City Council - Regular Meeting

Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. That's my spring and summer tie. Does that mean you have two? I have two ties, yes.

Can I put a little glitter on? Unfortunately, I probably have to wear a different one every day of the year.

Hi there.

This meeting of the Eau Claire City Council will come to order. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

City Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilmember Brewster?

Here.

Gregor?

Here.

Johnson? Iboga? Yeah. Miller? Orth?

Here.

Otto? Here. Reed? Here. Schoen? Here. Serrano? Werthmann?

All right, thank you City Clerk. Thanks everybody for being here on this Tuesday, June 9th meeting of the Eau Claire city council. Um, the first item on the agenda and the agendas are in the back of the room. If anyone needs one, uh, is the consent agenda. Those are items number one through 16 in the agenda. So, um, if you're here for any of those items, um, once we pass the consent agenda, that means you're free to, to, go, but you are also welcome to stay. Do council members have any questions about the consent agenda or want to remove any items for separate consideration? OK. Then on a motion by council member Brewster and seconded by council member Werthmann, the consent agenda has been moved. any discussion on the consent agenda. OK, seeing none, city clerk, please call the roll.

Councilmember Brewster?

Aye.

Frager? Aye. Mboga? Aye. Forth?

Aye.

Otto? Aye. Reed? Aye. Schoen?

Aye.

Werthmann?

Aye.

All right, and that passes unanimously. Um, so before we go to our business agenda, we do have a couple, uh, proclamations and, uh, I'm not sure if we have any one for Juneteenth one right now, but, um, I guess since we don't have anyone up, I can also, do I go up and read it or do I read it from here? If there's no one, you can just read it from here. Um, so we have a proclamation, um, for Juneteenth, whereas Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved Americans, African Americans, and stands as one of the oldest celebrations of freedom in the United States. And whereas on June 19, 1865, more than two years after the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, news of freedom reached enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, making the final enforcement of emancipation and the end of slavery in the United States. And whereas Juneteenth serves as a time to reflect on our nation's history, celebrate resilience and contributions of African Americans, and reaffirm our shared commitment to liberty, equality, and opportunity for all, and whereas as the United States commemorates the 250th anniversary, Juneteenth reminds us that The American story is one of continually striving to fulfill the founding ideals of freedom and justice and expanding those blessings to all people. And whereas Juneteenth has grown into a national and global observance that promotes education, understanding, unity, and appreciation for the rich diversity of our communities, and whereas 2026 marks the 25th annual Juneteenth recognition in the city of Eau Claire, now therefore I, Jeremy Greger, President of the Eau Claire City Council on behalf of the entire City Council do hereby proclaim June 19th, 2026 as Juneteenth in the City of Eau Claire and encourage all residents to join in recognizing this day of freedom, reflection, and community and to celebrate the diversity, strength, and shared humanity that enrich our city and our nation. I do want to recognize the event, and maybe we can talk about it more at the end, but there's a Juneteenth celebration next Friday from 5 to 8 at Carson Park at the Pine Pavilion. So folks want to go to that. And do we have folks for the next proclamation on the World Refugee Day? OK, wonderful. I'll come up for that. I'll read the proclamation. Whereas a refugee is someone who has been forced to flee their home country due to war, persecution, violence, or the violation of fundamental human rights, and whereas millions of people around the world continue to be displaced from their homes by conflict, persecution, and humanitarian crises, often leaving behind everything they have known in search of safety and freedom. And whereas, as the United States commemorates the 250th anniversary of our founding, we recognize that our nation was built by generations of people who came seeking liberty, opportunity, and freedom from persecution, including many who arrived as refugees. And whereas from Irish families fleeing famine to Hmong families arriving in Eau Claire from Laos in the late 1970s, refugees and immigrants have helped strengthen our nation and enrich our community through their talents, traditions, resilience, and commitment to future generations. And whereas the Statue of Liberty has long stood as a symbol of hope and refuge, welcoming those seeking freedom and inspiring generations, with the words of Emma Lazarus, give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, I lift my lamp beside the golden door. And whereas refugees strengthen our communities through entrepreneurship, service, culture, and determination, contributing to economic, social, and civic life of Eau Claire and communities across the nation, now therefore I, Jeremy Greger, President of the Eau Claire City Council, on behalf of the entire City Council, I do hereby join the United Nations in proclaiming June 20th, 2026 as World Refugee Day in honor of the courage and perseverance and contributions of refugees throughout the world and here in Eau Claire. And as we celebrate 250 years of the American experiment, we affirm our commitment to the ideals of liberty, opportunity, human dignity, and welcome. that have helped shape our nation and our community. Congratulations. Thank you.

This is awesome. I just want to say thank you on behalf of World Relief and our families that we serve. Eau Claire has been such an amazing community for them to move to, rebuild their lives, and call home. Thank you.

Thank you. Thanks for joining us. And let's see. I'm going to go into the business agenda. The first item is number 17. This is our resolution approving the 2026 Community Development Block Grant, or CDBG, and home grant funding appropriations. A two-thirds vote of the elected members or eight affirmative votes is required for adoption. And we have Director Jessica Olsen-Boo to present on that item. Thank you.

Thank you, Consul President. Good afternoon. The Housing Division started the annual plan process at the end of January with the publication of our ad in the newspaper soliciting applications from local organizations broadly to be funded by the Community Development Block Grant and Home Investment Partnership Programs. The applications were due at the beginning of March. technical assistance meetings were offered to assist with the preparation of those applications the housing division started to prepare the annual plan with the publishing of a 30-day notice in the leader telegram on may 8th 2026 the first public hearing was here with council at the may 11th meeting and another public hearing was held on may 27th to solicit comments from the public today we're bringing the budget back to council for approval The annual plan will be finalized and sent to HUD by the June 15th deadline. The finalized 2026 allocations from HUD are as follows, $553,853 in CDBG funds, which was a small decrease from last year, about a $2,500 decrease. and an allocation of $258,092.92 in home funding, which was an increase of about 10,500 from last year. It's like year after year, they go down and up a little bit, but roughly stay the same. Additionally, we are reallocating $219,443.66 from housing rehabilitation activities to other home-eligible activities through the 2026 application process and public comment. Catholic Charities came staff came on 527 to our public hearing just stating that they're grateful to be considered and they appreciate the city's support no other comments were received during the 30-day comment period which ended yesterday so before you are the final grant allocations which are recommended by staff and we present for your approval

Okay, thank you. Are there any questions from the city council regarding this item? Okay. Then on a motion by Council Member Schoen and seconded by, or Vice President Schoen and seconded by Council Member Mboga, this item is moved. Is there any discussion? OK, seeing none, city clerk, please call the roll.

Council Member Greger.

Aye.

Kimvoga. Aye. Worth. Aye. Otto. Aye. Lee. Aye. Schoen.

Aye.

Serrano.

Aye.

Werthmann. Aye. Brewster.

Aye. All right, that item passes unanimously. Item number 18, resolution approving the city of Eau Claire's substantial amendment to the 2024 and 2025 annual action plans for community development block grant, or CDBG, and home grant funding. I'll have another presentation. Thank you.

All right, as part of the same timeframe and public process through our 2026 application, we also noted the substantial amendment to the 2024 annual plan with HUD to reallocate $43,958.89 from code enforcement activities to housing rehabilitation activities. And in our 2025 program year, reallocation of four forty three thousand five hundred forty one dollars from code enforcement activities to homeownership activities We received no comments about this Thank you Is there any are there any questions from City Council?

councilmember Orff

Thank you, President Gregert. Good evening. I'm just curious what caused the code enforcement dollars to become available.

Okay, so Similar to the plan that was just approved for 26 so every year at the council approves the annual plan for CDBG and home funding so in 2024 there was an allocation made to neighborhood services for code enforcement activities and also the City County Health Department for code enforcement activities So for those funds really you know as as council approves the allocation we accept applications uh... for any eligible activities code enforcement is an eligible activity as is housing rehabilitation and our home ownership activities and so those funds are allocated based on applications what happened with neighborhood services is that they didn't need all the funding that was uh... allocated to them in that process and so uh... what's Proposed for reallocation is is unspent funding the code enforcement activities still occurred and will continue to occur But yeah, it was unused funding dollars.

Yep Okay, thank you for that question any other questions from council Okay So on a motion by Councilmember Otto and seconded by Councilmember Reed, this item is moved. Is there any discussion by the council? OK. Seeing none, city clerk, please call the roll.

Councilmember Invoto. Aye. Dorff.

Aye.

Otto. Aye. Reed. Aye. Schoen.

Aye.

Serrano.

Aye.

Brewster.

Aye.

Craiger.

Aye. All right. And that item passes unanimously. On to item number 19. This is a resolution indicating receipt and review of the 2025 Compliance Maintenance Annual Report, or CMAR. from the wastewater treatment plant and collection system. And we have our utility manager, Ben Spinell, here. Spinell, very good. There you go.

Thank you. Welcome. Thank you, Council President. Good evening, Council. What you have before you, some of you have seen it year after year after year, is the Compliant Maintenance Annual Report. It's an annual report required by the DNR, required review by Council, and approval by Council, just to make sure that... Cities are keeping their council informed of activities that are happening at the wastewater treatment plant. The actual report looks at each individual process at the wastewater treatment plant. It looks for deficiencies, looks at the performance, and looks at the compliance of the treatment plant in relation to the permit that we get from the DNR. very easily breaks it into a grade school 4.0 scale. Anything below a 3.0, so anything below a B average, DNR requires you to look at it a little bit closely and possibly make any changes or projects. As you can see, we got a 4.0 perfect score. We consistently get 4.0 scores year after year after year. Reasons for that, one, our staff is amazing. The dedication and the effort and the Learning that they want at the wastewater treatment plant is amazing the long-range planning that our department has Before we address problems before we get to this point once you're to this point You are in trouble. So just like in the business agenda approving the contract for a large project coming up at the wastewater treatment plant, working with Donahue Associates. That's been in the planning process for years now. Why wait for another 10 years for things to fall apart before we start addressing issues at the wastewater treatment plant? Working with our finance team, KITC, and everyone at City Hall, amazing. They make sure we have the money and the funding that we can do these large-scale projects. And then finally, Council, all of your support for these projects and also realizing that not only wastewater, but water having a good system, treatment is vital to the success of Eau Claire.

Thank you so much. It looks like we have a question from Council Member Orth.

I don't have a question. I just wanted, is that okay?

Yeah, any thoughts you want to share as well?

Great, thank you. Thank you very much for being here tonight. Congratulations on that 4.0. Thank you. Just wanted to let you know I visited the plant on May 15th.

Super.

I was impressed, and now I'm even more impressed.

Very good. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Worth.

Council member Werthmann Thank You council president. Mr. Spano. Thank you for Putting this together. I have a specific question about the biosolids portion of this I'm just looking over the Outfall number zero zero two sludge and the different metals that are tested for I know that our biosolids go out onto farm fields across the community and my question is This is in the context of larger concern across this nation about other contaminants, plastics, things like that, that have been ending up on farm fields and then making their way into our food supply. I wonder how you think about that. the future of biosolids and the testing. Is this kind of one of those things where we have to wait on different standards from the state or the EPA before we will change what we do? Or are you already thinking about how we might be proactively supporting a different approach on our biosolids going out on the farm fields? What do you think about that?

Yeah, Council Member Woodford. I love that question so much. That's an amazing question. So that is actually, that's always on our mind. And that is actually, so as we were laying out the CIP, I actually laid out a almost like a 15, 20 year CIP. And we've got this headworks and disinfection project coming up in the next two to three years. And that biosolids project is the, I'm sorry, is the next project that we will be focusing on. there's just what you've said there's always these kind of like almost like pfos it kind of almost just came out of nowhere all of a sudden pfos is the issue and that's what we focus on and so at we're kind of at the mercy of whether it's the epa or the dnr of what's going to be what could be the next contaminant that needs to be addressed um and so the next project We'll address biosolids, and the next step would be creating what they call a Class A biosolids. And it's kind of what Milwaukee does. They create their Milorganite, which is sold in bags at Menards and across the nation as a fertilizer to anyone, homeowners and anyone else who wants it. Right now, we are limited by the DNR of where we can put it, how much we can put it, just because it's not... broken down as safe as, say, what Milorganite is. So that biosolids project, that will be our next large project to address, you know, six, seven years from now.

Thank you, Council Member Werthmann and Council Member Mboga.

Thank you, Council President. Mr. Penn, I want to know from my understanding and the people listening in, how long does this report take?

Say that again. How long?

That's the report text.

Does the report?

To compile it. How long does it take to compile it?

Say it again. How long does?

How long? Which duration? How long does it take to compile this one? Does it take one week? Three months? Four months? One year?

