In case you haven't noticed all the yard signs, commercials, public events, online commentary and more, it’s that time again: Wisconsin’s spring election is Tuesday, April 7. Unlike fall elections, spring elections are nonpartisan. But that doesn’t meant they’re without importance.

In fact, you could argue that these elections are in many ways more important than the higher-profile ones: Local government is where the rubber meets the road in terms of representative democracy. It’s members of city councils, school boards, county boards and other local offices who determined how roads get plowed, fires get extinguished and children get educated. (Wisconsinites will also cast their votes for the State Supreme Court.)

In the City of Eau Claire, voters will choose between candidates Jeremy Gragert and Scott Rogers, determining who will become City Council President. Current City Council President Emily Berge is not seeking reelection as she focuses on her campaign for Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District.

Down below, you'll find biographies and *Q&A responses to help you get to know the candidates as both people and as politicians. The questionnaire begins by asking each candidate to rank their priorities by allocating 100 points across a variety of important issues. (See "What do those numbers mean?" for additional clarification.)

Additional timely questions follow, with topics ranging from the City's $2.2 million budget deficit to the quality of communication between the City's elected officials, staff and the public and more. 

Where do I vote?

The state’s official myvote.wi.gov website will tell you what’s on your ballot, and where your polling place is: Just select the “Where Do I Vote?” icon, input your street address, and you’ll be directed to your polling place. The same website can also help you find out if you’re already registered to vote (this will save you some headaches on Election Day, although you’ll still need to bring a photo ID to the polls) and who your current elected officials are.

What do those numbers mean?

As of way quantifying the candidates’ priorities, we gave all of them a list of categories and 100 points. They were asked to assign more points to the categories they would emphasize and fewer points to those that would take a lower priority if they were elected. Candidates did not have to assign points to each category. We also asked the candidates to explain why they arranged the priorities the way they did. You’ll see that as the first question in the Q&A.

*Q&A responses are published as is; they have not been edited by our editorial team.

 

Eau Claire City Council District Candidates 2026

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Jeremy Gragert

Infrastructure	20%
Public Safety	20%
Public Transportation	5%
Maintaining/Reducing Taxes	5%
Recreational & Cultural Opportunities	10%
Public Health	10%
Economic Development	5%
Environmental Sustainability	10%
Affordable & Available Housing	15%

age 44
years in Eau Claire 22
family Two parents, one sibling, one half-sibling.
occupation Community organizer for Citizen Action of Wisconsin.
education Bachelor's degree from UW-Eau Claire (2005), Master of Science in Education degree from UW-La Crosse (2010).
political experience Eau Claire City Councilmember representing District 3 for two terms (2018-2024). Did not seek reelection in 2024.

Please write a statement explaining why you organized your priorities as you did.

My priorities above partly reflect the city budget, because that is how the city’s values are often expressed, and we need to be responsible with our limited resources. But significant time and energy as Council President will focus on areas we are more limited in our means to budget for, at least currently. Those areas include economic development, environmental sustainability, and affordable and available housing. It is through collaboration with the community that we can increase the attention around these issues most, and can hopefully prioritize them in the budget more over time.

Housing is a good example of an issue where the city does not currently spend a lot of money directly, and local control is limited by the state, but we have a huge role to facilitate and be a partner to achieve affordable and accessible housing both in new construction and in keeping existing housing affordable. When I was on the City Council between 2018-2024, we created the Housing Opportunities Commission, and an affordable housing fund, so that the city could take up the issue more directly. But a lot more work needs to be done, and having an updated zoning code should help.

What unique qualities or skills do you possess that set you apart from the other candidates?

I have 6 years experience serving on the Eau Claire City Council, representing District 3, where I lived for nearly 20 years before buying a home on the city’s West Side. I’m excited for the opportunity to represent the entire city, and take the next step in my leadership. I have the listening and communication skills to facilitate critical conversations that can help lead to the best possible decisions by the City Council. I have the empathy and life experience to know that there are more than two sides to an issue, that there are a lot of opportunities to compromise and find innovative solutions to problems when people feel welcome and empowered to get involved and be heard.

