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Volume 7, Issue 41, Feb 24, 2025
 Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, Eau Claire, Wis. 
Published the first business day of each week
Business Advocate Past Issues
Public Meetings Calendar
Chamber Events Calendar
The Chamber's Advocacy Principles
The Chamber's Business Issues Agenda
"Talking Po!nt" Podcast
How to become a Chamber investor
Contact: Scott Rogers, VP Governmental Affairs
rogers@eauclairechamber.org
Chamber Business Hours: Mon-Thu 7:30a-5:00p, Friday 7:30a-1:30p

In this issue:
 • EC Zoning Code update nearing finish line
 • EC City Council agenda: Street improvements, DECI contract
 • Gov Evers delivers budget address
 • Record participation for the 31st Annual Chippewa Valley Rally 
 • Primary narrows field for State Supt. of Public Instruction
 • Food for thought
 • Mark your calendar
Note on article links: A subscription is required for those marked with "$"
Publications known to have article limits or other access restrictions for non-subscribers are marked with "+"

Eggs & Issues: Housing and Zoning
   The cities of Altoona and Eau Claire are each undertaking significant overhauls of their zoning codes. With housing supply and affordability continuing to be a challenge for our community, we'll get an update from both cities on the status of those initiatives, and get industry perspectives on their anticipated effects on the local housing market.
• Friday, Mar 14, 7:00-8:30 a.m., CVTC Business Education Center
   Click here for details and to register

April 1 Eau Claire City Council Election
Candidate sit down interviews now available to view
   The April 1 non-partisan Spring Election includes five at-large seats on the Eau Claire City Council, with seven candidates on the ballot. It includes incumbents  Larry Mboga, Joshua Miller, and Charlie Johnson, along with newcomers Philip Swanhorst, Nate Otto, Ethan Reed, and Mary Catherine Partlow. Incumbents Kate Felton and Roderick Jones are not seeking reelection. 
   The Chamber does not endorse candidates, but provides voter education to help  you make informed decisions. Chamber VP Governmental Affairs Scott Rogers sat down with all seven candidates with five minute interviews to learn meet then and hear what their policy priorities will be. Click the link below to view them on our YouTube channel:
2025 EC City Council Sit-Down Interviews (Eau Claire Chamber, YouTube)
MyVoteWI (what's on your ballot, voter registration, find your polling place, etc.)

LWV plans candidate forum February 27
   The  League of Women Voters – Greater Chippewa Valley is hosting a City Council Candidate Forum this coming Thursday. Members of the public attending the forum will be invited to submit questions in writing to the candidates. League members will moderate the discussion.
 • Thursday, Feb 27, 5:30-7 p.m. LE Phillips Public Library, 400 Eau Claire St.
    Click here for more information

Eau Claire Zoning Code Update nearing finish line
   As the City of Eau Claire continues towards its complete rewrite of its Zoning Code, the Zoning Policy Advisory Committee (ZPAC), consisting of members of the City Council and Plan Commission, met last Monday evening to review some final areas and get additional public input. 
   The ZPAC has been meeting since late 2023 to complete a full rewrite of the City's Zoning Code, which it has dubbed the "Century Code Update" because the City's first zoning code was created 100 years ago. The project is being led by the City's Planning Department with help from a consultant.
CVHBA raises concerns about affordability and market impacts
   At the public comment period, Christina Thrun, Executive Officer of the Chippewa Valley Home Builders Association (CVHBA) highlighted points from a letter CVHBA sent to the ZPAC identifying concerns "with regards to impacting affordable housing and the overall housing market."
   CVHBA's letter praised some changes that had been made after original drafts, especially related to garage requirements on twin homes, infill development, and tree preservation standards. Areas in which it raised concerns about cost and affordability in its letter included a requirement for 75% of multi-family units have balconies, mandates to require alleys in some areas, expensive masonry requirements in building design standards, "anti-monotony" standards restricting the types of floor plans customers could choose, the addition of parkland dedication or impact fees, and some of the remaining provisions of the proposed tree preservation standards.
   City officials say they expect the code to go to the Plan Commission for a recommendation, likely at a June meeting, then to the City Council for adoption in July.
More information:
Zoning Policy Advisory Committee
Century Code Update project website (code drafts and other information)
Chippewa Valley Home Builders Assn letter (CVHBA)