To put this report together? For us to put this report together? A couple weeks. It's a year's worth of data. It's all, but it's something that we do every day. Our lab techs and operators down at the wastewater treatment plant, it's basically just summarizing things, summarizing our daily activities. And to put something like this together, because we have all that, is relatively easy for us to do.

Okay, thank you. Yeah, any other questions from council or... Comments. Well, thank you for your presentation, for your work on this. Thank you. We will move on to having this item moved so we can discuss it. So on a motion by Council Member Serrano and seconded by Council Member Brewster, this item is moved. Is there any discussion by the council? Looks like we have Council Member Werthmann.

Thank you, Council President. I obviously want to, year after year, share my annual message of thanks and support for the good work that goes into our wastewater treatment plant and these incredibly high standards that our city meets. I think it is worth us saying that not only is our city a leader in terms of clean water for our residents but making sure that at the end of our system clean water goes back into our rivers and that's something we should all be proud of that we are one of the leading cities in the state on that It's also smart. We heard from last night our finance director, Kitsie Winters, about this big project at the sewage plant dealing with biosolids and the remediation piece of this. It is something that we're going to be asked to do more on. I think it's just a matter of time. So it's smart for us to be progressive in thinking forward on that. I think lastly is just to point out that it's not an accident that our operations are where they are. It's been decades of very thoughtful planning and infrastructure and appropriate investment from not only ourselves, but our partners. And we are going to need to keep that same level of investment going into the future if we want to continue to meet different challenges, whether it's emergent chemical challenges as well as different industrial effluents and things along those lines. So this is incredible work. It's good that we're doing what we're doing, but we also need to continue to step up when it comes to funding our plant and the work that the wastewater sewage plant does for our community.

Thank you, Council Member Werthmann. Vice President Schoen.

Thank you, Council President. Similar to my peers, I wanted to echo my appreciation to our staff who make sure that we are excelling and being a leader in the wastewater space, which I think wastewater treatment is really sort of an invisible service that our community relies on in a lot of ways. If this was not operating smoothly, there would be really large and severe repercussions in a lot of different fronts. I know our community also is really, really adamant that environmental stewardship is one of our core beliefs as a full community. And I sometimes think, again, wastewater treatment is sort of invisible in that conversation, but it's so, so important and it is a direct, has the potential to directly impact water quality leaving our community. And I'm just so proud and honored that our city gets to be a leader and we're getting a 4.0 on this report. So I just wanted to express appreciation and really emphasize how important this is to community members and also businesses. And I know that we also support other communities in treating their wastewater effluent. And so I just am so appreciative of all this good work. Thank you.

Yeah, thank you, Vice President Schoen. All right, any other discussion by the council? OK, seeing none, city clerk, please call the roll.

Council Member Orth.

Aye.

Otto. Aye. Reed. Aye. Schoen. Aye. Serrano.

Aye.

Werthmann. Aye. Brewster. Aye. Prager.

Aye.

Invoga. Aye.

And that passes unanimously. We're on to item number 20, resolution to appoint a city council member to the Seven Mile Creek Standing Committee. And we have a presentation from Director Lane Berg. Welcome.

good afternoon president greger members of the council as president mentioned this is a resolution to appoint a council member to the seven mile creek standing or seven mile creek landfill standing committee just want to give you a little bit of background i don't have a slide i do apologize for that but it's my own fault so but it's a very short little thing here. So the current composition of members is the city of Eau Claire community services director, which was me. Ty Fadness is our deputy director and he has agreed to replace me and actually attended one of our meetings already. A city of Eau Claire resident, which somebody just resigned from that position, we're looking to replace it with a council member. The town of Seymour chair and a resident from the town of Seymour. and the Eau Claire County Highway Commissioner is a member of this committee. The Eau Claire County and Eau Claire County Board Supervisor is a member, and then also there is a member from the City-County Health Department. Little background on the landfill. In 1977, the City of Eau Claire annexed the land that the landfill resided on, encompassing about 147 acres. That property is still city land, so it does generate some tax revenue for us, which is a nice thing. From 1978 to 1981, the city owned and operated the landfill. At that point, the city sold it to Eau Claire County, who operated the landfill until 1996, so 30 years ago. Since that time, it has been sold to private entities and it has changed hands several times, but currently it's being operated by GFL Environmental Incorporated. So GFL stands for Green for Life and they are a company that focuses on green initiatives and protecting our environment, even though they're doing a very tough job, but they do a good job at it. The meetings take place quarterly at the Seymour Town Hall, last about an hour to an hour and a half. GFL manager Mark Vinal provides an update, including but not limited to operations, volume of waste accepted, leachate removal, statistics, sampling, complaints and any other questions that the committee comes up with. The city county health department also provides a summary of their oversight of the landfill and they do some testing and monitoring and responding to things at the landfill so they have a good involvement there and it's nice to see that our city county health department is that involved in it. And then a topic that's very common is sociological payments. So people that live in close proximity to the landfill, obviously they put up with some things such as odor, heavy truck traffic, trash, things that are not desirable. And we've established a radius of the landfill. And the closer you live to the landfill, the more or the larger your payment is. and I don't remember the exact data on how much the dollar amount is or the radius or whatnot, but people do receive money for living in close proximity to that, and that is a common topic. I just jotted down a couple reasons that people may want to serve on this committee. If you have a passion for protecting the environment, this is something that should really appeal to someone with that idea that we need to protect our resources, and a landfill obviously deals with a lot of nasty things, And as part of the committee, we monitor activity. We look at what's being discharged there and how the groundwater sampling goes. So it's interesting. And another thing that I thought of is it's actually a very interesting topic. It's not such a glamorous field. Waste... solid waste disposal, but it is actually very interesting. And I've been very thankful for my time on this committee. I've learned a lot. You learn how a landfill operates and they do a very good job of explaining. And kind of like our wastewater plant, you know, we do a lot of good things for the environment. They're doing their best as well because they are monitored by the DNR and they're doing their best to try and protect the environment as well. So with that, I'll answer any questions that you may have.

Thank you, Director Berg. We have a question from Council Member Otto.

Thank you, Council President. Thank you, Director Berg, for that presentation. This is a question and then a comment. Question is, what time of day do they usually meet? I last remember it's mid-afternoon.

Yep, it's about 1 o'clock, typically a 1 o'clock meeting.

i served on this committee as part of the county board representative i had the privilege to serve and it is a fascinating topic because there's a lot in play like it's an administrative layer cake there's so many public entities involved so many private entities and there's interaction with groups as far away as minnesota and it's a puzzle like do we accept garbage from out of state in exchange for more revenue or do we lose the revenue but then have less of a landfill impact and the the amount of care that the current stewards keep in keeping protecting the environment especially in regard to runoff is amazing like the technology they use is amazing so i i couldn't join this committee because of the hour but i highly encourage anybody to sign up for this fascinating and very relevant very important committee

Thank you, Council Member Otto. Vice President Schoen.

Thank you, Council President. I'm wondering, Director Berg, if you could help us understand the decision to replace, or instead of having a resident of the community serve, switch to having a council member serve?

Yeah, I'm not 100% sure on that one. I might defer to City Attorney Nick if he has any more information. I hate to put you on the spot, but... It's just from my time on the board, it was a city of Eau Claire resident, but I'm not sure if it's an ordinance thing or what.

We do have Council Member Brewster may Have some insight into that.

Yeah, this was a decision to allow council to have an opportunity to be on this that was made at appointments. And if nobody is interested or able, then we can absolutely open it up to a citizen if that's the will of the council. Just thought we would give it an option because it hadn't been up for a while.

Thank you, Council Member Brewster. Yeah. Not sure if the city, city attorney, Nick, do you have any, so that really doesn't matter, I guess, from a legal standpoint, obviously.

No, it's just, it's a resident of the city. Okay. Can be, but it definitely does not need to be a council member.

Okay. Thank you. And director Berg, do you, I understand that there's another committee in relation to the,

landfill could you maybe describe that one and how that one's different than this and what the name of it is there is an additional committee that i have been serving on as well it's the siting committee and that that comes into play anytime there's a planned expansion of the landfill so um city attorney nick was representing the city on the negotiations for the the latest expansion and uh that's very interesting as well but that that committee only comes into play when there's a planned expansion okay

Thank you. And one more quick point on that. It doesn't currently exist. So that's a limited term committee. If there's an expansion under state law, the operators, owner operators, provide notice through the DNR and through all affected municipalities, including City of Eau Claire, Town of Seymour, Eau Claire County, and then we appoint members to a limited term siting committee to negotiate the operating agreement and impacts, at least those that we're allowed to negotiate on, related to that expansion. It is a committee that has, I think, existed three or four times during my tenure, but right now no expansion. Don't get that one going through in the media. So no current expansion proposed. The standing committee is just addressing ongoing issues related to operation of a landfill and, you know, sharing public information and trying to mitigate, uh, externalities for, for neighbors and surrounding communities.

Okay. Thank you. City attorney, Nick. Um, here's there no more, uh, questions. So thank you. Thank you. Um, so we want, uh, so on a motion by, uh, council member Worthman and seconded by council member Orth, uh, this item is moved. Is there any, uh, discussion or proposals for maybe a volunteer or a nomination for survey? Any discussion around that?

Council Member Brewster. I guess I would throw out a nomination for Council Member Orth if she's interested.

I'll second.

Well, Director Berg made it sound like it was going to be fun. I'll give it a go. Okay.

So that was it. So thank you, Council Member Orth. So that would be a motion by Council Member Brewster, seconded by Council Member Werthmann, and accepted by Council Member Orth. But we do need to vote on that amendment to the resolution.

These are excellent opportunities for either friendlies or by unanimous consent. You don't need to take a.

So yeah, then by unanimous consent, the council is appointing Council Member Orth to the, just so I get this right, Seven Mile Creek Standing Committee. Congratulations, Council Member Orth.

So point of order, my apologies, but I was simply suggesting on filling in the blanks.

Oh, then that's just filling in. Right. So that's amending the resolution.

The final resolution, you should take a vote. But when there's these sort of blanks and there's no controversy of who is willing to serve, You can either modify the amendment by a friendly or indicate that seeing no objection, the name is inserted by unanimous consent. And at least next time, it'll save time.

Yes, thank you. All right, so yeah. So we now have a resolution with Council Member Orth as the one being appointed to the Seven Mile Creek Standing Committee. Is there any discussion of that, this amended resolution?

OK.

Seeing none, city clerk, please call the roll on that amended resolution.

House Member Otto. Aye. Reed. Aye. Schoen. Aye. Serrano. Aye. Berkman. Aye. Brewster. Aye. Greger.

Aye.

Iboga. Aye. Orff.

Aye.

And that passes unanimously. Agenda item number 21 is a resolution granting a permanent encroachment to Sculpture Tour of Eau Claire for the Sculpture Tour exhibit. And we have our engineering director, Leah Ness, to present on that item. Welcome.

Good afternoon, Council President, Council Members. This is an encroachment that's being brought forward to you today because there are sculptures that are placed within our right-of-way for greater than 90 days. We've worked with Sculpture Tour Eau Claire and Visit Eau Claire, or the organization, since 2011. having Sculpture Tour within our community. It's grown substantially from where it started. Sculpture Tour Eau Claire has reduced in size over the last couple years, but still is one of the largest in the nation. So exciting to be able to draw those artists to our community and display that art within the public area for public viewing. Sculpture tour, Eau Claire has asked to have the sculptures placed on a three year basis. So encroachment for three years. We are adding one location and all the other locations had been previously approved by city council and also playing commission and waterways and parks. The waterways and parks, approved at their last meeting the additional location and existing locations as well as plan commission. The new location is located on the west end of the Grand Avenue Bridge. And just kind of related to the placement within the public right-of-way, we have a guideline of policies for placement and location that We work directly with the Sculpture Tour on placement with. Here are some examples of the 2026-2027 exhibit that were placed recently and Julie Pangallo has been working with us on this for several years. She wrote a letter which is included in your packet along with the maps designating the encroachment locations. But today she's actually doing a public art install in a different city, so wasn't able to be here for the meeting. She wanted to say thank you for the continued participation to our community services group that helps install and removal of the public art within the right-of-way, relocating The bases are large, our equipment helps along with our staff and working with other companies throughout the community that donate their time to this effort. So the resolution before you today would approve encroachment for sculpture tour for three years at approved locations, and not all of the locations will have sculptures placed on them, but there's potential that within the years we'd move locations, sculpture locations, and that the sculptures would change in variety. I can take any questions if there are any.

All right, thank you, Director Nass. Are there any questions from the City Council? Okay, we have a question from Council Member Serrano.

Thank you, Council President. Just a very silly question, but when I'm looking at all these maps, I see little green stars and blue stars and red stars that are all previously approved sites, but I didn't understand the difference in the colors and why.

