Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce issued the following announcement on March 17.
When: Tuesday, April 5th, 2022; polls open 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Find your voting location at myvote.wi. All absentee ballots must be requested by March 31st, 2022 and turned in no later than 8:00 p.m. on April 5th either by mail or dropped off in-person. In-Person absentee voting will start Tuesday, March 22nd and end Friday, April 1st. This will take place at City Hall. You can vote Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. If you plan to vote by mail, voters are strongly encourage to mail their ballots as soon as possible to ensure their ballot is received by the deadline.
What it’s about: There are 8 candidates running for the 5 at-large Eau Claire City Council seats this April. The Eau Claire City Council includes 11 members who each serve a three-year term, including 5 elected by district, 5 elected at large, and 1 elected City Council President. Each official elected by district represents about 13,509 people and the City Council President represents about 67,545 people (or the whole City of Eau Claire). The candidates include:
- Kate Beaton (Incumbent)
- Robert Carr
- Charles Johnson
- Roderick Jones (Incumbent)
- Larry Mboga
- Joshua Miller
- Mark Richter
- Brian Trowbridge
Where you vote and who is on your ballot:
- Go to myvote.wi.gov
- Enter your voting address to learn which races are on your ballot and where you vote.
Candidate Responses:
Unfortunately, we received no response from Mark Richter.
1.) What are your background and qualifications for this position, and what value will you bring to the City Council personally?
Kate Beaton: I was first elected to the Eau Claire City Council in 2016 and have served for 6 years. In that time, I have served on the Visit Eau Claire Board, the Waterways and Parks Commission, the Housing Authority, the Putnam Park Commission and more. 12 years ago I moved to Eau Claire for college and graduated in 2014 with a degree in social work. I decided to stay after graduation, have built my career here, bought a house, and am building family here because this is a community that is easy to love. We need to double down on the things that make Eau Claire a lovable community, things that bring people to Eau Claire and keep them here to bolster our local economy and culture.
Robert Carr: I am a life long resident of Eau Claire. I was a founding member of the East Hill Neighborhood association and I am currently on their steering committee. I have been interacting with both the city council and the school board for almost 30 years. I am a graduate of UWEC and have worked in retail, manufacturing, logistics and teaching.
I believe that I would bring a broad base of work and volunteer experience to to the council . This will allow me to bring a balanced approach to government.
Charles Johnson: I have been an advocate of city issues since 2016 when I first moved to Eau Claire to begin my studies at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. In 2018, I was appointed as the Intergovernmental Affairs Director of the Student Senate at UW-Eau Claire. In this role, I was tasked with acting as the intermediary between student issues and city issues. I worked with neighborhood associations and city officials to map out ways to improve student life and the relations among full-time residents. Eau Claire is a growing city, and healthy growth will depend on our younger generation playing an active role in the decision-making process. I spent four years acting as a voice for members of the student body, while also taking into account the concerns of residents who have lived here for 15+ years. The time I spent advocating on behalf of university and city issues with lawmakers in Madison, Washington D.C., and right here in Eau Claire has prepared me to sit on Eau Claire City Council.
Roderick Jones: I earned a Bachelor of Science in Special Education, Masters of Educational Leadership, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies—all from the University of South Florida. I worked as a public school teacher and teacher nearly 20 years and as an assistant professor for the past 3 years at UW-Eau Claire. I was appointed to the Eau City Council in June 2021. Personally, I have always viewed my professional life as one of public service. Continuing to work on the city council will allow me elevate my servant leadership. Further, I have great interpersonal and communication skills. I relate well to others regardless of their cultural, ethnic, and linguistic differences and backgrounds. I am deep thinker who endeavors to maintain an open mind, take in new information, and make well-informed decisions based on the most relevant and impactful points of view, policy, and procedures for the betterment of our community.
Larry Mboga: my background is coaching, working with all people from different race with law enforcement offices to build trust and work together for betterment of the city. I bring different view to city council
Joshua Miller: I work in manufacturing and if elected would be the only person on the City Council employed in that field. Manufacturing and technology play a major role in the Eau Claire economy and the sector contains some of the area’s largest employers. This experience would give me insight on what to do to make Eau Claire more attractive to good-paying employers and well-qualified workers. We should also make efforts to retain our regional graduates in the local job market.
