When it rains controversial local building projects, it pours controversial local building projects! Today the big news surrounding the Downtown Eau Claire jail/courthouse/justice center project is the Eau Claire’s County Board’s vote to approve expanding the downtown jail as opposed to building it somewhere else. They voted in favor of downtown 23 to 5. And now the Eau Claire City Council needs to approve the rezoning of the land, which seems all but a done deal after the jail referendum showed overwhelming public support for the current, riverfront location. So says WEAU.com ...

• The majority of the board members disagreed saying it's time to stop looking back, saying this project can't wait.
• "This issue has been before us. It has been considered. We have had meetings and so on. I believe now is the time to move forward," Robin Leary said.

And as we all know, once there’s been “meetings and so on”, it is time for ACTION. Well, speaking of moving forward, also today, the Leader-Telegram reports that Canadian Sand & Proppants plans to begin construction on its much-debated silica sand plant by June 1, otherwise they will need to reapply for a conditional use permit from Chippewa Falls. Given the the citizen outcry against the sand plant, you can imagine what a challenge that might turn into. So they probably would just as soon get rolling and get construction started.

In fact, the L-T quotes the company's general manager Gary Stone as saying, "We'd just as soon get rolling and get construction started," so I’m totally right. All of this is in spite of that fact that Canadian Sand & Proppants still needs to line up more investors.

At any rate, the Chippewa Valley is filled with disappointed citizens today.