So there were public sites, there's private sites, some had sculptures that were existing on them, some were just approved sites but didn't have sculptures on them. Then the new site is the blue colored and that's at the west end of the Grand Avenue Bridge.

Thank you very much.

All right, thank you. Any other questions from the council? All right, thank you for your presentation. So on a motion by Vice President Schoen and seconded by Council Member Amboga, this item is moved. Is there any discussion by the council or any comments? Council Member Serrano, I see your light is on. All right. Well, it doesn't appear there are any other comments. I just wanted to share my appreciation for the sculpture tour and all the work that city staff and nonprofit organizations and all the artists Contribute to it. It's just it keeps adding so much to our community every year And really makes a lot of other communities jealous as well. So But yeah We can move on to the vote City clerk, please call the roll on this item.

I I Brewster. Aye. Greger. Aye. Iboga.

Aye. Orff.

Aye. Otto. Aye. Reed.

Aye. All right, and that passes unanimously. OK, the next agenda item is number 22, resolution approving the settlement of litigation with AGREE LTD partnership, care of Walmart, real estate business trust concerning excessive tax claims. And because this item amends the budget, a two thirds vote of elected members or eight affirmative votes is required for adoption. And we have a presentation from our city attorney, Steve Nick. Thank you.

Thank you, Council President, Council. The resolution would approve a very small refund and resolution to litigation that has been lasting for several years with Walmart or with the parent company owning the property on which our Eau Claire Walmart sits. So there's tax years 2021 through 2025. The proposed settlement adjusts an original assessed value of $12.43 million by less than 200,000 to an agreed amount of $12.25 million, an adjustment of approximately 1.5%. That's well within the legal sort of degree of tolerance of what our opinions of value. And any time there's an opinion, you know, of course there's another one. So it's really, frankly, a reaffirmation of the very good work of our city assessing department. But, you know. Multi-party litigation being what it is, the options are either litigating over that very small difference or making this small adjustment. So the original refund sought... $3.4 million from the city of Eau Claire and its taxpayers as a refund. Instead, we're settling this matter for an amount of $17,772.47, again, over five years, which might beg the question of why. these claims continue to be filed but we don't file them we just have an obligation to respond and defend them so while a very modest adjustment and I'd rather have a complete victory it's still one that we recommend to you to put this matter behind us so As Council President Gregor indicated, it is a budget amendment. It's a very modest amount, so one that we have available in the budget, but it does take a two-thirds vote or eight of you to pass. If you have any further questions, happy to try to answer them for you.

Thank you, City Attorney. Nick, we have a question from Vice President Schoen.

Thank you, Council President. I'm wondering, in other agreements when the city is challenged in similar instances, one of the stipulations I seem to recall is an agreement that neither party can reopen that issue or a similar issue for a period of time. I don't think I saw that in this agreement, but I'm wondering if you could just clarify whether that's something that the parties discussed, or maybe it is here and I missed it.

We do seek that provision. When it makes sense for the city to get an extra year or two of a covenant not to sue, it's called. But since we can't bind what the city assessor establishes as fair market value every January 1st, that's a statutory obligation for that office. You know, the most you can say is that They agree not to sue if it doesn't exceed this agreed-upon amount. We weren't interested in that provision as part of this litigation because this year is a revaluation year, and all properties are anticipated to appreciate substantially because that's what the market has shown us. So this amount wouldn't likely be accurate in a go-forward basis, but excellent question.

Thank you. Thank you.

Any other questions from the council? All right. So on a motion by Councilmember Otto and seconded by Councilmember Reed, this item is moved. Is there any discussion? Councilmember Werthmann.

Thank you, Council President. To me, this is one of the things that is broken in America and in American service and community and local government, just government generally. And I say that because for viewers at home, you should know that it is only incredibly large, very wealthy, powerful corporations that have the resources to do this kind of lawsuit that we end up as a city having to respond to year after year. You saw here in this agenda item five different years. And It takes our time and resources and your tax dollars at home in order to fight back against this. And then in the end, it's a $17,000 difference over millions of dollars that were at play. But that is, while our city attorney is right, is a small cost, it's not a small cost in terms of our resources, our city staff's resources, and the time and effort put into it. And frankly, the way that this gets solved in the future, to keep these huge corporations from trying to back out of the amount that is owed to the city is for the state legislature to actually take action and make strong enough rules that keep this from happening. That is how we get out of that. But just to be clear, Walmart is not the only bad actor in this space. And over the last decade, we've seen year after year lawsuits like this. And any time that a corporation gets to take money off of their tax bill, guess who backfills it? That's you and I. So it's one of those things that I think we all need to pay attention to, especially as we look at our legislature and the role that they can have in actually stepping up and supporting our community. Otherwise, we end up having to cut this and that other priority that you care about because we end up responding to these kind of lawsuits. So I want to thank our city attorney for going to bat for us and our whole legal department do incredible work. But this is a frustrating yearly occurrence that I want to draw attention to.

Thank you, Council Member Werthmann. Any other discussion or comments from the council? OK. Seeing none, city clerk, please call the roll on this item.

Councilmember Serrano. Aye. Werthmann. Aye. Brewster. Aye. McGregor.

Aye. Inboga.

Aye. Orth.

Aye.

Otto. Aye.

Reed. Aye. Schoen. Aye. All right, and that passes unanimously. So agenda item number 23 is next, resolution approving an employment agreement and appointing a city manager. And to present on this item is Director Rieppel. Thanks for joining us.

Good afternoon. First of all, I wanted to say thank you for all of your work over the last couple months to efficiently and quickly get a recruitment completed. As a result of that recruitment, as you're aware, Council has selected current deputy city manager Dave Silberg as the successful candidate the resolution before you today appoints mr. Solberg to the position of city manager effective at 8 a.m. tomorrow and it also approves the three-year employment agreement agreement as attached to the resolution with that I will take any questions

Thank you. Thank you for all of your work on this and your whole team. Let's see, any questions from the council? Okay, so on a motion by Council Member Serrano and seconded by Council Member Brewster, this item is moved. Is there any discussion? Council Member Serrano.

Thank you, Council President. I also want to echo my thanks to our Human Resources Department and really thanks to the whole community. We got quite a lot of feedback. A lot of people spent quite a lot of time writing very thoughtful letters. both city staff community members on this topic and really thinking through and weighing in on what do we want our future to look like in terms of our our top city administrator in our city manager position so I want to thank interim city manager Solberg for putting himself forward and for all the all of his preparation for this role and his dedication to the community and also really the whole of the HR staff and, again, the community for really participating pretty actively in this decision.

Thank you, Council Member Serrano. Any other comments or discussion from Council?

Council Member Mboga. Thank you. I want to make a comment. I've known them for some time. I want to encourage you, and I know you are an exceptional reader. I know you are a good listener. I hope... and I know you will do it. Me, being a minority person in this chamber, or in this city council, I hope you can include more. I always say from the beginning, I've talked to Kerry, if I look at the city of Eau Claire, the workforce is more white than other minorities. I hope. I don't want you to fire people, but I hope when there's openings, INCLUSIVE CITY, AND I KNOW YOU WILL DO IT. THAT'S WHAT I'M SPEAKING FROM MY HEART, AND I'M SPEAKING FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE. I KNOW YOU WILL DO IT. THANK YOU, AND WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU 100%. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER IMBOGA. YEAH, I'M EXCITED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY MYSELF. YOU KNOW, I GOT TO MEET OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER, SOLBERG. you know, back when he was with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, working on the Water Street Bridge project and just have always, and then soon, you know, joined the city as our city engineer after that. So, you know, just the experience and professionalism and the commitment to the city of Eau Claire is really impressive. And I'm excited to see that continue to move forward. And yeah, just really excited to, to have this vote. Does the council have any further comments before we vote? OK. City Clerk, please call the roll.

Council Member Werthmann. Aye. Brewster. Aye. Greger.

Aye.

Iboga. Aye. Orff.

Aye.

Otto. Aye. Reed. Aye. Schoen.

Aye.

Serrano.

Aye.

And that passes unanimously. Congratulations. Interim city manager, soon to be city manager at 8 AM tomorrow. Would you want to say a few words? Sure.

I just wanted to say I'm deeply honored and grateful for this opportunity to serve as an ex-city manager. I'm very thankful for city council for the appointment and your confidence in me for this position. I'm very grateful for the support of my amazing coworkers and members of the public and members of the business community and my family. It's very humbling to see the support that I had through the process with us, and I thank everybody for that. I'm really looking forward to helping Eau Claire continue its momentum that we have, to help be the diverse and inclusive community that it is, to help grow. We have a lot of exciting things that lie ahead of Eau Claire. Putting the same mindset on that I had as an engineer, I look forward to trying to address those opportunities and those problems and find real-world solutions to those and real-world ways to get those to move forward. I would like to thank one person in particular who's no longer with us, but his name was George Sikowski. I'm a big proponent of a mentorship program. We have a mentorship program with the city. He gave me my first opportunity as a summer intern back in the summer of 1992. He was very, he was an engineer, he was very particular, very, he exposed excellence and he always challenged me to try to achieve my potential. He didn't care that I was 19 years old. I was working with 30, 40, 50-year-old people. Everybody worked hard, and he really pushed me, and I'd just like to thank George wherever he is right now, because if he wouldn't have given me that opportunity, I'm very confident I wouldn't be before you today. So thank you all, and I look forward to helping City Council be as good as you can be in your roles and helping the city be as good as it can be.

Thank you so much. We have some other exciting items as well, but maybe not quite that exciting. So a lot of work ahead. So the next agenda item is number 24, resolution to approve the redevelopment district identified as the River Bend Redevelopment District proposed by the Eau Claire Redevelopment Authority, and this is a item, a two-thirds vote of the elected members or eight affirmative votes is required for adoption under Wisconsin Statute 66.13336B.

And we have Director Aaron White to present. Thank you, Council President Greger. Council members, I am going to go ahead and address comments on both item 24 and 25 because they have a lot of common elements. So I think the presentation will cover both, even though they will both have to be voted on separately as separate items as two separate districts.

Okay. And just so folks know what that one is, I'll just read that one real quick too. So agenda item 25 that will be covered as part of this presentation is Resolution to approve the redevelopment district identified as the core reinvestment redevelopment district proposed by the Eau Claire Redevelopment Authority. Thank you.

