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Board discusses potential Rice Lake School use of UW-Eau Claire's Barron County student center; no committee-of-the-whole set
Summary
Barron County supervisors discussed a possible repurposing of the UW-Eau Claire Barron County student center and gym for a Rice Lake Area School District K-4/daycare program and community uses. The board declined to hold a committee-of-the-whole meeting pending architectural cost estimates and more concrete plans from the district.
The Barron County Board on Sept. 16 discussed emerging proposals for repurposing portions of the UW-Eau Claire, Barron County campus, including the student center (E), the gymnasium (F), and related spaces, should the campus vacate some areas in early 2025.
County Administrator Jeff French and campus and school representatives outlined interest from the Rice Lake Area School District to convert the student center into a K-4/daycare facility and to use the gymnasium for district programming. Abby Fisher, campus director at UW-Eau Claire Barron County, told the board: "We have roughly 300 people coming to the campus every week for some sort of class, but we only have about 100 students taking credits with us right now," and said the campus could relocate services into other campus buildings to make space for a district program.
French said the school district has expressed willingness to bring an architect to evaluate repurposing work and that the county has discussed possible minor upgrades such as adding main-floor bathrooms, a basement sprinkler, lighting, and a fence. He cautioned that initial contractor bids for broader campus HVAC and roof work varied widely, and that the county wants an architect's assessment before committing funds. "If it doesn't cost us anything and they keep up those 3 buildings and we keep up the other 3, it'd be a win," French said.
Why it matters: repurposing would affect county campus capital planning and operational costs. Board members noted the location is attractive to local employers (manufacturing employers nearby), may improve childcare access for workforce needs, and could qualify for additional grants if classified as an educational facility.
Board decision: after discussion, supervisors agreed not to call a Committee of the Whole meeting at this stage. The administration will wait for Rice Lake Schools to provide architectural assessments and cost projections; property and administration staff will continue to develop options and report back to the board.
Next steps: the administration will seek more detailed architect estimates and updated cost/lease proposals from the Rice Lake Area School District and will update the board when that information is available.