As a community organizer on the state and national level, around issues like affordable and accessible healthcare, I know that we all face urgent challenges, and I think people power is how we address them. The City Council and city staff need to be in tune with the needs of the community, and I have decades of experience helping people get involved, including when I worked at UW-Stout fifteen years ago as the Coordinator of Community Outreach, Civic Engagement, and Services-Learning.

What role does (or should) City Council President have in setting the tone between City Council members, City staff, and the public?

The City Council President needs to set a tone of collaboration, toward a shared goal of creating a welcoming community where people can afford to live and thrive for as long as they wish. I believe that local government can be a force for good in people’s lives, that we can accomplish that together with the public, city staff, and the City Council. I want the city to be in the best possible position to be of assistance and collaborate with the business community, neighborhood associations, non-profit organizations, individuals, educational institutions, and the state and national government.

An openness to new ideas and dreams for our community, at the same time being realistic regarding budgets and roles, is critical to creating the best pathways to make improvements that people want to see. People have high expectations for this city, and I think that’s a good thing. We have to strive to make sure everyone can thrive. I’m proud of how outgoing City Council President Emily Berge set the tone that we are a welcoming community for all people, and I intend to continue that important work.

The City is currently considering budget cuts to combat its $2.2 million budget deficit for 2027. If elected City Council President, what actions would you recommend to address it?

Thankfully, the city has publicly and proactively highlighted the deficit projected for 2027, because it gives the city and community a longer timeline to address it together. A big priority for me is to make sure we use that time wisely to involve the public, hear new ideas, and explore options. We have had difficult budgets in the past, and I have experience passing six balanced budgets between 2018-2024 when I was on the City Council.

Unfortunately, the options left to trim the budget only get more impactful, partly because the state has failed to address how unfairly the City of Eau Claire has been treated in their shared revenue program. We need to advocate to make sure our state tax dollars come back to our community, so we are less reliant upon local property taxes, or raising fees that people cannot afford.

Ultimately, we need to open up the budget process for robust public input on priorities, and create greater community understanding of where our money is already going, and why. We need people who would be most directly impacted by decisions to be at the table, and we need to improve outreach, communication, and transparency to achieve that.

Communication between the City and residents has continued to shift over the years, particularly in the age of social media. How would you describe the quality of communication between the City and the public?

I believe communication is how the City of Eau Claire can get to the best possible decision for our community, because it both improves transparency and opens up more opportunities for public input. The City Manager’s newsletter on the city’s website, which anyone can sign up to receive in their email every week, has been a very helpful tool.

I think the city always needs to work harder on getting out ahead of issues, so as Council President I would plan to hold roundtable discussions in the community around particular issues we know we need to tackle in the future, and open up lines of communication and dialog as early as possible. I also plan to hold office hours as Council President, held at different times of day in different locations (and sometimes virtual), so people have greater access to connect with me.

I think the city could be more dynamic with social media, and should overhaul the website to make it easier to navigate. The city provides all sorts of services that people depend on, or would like to use more often, like our public transit system, but information is not always clear as to how to ride it.

What does transparency between the public and both City staff and its elected officials mean to you?

A culture of transparency helps a community understand problems and opportunities, and begin to develop solutions or action plans in an environment with fewer surprises. We already face too much uncertainty and stress in our world, so we need to avoid that locally as much as possible.

We need to make sure we are planning ahead for potential proposals, like if an A.I. data center project is proposed in our community, and the state hasn’t yet taken leadership to address how to protect communities from the secrecy that often comes with them, and the concerns about water, pollution, and energy. I’m happy to see that the City of Eau Claire’s Sustainability Advisory Committee, which I helped start as a citizen in 2014, has been focusing on this issue in recent months so we can begin building an understanding of the facts.

Having over a hundred community members involved in our city’s boards, committees, and commissions is critical to assuring public input and expertise is at the table early to make recommendations and advise the City Council on topics large and small. No issue is too small to be taken seriously, and no issue is too large to avoid scrutiny.

What place does City Council have in supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses – both inside and outside the downtown area?

The City Council needs to be in constant communication with the business community and with entrepreneurs throughout the city, and accessible to those who may want to locate or do business here in the future. We are a regional capital for government, healthcare, business, education, shopping, and services, and we need to take that responsibility seriously. That is why I will prioritize additional staffing for city economic development. The return on investment could be huge.

