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Volume 7, Issue 44, Mar 17, 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:
 • April 1 Election: Early voting begins Tuesday, March 18
 • Chamber provides EC City Council candidate videos, questionnaires
 • State Supreme Court candidates debate
 • Sojourner House may move to seasonal-only operation
 • Local officials and industry discuss impact of zoning on housing
 • CV Healthcare Coop inks purchase agreement for St. Joseph's Hospital
 • EC City Council: Fireworks re-vote passes
 • Evers proposes capital budget
 • National and economic stories
 • 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 "+"
 

31st Annual Chippewa Valley Rally - Tues, Apr 22
   This annual event is a unique opportunity to bring a collective voice on regional and state economic priorities to Madison all at one time. In these first six months of the new year, the Legislature is tackling the 2025-27 biennial budget, which sets the spending and priorities for the state over the next two years.
   You may know that we'd originally planned to be in Madison earlier this month, but postponed the event because of the winter storm warning that also cancelled all schools in the area. We've now rescheduled for Tuesday, April 22, and reopened registration.
How it works
   When you participate in the Rally, you'll spend a productive day taking part in issue briefings, small group meetings at legislative offices, a keynote luncheon, and networking with others from our area who are interested in state government policy. And don't worry if you've never participated before. Our legislative office meetings will be led by experienced previous attendees.
   At the Rally, we'll deliver to policymakers a shared consensus on issues important to the economy of the Chippewa Valley. 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. Click here to see the 2025 Issues
   Optional same day charter bus transportation is available. We also have special hotel rates for those who want to travel on their own and combine their trip with other business.
Full information:
31st Annual Chippewa Valley Rally
Organized by the Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, and Menomonie Chambers of Commerce.
• Wednesday, Apr 22, Madison
   Click here for details and to register

Also for your calendar...
• Apprenticeship 101: What Employers Need to Know - Tuesday, Apr 8
• Chamber/UW-Eau Claire Business Community Breakfast - Wednesday, Apr 9
• National Civics Bee - Local Competition - Saturday, Apr 12
• Business After Hours - Monday, Apr 14
• Chamber Royale - Thursday, May 15
 
 

April 1 Spring Election: Early voting opens on Tuesday
   Early absentee voting for the April 1 Spring Election begins on Tuesday, March 18, available in local municipalities weekdays through Friday, March 28.
   In the City of Eau Claire, early in-person absentee voting will be in the Elections Office across the alley behind City Hall weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the City of Altoona, weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Altoona City Hall, 1303 Lynn Avenue. In the Town of Washington, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays at the Town Hall, 5750 Old Town Hall Road. For other Eau Claire County municipalities, click here to find your clerk to get early voting information. In other counties, check with your county or municipal clerk.
   On Election Day, Tuesday, April 1, polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
   This year's Spring Nonpartisan Election includes statewide races for the Wisconsin Supreme Court and Superintendent of Public Instruction; local elections for city councils, town boards, school boards, and local judgeships; and a Constitutional Amendment to put the state's voter ID requirement in the state constitution.
   To see what's on your ballot, request an absentee ballot, or find your polling place, go to MyVote.WI.gov
In person absentee voting begins Tuesday for April 1 election (WQOW News 18)

EC City Council: Chamber sit-down video interviews and
candidate questionnaires now available
   Locally, there are seven candidates for five open At-Large seats on the Eau Claire City Council, including incumbents Charlie Johnson, Larry Mboga, and Joshua Miller; along with newcomers Nate Otto, Mary Catherine Partlow, Ethan Reed, and Philip Swanhorst. Incumbents Kate Felton and Roderick Jones are not seeking reelection.
   The Chamber does not endorse candidates, but provides resources to help voters make informed choices. We conducted five-minute sit-down video interviews with each candidate, and our Good Government Council provided a written questionnaire answered by all seven candidates.
Click these links:
2025 EC City Council Sit-Down Interviews (Eau Claire Chamber, YouTube)
EC City Council Candidate Questionnaire responses (Good Govt Council)
More information:
Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce releases interviews, questionnaires with all 7 city council candidates (WQOW News 18)
Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce releases Candidate Interview Videos and Candidate Questionnaires for Eau Claire City Council election (WEAU 13 News)

