City Council Public Hearing 11/09/2026

The City of Eau Claire City Council held a public-hearing meeting on November 9, 2026. Hearings covered rezoning at 3222 Lewis Avenue from heavy to light industrial and a separate rezoning/development request that includes a community-based residential facility; staff said the requests were consistent with planning requirements, and no council decisions on these items were recorded. The main budget item was the proposed 2027 operating budget, including the library, health department, and special-agency funding. Finance staff described a $198 million citywide budget, including a $103 million general fund, and a $2.4 million cost-to-continue gap addressed through revenue increases, expense reductions, and cost recoveries. The proposed property-tax levy increase was 1.58%; the budget also includes capital investment, while 10 positions would be held open. Budget approval was scheduled for the following day, so no budget vote occurred at this hearing.

The proposed fee schedule includes increases for some services, including a downtown farmers-market-related rate cited as rising from $20 to $23 per hour. Staff clarified that approval of the fee schedule would not set the farmers market’s contractual rate; the market agreement is up for renewal, with further negotiations and possible council bargaining parameters planned. Numerous speakers urged the city to keep the market affordable, citing its value to small farms and downtown businesses, and also raised concerns about paid parking. No contract award or procurement approval was identified. Council did vote to extend the public-comment time limit to accommodate those signed up to speak.