Our community is fortunate to have very dedicated and skilled economic development organizations that the city needs to work with more, including the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, the Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corporation, Business Improvement Districts, Visit Eau Claire, the West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, the Women’s Business Center, Downtown Eau Claire, Inc (DECI), the Small Business Development Center, and Momentum West. As Council President I will be engaging with all of them regularly, along with our local educational institutions like UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout, CVTC, and the Eau Claire Area School District. I will also work with advocacy organizations for small businesses like the Main Street Alliance, and with the State of Wisconsin through the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

What approaches do you feel the City should be taking to address the community's growing population of unhoused individuals and the effects of that?

When I was on the City Council I helped with the effort to secure early support for the Day Resource Center, where we set aside $500,000 of ARPA money to show we were serious about addressing immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness. Thanks to Western Dairyland and Hope Gospel Mission coming together to lead the way, it opened this past December and provides a safe place for people to stay warm during cold days, stay cool during hot days, and at the same time access services like laundry, showers, storage for important documents and medication, and connection to resources like housing and job opportunities, medical care, and education.

Helping people find stable housing, and building the skills and income to stay housed, should be a top priority of the city working with partner organizations already doing great work, and with Eau Claire County that has really stepped up through the Department of Human Services. I’ve been impressed with the work of Home for Good, which has focused on housing families and providing them with support to be successful. I’m also excited about the Housing Our Neighbors Planning Collaborative that I believe has a solid approach to tackling this issue.

Eau Claire has been spotlighted in regional and national news as one of a handful of Wisconsin counties projected to see growth over the next decade-plus. How do you view this growth in terms of both opportunities and potential pitfalls?

I moved here in the year 2000 to attend UW-Eau Claire, and I met a community that had a rich history, amazing people, and a lot of potential. A few years later Volume One magazine started and I soon became a volunteer writer and photographer, and joined the board of directors for Downtown Eau Claire, Inc, to see what I could do to be a part of the city’s revitalization efforts. It was inspiring to see people stepping up in both the public and private sectors, to improve the community and organize around ideas they cared about. With our rivers and natural beauty, and an emerging network of trails and bridges, I got involved in environmental sustainability efforts and founded Bike Chippewa Valley, to further expand our trails and bikeways and create the Chippewa Valley Bike Map.

The city’s focus on quality of life has been a big reason for our growth, but so has our commitment to public education, quality infrastructure, clean water, public safety, and economic development. We need to not lose sight of those fundamentals that allow for sustainable growth, because having quality public services and infrastructure makes our city more affordable, equitable, and safe.

What is one of the most exciting things to happen in Eau Claire in the past five years, and how do we expand on it?

The opening of the Menomonie Market Food Co-op in downtown Eau Claire has been the most exciting thing for me, because it creates more access to local healthy food, and supports a whole region of local farmers and producers. Combined with the Downtown Farmers Market, the RCU headquarters, Eau Claire Children’s Museum, a parking ramp, new housing, and fun new businesses like Leona’s, the North Barstow District of Eau Claire has been transformed since I moved here when Phoenix Park was only just a dream. When I was college student in the early 2000s, I remember attending an Eau Claire City Council candidate forum and the question was posed about what would help bring our downtown back, and all of them said Phoenix Park.

It is inspiring to see big ideas come true, after decades of hard work, but I know that with the excitement comes the need to make sure we don’t ignore what was lost, like affordable housing options downtown. We need to make sure everyone can still afford to live here in Eau Claire, and easily visit Eau Claire, and strive for change that is inclusive rather than exclusive.

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Scott Rogers

Infrastructure	10%
Public Safety	10%
Public Transportation	10%
Maintaining/Reducing Taxes	10%
Recreational & Cultural Opportunities	10%
Public Health	10%
Economic Development	15%
Environmental Sustainability	10%
Affordable & Available Housing	15%

age 67
years in Eau Claire 24
family Wife Shirley, married 45 years; 3 grown children.
occupation Retired. Former Sr Dir. Govt. Affairs, EC Chamber, former small business owner.
education  B.S. Agricultural Communications, University of Illinois.
political experience  No elected public office. 12 years representing community issues at EC Chamber interacting with all levels of government.

