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HomeMy WebLinkAboutnewsletter DATE: October 23, 2020 TO: Honorable Mayor and Common Council FROM: Mark Rohloff, City Manager SUBJECT: Weekly Newsletter 1. COMMUNITY GARDEN RFP: The RDA and City have released a Request for Proposal seeking local organizations and individuals interested in creating community gardens in several available sites owned by the RDA. It is the RDA’s intent to sell these parcels, however, the RDA will consider entering into a long term lease if the applicant can demonstrate the capacity to develop and continually maintain the gardens and open space within the parcels. The applicant will be required to obtain a conditional use permit as well as follow all City zoning and land requirements. If parcels are leased, the RDA requires the applicant to construct raised beds as well as use of a solid, appropriate barrier between the soil and ground as to not disturb the soil. To view the RFP, visit the City of Oshkosh’s website here. All proposals need to be submitted, following all submittal requirements set forth in the RFP, via email to: bwustmann@ci.oshkosh.wi.us by November 20th, 2020. 2. MUSEUM CARRIAGE HOUSE CUPOLA REBUILT: The 1908 home of Edgar and Mary Sawyer is grand and distinctive and forms the heart of the Oshkosh Public Museum, and the Sawyer Carriage House once housed horses and automobiles. Atop the Carriage House is an attractive cupola, its bronze weather vane pointing the wind direction. But Wisconsin’s harsh climate eventually takes a toll on wood and the cupola was in need of restoration. Thanks to the work of Museum Maintenance Technician, Matt Reinke, the cupola was carefully rebuilt with 2” thick Wisconsin white oak. The new cupola was rebuilt exactly like the original. It was reconstructed on the ground, dismantled and then piece by piece the new oak replaced the deteriorated members. The solidly built cupola should grace the Carriage House for another century. 3. HOLIDAY ELF QUEST: After a crazy year, the elves are restless and excited to be back at the Museum! The popular elf hunt is expanding into two quests: The usual Annual Elf Hunt and, for those who think it’s too easy, the Extreme Elfish Expedition. Other Elf-inspired activities will be available. Peruse through the first floor of the Sawyer home for the much-loved decorated trees. New this year, decades of ornaments will enhance each of the trees on display. We are featuring a Retro Tree with handcrafted felt originals, Styrofoam beads, and ribbon bulbs—a Vintage Tree with miniature painted wooden characters, and a blast from the past Aluminum Tree. A unique tree will offer a ritual visitors can take part in with a reproduction of the Sawyer family-tradition, a Gift Tree. While you enjoy the decades of ornaments and trees, we are sure you find the fun and challenge of an Ornament I Spy game. The Museum has two elf mascots this year, Jingle and Belle, who will be making their way throughout Oshkosh during the holiday season. They have already made their way to the Library and were found reading the Library’s elf books to Sawyer and Harris. 4. FISH STICKS PROJECT PHASE 1 COMPLETE: The Wisconsin DNR approached the City and the Advisory Park Board approved the idea in March of 2019 of installing fish sticks along the shoreline at Riverside Cemetery. These fish sticks provide woody habitat for fish and wildlife in the area. Phase 1 of 6 was recently completed and it is anticipated that it will take multiple years to complete all six phases. To learn more about the project and what it involves, feel free to visit: https://fwwa.org/2020/09/23/dnr-riverside-fish-sticks-project- phase-1-installed/. If you have any questions regarding the project please contact Ray Maurer, Parks Director, at (920) 236-5080. 5. LAKESHORE PARK IMPROVEMENTS: October is the time to get out in the parks to view the colors and absorb the surroundings before winter sets its course! What better place to take in the season than by walking the trail at Lakeshore Park and viewing the sites where phase one construction will be taking place in the coming year. The Parks Department has been working with SmithGroup to develop concepts for phase one development which includes a year-round use pavilion with restroom, parking and site amenities for this area of the park. The design process will continue over the next few months with public input opportunities at upcoming Advisory Park Board meetings. If you have any questions regarding Lakeshore Park Improvements, please contact Ray Maurer, Parks Director, at (920) 236-5080. 6. IMPROVEMENTS MOVE FORWARD: With Menominee Park Zoo being closed for season, we continue to make improvement for the future of the zoo including the recently completed Eagle Exhibit. Our new eagle is scheduled to arrive in early December. We are excited to work with this species and fully introducing this exhibit in spring of 2021. If you have any questions regarding the Menominee Park Zoo, please contact Chad Dallman, Assistant Parks Director, at (920) 236-5080. 7. MAKING FUN HAPPEN: Just like everyone else, the Oshkosh Parks Department had to come up with some alternative plans due to COVID 19. We were unable to host our annual Touch a Truck or Zooloween Boo so we created a COVID-friendly event called Truck or Treat! This was a drive thru trick or treat event where different businesses and organizations set up trick or treat booths throughout Menominee Park. Families drove through staying in their vehicles at all times and the booth vendors came to them with masks and gloves on to pass out treats. We also had a stilt walker, juggler and some mascots entertaining the kids as well. Thank you to our own Oshkosh Police Department and Oshkosh Public Library for joining in on the fun by doing a trick or treat station! The event was sold out as we limited the number of vehicles to 500 for the two hour event. We saw lots of cute costumes and families enjoyed themselves as they went through the park looking at all of the creative stations. If you have any questions regarding this event or want to be included in future events like this one, please contact Jenny McCollian, Revenue Facilities Manager, at (920) 232-5319. 