So just to start out with a quick kind of reminder, we haven't done this for about 15 years. The newest RDA district is the Cannery District. And going back to the notes is somewhere around 2010, 2011 is the last time we've gone through this process. So it has been a little bit of a time. The two districts that we're looking at, each, they share two purposes of the redevelopment of both districts, and they're two-fold. First is they're looking to provide legal framework required under the Wisconsin statute that was identified in the agenda to identify blight conditions and authorize the City of Eau Claire Redevelopment Authority to take action within those districts. Second, they will set forth a forward-looking strategy to reposition the districts. for long-term success by encouraging mixed-use development and improving infrastructure, restoring public connections to the Chippewa River. And additionally, the core reinvestment district, which is item number 25, also looks to the plan recognizes the need for more affordable housing of all types and allows the city to be flexible in response to housing needs through a more selective process. Now, I'm going to pause on the districts right there and just talk a little bit about what we mean by blight. There's been a lot of questions surrounding that, had a lot of inquiries about that. When everybody thinks blight, they think of the first defined statute within the statute, the first element of blight. It's an area including a slum area in which there's a predominance of buildings or improvements, whether residential or non-residential, by which reason of dilapidation, deterioration, age, or obsolescence. inadequate provision of ventilation light air sanitation open spaces high density of population or overcrowding or existence of conditions which endanger life or property by fire and other causes or any combination of such factors is conduct is conducive to ill health transmission of disease infant mortality juvenile delinquency or crime and is detrimental to the public health, safety, morals, or welfare. That's the quintessential abandoned buildings. We have a few of them scattered throughout the community. They're falling apart. They're not utilized. They've been sitting empty for, in some case, for decades. That's what most people think of when they think of a blighted structure, a blighted area. However, the state statute identifies that a little differently or expands on that idea. There are two other points that are probably more prominent in these two districts than we're talking about an abandoned or unutilized buildings. One is the predominance of defective or inadequate street layouts, faulty lot layouts in relation to size, adequacy, accessibility, or usefulness. unsanitary and set conditions, deterioration of site or other improvements, diversity of ownership, tax or special assessment delinquency, exceeding the fair market value of the site, Defective or unusual conditions of title or existence of conditions which may endanger life or property by fire or other causes or any combination of these factors That substantially impairs arrest growth of a city retards the provision of housing accommodation or constitutes an economic or social liability the other point would be an area which is predominantly open which because of obsolete platting is Diversity of ownership deterioration of structures or site improvements or otherwise substantially impairs or rests sound growth of the community We see examples of this throughout the community and it's so much just based on the the age of community and how developments have progressed when we look at some of the antiquated or obsolete street layouts. You go to any of the commercial districts that were laid out in the 70s and 80s, they laid them out as auto-centric, high over park capacity, poor pedestrian or bicycle access type of movements within those areas. those principles of urban design have been abandoned years ago and have moved to better land uses they recognize these high huge parking lots and these types of developments as wasteful of land very inefficient for moving the people through and very unfriendly pedestrians and trying to encourage more walkable community or better access to the community for those who may not have access to cars so We see that throughout the areas, and that's defined in a couple of the spaces that we're looking at. The other side is outdated plotting. You look into a number of areas, particularly our historical neighborhoods, where we have homes that date back into the 1800s, definitely into the early 19th century and 20th century. They were built on standards that even with our LDO change, reducing minimum lot sizes, reducing setbacks, we still have a number of properties in areas, think Madison Street North from the River East, that are still legally nonconforming because they're so close together that they don't even meet current building codes in terms of separation of properties, let alone the zoning codes that are in there. These types of outdated and obsolete platting issues and legal nonconformities cause problems for owners who are then limited on how much they can invest back into those properties, what they can do with those properties because they are legal non-conforming. So it creates pockets that continue to kind of float the way they are, or in some cases will continue to slowly deteriorate simply because of conditions that are beyond the owner's purview. So those are more of what we're talking about, not so much the lone building that's sitting around just falling apart and empty. It is a lot of these other issues that we have identified in these two districts that are meeting the state statutes and criteria for blight. And we are looking to address those in a broader policies. Within that framework, I also want to touch a little bit. Historically, our RDA districts have been much smaller. In some cases, they've been confined to one building or two buildings at most. And we're very specific in being used to acquire, clear, and then redevelop blighted space. That still could be a role that serves in these new districts, but we are also looking to do other roles that the RDA can serve as a broader policy. Redevelopment authorities can help assist existing landowners on how to redevelop their space collectively. They consist transition of newer uses or relocation of businesses. Prime example of that would be Minnesota Wire was located in the Cannery District directly north of the current brewing project space. The RDA helped facilitate that business moving into an industrial park where they've been able to grow and expand, the Gateway Northwest Industrial Park, where they are continuing to grow and increase their business. and then taking on a building that nobody wanted, removing that blight and helping it transition to something different. So transitioning a business through to another area is another ideal role for RDAs. helping define other barriers in districts that hamper redevelopment. It could be helping define water infrastructure barriers. Is it utilities? Is it streets? Is it street designs that might be doing that? Another role is creating a framework within the district to help identify the redevelopment of a space. Best examples of that, again, going back to the Cannery District, the master redevelopment plan that was created in 2019 kind of laid out a map and framework of how those spaces, empty spaces in the Cannery District could redevelop. Less well known was the massing study that we did on the Block 7 property. That would be what was formerly the parking lot on Barstow Street that's now home to B7 and Menominee Food Co-op. That massing study showed how that area could be built out differently than what we were getting offers on, which were just big, broad, sprawling facilities. It laid out multiple ways that lot could be served and provide access to it and provided the foundation work for the partnership between two different entities that end up splitting development and providing two separate businesses on the same lot consecutively. So that's an ideal role, again, for an RDA to help facilitate. Also connecting developers, property owners with other resources or potential partners or collaborations. Going back to that massing study that led to the B7 apartments and the Menominee Food Co-op, we connected those two owners together, worked with them collectively to see how they could collaborate. grade out and lay out that lot as a single from the dirt work side. And then once the initial dirt was done, they did their own thing on their own side. So that type of collaboration takes somebody to help manage that or help encourage that process to go forward. So these are the types of Activities that can occur within the redevelopment district. It's not just about the RDA is going to buy it. The RDA is going to bulldoze it. The RDA is going to build something else in its place. There are opportunities to maintain projects. The Bruin Project, prime example, that was a meatpacking plant. Instead of just knocking it down, building on a space, they built an award-recognized redevelopment on an existing structure that carried some of that history forward. So These are the types of roles that we can see the RDA filling within those spaces. Let me see if I'm ready to go to the next slide. Okay, well, before we do that, broad underlying policies that drive the development plans, these broader development plans, are community-driven. One of the strategic goals set by city council, which you're going through that process right now. So the strategic goals of the council will be part of the driving force behind any plans that are implemented, specific projects that are implemented. The other is the comprehensive plan. It is a land use, and RDAs are really talking about land use. So the comprehensive plan is the model that the RDA is looking to implement at the ground level within these districts. And we don't define those by a year, so our plans don't reference the 2015 comprehensive plan. It's flexible. We're going through an update of the comp plan right now. And that product that comes forward and is approved in 2027 will be the guiding land use and direction that will be specific program driven through the RDA districts based on that. That same process is where we see community input, both from those broad policy documents that are going through right now that community has a broad impact in. It was also referenced about community input. We see a lot of community input at the project level. Best example of that goes, again, to the Cannery District. When we did that master redevelopment plan in 2019, Prior to approving that, we did stakeholder meetings with individual residents, with the neighbor association, with individual business owners, both in and adjacent to the Canary District. We met with them on site, we met with them in the field, talked about what they would like to see in their area, in their neighborhood, and their input drove very specific planning benchmarks within that district. We did it again when that mastery development plan that identified a new park We partnered with the Parks Department to do a whole new slew of community stakeholder meetings with neighborhoods, residents, the Neighborhood Association to provide elements to guide the design of the Canary District Park that opened up last spring. So there's a lot of community input in this process. Even the simple ones like the massing study I referenced for block seven, After that came forward and we started looking at potential ways to build that out, we went to the North Barstow Business Improvement District, walked them through what was being looked at, particularly the partnership between two businesses, got their input on how these two businesses might collectively build out and benefit the district. So community input at the project level is very important and will always continue on any of these projects as we move forward. To go a little specifically now on the two different projects, the first one on the docket was the River Bend District. So this one looks, it's bigger than we've done in the past, but it functions more like some of the traditional RDA districts we have done before. The area that's defined, there's a written narrative description on there, but the map is the highlighted area in that space. Within that space, we see a number of the elements that we talked about. There are some underutilized and obsolete buildings. I do want to specify that we don't have any specific projects identified at all. We don't do that until a district is stood up. We have identified... buildings or certain sites that could see something different happen. And some of that may occur naturally without us being involved, without the RDA being involved. Others, the RDA may play a role in helping move those visions of redevelopment forward. HSHS, the former Sacred Heart facility, prime example. It has changed ownership this spring. There is a group moving forward and had permission from the CEO of HeartWorks to mention that they have an announcement coming forward in June 23rd. They have an event from 12 to 2 that will be talking about their vision for that space. The RDA may or may not play a role in that. We are there as a tool for them to utilize to help see their vision the ownership group and the vision of what they want To see in that space occur, but it may not require any direct action from the RDA. However It's in the district. So the RDA becomes a tool that could help them if needed same reference with the these former Shopko Plaza the strip center in between station 955 and the home space on the other end It's a reflection again of 1970s and 80s design. Big old parking lot, strip mall center. It's gone past its use as that's design. If the developer has a plan for that, the RDA becomes another tool that could help move that project forward. But it is a space that is no longer, the way it's functioning, the way it's operation is no longer encouraged or designed in communities. So that becomes a project that does fit the parameters of blight under the state statute. The area on Short Street along the river, the city has had a long-term policy of shifting use along the riverway from old industrial uses into more commercial and or residential uses. The 2015 comprehensive plan identifies that area as medium to high density residential. The issues in there, you have floodplain issues, there's a trail. A long-term solution the RDA could be, as we did in the Cannery District, is as properties come for sale, the RDA could acquire them, hold on to them, and eventually be able to execute the comprehensive plan vision that the city has for that area. That's a potential route for there. Again, specific projects will be coming forward, but that's the type of work that would be happening in that space. There are a number of other areas that are the same way. It's built on a lot of 70s and 80s style design that There are better uses. There are higher, more vibrant uses. And we're there to help facilitate, whether it's through acquisition of a property or just assisting a developer in moving forward, the RDA's role would be to help facilitate the growth and redevelopment of the space to continue to make it a vibrant area. We're also excited. This is the first project proposed that is outside of the downtown area. We have not done an RDA district outside of the downtown area. since rda districts were established at least not that i'm aware of so it's exciting to see that there are other areas of the community are going to get some attention from the rda to help facilitate growth and reinvestment in these spaces specific to the district the river bend district is highly visible high traffic corridor with 37 it is an entryway a gateway into the community The district contains a mix of land uses and parcel types. There are some vacant or highly underutilized spaces. There are industrial properties or institutional properties such as Sacred Heart. There are industrial spaces that are remnants of industrial districts that no longer need to be along the river. These are all areas that are kind of designed to slow down growth or investment in that area. You see riverfront parcels with limited river access, urban design that reflects 70s and 80s use that are outdated, wasteful of land and discourage modern urban design. The conditions to address through the redevelopment district would be to Again, remove blighted properties, either helping the property owner to do that, to revitalize that space, or taking a direct role in that as we've done in other districts. Support or initiate redevelopment of these underutilized spaces. Poor pedestrian connectivity, that's something that's brought up in the TID district, TID 16 that's located in the series, actually looking to do that as well. Claremont provides a solid... divide between two spaces, between two areas or two regions. It is challenging to cross as a pedestrian or bicyclist. I've had some folks say it's frankly scary to cross as a pedestrian or bicyclist. So the RDA becomes another tool The city has in a redevelopment district comes another tool the city has to potentially look to address that. And again, it would be defined by more formalized plans once the district is established. And looking at non-conforming uses, identifying the comprehensive plan. Again, the comp plan shows a desire to shift some of these areas to different uses so the RDA can help facilitate that. So those are some of the broader... or activities or focuses the RDA would have. And once the district is set up, we can start doing very more formal processes to determine project space. We can start talking to property owners about what could happen or long-term visions for these spaces. But it starts with establishing the criteria that there is by state statute, state definition elements of blight in the space. And the RDA has an interest in helping overcome those barriers. Before I move forward, any questions on the Riverbend district?

Are there any questions from Council, Council Member Serrano?

Thank you, Council President, and thank you very much, Director White. This is probably applicable to both of the items here, but can you, because we haven't really done something like this in some time, can you educate all of us who is the RDA? I mean, I know we have a representative to the RDA from Council, but how many people are we talking about? What is the decision-making authority of the RDA?

That is a great question, and I forget that we have a lot of new members. So the RDA is one of the board's commissions and committees that are established by the city. It's a little different. The appointments to that committee are set by council. It follows the appointments process. There is a council representative on that site, and then the city manager or designee is also representative on that board as nine members. it's a little functioning a little differently when an rda district is is proposed by the board and then once it's approved by council they have independent autonomy and operations within that district they can purchase land and sell land or buy land or do demolish do projects under their board's authority as long as it's within the statutes that are defined on what they can do within that space RDA boards actually have bonding authority, which we've never done here, but it is something that can be done. They also have some levels of condemnation authority. Again, it's not been done yet, but it is something that is empowered through the state. So they're a little different in some ways. The most basic land transfers, they'll do that internally. Anytime something obligates the city beyond what the RDA has an authority to, then it still comes back to council for approval on anything like that. Projects that have had TIF assistance tied to them or some other specific request, we'll still see city involvement. But outside of that, the basic land transactions, acquisition and sales, the approval of a master redevelopment plan occurs within that board and is defined by that board.

Thank you very much.

Thank you. Any other questions about the River Bend, Joy? Council Member Orth.

Thank you, Council President. Director White, I have been wondering what a qualified census tract is.

Certainly. We have census tracts. The city is divided into census tracts. These are set by Housing and Urban Development, HUD, and they are built out based on population metrics. I'm not sure all the details of what they set those. HUD also determines qualified census tracts. So within a qualified census tract, The rate of poverty in that track is higher than the national average and higher than the community average. I don't know this, I'd have to look up the specific benchmarks, but those areas tend to be pockets of lower income and issues that go around with that. There are a lot more resources that can be tied into qualified census tracts. When we talk about low income housing, tax credit type housing, those go towards There are bonuses to operating in qualified census tracts. Our opportunity zones that were established in 2019 were based on the qualified census tracts at that time. The same tracts are also identified as hub zones, which have some benefits to businesses that invest in those areas or folks that invest in those areas. But it is an area that has a reflection of higher levels of poverty than the rest of the community versus benchmark averages.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Orth. I had just kind of a question about, like, who writes these plans? Is it city staff only? Or, like, how is the, how would, or, yeah, could you maybe describe the process for getting to this point of having, like, a written plan? plan?

