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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06.26.20 Newsletter DATE: June 26, 2020 TO: Honorable Mayor and Common Council FROM: Mark Rohloff, City Manager SUBJECT: Weekly Newsletter 1. OFD EMPHASIZES SAFETY THIS JULY: Each year the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Oshkosh Fire Department urge the public to only attend public fireworks displays put on by professionals. However, with public fireworks events around the country, including right here in Oshkosh, being canceled this year even more caution is being advised. We understand that the cancellations of public displays will likely lead to more people putting on home fireworks displays using bigger, more dangerous, and illegal fireworks. In the State of Wisconsin, any firework that leaves the ground or explodes is illegal. Some much used examples of these would be bottle rockets and firecrackers. People also have to remember that even legal fireworks are still dangerous. Sparklers, which are considered “children’s fireworks” burn at 1200 degrees and can cause third degree burns. In 2018, according to the NFPA, fireworks started 19,500 fires, resulting in five deaths, 91,000 injuries, and $105 million in property damage. If you insist on shooting off fireworks at home please follow these basic safety tips to avoid becoming one of these statistics:  Use only legal fireworks  Only adults should light fireworks  Have a bucket of water, a hose that is turned on and ready to use, or a fire extinguisher outside with you in case things go wrong.  Never try to relight a malfunctioning firework.  Never put your face directly over a firework you are lighting.  Do not throw fireworks into the air or point them at anyone.  Never use fireworks inside For more information check out our website at https://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/Fire/ or the NFPA website at https://www.nfpa.org/. City Manager • Mark A. Rohloff City Hall, 215 Church Avenue P.O. Box 1130 Oshkosh, WI 54903-1130 920.236.5002 http://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us 2. VINLAND STREET TO BE PAVED: The Town of Oshkosh and City of Oshkosh partnered to submit Vinland Street repaving, from Morgan Avenue to Snell Road, for funding under the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Multi-Modal Supplement (MLS) Program last fall. Earlier this year, we were notified the Town of Oshkosh received funding for the project. The State will provide 70% of the funding for this project, while the Town will contribute 24%, and the City of Oshkosh, 6%. Bid documents were prepared to pulverize the existing asphalt, overlay with new asphalt, and perform some minor ditch re-grading work in spot locations. The project was bid and has been awarded to Northeast Asphalt (NEA). NEA is coordinating with the Canadian National Railroad to get permits in place for work in the vicinity of the railroad spur crossing of Vinland Street. As soon as those permits are in place, NEA will start the project. The project is currently anticipated to be completed no later than August 28, 2020. If there are any questions relating to this project, please contact Director of Public Work James Rabe. 3. MENOMINEE PARK IS OPEN: The Menominee Park Zoo opened for the season on June 6. At this time, we are allowing 50 people into the zoo at a time. Visitors have been patient while there may be a small wait to get into the zoo. We appreciate everyone's cooperation. The zoo is open daily from 9am-7 pm until September 27th. The Children's Amusement Center also opened on June 6th for the first train ride of the season! The Children’s Amusement Center is open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from 11am-7pm until September 7th. Ride the miniature train or rent kayaks, canoes, aqua bikes and mini pontoons. Equipment is sanitized after each use. We hope to see you down at Menominee Park this summer! If you have any questions regarding the Menominee Park Zoo or Children’s Amusement Center please contact Jenny McCollian, Revenue Facilities Manager at (920) 232-5319. 4. DON’T LET LONELINESS SNEAK UP ON YOU: The Oshkosh Seniors Center teamed up with Oshkosh Media to run Public Service Announcements on 101.9 FM encouraging people to reach out and connect with vulnerable older adults in our community. The Center developed a video that was posted on Facebook with the same message. COVID-19 has been very hard on our senior population because of their risks of developing more serious complications if they contract the virus. Many of them have chosen to stay at home to reduce potential risks. The choice to isolate can quickly lead to loneliness. The Center is asking people to reach out and connect with vulnerable older adults. A simple phone call, note card, or a check-in from the sidewalk can make huge difference. The Oshkosh Seniors Center is available to help with resources and conversation we are just a phone call away - 920.232- 5000. City Manager • Mark A. Rohloff City Hall, 215 Church Avenue P.O. Box 1130 Oshkosh, WI 54903-1130 920.236.5002 http://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us 5. VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION: Every year the Oshkosh Seniors Center holds a volunteer appreciation dinner for our dedicated volunteers. Along comes COVID-19 and plans for large gatherings go by the wayside. We decided to get creative and adapt our appreciation event to a “drive through”. Volunteers were invited to drive up to the Center’s pole building to receive a “goody” bag prepared for them. We gave out 110 appreciation bags that were filled with goodies from 4imprint. The best part of the day was the opportunity to “chat” from a distance with participants. If you have any questions about the Oshkosh Seniors Center please contact Jean Wollerman, Senior Services Manager at (920) 232-5300. 6. COVID-19 RESOURCE LINKS AND INFORMATION: o Citizen Covid-19 Information Site: https://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/covid19.aspx o Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/ o Wisconsin Department of Health Services: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/ o Winnebago County Public Health Department: https://www.co.winnebago.wi.us/health/divisions-program- areas/communicable-disease/covid-19-coronavirus/wchd-covid-19-situation 7. MEETING MINUTES FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: All meeting minutes are uploaded to the website upon approval. Please follow the link below for the most updated information & meeting minutes: https://onboard.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/. 8. UPCOMING MEETINGS: I will be out of the office on vacation June 29 through July 7. As a reminder City offices will be closed on Friday July 3rd in observance of the holiday. Due to holiday/vacation schedules, there is no Newsletter planned for next week. If you have any questions regarding my schedule, please contact me.