Altoona City Council Meeting - March 26, 2026

The Common Council of Altoona, Wisconsin, met at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at Altoona City Hall. Mayor Brendan Pratt presided, with six council members present and a quorum established. The agenda included the 2026 street reconstruction project public hearing and bid award, two NAI Commonweal land-use approvals, the annual stormwater report, adoption of the city's strategic plan, and a closed-session discussion of the Chippewa Fire District Agreement.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar items were separately discussed in the transcript.

Minutes Approval

• Council approved the minutes of the March 12, 2026 regular meeting by voice vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Randall Walmer, 2503 Cottagewood Lane, raised property tax concerns about the GRIP/Haas Brothers apartment complex at North Hillcrest Parkway and 11th Street. He said a GRIP representative told the council in April 2025 that about six tenants were interested in buying units, but he maintained the units were apartments and, after checking county records, said they were still owned by Haas Brothers LLC. He also questioned the 2024 tax treatment of the property, noting it was billed as one 2.01-acre lot at $1,136.47 even though it had been subdivided into 19 parcels and 11 units were completed that year. For 2025, one unit was assessed at $207,500 and taxed $2,936.96, while GRIP had listed units at $375,000 in 2024 and $380,000 in fall 2025. Comparing his adjacent property, he estimated the city may have been shorted roughly $35,000 per year across 18 units and asked the council to direct him to the appropriate official for answers.
• During the street assessment public hearing, Diane Brantner, who lives on Hamilton Avenue at the corner of Vernon and Hamilton, questioned the size of her assessment. She said the northern portion of Vernon is worse because UPS trucks tear up the road, while the segment near her home is not that bad and may not need improvements; she hoped her assessment would decrease by more than the announced average of about 15 percent.

City Officer, Department Head, and Committee Reports

• City Administrator Mike Golott said staff had been focused on the innovation grant and the proposed agreement with the Chippewa Fire District, with further discussion planned in closed session. Written project updates were included in the council packet.

Quarterly Tourism Report - Visit Eau Claire

• Kenzie Havlichek, Executive Director of Visit Eau Claire, presented the annual marketing/work plan and the February dashboard report. She identified destination strengths including River Prairie, The Yard, community-led festivals, outdoor recreation and Chippewa River State Trail connectivity, and the ability to pilot new programming. Shared 2026 priorities include making The Yard a year-round destination, growing the Ginormous Pumpkin Festival, expanding Altoona as an outdoor recreation gateway, and increasing use of River Prairie Center and other venues.
• Havlichek reported nearly 5,000 website sessions for Altoona content by the end of February and nearly 2,000 referrals to Altoona business listings, up more than 100 percent. Three of the top five referred businesses - Beast and Benito, Borsch House, and Nene's Tacos - are located in The Yard. She also announced a new regional destination master plan, with RFP work beginning the following week.
• Mayor Pratt and City Administrator Golott thanked Visit Eau Claire and highlighted the alignment between the tourism work plan and the city's strategic plan. No formal action was taken.

2026 Street Reconstruction Project - Public Hearing and Bid Award

• City Engineer Christian Hubert reviewed the preliminary assessment process. Approximately three weeks before the meeting, affected property owners were mailed notices and preliminary assessments based on the construction cost estimate. Bids opened on Tuesday came in lower than the estimate, reducing the average assessment by about 15 percent; the final assessment report would reflect that change.
• Hubert responded to Ms. Brantner's concern by explaining that the project was driven largely by aging utilities, estimated at 75-76 years old, not just street surface condition. The project also includes a significant water main connection on the dead end of Hamilton Avenue that should improve fire flows.
• The council discussed the low bid for contract 2026-01. Hubert reported a construction estimate of $1.35 million and a low bid of $1,254,058.85 from Haas Sons. Council discussion included the fairness of linear-foot-based assessments, the use of the five-year capital improvement program, and the need for better resident notification about future road and utility assessments. Staff noted the pre-project open house drew only two people from about 45 mailed notices.
• Council awarded the 2026 Street Reconstruction Project to Haas Sons for $1,254,058.85 by voice vote.