Please write a statement explaining why you organized your priorities as you did.

All of these priorities are important functions or values that city government either does directly or in which it has a major impact. Housing and economic development are two areas that have major potential for significant return on investment and long-term impact, so they require more attention right now. Infrastructure, public safety, and public transportation are core functions of the city and must always get the priority they deserve. Recreational & Cultural Opportunities and Environmental Sustainability are quality of life areas that lean heavily on broader partnerships and the city ensuring responsible engagement in them. With public health, we especially saw its  importance during the covid pandemic. It was a key part of the collaboration between governments, education, and the business community that helped our area weather the impact better than most. Finally, government needs to be affordable to its residents, just like any other expense. We have probably reached the limit of how much more we can expect from our residents in tax and fee increases, with an eye towards rolling back the wheel tax as soon as feasible.

What unique qualities or skills do you possess that set you apart from the other candidates?

In our 24 years here, Eau Claire has become a home that we truly love and value. Now that I’m retired, my greatest desire is to share my experience to give back to this great community, with the role of City Council President being my only employment. My cumulative life experiences, including leadership positions in different business and non-profit settings, have prepared me for this role. I’ve held key positions with budget responsibilities in businesses of different sizes, including owning a small family coffee business. This has provided me with an understanding of issues like financial responsibility, working with employees, customer satisfaction, and the risks and rewards of being in business. As a volunteer and then as a professional staff member at the Chamber, I’ve been able to advocate for the past dozen years in a nonpartisan manner on important community issues at the local and state level, including housing, homelessness, transportation, education, economic development, and childcare. I’ve spent many hours at City Council meetings, and with my background working on issues across the political spectrum, I’m committed to maintaining a nonpartisan role that strictly addresses only issues that directly affect city government.

What role does (or should) City Council President have in setting the tone between City Council members, City staff, and the public?

In Eau Claire’s unique system of government, the City Council sets policy, then the hired professional City Manager and staff carry out in the functions of government. A challenge in any organization is to avoid micromanagement by the board/council; and yet ensure staff accountability to meet the goals of the council. The City Council President is one of 11 votes on the Council, but by being directly elected by citizens, it serves a strong leadership role in the relationship with the rest of the council, the public, and city staff. The President holds the gavel, running meetings and with responsibilities in setting the agenda. The President can work to ensure that the Council has sufficient information from staff to be able to make fully informed decisions on matters on which it must act. Finally, since this will be my only employment, I will have the time to spend interacting with the City Manage, staff, fellow council members, working to ensure engagement and transparency with the public.

The City is currently considering budget cuts to combat its $2.2 million budget deficit for 2027. If elected City Council President, what actions would you recommend to address it?

Just like housing, grocery, energy and other costs, government needs to be affordable to its residents. The city must address its budget challenges with its eyes wide open. It’s true that Eau Claire has been shortchanged by the state in the shared revenue formula, and it should be a priority to lobby for its reform. For now, the city must leverage the resources it actually has. This means prioritizing the most essential services and those that provide a clear return on investment. This will require a top-to-bottom prioritization of all of the City’s commitments, and innovation with partners to find savings and sources of increased revenue. This is an area where fresh ideas and encouraging best practices can be especially helpful. There are other cities who have addressed budget challenges with processes like “outcome-based budgeting” and “priority based budgeting” that include successful, robust public engagement to determine what’s most important to residents and address the performance of each function of the city. It will not be easy, but remember that the projected deficit for 2027 is 1.1% of the total operating budget, so a solution can be found given the time before approval later this fall.

Communication between the City and residents has continued to shift over the years, particularly in the age of social media. How would you describe the quality of communication between the City and the public?

Government feels mundane until it directly affects a resident in their neighborhood, on their tax bill, or with the services or infrastructure they rely upon. While the city has used tools like social media and the city manager’s newsletter to communicate with the public, this is an area where looking at other governments who have been successful in creating robust community engagement to find lessons that can be applied here. Every resident of the community is an investor in its future through the taxes they pay, whether directly or indirectly. We must find a way for City Council decisions to be made in the interests of all of the community, and not just the loudest voices.

What does transparency between the public and both City staff and its elected officials mean to you?