No, absolutely. So staff has been working on this for over two years with the RDA board. We started looking at the need to potentially establish a new RDA district as the spaces available within the Cannery District have started to narrow down. There's only three left and we have two projects looking at two of the three. The Block 7, or excuse me, the North Barstow District. We saw the Block 7 fill. The Children's Museum was the location in there. So it was time to start looking at more project areas for the RDA, and also what else do they see would they like to get involved in? Their traditional projects that they looked at were always, again, commercial driven, acquire this site, we'll scrape it, we'll resell it, and develop something else commercial, but the With the desire and the need expressed by council and the city for more housing, particularly lower-priced housing, the RDA started taking up the conversation of how that can occur. How can we help facilitate these goals that are defined by our housing study, by our strategic goals, by the comprehensive plan? And working with feedback from the council, we've had a number of – these are all held in the RDA sessions, the RDA open meetings that occur the third Wednesday of every month. at 7 30 in these chambers this was years worth of pulling data presenting data and finally narrowing down the areas that they felt were appropriate where they would like to focus on At that point in time, then it's going back to, okay, how do you define the areas that we're looking at? Do they meet the criteria that are required to establish them as blight? I hate having to call it blight, but that is what it is by state definition. We narrowed down those spaces. We narrowed down boundaries that encompass what they're looking to do, that encompassed areas that have a reflection of the ability to redevelop those spaces. And then at this point, it's a broad policy. It's broad plans. There's not a lot specific. Here's how we're going to specifically do this A, B, and C on site A, B, and C. That level starts occurring when the district is established. And then we can start interacting with the property owners and the neighbors in the community and find out what's needed there or how we can best facilitate that. But yeah, this has been a long process and a lot of meetings related back to this.

Yeah, thank you, Director White. We have a question from Council Member Werthmann.

Thank you, Council President. Director White, is it possible in these RDA plans to, put forward stronger standards when we think about gaps in affordable housing that we have in our community. I know that the state does not allow communities to create percentage goals and things like that, but does RDA, do RDAs potentially have some of that leveraging power to encourage the kind of affordable housing that we lack?

It certainly can, and we'll talk a little bit more about that. That might be a good time to transition over to the core reinvestment district to talk a little bit about that. This, oh, there we go. This is a much broader district. This is a very large district, definitely the largest we've looked to do in the community here. This district was built on the idea of the RDA would like to be able to address housing. and help with the housing needs of the community. It's intended to be, on the housing side, to be more of a scalpel approach instead of the traditional, we're going to buy a big chunk of land, we're going to bulldoze it all and build up a nice big something. The intent of this district and the execution of this district is to be more selective, looking at vacant single house properties, one that's vacant or maybe one that has a raise order and is just awaiting to be tore down. Underlying Fundamental issues that the RDA can step in and potentially acquire that property and you know the one house in this neighborhood That is really bad be able to clear it out and then build back in something that is more affordable and the guide rails become more from what the comprehensive plan which will have a standalone chapter on housing and And what the comp plan specifies and the community specifies through that housing needs assessment that will be done as part of that process and the comp plan goals those are the fundamental Core values that that will the RDA will look to execute It'll track some with what we talked about in the work session that we talked about excess land be very similar to that there may be a site that is well, it's Because of the nature of the neighborhood, this one probably is suitable to go out as market rate and invite someone. We are looking to try and find more unique housing points from the RDA standpoint, but it might go market rate. There are others that it might be that, oh, this one is definitely what we want to see as very affordable. There's also opportunities to partner up with outside organizations. Again, part of the function of the RDA is to help bring together partnerships to do projects we could look to partner with an organization. Best example would be like Habitat for Humanity. Maybe the RDA can acquire property and then spend that off to an organization that does very specific functioning for affordable housing. And it may be that there's opportunities for renovations. There are other organizations that look at renovating existing property that are nonprofit in nature. So there are a lot of opportunities to bring together different partners under this and address some of the housing needs. Direct input from the council representative that's on the board can also help drive what council's policy of preference is. The other document that we reference is the 2022 housing study. that document did not deliver as much as what we hoped it would from the consultant but one thing they did specify in a very specific benchmark they specify in that report is that the community needs to be aware of housing that is suitable for folks who make 50 or less than the median county income it's challenging on a a ownership process or on ownership projects, but there may be an opportunity to acquire crime examples. You look at a neighborhood that's full of lots of nonconforming lots that are so small you just could not build the house back legally based on building codes. acquire two or three of those together because those would be scraped and maybe an affordable triplex can be built in that space or a duplex or something that has affordability metrics tied to it. Those are all options that could be looked at by the RDA. And those are the types of specific strategies we would present to the RDA. We would talk to the surrounding neighbors, get input from the community, and would then execute in that fashion.

All right. Thank you. Yeah, any other questions from the council or anything further on your presentation?

I'll go ahead and finish off on the core investment district. Again, this is item number 25. Again, we're looking at a district that contains a range of land uses and parcel conditions that support redevelopment activity. A number of scattered, obsolete, commercial and formal industrial properties. There are spaces. We've even been approached by some of these properties. Can the RDA have a role in this? Well, we can if there's a district created that encompasses it. These are some of these just remnants of past zoning that has kind of moved past. We have, and you'll see random in certain neighborhoods, you'll see like a random industrial space or random commercial space that's dropped in an ocean of residential single family homes. Those are the types of commercial industrial projects in this district that the RDA might look to alleviate. Known blighted condition projects that are, say, abandoned, effectively abandoned, could be a target for the RDA to look to remove the blight or redevelopment. Again, as we indicated, using some various metrics that are around the community, such as the Health Department's housing study, housing survey that they do, annually in a different quadrant each year. We could look in the areas that have higher than rates in the housing district that we defined is where a majority of the housing that's in rough condition based on the scoring metrics is located. So there's an opportunity to selectively go out and work with property owners to try and um rebuild properties uh redevelop properties or renovate properties to help the landlords move forward so a variety of conditions in there we have vacant and underutilized parcels across the area this area includes two of our three current census tracts are located in this district and about every other year we have a fourth qualified census track which is from banbury All the way out to Birch Street. That one dropped off the rolls in January of this year, but it does that about every other year. It has the eight years that I've been here. So this district will include from time to time will likely include a third census tract, qualified census tract as well. That includes a lot of the older neighborhoods that are looking to try and change their nature anyway. Historic Randall Park neighborhood. The Neighbor Association and the groups there are really looking to transition away from student housing back into family-owned, family housing, or more ownership opportunities in there. The RDA can provide an additional tool for that area to help facilitate some of these neighborhood plans. So these are the types of activities we can look at. Again, going back into some of the specific conditions to address, blind and vacant properties, including sites that may be recommended to be razed. We have sites we've identified that have been effectively abandoned by out-of-state owners who have left them abandoned. untouched and unused for years and are creating nuisances in neighborhoods legal non-conforming sites that are limited investment and allows how can we help bring the conditionals up or or help redevelop those spaces pockets of blighted former industrial commercial spaces that are located in residential areas public access to the riverfront again that's a primary goal has been a primary goal the city is better public access to the river frontages There are environmental concerns, topography, floodplain issues. The RDA can help plan for some of that and maybe help drive some projects forward that allows better public engagement of the river space and enjoyment of our river frontage that we have in the community. And so that would be it for my slides then. Again, happy to answer any additional questions specific to, say, the core district.

Okay, thank you. Council Member Serrano.

Thank you, Council President Gregert, and thank you again, Director White. I'm wondering if you had a chance to look at the letter that was submitted by the Jonah Affordable Housing Task Force to us and Council, and just for the public's benefit. I just want to say, first of all, I'm hearing you. kind of repeatedly talk about how these two pretty large RDA districts are going to just give us a lot of tools and give us a lot of possibilities and flexibility. It doesn't mean we're going to go tear everything down and rebuild something new. There's opportunity for rehabbing properties. There are lots of It just gives us a whole lot of flexibility and a whole lot of tools. So I really appreciate knowing that. And I've also heard a recurring theme that you're talking about affordability here and sort of lower CMI kinds of housing opportunities. This particular memo from the Jonah Affordable Housing Task Force really talks about, well, there's kind of a risk and a danger of gentrification that happens. Because as we know, any kind of new construction or redevelopment kind of by nature because of labor and materials costs going to raise prices. So new construction, I can see how somebody might raise a flag and go, whoa, whoa, this can really lead to gentrification and just overall further pressure, price pressure upward. So they're proposing, you know, a list of kind of guardrails, and they're specifically using the language of gentrification here. And I'm wondering what your thoughts, if you had a chance to look at that and what your response might be to a lot of those concerns and the thought about, like, specifically adding gentrification or anti-gentrification language into this plan as we start this process?

That's a great question. I did read through the memo, so I had an opportunity to review that. First, it's hard to define what the guardrails are because it's hard to define how private development occurs. In the River Bend District, it's not really necessarily a residential focus. It is a lot of commercial space, a lot of redevelopment, mixed-use type development. And some of these areas are defined by currently industrial and commercial use. So it's not really gentrification when it was never a different type of – it wasn't residential to begin with. we still look at what is appropriate for the community what the community needs and that is that drives some of our overall policies recommendations from the rda definitely has more opportunity in the core district when you talk about going in and finding isolated single-family homes or maybe even twin homes in certain areas that are just You see it all the time you see this regularly in neighborhoods and communities particularly larger metros are looking to Redevelop or kind of reinvigorate their personal neighborhoods particularly low-income areas One or two properties and if you do a tour through some of these areas you can drive through and see Randomly, there's a particular house from particular property that brings the rest of their neighbors down the condition the way it sets the way it is and it tends to influence how the rest of the neighborhood reacts in the property surrounding it. There are a number of programs and studies in a variety of communities that show that you go in and help the owner of that particular property bring that property back up and make improvements, make it more efficient, correct some of the structural deficiencies. Or in some cases, if it's a, again, we have a number of properties we've identified that are owned by, It's typical. It's grandkids that live out of state. Grandma passed away. They inherited the house. They've never set foot in it since they left Eau Claire and have no intention of setting foot in it again. They sit year after year empty and unutilized. Can we approach property owners through the RDA and say, hey, we'd like to acquire this property from you. We can make it a vital property in the community again. and focus on doing affordable infill type projects. That encourages the rest of the neighborhood to take, you'll see that, you know, that one bite of property removed will help encourage others to kind of invest in themselves. And this is where, again, reaching out to our various providers, whether it's Jonah, whether it's some of the organizations that work on housing issues as well, talking with them, talking with the neighborhoods, and getting input with them on how these projects might be executed. Again, we don't have a plan or a project in place right now, so it's hard to say this is what we need to do when we don't know specifically what we'll be doing yet but there's definitely a lot of opportunity for different stakeholders to help provide input and help provide some guidance and then the overall the overall guidance comes from council and from the comprehensive plan that is a documents approved on behalf of the city and has a housing specific section

Can I ask a follow-up question? Just kind of one more aspect of this particular concern from our Jonah partners here is the idea of preventing cultural displacement. I spent a lot of years in Austin, Texas. And East Austin was 100% blighted and also a cultural center for African-American and Latino communities. And wow, if you want to study on what gentrification can do to cultural displacement, go look at Austin, Texas. It's dramatic. It happened very quickly. And everybody was basically run out of the city. in terms of the cultural vibrancy that did exist there. So I just don't know if you have any kind of comments about that because, again, I understand what you're saying. Private ownership, but is there anything at a broader level that the city or the RDA now that it has? Maybe a little bit more of a vision can do in terms of really identifying these cultural the importance of cultural Senators micro centers even within our city. I

No, absolutely. It starts with having a broad area of focus and not looking to do clusters of projects and large amounts of demolition. We are looking to address issues across the area, across the identified district. that can help improve the neighborhoods. We're not looking to change things. The best thing the RDA could do would be to work with a property owner to help them find a tool or a route to stay in their space and improve that space and make it a better living condition for them. Everybody deserves good quality housing to live in. It may be that our approach is very hands off and there are resource partners or other organizations that delve deeply in housing that we can help direct them to spaces and help help work with them or partner with them to do what they do very well. And making sure that we are looking through a lens of not trying to drive any particular person or group or neighborhood to change the character of it, just to help improve some of the quality of that area so the folks that are there can feel a little more pride in the neighborhood they live in and it helps encourage additional folks who are in that neighborhood, maybe invest a little more in their neighborhood. and kind of raises everybody's properties and raises all boats at the same time. That selective scalpel approach is probably the bigger key on that. It's not, we're going to acquire this entire neighborhood, which would be a reflection of what some of the older RDA districts were. We're going to acquire every space within this district, we're going to make them all go away, and then we're going to build back something that the development world wants to do. This is going to be more driven by the neighborhoods and feedback from those areas and more reflective of what's already in those neighborhoods.

Thank you very much.

Thank you. We have Council Member Werthmann next. Thank you, Council President.

Mr. White, if we wanted to take a little more time to have the public, maybe interested parties, sustainability, or sorry, our Housing Opportunities Commission. Who else? Some other interested maybe groups weigh in on something like this. Do we have the time to do this next month or to give it a little bit more, to put on pause? What would you say about timeline here?

