Several residents used the Oct. 13 public comment period to urge greater city involvement in conversations about public-school closures and to raise downtown business and neighborhood concerns.

Eric Clouty, a parent of two students at Longfellow Elementary, told council the Eau Claire School District is considering closure or repurposing of Longfellow, Flynn and Roosevelt elementary schools and that city engagement is missing from those discussions. "The city of Eau Claire's comprehensive plan, adopted by the council in 2015, calls for the preservation of schools in the city core," Clouty said. "I would urge you as council members to get involved now with discussions over potential school closures." He said the group saveeauclaireschools.com has organized resources for families.

Lisonbee Wilson told the council her family moved to Eau Claire in 2018 specifically for local schools and said eliminating neighborhood schools would harm walkability, park access and property values. "Families and children are the heart and future of our neighborhoods," she said, asking why the city was "not actively advocating for the retention of our neighborhood schools" and why it was not participating in school-district focus groups.

On downtown matters, Kate Felton, speaking for Downtown Eau Claire Incorporated (Ducky), asked the council to continue funding the organization in the 2026 budget. She summarized 2025 activity and attendance figures, saying Ducky’s Fall Festival had record attendance and that the organization has shifted operational responsibilities from city staff to the nonprofit. "We're asking the city council to support funding for Ducky as it was written in the 2026 proposed operating budget," Felton said.

Deb Marshall, chair of the Downtown Neighborhood Association, thanked city staff for attending a neighborhood meeting but asked for clearer, measurable goals in the parking administration budget and better follow-up when residents request contact on concerns. She reported continued exhibition driving and loud gatherings in the Galloway parking ramp and asked about placement of planned speed bumps, license-plate-recognition enforcement and scooter geofencing.

Council members did not debate the public comments during the Oct. 13 meeting; the council president reviewed the rules that public-comment items are not for discussion and noted the council cannot conduct deliberations on nonnoticed matters during the comment period.