Other local elections
   The Spring Election also features three district seats on the Altoona City Council, two seats on the Altoona School Board, three seats on the Eau Claire School Board, and Eau Claire County Circuit Court Judge Branch 2. There are no contests in any of these races. For Altoona City Council, District incumbent Dale Stuber and District 2 incumbent Timothy Lima are unopposed, while no one filed for District 3. On the ballot for two seats for the Altoona School Board are incumbent Jeremy Zook and newcomer Robert Melland. For the Eau Claire School Board, incumbents Stephanie Farrar and Tim Nordin are on the ballot, along with Jasmine Case, for three seats. And for Eau Claire County Circuit Judge, recently-appointed incumbent Doug Hoffer is unopposed.
   Area voters will also see on their ballot Court Of Appeals Judge District 3 in which incumbent Lisa Stark is unopposed.

Statewide races draw national attention
   With an open 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court that will determine the so-called conservative vs. liberal makeup of the court, the contest between former Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel and Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford is generating significant spending and national attention. The candidates have held one debate (see story below).
   Also significant is the election for Superintendent of Public Instruction, with incumbent Jill Underly being challenged by Brittany Kinser. And ballots include a Constitutional Amendment to put the state's voter ID requirement in the state constitution.
More information:
Video: Crawford-Schimel Debate (59:30, WISN, YouTube)
Video: Strategists Bill McCoshen and Joe Zepecki analyze Supreme Court Debate (WISN, UpFront)
Susan Crawford, Brad Schimel square off in debate for high-stakes Wisconsin Supreme Court race (WPR)
Crawford, Schimel clash over wealthy supporters, judicial fairness in only debate (WisPolitics.com)
Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates spar over abortion rights and influence of Elon Musk and George Soros (NBC News)
5 takeaways from the feisty Wisconsin Supreme Court debate (The Hill)
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce: New WMC poll finds tie between Schimel, Crawford (WisPoltics.com)
State superintendent Jill Underly, running for reelection, turns down three debate invites (Journal-Sentinel +)
Voter ID in Wisconsin: What to know about Wisconsin’s April 1 referendum (WPR)

Other election stories:
Village of Fairchild turns to voters to decide future of law enforcement funding (WQOW News 18)
Emily Berge considering running for Congress (WEAU 13 News)
Rebecca Cooke announces candidacy for Congress in Wisconsin’s Third District (WEAU 13 News)
 
 
Catholic Charities announces Sojourner House
may move to seasonal operation
   After meeting with local officials last Tuesday, Catholic Charities announced that its Sojourner House overnight shelter in Eau Claire is likely to move to seasonal operation, open only from November 1 to April 30 each year.
   "Due to declining funding and a shortage of volunteers, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of La Crosse is faced with the difficult decision of potentially reducing Sojourner House’s operations from year-round to just six months per year," the diocese said in a March 11 news release.
   The release noted that several parties "have begun discussions to explore solutions that would guarantee year-round support for those experiencing homelessness. Further information will be shared in the coming weeks on how the community can help support Sojourner House and ensure its continued operations in the community."
More information:
Funding Shortfall Threatens Eau Claire Sojourner House Operations – Community Leaders Rally to Protect Critical Service (News Release, Catholic Diocese of La Crosse)
Sojourner House reaches out to local leaders for help; shelter may reduce operations (Leader-Telegram $)
City leaders hopeful for Sojourner House's future as meetings begin (WQOW News 18)