Certainly, this is not a time-sensitive project. These districts will be years in their process of developing and identifying and moving projects forward. So there's no time constraints. It doesn't stop any type of developments. The RDA just can't move forward anymore in any of these areas until the districts are established. But yeah, there's no time concerns on that.

Thank you. I guess I had a question about know particularly the uh river bend uh district plan and like obviously the rda you know also works um with tax incremental districts as well like what do you foresee or what does this help um queue up in terms of like the possibility of of tax incremental districts for this area and my understanding there there is one already in that area. Could you maybe describe what exists now and what this kind of makes possible from that perspective?

Absolutely. TID 16 is in this district. It is very loosely, it is the area in and around Shopko from Stein moving west. It does jump 37 and captures like the old Artisan Forge Studio area. It's not a huge district, but it is in existence, has been in existence for a couple of years. There are no specific projects Development projects identified within this district. It has a number of infrastructure Upgrades and improvements includes a an underpass of North Claremont at the Stein Intersection to go under Claremont Street as an underpass for pedestrians it included a couple of roundabout spaces and identified some potential for some additional infrastructure changes, but it has the the biggest project right now is station 955 they they built they did not um meet the qualifications to ask for tiff assistance and then they came forward so it is a district that is producing increment thank you um And I'd probably add that the half mile boundary covers for infrastructure improvements outside of the formal district does capture a number of areas that can provide some additional assistance in terms of public infrastructure improvements that might be identified in the area.

Okay. I had a question about just the community input since we did receive that letter, but we did not have a public hearing officially. We had our public comment period that was utilized, but... Like, just what has the Redevelopment Authority done in terms of, like, over the years, I guess, of exploring this? I mean, obviously, they've had public meetings. They've had, you know, presumably public comment opportunities, but could you maybe describe, like, the engagement and the outreach side of things that have been done to queue these plans up?

Certainly. The Standard District, we've been approached by some of the property owners and some of the developers and owners in there about... I don't see my business staying as it is and what else can occur in these spaces. So we've had some conversations with individual property owners, specifically in the residential district. A lot of the work that's going right now in this phase is still broad in nature because we don't have any specific identified projects. It is mostly, again, identifying the blight conditions and a broader plan on how to address those. Every RDA meeting is public noticed, and so there's opportunity for public commentary and discussion on those pieces. We've talked to a number on the core district. We've talked to a number of other folks involved in housing. We've talked to folks in the Housing Authority and different organizations that work in housing and talked about some of the comments or some of the concepts that we have loosely described in the core district and got input from them on how they can come into play, what they could do to help. We've talked to some of the outside organizations that work in housing and have gotten input from them that help. help define the broader concept of how the core reinvestment district might operate and facilitate very selective housing improvements. So that's been, again, an ongoing process over the last couple of years. We haven't done any like formal open house sessions. Again, it's something of this nature. It's challenging to do because at this point, all we really have is a plan that's saying here are the statutory requirements to meet the state for blight. Here is where those conditions are met in these districts. And here are the broader, you know, folks want to know what's the specific project you're going to happen here. Well, we don't have that. We haven't even talked about that because we don't have a district that we can start planning for. So we don't have a lot to show. in these broader open sessions outside of just defining that these are areas that could use some attention and would be eligible for the RDA to create a district in. We could certainly look at some type of outreach. We'd definitely welcome suggestions from the council on how to maybe do some of this outreach. But it's high level enough and it's broad enough that it's hard to get in the specifics that people want to hear about. That's probably the biggest challenge at this stage.

City Attorney Nick? Certainly, and I don't want to, you know, overly uh... sort of interject myself it's a legislative matter you can choose certainly correctly in front of you and the proper notice and hearings have been held but we spent almost an hour on what is a complicated matter uh... briefly summary summarize re-evaluate districts have been hugely successful in the city of eau claire over the last twenty thirty years uh... the north barstow district is one The Cannery District is the other major one. As Council President Greger indicated, they work hand in glove with the city of Eau Claire, with the same sort of staff, and often very closely with the use of tax increment financing, and they can take many forms. So in some cases, they have included full clearance and redevelopment because that's what the land indicated, that it was, that blighted and we see, you know, complete redevelopment of things like, you know, we have some XL representatives in the audience, you know, with us today. And so you, even though recent, but, you know, you had abandoned contaminated land that now is Phoenix Park. But again, in 2000 was fenced off, unutilized space. But in other areas, properties have been reused and redeveloped to new purpose. It is an additional tool, just like tax increment financing, to work with our owners and business properties to make neighborhoods and the community better. At no point on any of those projects has land been taken without a voluntary sale. It is an available authority, but it's never been one that we've utilized over the last 25 years. So there's a lot out there, but again, we've used them with great success, but I think just frankly based on the length of the discussion and perhaps some of the newness of those tools to many of you, you may want to consider, as I think Council Member Werthmann referenced, perhaps a postponement of 30 days to your second meeting in July. We can get more of that information out to you of what redevelopment, what the redevelopment authority is, introduce you to its members, although one of them, two of them are right here, and Council Member Brewster and City Manager Solberg, but to the rest of the members and how they're utilized, and as you say, have a public discussion on answering any questions there might be from the public.

Thank you, City Attorney Nick, and thank you, Director White. Any other questions before we move this item? OK. Thank you. Thank you so much. So on a motion by Council Member Werthmann and seconded by Council Member Orth, this item is moved. Is there any discussion? We have Council Member Otto.

Thank you, Council President. I move that we postpone this to the second meeting of July, that we postpone item number 24 to the second meeting of July. I'll second it.

Okay, so we have a motion by Council Member Otto and seconded by Council Member Amboga to postpone to our second meeting in July, and that would be July 21st, and then we would have, would you like to have a public hearing the night before on the 20th, Monday the 20th? Okay. Any discussion on that motion to postpone? Councilman? Let's see. Council Member Otto, maybe you want to speak to that motion?

Yeah, I'll speak to my motion. I really appreciate the innovation and flexibility we've seen coming from city staff. And a lot of what we're doing, a lot of what staff are bringing forward to us are tools for flexibility. So whatever is decided with item number 24 and 25, it's not saying something we necessarily must do, but it's another opportunity to explore and innovate. And it's great seeing seeing that trend i do think these items are a challenge to communicate with constituents and we want to be transparent and we want to have the opportunity for dialogue and to iron out some of the nuance with them so that is the motive behind my amendment okay thank you and just to clarify for everybody too we're just on item number 24 so post postponing the river bend redevelopment district

But we'll cover item 25 next. Vice President Schoen.

Thank you, Council President Greger. I have a question for perhaps city staff about process. I'm wondering, based on feedback that I've heard from people, if the public hearing for this item that's been included in this amendment has to occur the night before council would pick this item up legislatively. I know that sometimes the community members feel that giving us their input less than 24 hours before you know maybe often they have questions for us and having to have those two things compressed so close together feels like a lot so I'm just wondering if it would be possible to have the public hearing occur on Monday July 13th and Oh, well, or two public hearings on Monday, July 13th, and maybe we've got the dates mixed up here.

Oh, the 9th, you mean?

Well.

Or sorry, the 6th.

The 6th? Well, that would not be the. Anyways, I think hopefully my question is understood. If we could have the public hearing occur two weeks ahead of the vote and or have two public hearings for the item.

So Monday, July 6 would be, I see we have. Thank you. Yeah, maybe from our city clerk.

Do you have something you want to? Second Tuesdays. So it's 13th and 14th, 27th and 28th.

Oh, sorry. Yeah. OK. So the date that we meant to indicate I believe, is July 28th for the Tuesday to postpone. And then the idea of having a public hearing two weeks before that presented by Vice President Schoen to be on the 13th. Is that understood and agreeable by the mover? OK. Thank you. So that'll give a bit of time for any public input to be considered more thoroughly. Council Member Brewster.

Yeah, thank you, Council President. I was just wondering if it's necessary to have a special one because if it's not on the agenda, then it's eligible for the period of time at the end of the open forum that is for anything that's not on the agenda. So basically any meeting between now and then would be eligible for people to come and talk about it.

Yeah, I see the difference being that there could be more questions in interaction with the speakers providing input because we can't really have much of a we can't react, I guess, during the public comment period as opposed to if we have like a public discussion. And then also it allows an opportunity for staff to present on the item and for us to continue the conversation ourselves, if that sounds good. Does that make sense to folks? But then we would presumably also have a public hearing on the 27th, the night before. Or would we just stick with the 13th? Is that? Yeah, Council Member Amboga.

Thank you, Council. But I believe this is a major, major development. I think having two public comment or public speaking, I think it might be better. Okay. It's a huge development.

Yeah, I think that is fine. So the motion that's on the table for discussion is postponing action on item number 24 until the 28th of July, but having a public hearing on the 13th and the 27th. Any discussion on that motion? Seeing none, city clerk, please call the roll.

Council Member Werthmann.

Aye. Brewster. No. Greger.

Aye.

Mboga.

Aye. Orth.

Aye.

Otto. Aye. Reid. Aye. Schoen.

Aye.

Serrano.

Aye.

All right, that passes 9-0. Actually, not 9 to 1. Let's see. 8 to 1. So that passes 8 to 1. So that completes that item. And we can go on to number 25 because we just postponed the item. So I'll just read. Resolution to approve the redevelopment district identified as the core reinvestment redevelopment district proposed by the Eau Claire Redevelopment Authority. A two-thirds vote of the elected members or eight affirmative votes is required for adoption. And we already had our presentation from director white. So this is specifically on the core investment, uh, which has a lot of the same, some of the same language, but not exactly the same. Um, does it, is there, um, any, are there any questions about this one specifically that we haven't covered already? Right. So, um, so on a motion, uh, by Councilmember, or Vice President Schoen and seconded by Councilmember Amboga. This item is moved. Is there any discussion or proposed anything related to this? Okay, we have Council Member Otto.

Thank you, Council President. I would like to move that we postpone this item for the second meeting of July with the public hearing on the first meeting of July.

Okay. Thank you, Council Member Otto. Is there a... Is there a second to that motion? Second. OK. So on a motion by Councilmember Otto and seconded by Councilmember Reed, there's a motion to postpone until July 28 and then have the public hearing two weeks before that on the Monday. Is there any discussion on that motion? Okay. City Clerk, please call the roll.

That's Member Brewster.

No.

Rager.

Aye.

Invoga. Aye. Forth.

Aye.

Otto. Aye. Reed. Aye. Schoen.

Aye.

Serrano.

Aye.

Werthmann. Aye.

That passes 8-1. So we are on to, so that will, and that did not pass. It got postponed. But that motion passed. So the next item on the agenda is item number 26, resolution establishing absentee voting locations for the 2026-27 elections. And this will be presented by the movers of this. or of this item. So that would be Council Members Serrano and Werthmann.

Thank you, Council President. Yeah, this particular item, we had some discussion on it last night, really. Again, I was thinking about it in our previous discussion of these RDAs. I think of this as giving us maximum flexibility regarding our voting, our in-person absentee voting. ipav ipad site designations so we do have a deadline where we need to submit to the state the all the potential places where we might have in-person absentee voting for the next i guess it's through 2027 and so we have an opportunity it doesn't just gives us the flexibility it does not in any way dictate that we would use any of these alternate locations as additional in-person absentee voting sites but my view on it the reason i i feel we should do this is um to really set us up for the you know the growth of our city um we we there are many logistics to figure out in terms of which sites and how we would do it but this gives us time to figure that out and and makes it so that we can really have a more robust conversation about how we want to how we envision voting in the city of eau claire in the future within what our state statutes allow us to do. Our city's growing. I said these comments last night. We have a lot of new people moving into Eau Claire, and for the benefit of our community in the future, it's really important that especially new residents have a strong sense of civic engagement and be involved in Our city whether it be our very local elections or state elect our regional elections our state elections very very important that that we continued everyone continues to Exercise their voice and that we are encouraging people to exercise their voice. So this is my reason for this and And also, I think we're listing, this particular resolution lists all of our current election day sites as potential in-person absentee voting sites, including our current elections office, which just to make that absolutely clear that the election office that we have at City Hall is considered a legitimate alternative in-person absentee voting site. and doesn't get confused with that being a site that happens at the city clerk's office. So I think it's important for all of those reasons that we authorize our city clerk to submit this list of 20 locations as potential voting locations.

Thank you, Council Member Serrano. Council Member Orthman, do you want to add to that?