NAI Commonweal Three-Lot CSM and Specific Implementation Plan

• A public hearing was held at 6:00 p.m. on a proposed three-lot Certified Survey Map for parcel 1820122709153409005, proposed by Ryan Erickson of NAI Commonweal. Planning Director Taylor Greenwell said the 2.05-acre vacant lot, zoned River Prairie Mixed Use, would be split into three lots for a Chipotle with a drive-thru/express window, an unnamed commercial tenant, and a future lot. Access would be off Woodman Drive and Blazing Star Boulevard. Staff and the Plan Commission recommended approval as conditioned. No public comment was offered, and the hearing was closed.
• Council approved the three-lot CSM as conditioned by voice vote.
• Council then approved the Specific Implementation Plan for the same project as conditioned, covering the two commercial lots. Staff noted the overall vision for the Woodman's-side River Prairie development had been approved in May 2014. The SIP approval was by voice vote.

Annual Stormwater Report

• City Engineer Hubert presented the draft MS4 annual stormwater report. It covers Rain to Rivers outreach, outfall repairs, illicit discharge reports, construction erosion-control violations, pond maintenance, street sweeping totals, and salt and brine usage. Compared with the prior year, salt use was up 45 percent and brine use was up about 80 percent.
• Council discussion focused on improving performance measures, including tracking salt use per snow event and using scale data. Staff said they weigh loads in and out, have load slips for each operator, and completed Salt Wise training. The report was presented for submission; no formal council action was taken.

City of Altoona Strategic Plan

• City Administrator Golott presented a strategic plan developed at a council/staff retreat facilitated by Monica O'Bricky of Eau Claire Energy Cooperative. He noted this was the first year full-time staff participated and that the plan was condensed from 22 goals in the prior plan to five strategic goals.
• The five goals are: community growth and development, financial strength, infrastructure and facilities, leveraging technology for efficiency and adaptability, and workforce benefits, compensation, and retention. Notable objectives included downtown revitalization, library expansion, development of the 80-acre parcel, affordable housing partnerships, TID planning, Spooner Avenue reconstruction, EPA lead-line compliance, well 10 and well 11 work, AI adoption and cybersecurity, employee training and succession planning, and retention plans for hard-to-fill positions.
• Council members discussed street trees, entry monument signage, city branding, and the need for performance measures in departmental reporting. Golott said a street-tree inventory was being integrated into GIS and that the city had applied for grants including congressional directed spending for the fire station and infrastructure for the 80-acre parcel.
• Council approved the strategic plan by voice vote.

Closed Session - Chippewa Fire District Agreement

• Council voted by unanimous roll call to enter closed session under Wis. Stats. 19.85(1)(e) to discuss the purchasing of public properties, investing public funds, or conducting other specified public business related to the Chippewa Fire District Agreement.
• After reconvening to open session by unanimous roll call, Mayor Pratt said the council had discussed the proposed merger with the Chippewa Fire District, that no action was taken, and that the council would reconvene the following Monday at 4:00 p.m. to consider the innovation grant application and contract.

Miscellaneous Business and Adjournment

• A council member requested replacement or repair of the meeting room microphones; the city administrator said staff were working with a consultant on options.
• Council adjourned by voice vote.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the March 12, 2026 meeting minutes.
• Awarded the 2026 Street Reconstruction Project contract to Haas Sons for $1,254,058.85.
• Approved the NAI Commonweal three-lot CSM as conditioned.
• Approved the NAI Commonweal Specific Implementation Plan as conditioned.
• Approved the City of Altoona Strategic Plan.
• Entered and exited closed session without action on the Chippewa Fire District Agreement; scheduled a Monday 4:00 p.m. reconvened discussion.