Eau Claire City Council Updates
City Council Vacancy
Last Tuesday at the Council's regular Legislative Session, Joyce Orth was appointed to fill District 2's vacant seat. The decision had previously been closely split after three inconclusive votes between Orth and Shelley Janke. All 11 seats are now filled. Orth will serve the remainder of Emily Anderson's term following her stepping down earlier this year.
Orth currently serves as the Community Engagement Specialist for Fierce Freedom, a nonprofit focused on combatting human trafficking, and worked for the School District of Altoona for over four decades. There is not currently a timeline for when she will be sworn in, but it can happen at any point.

Read more...
Eau Claire City Council postpones filling vacant seat after three votes (WQOW)
Eau Claire City Council appoints Joyce Orth to fill seat vacancy (Leader-Telegram)
Joyce Orth appointed to fill District 2 Eau Claire City Council seat (WEAU)

EC Chamber backed Ohly Project
The Eau Claire City Council approved a resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a Development Agreement with ABF Ingredients North America Inc. to support a new manufacturing facility in the Gateway Northwest Industrial Park. The Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce made comments in support of the project, which represents an estimated $270M capital investment, including $56M in guaranteed taxable value. Operating as Ohly, ABF Ingredients is a global leader in yeast-based products used in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, vegan foods, and animal nutrition, with an existing Wisconsin presence in Boyceville. The City's support includes infrastructure improvements through TID #15, such as the extension of Venture Drive and utilities, along with a $5.6M performance-based incentive tied to construction milestones and future tax revenue. The project is expected to create approximately 90-100 jobs across three phases, with wages ranging from $24-$60 per hour, and has been confirmed to meet state TID requirements with no anticipated strain on local utilities.
"Eau Claire offers the right environment for sustainable, long-term growth, and our new facility will strengthen Ohly's ability to meet rising demand across North America." Stated Jeremy Xu, Chief Executive of ABF Ingredients, "We are proud to deepen our roots in Wisconsin," (Food Manufacture)

Read more...
City approves $270M biomanufacturing facility (WEAU)
ABF Ingredients announces Eau Claire, Wisconsin for North American Expansion (Ohly, ABF Ingredients)
ABF Ingredients selects Eau Claire for North American Expansion (City of Eau Claire Economic Development)
Eau Claire approves $270M biomanufacturing facility deal (The Daily Reporter)
ABF Ingredients to invest $274M in Eau Claire facility as part of North American expansion (Volume One)
City of Eau Claire gets approval to enter development agreement with ABFI, Ohly (Leader-Telegram)
ABF Ingredients to pump close to£50M into new Wisconsin facility (Food Manufacture)

Eau Claire County seeks applicants to fill County Board vacancy
County board seat representing District 18 is now vacant. This district includes portions of the City of Eau Claire, Wards 20 and 57. County Board Supervisors serve 2 year terms, with the next election being in April 2028.
Applications will be accepted through Thursday, May 7, 2026, with interviews conducted on Tuesday, May 12 beginning at 2:30p.m. A final appointment will be made on May 19 at the regular County Board meeting.
See the full press release here
View the Eau Claire County Supervisory District Here
Apply here

More information:
Upcoming Eau Claire City Council Meetings
• City Council Public Hearing, Monday May 11, 6p.m.
• Council Legislative Session, Tuesday, May 12, 4p.m.
Click here to send an email to all City Council members
Click here for individual contact information for each City Council member
Link to videos of city meetings (City of Eau Claire, YouTube channel)
City of Eau Claire Public Notices (City of Eau Claire)
City News Updates -incl. City Manager's Weekly Update (City of Eau Claire)
Comprehensive Plan website (City of Eau Claire)
Housing Opportunities Commission (City of Eau Claire)

Also meeting this week and next...
• Plan Commission, Monday May 4, 6:00p.m.
• Housing Opportunities Commission, Wednesday, May 13, 5:15p.m.

Altoona Meetings
• City Council Public Hearing, Thursday, May 14, 6:00p.m. - Rezoning 311 US Hwy 12

Upcoming events...
Community Invited! National Civics Bee®, Statewide Live Competition
May 9, 9a.m.-11a.m. South Middle School, Eau Claire, attendance is free
The Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce is the proud statewide partner of the U.S. Chamber Foundation National Civics Bee® initiative. This exciting live event will bring together some of the top student scholars from across Wisconsin, each selected as a statewide finalist for their outstanding civics knowledge and essay submissions.
From across the state, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students submitted essays regarding complex issues their communities face, how they propose to fix those issues, and who they would work with. Essay submissions covered topics such as mental health, bullying, sustainability, rural healthcare and healthcare equality, generative AI in schools, and more. Organized through the U.S. Chamber Foundation, judges from across the nation reviewed the submissions and selected the top 20 to advance to our Statewide Bee.
During the live competition, students will test their understanding of civics through 20 quiz questions, followed by short presentations of their essay ideas to a panel of judges. The event celebrates civic engagement, critical thinking, and the next generation of community leaders.
We invite the public to attend this event to join us in recognizing and supporting these exceptional students as they showcase their knowledge and passion for civics!
Learn more about the National Civics Bee®
Click here for a short video about the Bee
Location: Eau Claire South Middle School, 2115 Mitscher Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701
Attendance is free, registration encouraged

Conversation with regional developers: How do you build homes affordably?

