Idea Challenge Backs App Plan

“Think New, Different, Better.” That’s the motto of the Idea Challenge, a project created by the Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corporation. Its goal is to help fund new and innovative products, services, and business ventures through cash prizes given to up to five ideas each year. More than $10,000 is awarded, with the grand prize winner receiving $5,000. The first of the five finalists is Jeremiah Isaacson. The UW-Eau Claire student received an award of $500 for his idea, PictureMe Universe, with the potential to receive up to $6,000 more. This web and mobile application allows users to be “tagged” in mobile pictures others take of them and automatically makes the photos available to the user on his or her mobile phone and computer. PictureMe also backs up all photos taken using the mobile app for later viewing and/or sharing.

Eau Claire's City Manger to Step Down in Decmber

A mid-October city council meeting brought the news that Eau Claire City Manager Mike Huggins will be retiring this December. The 64 year-old Huggins has been a driving force for this community as the city’s top dog for more than five years. He reportedly plans to remain in Eau Claire and be active in the community, though how exactly isn’t clear. Previous searches to replace the city manager have taken four to six months, and the last one (in 2005) saw Public Works Director Brian Amundson as the interim city manager, so it’s possible that he will once again fill that role until a new manager is selected. See our Nov. 10 issue for a full-on story about Huggins.

Eleva-Strum Schools Getting Techno-Progressive

Eleva-Strum’s school district is making progressive strides to further the education of their students by putting new technology in the hands of all their students and staff. The school board has already approved spending $186,000 to provide iPads and laptops to 50+ staff members by the end of year. With the devices, teachers have expressed excitement in being able to incorporate the technology into their curriculum to utilize the massive amount of educational sites and apps on the web; allowing them engage their students in a whole new way. The district says it would cost an additional $300,000 to outfit students with similar technology, and would allow grades 3-12 to engage with their teachers outside of class and allow them to take online tests, quizzes, and other assessments. Having the devices would also allow the distribution of eBooks, which would reduce text costs. Hopefully this trend can continue to additional districts, as it is certainly a step in the right direction to keep students at the technological forefront in an ever-changing world.

State's Aid to Eau CLaire County Continues to Plummet

Eau Claire is one of Wisconsin’s few cities that has proven to be responsible by raising taxes as needed, and spending the state aid allotted each year in a conservative and conscientious way. As Eau Claire County looks ahead to next year’s budget, instead of seeing a reward for our efforts, we are faced with even fewer funds for 2012. In 1995, Eau Claire received $11.2 million in state aid, and since then the amount has decreased, with next year estimated at about $6 million. The decrease was mostly caused by a 1995 pledge from state government to pay 2/3 the cost of public education. We are ranked second to the bottom with only $92 of state aid per resident. While both Green Bay and Appleton have similar property tax per resident rates as Eau Claire, both cities receive significantly more state aid. For residents who’d like to voice their opinion/ideas on the budget, a special hearing is scheduled Nov. 1 in city hall at 7pm.

UW-Eau Claire Planning to Add More Apartment Dorms

As the new student center approaches its August 2012 completion date and a new children’s center project breaks ground, UW-Eau Claire officials will turn their attention to providing additional on-campus student housing. With the university running at around 108 percent housing capacity, new resident halls are sorely needed. Without enough room for students to live, they’ve had to turn to dorm study areas and nearby hotels for overflow. A master plan drafted by the university indicates the new residence hall to be built on upper campus where tennis courts and a parking lot now exist, featuring “suite-style” rooms similar to those in Chancellors Hall. The university still needs to present its 2010-2030 master plan to the UW System Board of Regents and requires approval by the state, with hopes that the project would be included in the state’s 2013-15 budget.