things about us, and we have to see that.”

• “Future generations: If we are planning for the best for Eau Claire in 100 years or 200 years, that might look different than solving today’s problems, and it will benefit future generations.”

• “Democracy: I’m just thankful that we live in a country where we have rights.”

• “Optimism: To me, this means creativity and a mindset of what’s possible.”

Examples of threats included: climate change, fractured media, need for more education for everyone, and greed.

Suggestions for steps that the community could take included: participating, organizing, helping others participate, and overcoming a “crisis of agency”.

The Clear Vision facilitators will further collate the feedback they heard.

We talked about how this type of model could result in actionable steps or feedback on more specific questions. The discussion also focused on what encourages or allows some people to be actively involved in local government, while others are not. We will be looking at how engagement efforts like this can be part of our community connections toolkit, especially as we prepare for our Comprehensive Plan update and also prepare to make other important community decisions.

Pictured below are an image from the discussion and the Clear Vision welcome table. Contact information for Clear Vision, including how to get involved, can be found on their website: Clear Vision Eau Claire – To engage our community for the common good

Strategic Plan Feedback: Speaking of engagement and planning, we invite you to review the draft strategic plan that staff and Council have put together. We have been working on an update to our Strategic Plan for the last couple of years. We are also working on a process to create consistency across different planning tools, and to update the public on the work activities and metrics associated with each “community value” and high-level goal. You can view it here: Strategic Plan Draft. Feel free to send feedback to the City Manager’s Office or City Council.

Trash Study: This week, we issued a request for proposals for a consultant who will be helping us develop possible changes to our currently privatized trash hauling model. Here is what the plan will provide for the City, with hopeful implementation in 2027, based on direction from the Council.

 “This RFP seeks the following:

• A business plan for a City-run trash utility;

• An implementation plan for a single citywide garbage hauler, with a single citywide compost hauler; and 

• An implementation plan for a district-based garbage collection system utilizing private haulers under City contract."

Note that, based on feedback collected during an extensive community engagement process, we will be evaluating the models based on the priorities we heard, as follows:

• Reduction in truck traffic;

• Improved customer service;

• Ability to implement waste reduction strategies and policies;

• Reduced cost for residents;

• Improved cleanliness of streets;

• Support for locally-owned businesses; and

• Yard/bulk waste pick-up options.

Stay tuned for more updates throughout the year as we gather more information on options.

At the Library: Baby Plants: Our Library shared this update…. “Back by popular demand, the Library’s Reference Department has set up its annual ‘Propagation Station,’ allowing anyone to stop in and adopt a new plant. They also have supplies for anyone who’d like to donate some cuttings!

Houseplants are proven to provide mental health benefits, especially in the deep, deep wintertime. The plant propagation station is a low-maintenance way to support mental health, share community resources, and help you cultivate healthy spaces and practices.

Just pop up to the Propagation Station on Level 2 (near the Reference desk) and ask about adopting an adorable little green guy. The Station is pictured below.

To donate…

• Now through March 1st, bring in a plant cutting (or cuttings). If they haven’t started growing roots, that’s okay. We recommend wrapping cuttings in a damp paper towel and carrying them in a plastic bag for transport. (Jars of water tend to tip over in the car.)

• Visit the Propagation Station and choose an appropriately sized jar/vase for each cutting, and add water.

• Fill out a tag for each cutting. The tags ask for the plant variety (if you know it) and any care instructions or tips you can provide.”

Our Oldest Department: Here’s some interesting history from our Fire Department!

“Did you know ECFD is older than the City of Eau Claire? It's True! Although ECFD did not become an organized department until 1887, the answer to the above question remains true. Eau Claire wasn’t officially established as a city until March 19th, 1872. More than a year earlier, on January 30th, 1871, when Eau Claire was still three separate villages (West Eau Claire, East Eau Claire, and North Eau Claire), W.H. Willard became ECFD’s first paid, full-time Fireman and Engineer, serving all three communities.

With a single horse-drawn steam engine, the W.F. Bailey, Willard answered the call to protect a growing city. His 14 years of service helped lay the foundation that continues to define ECFD today.

