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Volume 4 , Issue 47, Apr 11, 2022 |
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Apr 21 Eggs & Issues: The Chamber's Annual "State of Altoona" |
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"Start with yes!" is the theme of this year's annual update from the City of Altoona. Mayor Brendan Pratt and City Administrator Mike Golat will highlight that theme as "an organizational value that energizes us as we address challenges and opportunities as a City, and leads us to more innovation, collaboration and connection resulting in a thriving community." Join us at this event to hear about the accomplishments of the City during the past year, and its priorities for the rest of 2022. Registration includes a hot buffet breakfast. • Thursday, April 21, 7:00-8:30 a.m., River Prairie Center
Also coming up:
Chamber/UWEC Community Breakfast Creative initiatives and partnerships to tackle our region's workforce challenges. • Wednesday, April 20, 7:00-8:30 a.m., UWEC Davies Center Click here for details and to register
Welcome Reception: Eau Claire City Manager Stephanie Hirsch Join us for an informal opportunity to meet new Eau Claire City Manager Stephanie Hirsch. You're invited to stop by the Chamber office any time between 4:00 - 6:00 p.m., with light appetizers and beverages provided. There is no cost to attend but advance registration is appreciated. • Thursday, April 21, 4:00-6:00 p.m., Chamber office |
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In this issue: • Spring local election results • Non-partisan? Local races feature political endorsements • Pablo Group, UWEC announce hotel project for Sonnentag Center • Hirsch begins service as Eau Claire City Manager • EC City Council meets this week • Eau Claire County Board carries zoning issues over to next session • Internet speed test participation needed to advance broadband expansion • State and regional news • National news • Mark your calendar |
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Voters choose City Council, School Board, County Board seats Thanks to retirements of incumbents and contested races, we'll see lots of new faces on the Eau Claire City Council and Eau Claire County Board as the result of last week's Spring Non-partisan Election. For the five At-Large seats on the Eau Claire City Council, incumbents Kate Beaton and Rod Jones were reelected, and will be joined by newcomers Larry Mboga, Joshua Miller, and Charlie Johnson, the top five among eight candidates. Current At-Large Council Members Catherine Emmanuelle, Jon Lor, and Dave Klinkhammer did not seek reelection. There will be 11 new faces on the 29 member Eau Claire County Board of Supervisors, after seven incumbents retired and four were defeated in contested races. In total, 21 of the 29 races were contested. On the Eau Claire Board of Education, incumbents Tim Nordin and Marquell Johnson were reelected, and newcomer Stephanie Farrar won the third available seat from among the six total candidates. Former member Aaron Harder resigned from the board in February and was not on the ballot. Also on the ballot were several uncontested seats, including a Wisconsin District Court Judgeship, Eau Claire County Judgeships for Branches 1 and 6, plus Altoona's Mayor, City Council, and School Board. Eau Claire County also had an advisory referendum on the ballot asking whether the state should establish a right to clean water. Election results: Eau Claire County Board of Supervisors Altoona Mayor and City Council Non-partisan? Local races feature endorsements, campaign help from political parties, prominent political figures Although Wisconsin's Spring Elections are officially non-partisan, and no political label is attached to candidates on the ballot, the partisan leaning of candidates and the involvement of political parties has been increasing. For example, the three winners in the Eau Claire School Board race were endorsed by the Eau Claire County Democratic Party and prominent local progressives, while the three challengers - newcomers Cory Cronrath, Nicole Everson, and Melissa Winter - ran a coordinated campaign as conservative candidates. Both the Eau Claire County Democratic Party and the Republican Party of Eau Claire County had pages on their website with lists of endorsed candidates in local nonpartisan races. Click here to read more...