8. VIRTUAL CONTESTS: The Parks Department will host a virtual costume contest as well as a virtual pumpkin carving contest. Families can enter in these fun contests by posting a picture on the Menominee Park and Zoo Facebook page thru Oct. 30th. Winners will then be selected and we will reach out to those families to pick up their prizes. We wish we could see all of the costumes in person but we are looking forward to seeing all of the costumes on our Facebook page. Visit our Facebook page for more information: https://www.facebook.com/MenomineePark. If you have additional questions regarding these virtual contests, please contact Jenny McCollian, Revenue Facilities Manager, at (920) 232-5319. 9. SUCCESS STORIES FROM THE OSHKOSH SENIORS CENTER: COVID has brought challenges to the population the Center serves but it has been no surprise that our participants are adapting to the “new normal” and finding ways to stay active, stay social, and stay informed. With the weather getting colder we have moved the morning exercises inside. We are socially distancing and masking up. The Fox Fitness Center is flourishing with the extra safety precautions we put in place. Machines were moved throughout the building to help people stay distanced and be able to use the entire line of equipment. We are hearing over and over – “I feel safe working out at the Oshkosh Seniors Center.” Our services are vital to community seniors, especially seniors like Jim. Jim is in his 80s and lives alone. He was one of our first clients with Connect through Tech. When the pandemic hit, Jim had a flip phone and no other technology. If there was another stay at home order Jim wanted to be able to order things online and stay connected with family and friends. That was his primary motivation for making an appointment. Jim is one of our biggest success stories. He jumped right into the muddy waters of technology and embraced everything we shared. We went to CellCom with Jim to get an iPhone phone and iPad. He was nervous about creating an account and we were happy to be there for him, especially when we noticed that most of the employees were under the age of 30 and had little patience for helping seniors. It’s not that they didn’t want to be helpful, it was mainly due to the huge technology disconnect that exists between generations. Most of the employees who work in sales are younger and have never lived without technology. They have a vocabulary and perspective that is completely foreign to those over age 50. This fact makes it harder for them to understand each other and leads to a lot of stress on both sides. We hope to have someone from T-Mobile come to the Seniors Center to explore options and serve as a translator for seniors if they don’t understand something. Coming to the Seniors Center is much less intimidating than going to a store. Thanks to Connect through Tech, our seniors have a safe, judgement free space to explore new technologies and platforms. Jim has come so far on his technology journey, which started in March of 2020. In October, Jim ordered groceries online for the first time. We are anxiously awaiting a report on the experience. Jim is a pioneer and we keep telling him that when he is fully trained he can help us train other seniors. Although he doubts he will ever reach this level we have confidence in his skills. Jim is so grateful for our help and often brings us treats and sweets. We are grateful to Jim because he helped us figure out the best way to teach seniors how to use technology. If you know of a senior in need of help with technology have them call the Oshkosh Seniors Center for an appointment at 920-232-5300. If you have any questions, please contact Jean Wollerman, Senior Services Manager at (920) 232-5300. 10. COVID-19 RESOURCE LINKS AND INFORMATION:  Citizen Covid-19 Information Site:  https://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/covid19.aspx  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:  https://www.cdc.gov/  Wisconsin Department of Health Services:  https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/  Winnebago County Public Health Department:  https://www.co.winnebago.wi.us/health/divisions-program- areas/communicable-disease/covid-19-coronavirus/wchd-covid-19-situation 11. ATTACHED REPORTS & UPDATES: Attached please find the weekly Museum Board Memo, Oshkosh Public Library Highlights for October and the Budget Public Hearing notice. 12. 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/. 13. UPCOMING MEETINGS: Among the meetings I have scheduled for the week of October 26 include the following: On Monday at 10:00 AM I will be meeting with Mayor Palmeri to go over Tuesday’s agenda. At 2:30 PM on Wednesday I will be attending the virtual Be Well Fox Valley Leadership Table committee meeting. On Thursday at 8:15 AM I will be participating in the Friends of the Senior Center’s “Day of Giving” at the Seniors Center. At 9:00 AM I will be attending a meeting of the board for the Best Western Premier Waterfront Hotel Investors group. At 3:00 PM I will be meeting with staff to discuss potential development project ideas in the Morgan District. At 5 PM I will be attending the virtual joint workshop for the Jackson St. Corridor study. If you have any questions regarding my schedule, please contact me.