From one Fireman to more than 90 Firefighters serving our community around the clock, ECFD’s story spans 155 years of dedication. While our tools, technology, and tactics have evolved, the heart of the job has not: life safety, incident stabilization, and property conservation.

On the anniversary of W.H. Willard’s hire date, we pause to reflect and honor his legacy, along with all those who came before us. Their service and sacrifice are never forgotten and live on in the Fire Department we proudly serve today. Here’s to our past, our present, and our future.”

Deputy Chief Haller added that Wisconsin 101 has some good images of the Silsby Steam Powered Pumper which, according to the UWEC McIntyre Library archives, was the first "fire pumper” purchased by the Eau Claire Fire Department in 1875. Also pictured below is our current Truck 5, so you can compare the vehicles.

Pre-Season Pool Membership Sale: Start dreaming about the summer! Purchase your pool membership today. Memberships are 10 percent off from February 1st through May 15th. You may purchase the passes online on at https://activenet.active.com/eauclaire/ or in person at the Recreation Office at 915 Menomonie Street.

Our office hours Monday through Friday from 7:30AM to 4PM. Please give our office a call if you are unable to log in or are locked out of your account. We will be more than happy to assist!

Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) Seeks Nominations: Do you know someone who’s making it easier or more fun to walk, bike, run, or roll around the Chippewa Valley? The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) wants to hear about it!

Each year, the BPAC Awards recognize the people, businesses, and organizations that have made a meaningful contribution to the community and infrastructure of the Chippewa Valley, resulting in a more connected, active, and accessible community. Awards will be given in three categories:

• Outstanding Organization

• Outstanding Business

• Outstanding Individual(s)

Nominating is easy! Just share the name of someone you think deserves recognition and tell us a little about why. Anyone can submit a nomination. Nominations opened January 31st, and they close March 31st at 11PM. Submit a nomination: https://tinyurl.com/2026BPACAward Questions? Contact Grant Zastoupil at gzastoupil96@gmail.com Al Rinka at al.rinka@eauclairewi.gov.

COUNCIL UPDATES

Next week is a City Council meeting week. Full packets can be found here: 2/9/2026 and 2/10/2026 City Council Packets | News | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin Here are a few notable agenda items:

Street/Sidewalk Projects: Review of projects for next summer continues. On the next agenda are these street segments:

• Arthur Street (Boardwalk Street to Justin Lane)

• Cameron Street (Bellinger to Mappa Street)

• Forest Street, (125 Feet South of Sara Street to 1,000 Feet North of Sara Street)

• Gray Street (S. Farwell to Doty Street)

• Maple (Third to First Street)

• Mappa (Madison to Cameron Street)

• Sara Street (Forest to Hobart Street)

• South Dewey Street (Lake to Main Street)

Assessment or project related questions can be directed to Engineering@eauclairewi.gov, or call to discuss your questions with Engineering at 715-839-4934.

Housing Our Neighbors Collaborative Report: The Council will review and potentially accept a report that's been developed by the Housing Our Neighbors Collaborative. The Eau Claire County Department of Human Services, the City/County Health Department, and the Chamber of Commerce have been working since October 2024 to facilitate a process to develop a vision for reducing or eliminating homelessness in the region. City staff and additional partners participated the process as well. The Collaborative’s next step is “to bring the community together to develop work plans built around the six strategies grounded in collaboration, sustainability, and efficiency.” More information on the process and the report can be found here: Housing Our Neighbors Planning Collaborative. In preparation for the Council's acceptance, feel free to comment at Monday's public discussion or send feedback on the plan to the City Council and/or to the Plan authors at echousingcollab@eauclairecounty.gov.

Eaux Claires Music Fest Approvals: Though it’s been in the news already, next week the Eaux Claires Music Festival will have its permits reviewed by the Council. The multi-day music festival, which was previously held in the Town of Union and attended by thousands, is now proposed to occur within City limits at Carson Park. The event will utilize all four athletic fields and the adjacent parking lots within the park. A map of proposed parking, which is part of the Council Packet, is below.

Main Street Status: Finally, we will have a work session during which we will learn about how Downtown Eau Claire Incorporated (DECI) is working to become a designated Wisconsin Main Street community through the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). WEDC offers grant funding, technical assistance, and programming opportunities through the Main Street program.