May 14 panel discussion, L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, first of a three part series on affordable housing efforts in the Chippewa Valley

Hosted by the JONAH Affordable Housing Task Force, L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, Chippewa Valley Home Builders, and the Eau Claire Tenant-Landlord Resource Center, join us for a panel discussion detailing affordable housing in the Chippewa Valley. Struggles to find affordable housing marks a significant issue for our region, especially for nearly 40% of households that earn $50,000 or less per year. To address this issue, local developers and others who provide housing will discuss what they need to build more affordably at the first part of a three-event series, "Keys to Unlocking Affordable Housing."

The event will feature discussion by developers and others about their ideas for building homes more affordably, thereby increasing access to more people. Discussion will also include information about how to keep people in housing.

Event panelists include Cody Filipczak, co-owner of C&M Home Builders and Real Estate, Justin Held, owner of Rocket Construction and Property Minds, Tim Mather, executive director of West CAP, James Rolbiecki, property owner, and Christina Thrun, executive officer of Chippewa Valley Home Builders Association.

This session is focused on multi-family rentals, since low-income households most often can't afford a single-family home in the current housing market. Local housing leaders and the general public are encouraged to attend.

• 5-7:00p.m. on Thursday, May 14, Riverfront Room of L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, 400 Eau Claire St., Eau Claire

Attendance is free

Wisconsin Competitiveness Report: What Does it Mean for Your Business?
• Wednesday, May 20, 7:30-9:00a.m.
• Sleep Inn and Suites Conference Center (29 Pines Travel Center)
Join us for a timely and high-impact event as Kurt Bauer, President & CEO of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, presents the newly released
Wisconsin Competitiveness Report—a data-driven blueprint for securing our state’s economic future.
Wisconsin is at a crossroads. A shrinking workforce, rising costs, regulatory burdens, and other economic pressures are creating real challenges for employers, families, and communities across the state. For business leaders in the Chippewa Valley, these trends directly impact your ability to attract talent, manage expenses, and remain competitive in a regional economy that depends on growth and innovation.
In this engaging presentation, Kurt Bauer will break down what’s holding Wisconsin back, why it matters to your business, and—most importantly—the practical, ready-to-enact solutions that can help move our state forward. Backed by real economic data and the collective voice of the business community, the report offers insights every Chippewa Valley business leader needs to help shape policies that keep our region—and our state—positioned for long-term success.
Exclusively for Chamber members, connect with peers facing similar challenges, access unique insights to power your advocacy, and contribute to shaping policies that protect and grow your business – benefits that establish members as leaders in regional economic growth.  Co-sponsored with the Eau Claire Area Chamber and the Menomonie Area Chamber and Visitor Center, members of all three Chambers are invited to attend. 
• Find the Wisconsin Competitiveness Report here

2026 Bravo to Business Awards: nominations are now open!
Do you know a business that goes above and beyond in the Eau Claire Area? Nominate them for the 2026 Bravo to Business Awards and help us recognize local businesses that demonstrate leadership, growth, and a strong commitment to our community.
Submit nominations for:

Emerging Business of the Year - For businesses under 3 years old, with up to 25 employees. Open to both investors and non-investors.

Resilient Business of the Year - Celebrating adaptability and perseverance among our investors. Open to any Chamber investors.

Young Professionals Best Place to Work - Recognizing businesses with at least 5 employees that provide exceptional environments for young professionals.

Small Business of the Year - For businesses with under 50 full-time employees, in operation for at least 3 years.

Business of the Year - For businesses with over 50 full-time employees, in operation for at least 3 years.
Nomination Deadline: Sunday, June 7, 2026

Submit Nominations Here!

Other local news...
New restaurant to fill vacant Haymarket Landing location (Elliot Adams, WEAU) Haymarket Landing has a new tenant in the long-empty space originally meant for Foxconn. After years of it sitting vacant, Juan Pablo Nunez-- also known as JP--hopes to bring a restaurant to Haymarket Plaza with his vision of Condesa, a live fire steakhouse with a Latin flair.
Haymarket Landing will soon be home to an upscale, Latin-Inspired Steakhouse (Volume One)

City-County Health Department releases 2025 report (Sam Fristed, WQOW) The Eau Claire City-County Health Department released it's 2025 report. It highlights areas of growth and areas that need improvement. You can access the 2025 report here.

Rogers Health holds groundbreaking ceremony for new Chippewa Falls campus (Chris Vetter, Leader-Telegram) Chippewa County Administrator Andy Albarado noted that the site of the new Rogers Behavioral Health campus in the northeast corner of Chippewa Falls has long been part of the country farm property, and he thought that it's appropriate the land is now becoming a mental health facility.

Overview and History of Sacred Heart Hospital (Eau Claire Chamber, Brennen Bolopue) Learn about the history of the Sacred Heart Hospital and building including several expansions, sales developments, and where it stands today.

Statewide stories...
I was president of Wisconsin's UW System. It needs reform (Op-Ed, Jay Rothman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) Universities of Wisconsin are far too important to Wisconsin to allow for governance that does not meet the standards articulated above. A functioning Board of Regents is essential for the UW System.
Ousted UW president implies UW regents are to blame for dysfunction (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Ex-Gov. Walker latest to want all elections moved to November (The Center Square)
Failed referendums trigger school cuts, closures and new funding pushes across Wisconsin (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
UW Health struggles with high demand, as new patients wait for slots (The Cap Times)
UW-Madison says it generated billions for state's economy last year (Wisconsin Public Radio)
Why Wisconsin gas prices are expected to jump dramatically (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Thanks for reading this issue of Business Advocate. If you have comments or questions, contact Erica Bodden, Director of Advocacy at bodden@eauclairchamber.org