Eau Claire City council: City offices to Move for 1 year, Transit Fares reduced for individuals with low income

City hall to move to former 3M building for one year this summer

At its May 8 legislative session, the Eau Claire City Council voted unanimously to approve a lease to move most city offices to the former 3M building at 2020 Prairie Lane on the city's northwest side for about a year beginning in July. The move is to allow for completion of major renovations in the current historic City Hall, which encompasses both the original Eau Claire City Hall and its Carnegie library. 

The decision on the lease had been delayed for two weeks to give city staff time to confirm options for keeping City Council meetings at a downtown site. The council ultimately decided to hold its meetings at the Eau Claire County Courthouse in the County Board Room. The move may require some adjustments in timing of meetings and agendas to work around the county's own use of the facility. Also to be kept downtown, at a site to be determined, will be a city service center for functions elections, bill paying, etc.  We will keep you posted as details are confirmed.

Bus fares to be reduced for riders who have low incomes

The Council also approved a plan to reduce city bus fares back to pre-increase levels for individual users whose incomes are at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level. The move came after bus fares were increased by 25 cents per ride or $5 per monthly pass. When the council approved the fare increase as part of the city budget, there were concerns about the impact on affordability for low income riders. Council member Terry Weld and former Council member Kathy Mitchell asked the city staff to investigate options for a lower-income fare.  The rollback is expected to cost $5,500 to $7,000 for the rest of the budget year. City Manager Dale Peters was also asked to consider options for a more substantial reduction in the next budget. 

The Eau Claire City Council meets twice a month.  The agenda is released the week before, with a Monday session at 7:00 p.m. to receive public comments, and a Tuesday session at 4:00 p.m. to take legislative action on business items and ordinances. Meetings are streamed live at Community Television/Valley Media Works and available to be viewed on demand within a couple days later. The next meetings will be on May 21 and 22.

Posted by: Scott Rogers, Governmental Affairs & Workforce Director
​rogers@eauclairechamber.org