Eggs & Issues: June 18th, 2026
The Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its Eggs & Issues event on June 18th, featuring Eau Claire City Council President Jeremy Gragert, City Manager Dave Solberg, and Finance Director Kitzie Winters for a discussion on “The Business of City Government.” The conversation focused on how city government can support economic growth while addressing key community challenges.
Speakers highlighted several priorities for Eau Claire, including the need for affordable and diverse housing options, maintaining competitive wages to attract and retain workers, effective city budget management, and the future of data centers in the Eau Claire area.
Attendees participated in live polling throughout the event. When asked, “What should the Eau Claire government prioritize for future growth?” technology and innovation received the most support (29.41%), followed by small businesses (26.47%). Manufacturing and tourism and hospitality each received 17.65% of responses, while downtown development received 8.82%.
Participants were also asked, “What issue could the city solve tomorrow that would most benefit your business?” Taxes ranked as the top concern (30%), followed by housing (26.67%) and homelessness (23.33%). Workforce challenges and the city budget deficit each received 10% of responses, while public safety received no votes.
A third poll asked attendees, “What is the biggest challenge facing your business currently?” Healthcare emerged as the leading concern, receiving 37.77% of responses, followed by housing at 24.44%. Homelessness accounted for 8.89% of responses, while both quality of life and taxes and fees received 2.22% each. Childcare received no responses in the poll.
Housing concerns were explored further through a fourth poll asking, “What is the biggest housing challenge for employers?” It was apparent that cost of living was the primary challenge for employers with 68.09% of voters identifying housing costs as too high. Another 23.40% cited a lack of starter homes, while 8.51% pointed to a shortage of workforce housing. No respondents selected a lack of rental options.
Finally, attendees were also asked, “What is your biggest workforce challenge?” Wage competition was identified as the leading concern, receiving 60% of responses. Childcare availability followed at 17.14%, while 11.43% cited difficulty finding qualified candidates and 8.57% pointed to employee retention. Transportation was selected by 2.86% of respondents.
The speakers highlighted the connection between each of the issues listed above and the need to create an equitable and balanced budget. The state funding formula was briefly touched upon as City Council President Gragert emphasized the need to speak with legislators to resolve the inequitable distribution of funds.
This event provided businesses and community leaders with the opportunity to connect and discuss the top issues facing Eau Claire.