Sure. Thank you, Council President. I think what gives me hope, and I shared this a little bit last night, is that We are not plowing new ground by looking at this. There is a lot of case law. There are a lot of communities that have already done this and figured out a way to do this. We heard some of those examples last night from the speakers. And so While there are obstacles, I think it's fine to acknowledge capacity and budget and things like that. I think it's important for us to say this is doable in our community. And this resolution tonight keeps the door open for continued conversation on whether we want to do one or more additional IPAV sites. But if we vote no, then we essentially close that door on future conversation and on giving the clerk more options, not less. And so that's kind of how I think of what this resolution is about tonight.

All right, thank you. So Vice President Schoen.

Thank you, Council President. I have a process question. I always feel like I have process questions. It's just I constantly am thinking about what would the next step look like. So I'm curious to know, I don't know if this is a question for the movers or if it's a question for staff, If council supports this tonight and that conversation does continue, what does that look like? I mean, would council have a work session around this issue to consider input from staff and make decisions or give direction? Is that something the clerk makes, you know, we give this option and the clerk makes decisions independently, it does not come back to council. I'm just curious for my own benefit to understand what that next step would look like.

Yeah, thank you for the question. Vice President shown Councilmember Serrano.

Well, I have an opinion about it, but I certainly welcome our city clerk to remark on this as well. But I believe the way the resolution is written, if we pass this, it gives the city clerk the authority to make the call and make those decisions. And I guess because it is kind of a bigger decision, I would like to propose a work session on this topic so that we can all kind of talk about all the pros and cons because it has budget implications and all of that. I would think we would want the council to be in support of it. But the way the resolution is written, it gives the city clerk the authority to make that call. But I welcome the city clerk's remarks on what you would see as the next steps if we pass this.

City Clerk Kerner.

So statutorily, I already have all that power to do it the way that I see fit based on what we can do.

So the process, we have a work session.

But the actual decision would be made based on what I think we can actually do.

Thank you. Thank you. And thank you, city clerk, for your presentation last night. And of course, to the members of the public you know, provided input as well to help us through this. Council Member Mboga, do you have a question?

Yeah, thank you, Council President. I'm still struggling. Yesterday we had a presentation from both the movers and the city clerk. So my first question I would ask our city attorney to please can you define how divine for me or for everybody listening about this statue. Is that 266 something? Is that right? Section, is that? Section 6.855. Can you please, can you dissect it for us or can you break it down for us so that we can understand? I feel like there was conflicting from movers and the city clerk. The city clerk was saying something and the mover was saying something.

Yeah, City Attorney Nick, would you like to dive into that?

I certainly could try to help you more. I think the information was presented last evening, but you have a state statute that allows the designation of alternate sites, or in sub one it says an alternate site, but then you get down to sub five, and it does allow multiple alternate sites, but only on certain conditions, and those you know conditions I guess are really based on a finding you're you're making by this action that you think these alternate polling places are as close as practicable to the city and the City Hall the city clerk's office and won't are accessible to the and won't give partisan advantage. And those are the key standards. And most definitely, if alternate sites are being used, the clerk's office, the downtown site cannot be used. There is no doubt about that. So that... it's an alternative. And again, under sub five, it can be multiple alternatives, but it means that the current site would not be open, at least when those others are open. So you are designating that, meaning you're making all those findings now. This is, I think, more than just an option. I mean, it does meet the statutory deadline, It's timely today, but you do need to know that by action today, you are making those findings. You are making those designations that these sites that you are listing meet the statutory standard. So that is ultimately your call, but the standards are as close as practicable to City Hall. uh are fully accessible to all the voters or you know ada accessible and as accessible by your finding as what you have now and that they don't provide partisan partisan advantage can i ask you another question oh sure yeah sita tony do you know about this wisconsin commissioner there was a case of brown forces

WEC amended decision and order on January 10th, 2024.

City Attorney Nick, I guess.

Can you repeat that? What you're asking me exactly, but I don't.

It says here Brown versus, I don't know, WEC amended decision and order on January 10th. According to this code, it rejects that the election statute and the election statutory scheme in Wisconsin require that alternative absentee pilot sites be as physically near to the city clerk as possible.

Well, again, that's what the state law says, right, what I just referenced. It's a black and white statute on that point. So right, that is one of the requirements of the statute.

Thank you. So yeah, we're still kind of focused on the questions piece of this. Are there any further questions from council before we move the item? OK, so let's see. So on a motion by Council Member or Vice President Schoen and seconded. Oh, sorry, we already have the motion, sorry. So yeah, so this would be, yeah, so So you want to move it? So a motion by Councilmember Werthmann and seconded by Councilmember Serrano, is that? This item is moved. Is there any discussion? So that would be Councilmember Otto first.

Thank you, Council President. I'll be voting in favor of this. Facilitating public voting is a core duty of local government, and I very much appreciate the hard work and the analysis of our city staff on this matter. I would vote no if this was a mandate to establish new voting locations without also providing the resources. But this resolution mandates nothing specifically, and it's committing no funds at the moment. It's really giving the city freedom to innovate. And finally, a thought to address the concern about partisan advantage. It sounds like anywhere a voting location is established within Eau Claire, it's a partisan advantage. One party dominates the city. Likewise, any voting location in the surrounding county is also a partisan advantage. So it's hard to... wrap that around my head as to what it means to have a location at a partisan advantage but this really is about giving the city additional tools to service the public and for that reason i'm in favor of this thank you uh council member otto council member mboga thank you how before they know based on what our city clerk said yesterday he said

One, the city staff, they are not enough to do this job. Two, they are not accessible in other places. Three, that they will not be using the city hall. So for me, yes, it's good to have opportunities to allow people to vote. As a minority person, I like this one. But from legal point of view and what the city staff said, so I will go with them. So I'll go for it.

Thank you, Council Member Amboga. Council Member Serrano.

Thank you. I just want to restate again that the first location on the list of 20 includes the election office at our address here on Farwell Street. So it most definitely does, this resolution does allow for voting to happen here at our election office.

Thank you, Council Member Serrano. Vice President Schoen.

Thank you, Council President Greger. I've been thinking about this all day long, honestly. And I have to say, I'm leaning towards supporting. But there's a few reasons that give me pause and really I've been wrestling with all day. And probably first and foremost is just I really hesitate to support anything that would cause any sort of basis for challenges or lawsuits around elections, like election integrity is really incredibly important and I do not want the community or any groups in particular to have cause to challenge that or have doubts about election integrity in the city of Eau Claire. And hearing from staff and other community members, I think there might be some concerns with some of the locations on the list potentially and I'll admittedly I don't think that I fully understand at this point in time the validity of those concerns one way or another but I do think I have comfort and the reason I'm leaning towards supporting is as other speakers have mentioned this does not mandate anything but just wanted to have full transparency that I do have some concerns and it's not that I disagree with this I think increasing accessibility for voters to vote in all elections is a fantastic thing and I want to see that occurring more but just overall the bigger picture that's why I was asking questions about process and next steps really just have some important questions I think we need answered before moving forward with actually establishing IPAB sites elsewhere in the community. But leaning towards supporting it, but just wanted to vocalize the different concerns and things I've been wrestling with.

Thank you, Vice President Schoen. Council Member Reed.

Thank you, Council President Greger. Yeah, I guess I'm just trying to understand in the movers' time with this, you know, you mentioned that Green Bay does this and Madison does this, and I'm still trying to understand So you can have multiple alternative sites, but you can't have the clerk office, like the main city hall. So is there not early in-person voting at the city hall in Green Bay or Madison? That's, I guess, I'm just kind of curious what that looks like. Yeah. And then my other question, I mean, I have, yeah, I have more questions, but I'll start with that one.

Thank you, Council Member Reed. So our city clerk or anyone have an answer to that question? Thank you, City Clerk Kerner.

What happens in Green Bay is they have different times at different places. So that's one way of being able to do it at City Hall. In alternate sites, you would just switch off the times and days that they're open. Madison doesn't have it at City Hall. They moved it to a different location across the street from City Hall.

Gotcha. Thank you. And City Attorney Nick. Correct.

they've moved it across the street recognizing that they can't hold it at City Hall. So it is an alternative. So it either has to be, there has to be different times And so current city hall, you know, clerk's office is not operative at that time and date. And so there's an alternate that's effective or it simply isn't used. So recognize that it's added on this list. Statutorily, it cannot be in operation at the same time. that's not what alternative means so it's not what past decisions have meant and what Madison recognizes and I think Green Bay recognizes too although I didn't have a chance to talk to Green Bay myself but I talked to Madison so it doesn't mean if this goes forward that the City Hall location can't ever be used but it cannot be used when any other alternative identified site is being used Maybe that's advantageous as you elect to decide. Maybe not, but that is most definitely a restriction in the law.

Thank you, City Attorney Nick. Council Member Werthmann.

Thank you, Council President. Just so I'm clear is, and I think I know the answer to this, but where IPAV happens now in the fire station is the same place as your daily office? That's how I'm understanding what this concern is.

We've used the city hall campus as the location.

Oh, the reading of it is that because your office is at city hall, it includes the fire station. But, okay.

Exactly, so the... The IPAV location is the city hall campus location. We are not using an alternate location that is our home location. And again, you can identify more. They just need to be as close as practical, not provide advantage to either party. What does advantage mean? It doesn't mean that it just... you know, there's historic trends of voting Republican or Democrat, it means that those trends are significantly altered, that you're identifying a location for partisan reasons, not for access reasons. And we don't really have a lot of case law on exactly what that means, but, you know, city clerk was trying to provide some information on what that means, you know, if there's a site that is heavily skewed towards one party, that... may cause problems. In talking with colleagues around the state, it's viewed that that may create problems, which is why a singular site that skews heavily in one direction or another would not be advisable. But we don't know that for sure. We just have the language in the statute that says you're not allowed to create alternate voting locations for partisan advantage. It's because there's other reasons why you might need an alternative site. As long as those are still broadly accessible and close as practicable, you can do it. But then it's an alternative to your main city hall location.

Thank you, City Attorney Nick. Council Member Werthmann, do you have a follow-up to that?

If I could follow up, I'm trying to square this with the Racine. This memo mentions Racine and the fact that Racine uses an alternate site in the city hall itself, and the election commission found this to be permissible. I don't know if, do you have, does the clerk have any thoughts on that, the fact that Racine has kind of already jumped this hurdle and figured out that having it at a different place within the campus is allowable?

I think, looking at how it's established right now, I wouldn't necessarily, I wouldn't think of where we currently have it as a separate location. I'm over there all the time. That's where my deputy is. It's a consistent place where I'm at both locations. You can find me at my desk. You can also find me over there. And all of the staff that are designated to do, that I've given parts of the court powers to, are all over there as well.

Thank you. Council Member Orth.

My intention was to support this resolution to give the clerk flexibility going forward, but I have to say that as we continue this discussion, I keep getting more and more confused about the whole scenario. So, Am I understanding that we can only have one IPAV site open at a time or day?

So if we had alternate sites, we could have both alternate sites operating at the same time. But then we wouldn't be able to have the city hall site open during those times. So if we had just one alternate site, everyone would have to vote there. And then we wouldn't be able to vote here during those times.

I am concerned about causing confusion within the community. with having multiple sites or sites that operate on different days, different hours. But thank you for that clarification. That helps me.

Thank you so much. Council Member Reid.

Thanks, Ian. Yeah, I'm just a little hesitant. I'm wondering why 2026 for such a huge, at least what I'm perceiving as a huge change, I would feel like, you know, giving it a little more time would make sense. That being said, I love this idea. I think we should move forward with it, do the work sessions, keep going. I'm just not sold on, you know, exactly what we're looking at now just in terms, you know, because we wouldn't have to tell the state that all of these were legally alternative sites if we weren't, like, not rushing, but you know, if it wasn't a time related matter. So that's where I'm at right now.

Thank you. Council member Reed. All right. Any other discussion on this item? Yeah, for me, I mean, this has been a process trying to understand over the last, like, I think it's been like almost, it's been over a month since we, you know, have started talking about this and where we've had public comment and with interest in this. I mean, from my perspective, our city clerk and our city do a great job with elections right now and running this in-person absentee voting site at the city hall campus. has worked very well. Obviously there's been some changes, you know, because of the pandemic and then we've had to adjust and we've done that very appropriately. I think, um, the, um, but I think, you know, we, even just yesterday we were talking about in our capital improvement plan about, you know, the, literally the place that we are doing our, doing that early voting option is that building to potentially be removed within five or 10 years. So, so we need, I think we need to keep our options open in terms of this conversation and, and making sure that our city can be responsive to the needs of our community. So I think this is a way of doing that and keeping that conversation going and buying, buying ourselves some time to maybe even be able to take action or any, make any changes that we may want to make in time for, elections even this year. So, so I plan to support it personally from that perspective. And just knowing we have, you know, we have people that are in interest in this, but we also have a very professional approach, you know, from our staff to be able to figure this out with us. Is there any other questions? discussion from council before we move to a vote. And this is just a vote on the resolution creating resolution establishing absentee voting locations for the 2026-2027 elections. City Clerk, please call the roll.