Next Eggs & Issues covers housing supply and affordability
   The status of zoning code rewrites in Altoona and Eau Claire, as well as perspectives on their impact on supply and affordability, will be the topic of the Chamber's next Eggs & Issues breakfast:
Eggs Issues: Housing & Zoning
• Friday, Mar 14, 7:00-8:30 a.m., CVTC Business Education Center
   Click here for details and to register

Eau Claire City Council: DECI contract, street improvements,
fiscal stability committee, transit work session
   The Eau Claire City Council meets on Monday and Tuesday this week. The Monday Public Hearing includes street, utility, and sidewalk improvements at nine locations around the City (see pages 4-33 of the Monday Agenda Packet linked below).
   The Council will act on those items as part of its Tuesday Business Agenda. It will also consider a contract between the City and Downtown Eau Claire, Inc. (DECI) for its continued operations and relationship with the City (see pages 57-65 of the Tuesday Agenda Packet), and the creation of "an ad hoc Fiscal Stability Committee" of the Council, which would "review the current status of the fiscal health of the City of Eau Claire. It will consider strategies to address the growing gap, whether those be service reductions or pursuit of new revenue sources." (See pages 67-68 of the Tuesday Agenda Packet.)
   Following Tuesday's meeting, the Council will hold a work session to discuss the Transit Development Plan.
More information:
Eau Claire City Council
 • Monday, Feb 24, 6 p.m. Public Hearing Agenda Packet (33 pages)
 • Tuesday, Feb 25, 4 p.m. Legislative Session Agenda Packet (118 pages)
    Link to videos of city meetings (City of Eau Claire)
    City Council Online Comment Form (City of Eau Claire)
    Contact information: City Council members (City of Eau Claire)
    City of Eau Claire News Updates (including weekly City Manager's Update)
City of Eau Claire looking ahead to possible changes of transit routes (Leader-Telegram $)
City of Eau Claire Street Ambassadors program starts March 1 (Leader-Telegram $)

More local stories...

305 housing units to come with approval of the Sevens residential development (WEAU 13 News)

Town of Washington to re-file petition to incorporate as a village (WQOW News 18)

Report Says Downtown Drivers Should Pay for On-Street Parking (Volume One)

CVTC's Dan Lytle receives Momentum West Young Professional of the Year Award (CVTC)

CEO of Menomonie Chamber Selected for U.S. Chamber Foundation Fellowship (Volume One)

Eau Claire County Human Services deficit was over $2.8 million in 2024 (Leader-Telegram $)

ECASD looks at middle school math performance, improvement plans in the district (Leader-Telegram $)

Medical Academy Program starts March 31 at UWEC (UWEC)

Chippewa County chooses Albarado as administrator candidate (Leader-Telegram $)
Finalist named for Chippewa County Administrator (WEAU 13 News)
Chippewa County enters into employment agreement with new County Administrator (WQOW News 18)

YMCA of the Chippewa Valley expands into Menomonie through local acquisition (Leader-Telegram $)
YMCA of the Chippewa Valley to expand into Menomonie area (WEAU 13 News)
Chippewa Valley YMCA to Expand Into Menomonie April 1 (Volume One)

In memoriam: Former Altoona City Council and School Board Member Dave Rowe

Governor Evers delivers budget address
   Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers delivered his biennial budget address to a joint session of the legislature last Tuesday evening. Overall, the Governor proposed spending $119 billion over two years, an increase of about 20 percent.
   The Democratic Governor's budget begins a process during which he and the Republican-controlled legislature hope to come together to pass and sign a final budget before the beginning of a new fiscal year on July 1.  
More information:
Gov. Evers Delivers 2025-27 Biennial Budget Message (Office of the Governor)
Watch: Gov Tony Evers' Budget Address (44:25, WISN, YouTube)
2025-27 Executive Budget (Dept of Administration)
Wisconsin Legislature website (Wisconsin Legislature)
Wisconsin's 2025 budget proposals from Evers and Republican (PBS Wisconsin)
Big spending plans plus both tax cuts and increases. Takeaways from Gov. Tony Evers' new budget (Journal-Sentinel +)
Evers calls for historic school funding in $119B budget proposal (WPR)
Evers budget calls for schools funding boost and tax cuts, tax hikes for wealthy, manufacturers (WisPolitics.com)
Evers talks budget proposal in Eau Claire visit (Leader-Telegram $)

