Shortcuts | Dec. 4, 2008

V1 Staff |

EXPECT A CALL FROM SCHOOL
    The Eau Claire Public School Board is tapping into the minds of the city-at-large. Throughout the month of December, the Center for Community Opinion is conducting a brief telephone survey to discover what issues are most important to residents in the Eau Claire School District. The anonymous survey collects information about whether or not the resident has children in school, in addition to the sources they rely on for school district news, and what they feel are the district’s greatest challenges. These results will be released to the public by the new year.

STUDENTS VOTE TO SPEND MORE GREEN TO BE MORE GREEN
    On Nov. 20, UW-Eau Claire’s Student Senate asked the student body to participate in an online referendum. The referendum asked whether students agreed to a $10 increase in student fees each semester to build an environmental sustainability reserve. Funds accumulated will be controlled by a student committee, and used for things like student-faculty research and environmental projects. Of the 2605 students that voted, 60 percent, or 1,558 supported the fund, and 1,047 voted against it.  The Student Senate affirmed the results, and will next present them to the Board of Regents to gain approval for the fund.

HOLIDAY SHOPPING COULD SAVE OAKWOOD MALL COMPANY
    Earlier this month, the company that oversees Eau Claire’s Oakwood Mall announced it was nearing bankruptcy. General Growth Properties is one of the nation’s largest mall operators. Christmas season 2008 could make or break the future of the company, which is billions of dollars in debt. The company’s financial peril has progressed this year due to low retail sales. GGP will combat the difficulties by selling some of its smaller assets. The closure of so many retail stores has affected mall attendance, thus embattling the stores that remain. Despite the issues of its parent company, Oakwood Mall remains confidently open, unlike Office Depot, Linens-N-Things, and Bakers Square, which recently announced closures.

YMCA’S FUTURE UNCERTAIN
    The YMCA’s relocation has several hurdles ahead after the Eau Claire City Council recently opted not to extend its deadline to purchase property at Clairemont Avenue and Menomonie Street. The land, which the YMCA originally planned to purchase this year, would cost the organization $450,000, not to mention the several million for a new facility. Five council members voted against the extension, one of which likes the idea of using the land for a park instead, while others don’t see the YMCA raising the funds in these economic times and would like the land to be open for other potential projects.