WAYS TO SERVE

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

Seasonal Laborers - Limited Term Employment (Engineering and Community Services): Don't want to spend your summer stuck in an office? Join us in the outdoors! Our Community Services & Engineering Departments are hiring Seasonal Laborers for the 2026 Summer Season. Deadline to apply: Open until filled.

Landscape Technician (Community Services): Are you passionate about maintaining premium athletic turf, landscapes, and parks? If yes, then apply now! We are currently accepting applications for a Landscape Technician position in the Parks Division of our Community Services Department. Deadline to apply: Sunday, February 8th at 11:59PM.

Full Time Bus Operator (Transit): Where customer service skills, service to your community, and a fulfilling job intersect – Eau Claire Transit! We are currently hiring for a full-time Bus Operator. This position includes driving city-wide bus routes while maintaining the schedule and obeying traffic laws, providing information to customers regarding the Transit System, tracking passenger count data, and more. Deadline to apply: Sunday, February 8th at 11:59PM.

Engineering Interns (Engineering): Are you currently enrolled in an Engineering program at a university or technical college? Are you looking for a summer internship? Join us! The City of Eau Claire is accepting applications from engineering students for two engineering intern positions. The two available positions will be three-month internships for the summer of 2025. The interns will be exposed to all aspects of municipal engineering including pavement inspection, plan interpretation, street construction, and more. Deadline to apply: Sunday, February 8th at 11:59PM.

NEW: Survey Crew Chief – Seasonal (Engineering): Independent. Reliable. Hardworking. Do these qualities describe you? Join us! We are looking for someone with these qualities plus survey field experience to fill our seasonal Survey Crew Chief position. This position performs services in the field and office requiring specialized technical abilities in the preparation of plans and operation of a survey crew tasked with various municipal construction activities. Deadline to apply: Open until filled, with first review of applications on February 17th.

Become a Poll Worker: The City of Eau Claire needs poll workers for upcoming elections. Election Inspectors (poll workers) register new voters, give credit in the poll books to those who vote, answer questions, hand out and explain ballots, and work with ballot counting equipment. Training sessions are held before each election. Currently, poll workers are paid $8.25/hour, including for time spent at the training sessions. The polls are open from 7AM to 8PM on Election Day. A full day for most workers lasts from approximately 6AM to 10PM. Some poll workers work half day shifts, either from 6AM to 1PM or from Noon to close. 

The first step to becoming a poll worker for the City of Eau Claire is to go to the city’s Human Resources page and fill out the application here: https://www.eauclairewi.gov/government/our-divisions/human-resources  Once you have completed the application, we will contact you about the follow on steps. After completing the poll worker hiring process you will need to attend a 2hr training session prior to working your first election. More information can be found here: Elections | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin

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: This Board hears and decides appeals where it is alleged there is error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the Zoning Administrator.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee: This Commission advises the City Council on bicycle and pedestrian policies and practices, ensuring they reflect community values and priorities.

Housing Opportunities Commission: This Commission advises on and reviews policies to ensure affordable housing in Eau Claire, facilitates access to housing programs and funding, and promotes public-private partnerships to expand diverse and affordable housing options. Currently seeking residents with experience in housing real estate, building/development, accessible design, property management, or home financing.

Plan Commission: This Commission makes and adopts a master plan for the physical development of the municipality, and it exercises final review and approval of site development plans and requests for conditional use permits.

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

A Few Reminders:

• Sand Available: Remember, City of Eau Claire residents can get free sand for slippery sidewalks at Central Maintenance Facility, 911 Forest Street. Available anytime. Bring your own container and shovel, five-gallon limit. This is sand only -- no salt is added.

• 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! Stay tuned for more details.

• Keep our Sidewalks Safe: Reminder, shovel sidewalks per local law to keep our residents safe. Please contact Neighborhood Services at 715-839-4961 or submit an online request Service Request Form - Sidewalk - Snow Covered | City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin

• Viruses Circulating: Virus levels in Eau Claire are high! Please follow State of Wisconsin guidance for returning to work with direct patient care. Additional information from the CDC can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/precautions-when-sick.html

• Shelters and Rinks: Please visit these sites for up-to-date information:

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

• 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, 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