Record participation expected for the 31st Annual
Chippewa Valley Rally on March 5
   For the second year in a row, the annual Chippewa Valley Rally will see a record number of participants representing business and community leaders from Chippewa, Dunn, and Eau Claire Counties. 
   Organized by the Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, and Menomonie Chambers of Commerce, the event is designed to bring a collective voice on regional and state economic priorities to policy makers in Madison.
   With the biennial budget deliberations now getting underway, this year's topics include healthcare, education, talent attraction & retention, childcare, the state's role in addressing homelessness, economic development & tax reform, transportation & infrastructure, and energy. The group also expresses thanks for regional priorities enacted after previous Rallies. 
   Registration for the 2025 Rally is now closed with the program reaching full capacity at over 150 participants. However, to get on the waiting list. or for more information, contact Scott Rogers at the Eau Claire Chamber: rogers@eauclairechamber.org
More information:
31st Annual Chippewa Valley Rally
 • Wednesday, March 5, Madison Event information
    2025 Chippewa Valley Rally Issues 
Chippewa Valley leaders to rally in Madison on health care, economics, education (Chippewa Herald $)

Wanted: Input on the Future of Transportation
in the Chippewa-Eau Claire Urbanized Area
Online survey now open, open houses in March
   The Chippewa-Eau Claire Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is updating the current MPO 2020-2045 Long Range Transportation Plan. The development and update (every five years) of the Long Range Transportation Plan is
required under the federal transportation legislation. The planning area includes the cities of Altoona, Chippewa Falls, and Eau Claire; the Village of Lake Hallie; portions of the towns of Anson, Eagle Point, Hallie, Lafayette, Tilden, and Wheaton, in Chippewa County; and Brunswick, Pleasant Valley, Seymour, Union, and Washington, in Eau Claire County.
   The process for updating the plan is currently in the early stages. MPO staff would like to hear what area residents think about the current transportation system in the region, as well as what they would like to see in the future. There are several ways that the public can give input. There will be three public open houses and an online survey. Open houses will allow people to comment on transportation issues and opportunities. For more information, contact Eric Anderson at eanderson@wcwrpc.org
More information:
Click here to take the survey
Open houses:
 • Tuesday, Mar 4, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Altoona, The Fish House, 418 9th St.
 • Thursday, Mar 6, 2-7 p.m., Eau Claire, Public Library, Room 104
 • Tuesday, Mar 11, 2-7 p.m. Chippewa Falls Public Library
Chippewa-Eau Claire MPO seeks public input on future of transportation (Leader-Telegram $)
Opinions sought on future transportation needs in the Chippewa Valley (WQOW News 18)

Primary narrows field for State Supt. of Public Instruction
   Wisconsin voters in last Tuesday's Primary Election narrowed the field of candidates for Superintendent of Public Instruction to two for the April 1 ballot, with incumbent Jill Underly garnering 160,097 votes, challenger Brittany Kinser, 154,135, and third-place challenger Jeff Wright, 119,623.
   The April 1 non-partisan election will also feature a State Supreme Court race and local elections for municipal and school board positions. Locally, the one competitive race will be for five at-large positions on the Eau Claire City Council, which features seven candidates.
More information:
Underly and Kinser advance in state superintendent race (WPR)
Incumbent Wisconsin schools leader and GOP-backed challenger advance in primary (AP)
Crawford, Schimel agree to March 12 debate (WisPolitics.com)
Behind the scenes of the Supreme Court race, a 'turf war' simmers between Wisconsin GOP and Turning Point (Journal-Sentinel +)
2025 EC City Council Sit-Down Interviews (Eau Claire Chamber, YouTube)
MyVoteWI (what's on your ballot, voter registration, find your polling place, etc.)

More state and regional stories...

Steel and aluminum tariffs to drive up costs for Wisconsin manufacturers (WPR)
Wisconsin farmers feel impacts of Trump administration policies, funding freeze (WPR)

Additional flight options in early talks at La Crosse Regional Airport (WKBT News 8 Now)