City officials, housing industry discuss zoning code
updates at March 14 Eggs & Issues
  The cities of Altoona and Eau Claire are both undertaking significant overhauls of their zoning codes. This past Friday, the Chamber's Eggs & Issues breakfast focused on updates from each City of its progress, the key purposes behind the rewrites, and how they hope to impact housing supply and affordability in the community. Participating in the discussion were Altoona Planning Director Taylor Greenwell, Eau Claire Planning Manager Ned Noel; Brendan Pratt, Mayor of Altoona; Aaron White, City of Eau Claire Community Development Director; Paul Holzinger of Holzinger Homes, representing the Chippewa Valley Home Builders Association; Shannyn Pinkert of Property Shoppe Realty, President of the Realtors Association of Northwestern Wisconsin; and Rep. Dave Armstrong (R-67), a member of the Assembly Committee on Housing & Real Estate.
More information:
Public officials speak on housing and zoning laws at Chamber event (Leader-Telegram $)
Eggs & Issues visuals - Altoona and Eau Claire Zoning updates
City of Altoona Development website (City of Altoona)
City of Eau Claire Century Code update website (City of Eau Claire)
Recent Market Report Points to Continued Growth, Development for Eau Claire (Volume One)
Updates on 10 Residential Developments in Eau Claire (Volume One)

Healthcare:
 - Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative sign purchase agreement for St. Joseph's Hospital in Chippewa Falls
 - Aspirus releases letter to community about its commitment
Details:
Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative signs purchase agreement for St. Joseph's Hospital (News release)
Chippewa Valley Health Co-op Could Reopen St. Joseph’s Hospital As Soon As This Winter (Volume One)
Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative signs purchase agreement with HSHS (WEAU 13 News)
Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative signs purchase agreement for St. Joseph's Hospital in Chippewa Falls (WQOW News 18)
Aspirus Health issues letter to Chippewa Valley community (WEAU 13 News)
Aspirus Health releases letter to community about their commitment to care in the Chippewa Valley (WQOW News 18)


Eau Claire City Council: Approves July 4th fireworks
   The Eau Claire City Council last Tuesday reconsidered an earlier vote on 4th of July fireworks that failed last time because it fell short of the six votes needed for approval. This time, the Council voted 9-1, with Council Member Andrew Werthmann the only "no" vote. The measure related to accepting a donation from Festival Foods for planned July 4 Fireworks displays in 2025, 2026, and 2027 (see page 15 of the Tuesday Agenda Packet linked below).
   After Monday's meeting, the Council was scheduled to hold a work session on trash operations to be led by Deputy City Manager Dave Solberg. After its Tuesday meeting, the Council was expected to go into closed session to consider negotiation terms for a renewed contract with Visit Eau Claire.
More information:
Eau Claire City Council
 • Monday, Mar 10, Public Hearing Agenda Packet (11 pages)
 • Tuesday, Mar 11, Legislative Session Agenda Packet (75 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)
Eau Claire City Council votes on July 4 fireworks (WEAU 13 News)
Eau Claire City Council discussed opposition to cuts to federal programs (WEAU 13 News)
City Council urges Congress to reject Medicaid cuts, approves fireworks (Leader-Telegram $)

Meeting this week...
Full public meetings schedule 

Eau Claire Plan Commission
• Monday, Mar 17, 6:00 p.m. Meeting information

Altoona Board of Education
• Monday, Mar 17, 6:30 p.m. Meeting information

Eau Claire County Board of Supervisors
• Tuesday, Mar 18, 7 p.m. Meeting information

More local stories...
Inaugural Apprenticeship Fair Aims to Connect Local Businesses With Students (Volume One)
EC Chamber prepares for area finalists to compete in local civics bee competition (Leader-Telegram $)
Mega! CO-OP Closes remaining locations (WEAU 13 News)
American Red Cross honors members at Annual Heroes Breakfast (WEAU 13 News)
Eau Claire's entertainment scene bounces back following the pandemic (WQOW News 18)
Eau Claire City-County Health Department reflects on five years of COVID-19 pandemic (WQOW News 18)
Weideman reflects on COVID five-year anniversary (Leader-Telegram $)
Five Years Later: The Post-COVID Workplace (Gallup Workplace)
WEAU's Judy Clark to be honored as 2024 Local Broadcast Legend (WEAU 13 News)
Chippewa County board administrator has been named (WEAU 13 News)
 
