City Council Meeting Monday 2025 11 10

The City of Eau Claire City Council held a public hearing on the proposed 2026 operating budget on Monday, November 10, 2025. Staff reported that the roughly $100 million budget includes a proposed $26 increase to the local vehicle registration fee, bringing it to $50 and generating an estimated $2.4 million, up from about $1.29 million. The proposed budget relies on approximately $1.2 million in additional fee revenue to remain balanced; staff said that without it, service reductions could be required, potentially affecting about 11 FTEs. The council took no vote on the fee or budget during this meeting; those items were scheduled for consideration at the next day’s meeting. The fee and license schedule included mostly CPI-based adjustments, with some specific changes to parking, pool, pavilion, transit, and refuse and recycling charges.

Staff also said the city went out to bid for an insurance broker and health insurance, switched carriers to Medica, and is budgeting for a 10% increase in the city’s health insurance costs. During public comment, downtown residents asked for 2026 budget commitments for Galloway parking ramp improvements, including license-plate-recognition enforcement software, access-control gates, and collection of unpaid fees; the transcript does not establish that these items were funded or approved. No contract award or other procurement approval occurred at the meeting. A separate rezoning item was postponed for further traffic analysis.