More Wisconsin Spring Election Stories: Incumbents make strong showing in area school board races (Leader-Telegram $) WI school referendums overwhelmingly get approved, but ones that failed have common trend (WTMJ) Voters approve most west-central Wisconsin school referendums (Leader-Telegram $) Voters oust multiple incumbents from Marathon County Board (Wausau Daily Herald +) Cavalier Johnson elected as Milwaukee's first Black mayor (WPR) Republican Legislator Samantha Kerkman winner of Kenosha County executive race (Kenosha News) Riewestahl becomes third candidate for EC sheriff (Leader-Telegram $)
Pablo Group, UWEC announce hotel for Sonnentag Center The Pablo Group and UW-Eau Claire last week announced that a new SpringHill Suites by Marriott hotel will open in 2024 in conjunction with UWEC's Sonnentag Project. “The Pablo Group’s mission is to build vitality in downtown Eau Claire,” said Pablo Group Partner Julia Johnson at a news conference. Construction on the 128-room hotel will begin this summer. More information: Pablo Group: To open a SpringHill Suites by Marriott (News Release, WisBusiness.com) Hotel will be built adjacent to County Materials Complex (UWEC) Video: Hotel announcement (UWEC, YouTube, 1:04) Pablo Group Unveils Plans for Hotel Next to Sonnentag Center (Volume One) Pablo Group announces new hotel development next door to Sonnentag Events Center (WQOW News 18) Pablo Group details plans for hotel next to County Materials Complex (Leader-Telegram $)
Hirsch begins service as Eau Claire City Manager Newly-selected Eau Claire City Manager Stephanie Hirsch officially began her duties on Monday, April 4. The Chamber will host an informal Welcome Reception on the afternoon of Thursday, April 21, for investors to meet Hirsch. See details below. More information: Incoming Eau Claire City Manager is Hometown Proud (Volume One) Hirsch takes over at City Hall (Leader-Telegram $) Stephanie Hirsch steps into new city manager role (WQOW News 18) Chamber reception for City Manager Stephanie Hirsch • Thursday, Apr 21, 4-6 p.m. Click here for details and to register
EC City Council meets this week The Eau Claire City Council meets this week for its regular Monday evening Public Hearing and Tuesday Legislative Session. The one item on Monday's agenda is a Public Hearing on annual federal funds the City is receiving from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including $534,975 under the Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) program and $314,860 from the HOME Investment Partnership Program to improve affordable housing opportunities for income-eligible persons. The City also expects to receive $100,000 in local program income from Housing Rehabilitation loan payments and paybacks. See pages 4-9 of the Monday Agenda Packet linked below for the proposed allocations. The Council will act on the plans at its May 10 meeting. The Business Agenda for Tuesday's Legislative Session includes budget amendments to approve contracts for the expansion and remodeling of Fire Station No. 6 on Golf Rd (See pages 44-46 of the Tuesday Agenda Packet linked below), electronic tools for Eau Claire Transit funded through the CARES Act (pages 47-51), and construction of the Boyd Park Skate Park (pages 52-55). The agenda also includes acceptance of Plan Commission recommendations to approve the final plat for a 15-lot subdivision on property owned by the Cliff Family Trust on 35 acres on the west side of Talmadge Rd in the Town of Washington, within the City's extraterritorial jurisdiction (pages 59-64), and an adjustment to the condo plat for the Boyd School Condominium Homes at 1105 Main St. (pages 65-70). The Council will also consider collective bargaining agreements with transit workers and police (pages 71-80). Among items on the Consent Agenda is approval of a Special Events Permit for Eau Claire Jazz Inc. for the Jazz Crawl downtown on the evening of Friday, April 22 (pages 17-19). More information: • Tuesday, Apr 12, 4 p.m. Legislative Session, Agenda Packet (86 pages) Eau Claire planning count of short-term rentals in city (Leader-Telegram $) Eau Claire fire stations to get upgrades (Leader-Telegram $) Rising Costs: City Will Shoulder More of New Transit Center’s Price Tag (Volume One)
County Board holds final session of current board Approves carrying zoning questions to next legislative session In its final session under its current make up, the Eau Claire County Board on April 6 decided to carry over two pending zoning proposals to the new board after it is seated on April 19. The two zoning proposals include 238 acres in the Town of Washington for the proposed Orchard Hills subdivision, and 35 acres in the Town of Clear Creek. The Orchard Hills project has been approved by the Town of Washington Board, but the County Planning & Development Committee deadlocked 2-2 on whether to recommend approval. The developers asked to delay full County Board consideration. “We feel it is best for all parties involved to allow us additional time to meet with the neighborhood group and/or discuss alternatives that will meet the town and county policies at hand to see if we can work out a plausible solution that will fit with the neighbors and what is needed as a development team to make this a good neighborhood for all parties,” said Craig Wurzer on behalf of the developers. More information: • Wednesday, Apr 6, Agenda Packet County Board carries over Washington subdivision rezoning request (Leader-Telegram $)
Momentum West: Residents asked to take internet speed test to advance broadband expansion West Central Wisconsin residents can help improve broadband in their communities by taking a simple internet speed test to identify areas of need. State and federal grants are available to bring broadband to underserved areas around the state, but in order to tap into those grants the state must identify those areas of greatest need. Momentum West, along with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). “Our region has made great strides in deploying high speed broadband. With your participation we can start the process to broadband our underserved areas,” said Steve Jahn, Executive Director, Momentum West. Even those residents without internet access can help by logging onto the site from a friend’s home or the local library. Click on “Enter an address with No Available Service” when you complete the survey. To take the test, residents and businesses simply need to visit the following site by May 8. It will only take a few moments and personal information is always protected and never shared. https://www.momentumwest.org/testyourinternetspeed
More local news:
City of Eau Claire 2022 construction projects (City of Eau Claire)
Gov. Evers presents EC schools with $160K as part of 'Get Kids Ahead' initiative (Leader-Telegram $) Gov. Evers visits Northstar Middle School, speaks on student mental health (WEAU 13 News)
Nicolet Bankshares, Inc. Continues Strategic Growth with Acquisition of Charter Bankshares, Inc. (News Release) Nicolet buying Eau Claire bank for $158M (Leader-Telegram $)
Jackie Minor leads L.E. Phillips Senior Center as new executive director (WQOW News 18) Incoming Senior Center Director Brings YMCA Experience (Volume One)
Chancellor receives Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce award (UWEC)
Children’s Museum of Eau Claire closes on New Markets Tax Credits financing (WEAU 13 News) |
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