 

State and regional stories...
Gov. Evers Announces Historic Capital Budget Projected to Generate Over $7 Billion in Economic Activity and 37,000 Jobs Statewide (Office of the Governor)
Gov. Tony Evers proposes $4.1 billion capital budget (Spectrum 1 News)
Evers proposes $4.1 billion for capital projects, including UW building projects (Wisconsin Examiner)
Gov. Evers tours UW-EC campus, receives update on building projects (Leader-Telegram $)
Gov. Evers discusses investing in the UW-System (WEAU 13 News)
Gov. Evers tours proposed renovations at UW-Stout (WQOW News 18)
Is Wisconsin getting rid of tax on tips, overtime pay? The latest on tax cut efforts (Journal-Sentinel +)
Wisconsin Policy Forum: State budget bright spots abound in 2025, but caution also warranted (WisBusiness.com)
Wisconsin boasts record nonfarm job numbers, outpacing national employment rates (WAOW)
Report: Wisconsin’s net migration soars to levels not seen in decades (Wisconsin Policy Forum)
Migration to Wisconsin reaches highest level in 20 years (WQOW News 18)
Wisconsin’s public tech colleges to hike tuition next school year (InBusiness Madison)
Mayoral debate held in La Crosse Wednesday night (WEAU 13 News)
Milwaukee County’s Population Grew For First Time Since 2014 (Urban Milwaukee)
 
 

National and economic stories...
Spending bill to avert shutdown successfully beats filibuster with hours until deadline (Fox News)
Sen. Ron Johnson calls spending reduction efforts by the House ‘a joke’ (Spectrum 1 News)
Inside the Explosive Meeting Where Trump Officials Clashed With Elon Musk (New York Times +)
Calculate How Your Business Would Be Impacted If Tax Cuts Expire (US Chamber of Commerce)
Gov. Tim Walz to speak at Tuesday town hall event in Eau Claire (WEAU 13 News)
Van Orden stops at cheese plant in Whitehall, talks tariffs, town halls, federal job cuts (Leader-Telegram $)
Congressman Derrick Van Orden answers questions about federal workers and town halls (WEAU 13 News)
U.S. stock market loses $5 trillion in value in three weeks (CNBC)
Consumer Sentiment Tanks as Americans Expect More Pain Ahead (Wall Street Journal +)
Local brewery concerned over aluminum tariffs amid trade war (WQOW News 18)
Electric vehicle industry will persist, experts say, despite Trump funding cuts (Wisconsin Examiner)
States See Workforce Opportunity in Federal Layoffs (Governing)
How Trump's threats have changed everything about Canada's politics (BBC)

Food for thought...
Is Social Security a Ponzi Scheme? (Kevin Williamson, The Dispatch)
Detroit offers St. Paul a downtown turnaround blueprint (Axios Twin Cities)

COVID-19 Resources:
Eau Claire County COVID-19 Information Hub (Eau Claire City-County Health Department)

Mark your calendar:
• Apprenticeship 101: What Employers Need to Know - Tuesday, Apr 8
• Chamber/UW-Eau Claire Business Community Breakfast - Wed, Apr 9
• National Civics Bee - Local Competition - Saturday, Apr 12
• Business After Hours - Monday, Apr 14
• 31st Annual Chippewa Valley Rally - Tuesday, April 22
• Chamber Royale - Thursday, May 15
• Golf Day in Eau Claire - Monday, Aug 4
• 2025 "Bravo to Business" Awards - Wednesday, Nov 5

Public Meetings Calendar
Click the link above for the our regularly updated schedule of public meetings.

Thanks for reading this issue of Business Advocate. If you have comments or questions, contact Scott Rogers, Vice President Governmental Affairs, at 715-858-0616 or rogers@eauclairechamber.org 
 
 
 
 
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