An understandable, robust communications strategy is a starting point. It’s also important to communicate major decisions early in a simple, clear manner, and not just three days before a public hearing and Council action. There is a tendancy on the part of the city to schedule meetings on short notice, and it would be helpful to give people more time to make plans to participate, and to then to provide input to their council representatives in advance of significant decisions.

What place does City Council have in supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses – both inside and outside the downtown area?

Economic development is more than bringing new businesses and industries into town. It includes creating a positive environment for existing businesses to thrive and expand. The city government’s partnerships with business organizations like Downtown Eau Claire, Inc., the Business Improvement Districts, the Chamber, the Hmong Chamber, industry groups, neighborhood organizations, and especially individual businesses provide valuable opportunities to maintain and improve the business climate in our city. It’s important to have a bias that means “getting to yes” for positive business development, providing excellent service quality for inspections, permits, etc., while maintaining critical standards. Starting with downtown as the heart of the community’s uniqueness, it’s critical to ensure that every corner of the city gets its share of attention and support from the city. It’s also worth noting that not every problem has a government solution.

What approaches do you feel the City should be taking to address the community's growing population of unhoused individuals and the effects of that?

It’s unfortunate that homelessness has increased. I participated in the activities around the “Beyond the Bridge” documentary that came to town in the fall of 2024. Then I was part of the executive committee for the subsequent work by the cross-organizational Housing Our Neighbors Collaborative to develop a set of recommendations for making homelessness in Eau Claire rare, brief, and nonrecurring. The six strategies – align the system, data sharing, outreach, prevention, community engagement, and ensuring affordable housing – are templates for all players to work together to make a meaningful difference. We’ve already seen some progress, including the collaboration that resulted in opening of the Day Resource Center, alignment between the city and county housing authorities, and Eau Claire County taking a stronger role. Work on increasing housing supply and affordability also is an important measure in addressing homelessness. The City of Eau Claire is an important part of his work.

Eau Claire has been spotlighted in regional and national news as one of a handful of Wisconsin counties projected to see growth over the next decade-plus. How do you view this growth in terms of both opportunities and potential pitfalls?

Our future depends on that growth continuing. We must ensure that Eau Claire is a welcoming community and that city government does its part to provide a positive environment for existing and new residents, businesses, and organizations. Improving housing supply and affordability is an essential part of the growth strategy. People who work in Eau Claire should be able to afford to live here. The city must implement forward-thinking, responsible strategies to achieve continued social and economic growth, while maintaining a positive quality of life for its residents. Undertaking smart strategies to take advantage of and monitor zoning changes; carefully updating the comprehensive plan to recognize the city’s role in managing growth; prioritizing compact development, productive infill, and careful expansion; and ensuring timeliness, consistency, and minimal red tape in approving development plans; are all necessary components. Then there is the opportunity to bring intercity passenger rail to connect Eau Claire with the Twin Cities and areas like Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago. In other Midwest States, mid-sized cities with state universities see significant mobility and economic growth benefits from train service. I would ensure the city is fully engaged in the current studies to help make that happen.

What is one of the most exciting things to happen in Eau Claire in the past five years, and how do we expand on it?

Eau Claire’s continued recognition as one of the best places to live in Wisconsin and even the nation. It‘s a community that has big city amenities but small town friendliness and accessibility, where we have a unique combination of natural beauty, history, and quality of life elements like recreation, arts, music, sports, food, and more. This vitality is a result of numerous decisions, investments, and other actions taken by government, education, businesses, and community leaders. The City has a critical role to play not only to continue this momentum, but to ensure its actions don’t jeopardize it. Its relationships with Visit Eau Claire, the school district, UWEC, CVTC, and other organizations and governments are a critical part of continuing our positive momentum. That includes improving relationships and creating win-win partnerships with other adjancent and nearby cities and townships, as well as county and state government.

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Want to learn more about the candidates? Here are some links to recent forums with Jeremy Gragert and Scott Rogers from other local organizations:

• Eau Claire City Council President Forum hosted by JONAH, Chippewa Valley Votes and the League of Women Voters
• Eau Claire City Council President Forum hosted by the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, WEAU 13 News, Chippewa Valley Home Builders Association and the Realtors of Northwestern Wisconsin