Altoona City Council Meeting - June 26, 2025

The Altoona Common Council met on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at 5:00 PM. The meeting featured a citizen complaint regarding stormwater flooding from development, acceptance of a Focus on Energy Efficiency Award, a record-breaking tourism report from Visit Eau Claire, approval of a wastewater compliance report, and a comprehensive strategic discussion on shifting the city's code enforcement philosophy from punishment to compliance.

Consent Calendar

• Refuse Hauler Licenses: Approved for Waste Management, Earthbound Environmental Solutions, GFL Solid Waste Midwest, and Harter's Expert Disposal. Councilmember Thielen inquired about standardizing pickup days to reduce weekly truck traffic on streets; this will be reviewed with the haulers.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Stormwater Flooding Complaint (Kim Lynham, 6780 Nine Mile Creek Road): Mr. Lynham addressed the council regarding flooding from the Whitetail Woods development. He stated that despite being promised the issue would be resolved, a gap between two diversion berms continues to channel stormwater onto his property. He contrasted this with the city's focus on silt, arguing it is strictly a flooding issue. Public Works Director Scott Quick stated the berm gap is by design to direct water to retention ponds, and the DNR has found the erosion control plan sound. Mayor Pratt directed City Administrator Michael Golott to inspect the site the following day. Mr. Lynham requested a firm timeline for the repair.

Discussion Items

• Focus on Energy - Energy Efficiency Award: Chris Schultz-Beakner (Focus on Energy) and a Commissioner from the Public Service Commission presented the 2025 Energy Efficiency Excellence Award to the City of Altoona. The city's efforts saved enough electricity to power 30 homes for a year and will save nearly $30,000 annually in utility costs. Projects include a 50 KW solar installation, new wells with variable speed pumping, and LED lighting upgrades. Planning Director Taylor Greenwell and partners from Focus on Energy and Xcel Energy praised the city's collaborative spirit.
• Quarterly Tourism Report (Visit Eau Claire): The representative reported a record-breaking $461 million in total economic impact for Eau Claire County in 2024. Digital engagement with Altoona-specific content is up 52% year-over-year, and the VisitEauClaire.com site surpassed 1 million users (up 92% year-over-year). The container park development, The Yard, is set to open on July 26, 2025, with a major marketing push. A new mural by JJ Knapp is planned for the weekend of July 11th.
• Resolution 6B-25 (Wastewater CMAR): The council approved the Compliance Maintenance Annual Report for the city's wastewater collection system, which received a 4.0 grade from the DNR.
• Strategic Thinking: Code Enforcement Discussion: Administrator Mike Golott and Police Chief Kelly Bachin led a discussion on improving code enforcement. Key points included:
  • Philosophy Shift: Moving from reactive, punitive, court-reliant enforcement to proactive, compliance-focused strategies. The current citation process is costly and frequently dismissed in court.
  • Resource Analysis: The city's two Community Service Officers (CSOs) provide roughly 4 hours of enforcement per day. Recent proactive efforts included 73 grass warnings (mostly resolved with a warning) and mass mailings on temporary signs. Council expressed frustration that long-standing problems can take years to resolve through the citation process.
  • Specific Challenges Discussed: Inoperable vehicles, yard parking, junk, dead ash trees on private property, and the post-hailstorm temporary sign issue.
  • Proposed Solutions: Updating outdated ordinances, initiating a comprehensive public education campaign (Mayor suggested a community survey and quarterly newsletter), exploring compliance assistance programs (e.g., an Affordable Housing fund, partnerships), and potentially dedicating more resources in the next budget. A rental registration/inspection program was discussed but considered resource-intensive. No action was taken on the discussion itself.
• Closed Session (Future Fire Station Site): The council convened in closed session to deliberate on a property acquisition for a future fire station. Upon reconvening, Mayor Pratt reported no action would be taken at that time, but staff would continue work.

Key Outcomes

• Approved Refuse Hauler Licenses.
• Accepted the Focus on Energy 2025 Energy Efficiency Excellence Award.
• Approved Resolution 6B-25 (CMAR), maintaining a 4.0 DNR grade.
• Received the quarterly tourism report; The Yard opening date confirmed as July 26, 2025.
• Held a strategic discussion on code enforcement, setting a policy direction towards compliance, community education, and potentially increased resources; no formal vote was taken.
• Held closed session on fire station site; no action taken.
• Meeting adjourned.