With regard to city government, I was on the Waterways & Parks Commission for six years and the last three years was the chairperson where I led the meetings. The mission of that commission is to protect, enhance, and promote the city’s waterways and parks by offering recommendations on projects and issues brought to the members. During this time I worked with City Council members and city staff and, for a council newcomer, would arrive with a good insight of how our city government operates.
Brian Trowbridge: I was born and raised in the Chippewa Valley, and have a love for Eau Claire that goes back to my childhood. I’ve lived in the City for all but 3 of the past 16 years, and have two sons that are 13 and 16. For the past 19 years I have worked in government, specifically Law Enforcement and Corrections, and have a bachelor’s degree in political science with a Public Administration minor from UW-Whitewater. My years working as an investigator have led me to seek fact-based resolutions to issues in all areas of my personal life. Working in public service has given me the opportunity to work with and serve people of all backgrounds. I believe that this gives me a unique opportunity to bring my skills and experiences to the City Council in an effort to serve all citizens of Eau Claire. I’m a strong believer in family, environment, and equity for all.
2. With a strong local economy and low unemployment, many employers report difficulty in filling positions. What is the role of the City in attracting more people to the community, and ensuring that Eau Claire is an attractive place to live and work?
Kate Beaton: We need to continue to create a loveable community where people want to move to. Of Wisconsin’s largest 10 cities, Eau Claire was the 2nd fastest growing city in the last decade, behind only Madison, attracting workers and their families. That’s because we’ve done things like investing in our parks and trails system, prioritizing affordable housing, and cultivated our arts and culture. Moving into the future, the city will need to find ways to continue to provide the same high quality service that folks rely on, as our state funding remains relatively stagnant but our community grows. We’ll need to also continue to increase our housing stock across income levels, focusing particularly on lower income housing.
Robert Carr: Having worked in the private and public sector I can say it has always been a challenge to retain quality employees. I believe the city can help by continuing to make Eau Claire a desirable place to live and raise a family.
Charles Johnson: People are attracted to Eau Claire because of its high quality of life. However, with the rising cost of living and low wages, there is the danger of current and prospective residents being priced out. The city can be proactive and start by paying all employees a liveable wage. We must also make continued investments in the services and public resources that make Eau Claire a desirable destination. If people see there is a clear vision for the future of Eau Claire, not only will it attract new residents, but we will be able to retain the bright young minds from our local colleges.
Roderick Jones: Frankly, Eau Claire and its surrounding locales can be considered a child care desert, which means for every enrolled child at a childcare facility there are three (or more) children waiting to be served/enrolled. This makes livability incredibly hard for young professional families and business owners who work hard to attract workers to Eau Claire. This is but one example how local businesses (i.e., childcare owners) can support other local businesses. I believe the City can help facilitate this process. Further, I aver members on the City Council should work to understand the needs of local business owners by attending Chamber of Commerce functions and other venues wherein business owners strategize to resolve employment and staffing concerns. Once informed, council members will be better-equipped to discuss these issues and to usher policies geared toward making Eau Claire an increasingly desirable place to live.
Larry Mboga: i think the city should focus on more affordable housing would attract more people to our city
safety ,low crime and knowing that we are safe would attract more people to our city
Joshua Miller: Planners and economists note the importance of quality of life in the success of cities. Research finds that amenities such as recreational opportunities and cultural activities are big contributors. Cities with a higher quality of life have both higher employment and population growth than similarly situated communities.
Capitalizing on natural amenities is another path to success. We must continue to showcase our rivers and parks, attract festivals and events, and make downtown friendlier to pedestrians and bikes to make for a desirable recreation destination.
The nature of local businesses plays an important role. Local employers who provide goods and services that add to the quality of life are vital aspects of a city’s appeal, ranging from arts and culture to unique shopping experiences; farmers’ markets, locally-owned businesses, and small shops all enhance the quality of life to current and potential residents and the city should encourage these enterprises.
Original source can be found here.
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