Council Member Brewster. Aye. Rager.

Aye.

Iboga. No. Orth.

No.

Otto. Aye. Reed. No. Schoen.

Aye.

Serrano.

Aye.

Werthmann. Aye.

All right, and that passes six to three. And Council Member Serrano, did you have something? No.

OK.

So that passes six to three. Thank you. And we'll move on to our ordinances for action. Agenda item number 27. an ordinance amending chapter 17.03 entitled use standards of the code of ordinances of the city of eau claire to permit heavy vehicle parking and conditional uses in residential zones and this is item placed on our agenda originally by council members shown in miller although miller is is absent today. But this still is allowable on our agenda. But we will take a presentation from Councilmember or Vice President Schoen as one of the introducers of this.

Thank you, Council President. I don't have any additional presentation or information to share other than what I had presented yesterday on this item. I am happy to take questions and I will note or call attention to the fact that I think if Council's desire is to incorporate that recommendation that was generated in plan commission to add a condition that at least 75% of the adjacent property owners must agree with the applicant's interest in pursuing a conditional use permit for this purpose. I think we need to have an amendment, which I'm open to, but I don't think that's included in the resolution as written. So I think that's all and I'll take any questions.

Thank you, Vice President Schoen. Council Member Werthmann?

Yeah, I have two questions for Council Vice President. The first is, in terms of the neighbor sign-off, would that be essentially someone goes around and collects signatures of their neighbors? And my second question was regarding the comment we heard last night about the cab of a tractor trailer versus the trailer itself. And I'm a little bit confused. Why is the ordinance the way it is versus what it could be, which is that it includes a cab and a trailer? Or how should I think about the comment we received last night?

Vice President Schell?

Thank you. So your first question about signature collection, I know that when this was discussed at plan commission, and maybe staff have input on this it looks like, but it would be enacted in a similar way to the poultry keeping ordinance.

I guess admittedly I don't know exactly what that looks like if that falls on like the workload falls on the applicant or if staff Assists with that, but maybe director white can help answer that great We would anticipate the applicant to collect petition signatures to confirm the support by the neighbors and there is a question on adjacency They're talking about touching properties or like a property across the street that be considered the directly adjacent properties But we yeah, we anticipate that have to be submitted as part of the application.

I

Yeah, this is maybe actually also a question for staff because I'll share my response just real briefly on that. The member of the public that spoke on this I think had concerns actually with the rule on the book right now. As it's written, a cab itself isn't defined as a commercial vehicle. It only is defined as a commercial vehicle if we allow the cab and trailer. That was my understanding of what they were sharing, but staff can elaborate.

I would say that that is not a correct characterization. I used to broker truck freight for Cargill, so I'm very familiar with semi-tractor trailer operations. The tractor itself is what is licensed as a commercial vehicle given commercial vehicle weight requirements and capacities. A trailer is simply tagged as a trailer. So the cab itself is what the commercial registration is tied to. The same with a straight truck, a box truck, any type of heavy commercial vehicle. And those are defined by weight class. I'd also specify the original reason for being concerned about trailers parking is you can see a tractor trailer with a 53-foot box connected to it. So you're talking about overall lengths can push 80 feet. From end to end, based on the trailer type, if it's a split axle or spread axle, this is a very long vehicle in a residential neighborhood, which is why trailers were excluded under the original ordinance as presented.

Thank you, Director White. Any other questions? Council Member Reed. Hi, thank you. Yeah, so I have a question.

Just want to make sure I get it right. So the city council approved the original whole thing. So we obviously support the equity behind this and the changes that you're bringing forward are simply to make that more effective, right? So can you tell me how many households in the city were eligible for this with what we have approved so far and who would be eligible with the changes?

Yeah, our vice president, Sean.

Thank you for recognizing me, council president. As I understood, When we initially approved this, I had the understanding that applicants may not meet all conditions and could apply for the conditional use permit and seek a variance. I learned that is not the case. And so it was necessary to bring forth changes so that, as you mentioned, Council Member Reed, this would be effective and would meet the original intent of the policy direction Council offered. I will say my anecdotal understanding based on conversations with staff and with community members is that the original policy that council approved applied to no properties because of the narrow geographic focus of where this applies and the lot size requirements that there weren't any properties that this would apply to. So these changes Ensure that the the properties that fall within these narrow geographic areas that are directly adjacent to commercial corridors and industrial districts that there are applicants that would fall into the eligibility category that we I believe that council initially intended to support Thank You vice president any other questions

So maybe I'll ask for a mover and a seconder so we can.

I'll motion.

So we have a motion from Councilmember Schoen.

I'll be happy to.

Second by Councilmember Amboga. This item is moved. So on a motion by Councilmember Schoen and seconded by Councilmember Amboga, we're ready for discussion. Councilmember Werthmann.

Thank you, Council President. I'm still so confused by this ordinance. First of all, it like generally you don't want to create an ordinance that is kind of geared toward one case example. It's kind of one of those things where it's better if it applies generally and impacts a lot of folks or doesn't at all. It seems like we passed an original version of this that didn't apply to anyone. So that's just confusing to me in the first place. But now we're trying to fit potentially one user into a very narrow ordinance which just gives me pause but then secondly was what i heard last night where the person said it would actually be more helpful if i could include my trail i think i heard including the trailer as a part of this would be helpful so i'm inclined to include trailer if we're going to basically have an ordinance that's helpful to one tractor trailer owner but maybe i'm just confused by this but that's I'm just, this is a weird thing. I think if we want to have some examples of people being able to keep tractor trailers, let's make an ordinance that at least allows a half dozen or a dozen people to be able to keep them in a way that doesn't unduly impact our community and our neighborhoods, or just don't. I don't know.

Sorry. Council Member Werthmann, thank you. Vice President Schell?

Thank you, Council President. Just for clarity, this does allow trailers, the changes that are being brought forth for council's consideration today. The changes that are being brought forth include changes to lot size, setbacks, and then the trailer requirements. Previously, what was included was cab only, and that's been struck from the proposed change or from the proposed ordinance. I guess I would entertain, and I don't know, this might be a question I have for our city attorney. I would like to include the recommendation that Plan Commission suggested about including the provision that 75%, at least 75% of adjacent property owners must support the application. I attended Plan Commission, and my understanding is staff didn't need specific language for that, and they would include that. So I'm wondering if that's, can we give general direction on that piece as an amendment to this resolution and staff can incorporate that at a later date or have staff provided that internally so that council can include that tonight?

Yeah, if that was added as like a friendly addition, like would that be permissible, City Attorney Nick? Would that be something that staff could do?

Yeah, I think the friendly amendment concept certainly applies. And I think we can work with it. It's not usually, you know, my preference. So hopefully a planned commission provided sufficient detail. Otherwise, you know, we'll figure it out. But apologies for not... you know, understanding that and putting something together in advance. But as mover, um, if you'd like to make that part of a friendly to include the plan commission recommendation, you can do so. So long as you're second, uh, the honorable council member is on board.

Yes. I'm comfortable with that. Okay. So that is friendly amendment. It's included, um, in what's in front of us.

So that would be, you know, that 75% of adjacent property owners must agree in writing on, provided form and we've done this with the beekeeping ordinance before i did have a question or just i don't know a clarification maybe about you know there's so many elements of this obviously and one of them that was that was recommended by staff was related to vehicle weight and I'm moving that up to 10,000 pounds as opposed to 6,000 pounds. Could you maybe describe the rationale behind all of that? And then I'm assuming it's all just one vote to make that change as well. So yeah, come place president shown.

So I believe that the staff report that was included in our agenda packet is the one that had been provided previously. My understanding is council already took action to make that specific change. That is not part of the changes that I presented and the rationale. My understanding is that's consistent with the current state definitions of commercial vehicles and what we had included in our code previously was outdated and incorrect. So I believe that change already occurred, but staff can correct me if I see head nods.

Okay, yeah, that was slightly before my time on council, so I wasn't sure that that had passed already. So thank you for that. Yeah, any other comments, discussion from council before we move to a vote? My comment, I guess, would be just that I appreciate the attention of my fellow council members to try to address concerns of constituents, but also just neighborhood safety concerns, our overall aesthetic that we're trying to maintain in our residential areas. I personally am pretty hesitant about supporting something that would impact residential neighborhoods too much in terms of what their focus is. But I do think there's an interesting balance, not only in the sense that it is a conditional use that has to be approved, where we actually get to analyze and also have that 75% approval from neighbors that allows that conversation and that looking at specific instances. It also has that proximity to existing commercial or industrial zone properties where it maybe doesn't spread the, doesn't create that big of a change necessarily. So I think I'll be supporting it unless there's some pretty serious conversation ahead, but it sounds like we're ready to vote. So city clerk, please call the roll.

Council Member Grigger.

Aye.

Mboga.

Aye. Warren.

Aye.

Otto. Aye. Reed. Aye. Schoen.

Aye.

Serrano.

Aye.

Werthmann. Aye. Brewster.

Aye. All right, and that passes unanimously. So we have one more. Item on the agenda, and that is ordinances for introduction. And I will just read this item, because it's just a first reading. It'll be on our agenda a couple weeks for action, unless there's a motion to suspend the rules. So this is agenda item number 28, ordinance amending table 8, entitled parking prohibited of the code of ordinances of the city of Eau Claire. add parking restrictions on north star drive and bobby street for increased traffic safety so this item will be presented at our next meeting unless anyone decides differently so and now we can move into announcements and updates from the city manager or from council members and we have our interim city manager Solberg. Do you want to present first and then we'll go to council members?

Sure. I just have a few upcoming events that will be happening. First, that I'd like to make the city council aware of, if you're interested in signing up, let me know and I can get you signed up. It's this Thursday, June 11th. the local government institute of wisconsin which brings together the county's association the league of municipalities and the towns associations having a local government summit over in stevens point starts at eight o'clock over in stevens point speaker robin voss is going to be the guest speaker there and they're going to talk about state local relationship and the Innovation Fund for Wisconsin. So that is Thursday during the day. Thursday in the evening there is a Upper West Side Neighborhood Association meeting at the Senior Center beginning at 6.30. Council Member Serrano and myself and some other, Council Member Werthmann and city staff will be there. The main point of topic for that meeting will be the Cameron Park and the potential potential part of that park to be made available for affordable housing. Then on Sunday, the 13th, or no, Saturday the 13th, is Eau Claire's Pride in the Park at Phoenix Park from 11 until 4. And I'll put all these down and send out an email too to help remind you. That's coming up and then Eggs and Issues next Thursday, June 18th. Council President Greggert, myself, and Finance Director Kitsie will be speaking at that event. Winters. Finance Director Winters.

For the record, there's only one department director that's known by simply one name. That's Mr. Lane.

Mr. Lane. Sorry, Director Winters, but that will be the morning of Thursday, June 18th. And then... Friday, June 19th, is the Juneteenth celebration from 5 until 8 at the Pine and Oak Pavilions at Carson Park. The city does have a table there, and there is also opportunities to volunteer for that. And then lastly and sadly, Mr. Berg, or Mr. Lane, sorry, his retirement will be effective as of July 7th, 2026. And I would just like to thank Lane for his excellent career for the city. As we get closer to the date, we'll get the list of everything that he has helped the city and what he has done in his career, and it's very remarkable. I just want to thank him for his service and let him know that the rest of his coworkers will be sad to see him walk out the door. So that's all.

All right, thank you. Council Member Otto.

Thank you, and thank you for the update to City Manager-elect Solberg. We only have like... 12 hours to call you that. As we speak right now, a group of concerned citizens are meeting at Cameron Street Park to discuss park issues. On Facebook, the announcement was from 6 to 8. I said I'd try to make it so we get out soon. Maybe we can see if people are still there.

All right. Thank you, Council Member Otto. Vice President Schoen?

thank you I have one correction to make from our proclamation earlier about Juneteenth this happened last year too and I know that the organizers corrected us somehow in our process the proclamation we're like a year behind so in our proclamation I think we named it as the 25th annual but it is the 26th annual celebration here in Eau Claire so I just wanted to mention that

Thank you, Vice President Schoen. And there's a flurry of other events that are happening. But just one other that the city is hosting that I want to mention is Tuesday, June 16. There's kind of an open house style opportunity around excess land. I know Riverview. Wells area is part of that discussion. But that's going to be from 4 to 6 on Tuesday the 16th at the library in the Riverview room just for the public and council members and anyone really to provide input on those pieces of land for potentially being declared excess for housing opportunities. And kind of going back to Juneteenth, I will be reading the proclamation at that event and can probably provide a corrected proclamation from that perspective at that event as well. So thanks for flagging that. Yeah, any other announcements?

OK.

Um, so if there's no objection from council, this meeting is adjourned.

Yeah. Yeah.