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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6.18newsletter TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Mark Rohloff, City Manager DATE: June 18, 2021 RE: Weekly Newsletter 1. TOURISM EXPERT CONDUCTS DESTINATION ASSESSMENT: The Oshkosh Convention and Visitor’s Bureau recently hired internationally-known tourism expert Roger Brooks to conduct a destination assessment on Oshkosh to identify opportunities in the community to enhance tourism, improve the quality of life, and attract people to Oshkosh. Some key observations that Mr. Brooks identified in his presentation included improving the wayfinding signage in the city, creating a multi- use gathering space in the downtown for year-round programming, and boost curb appeal in the city. Amy Albright, Executive Director of the Oshkosh CVB, will present additional findings to the Common Council at a Council on July 13. If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Nieforth, Economic Development Services Manager. 2. POLLOCK COMMUNITY WATER PARK TO EXPAND HOURS: Beginning Monday, June 21st Pollock Community Water Park will be changing hours to allow for full facility capacity and extended hours. The pool season will run through August 18th. The pool will be open daily in the following format:  10:00 - 11:30 am: Lap swim, lazy river walking, tot time (for children under 5 years old)  11:30 am - Noon: Patrons need to exit the pool for staff to prepare for open swim  Noon – 7:30 pm: Open swim  5:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Lap swim  6:00 pm – 7:30 pm: One lane lap swim Due to staff limitations, certain areas of the pool may have to be closed on days when we are short-staffed. We appreciate your understanding as we do our best to make sure Pollock Community Water Park is open for the summer season. If you have any questions, please contact Jenny McCollian, Revenue Facilities Manager, at (920)232- 5319. 3. WELCOME CADETS: On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, the Oshkosh Police Department welcomed new Police Officer Cadets Courtney Scoles and Brayden Ewing. Courtney and Brayden are attending the 18-week Fox Valley Technical College Police Recruit Academy in preparation for their career in law enforcement. Congratulations and Welcome to the OPD Team!  Prior to becoming a Cadet, Courtney served as an Intern with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Courtney graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with a minor in Criminal Justice from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh.  Prior to becoming a Cadet, Brayden served as a Community Service Officer with the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh Police Department. Brayden is a recent graduate from Fox Valley Technical College where he earned his Associate’s degree in Criminal Justice. 4. SAFETY CITY 2021: The Oshkosh YMCA was excited to welcome back the return of Safety City June 7–10, 2021! Safety City is hands-on education for children ages 4-9 where they learn about a variety of safety topics. The program combines interactive classroom activities in a fun, child-sized environment. A highlight of the program is the life-like city with working street lights, railroad crossings and replica buildings. Oshkosh Police Officer Kate Mann taught pedestrian, bicycle and car safety as children walked, rode pedal operated cars, and biked through the city. Oshkosh Fireman John Holland taught the children about summer safety, what to do if there is a fire, and many other safety lessons. Safety City = Safe Kids and Happy Parents! 5. KIDS AND COPS READING PROGRAM: As part of the expansion goals for the Kiwanis and Cops Reading program, officers were seen out and about on Wednesday, June 16 at South Park with the department’s Command and Community Outreach Vehicle. Going mobile with the program provides an opportunity for officers to make even more community connections with kids and families. Besides enjoying the beautiful weather, kids also received books, water, juice boxes, and popsicles handed out by the officers. So far, the Kiwanis and Cops Reading program has been well received and the officers are excited about fostering positive relationships with the youth in our community! 6. ARPA PUBLIC INPUT MEETINGS CONTINUE: The first of three public input meetings was held on Wednesday June 17. I will be hosting the final two input/listening sessions on Monday June 21 at 2:00 PM and Wednesday June 23 at 6:00 PM. Below are the links to the funding applications/input forms for citizens, non- profit organizations, community groups (including Boards and Commissions), and neighborhood associations. Staff also prepared a POLCO survey for citizens to prioritize various funding options. Citizen Input: https://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/Citizen_ARPA_Form.aspx Non-Profit: https://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/assets/pdf/NonProfit_ARPA_Form.pdf 7. 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. COVID-19 RESOURCE LINKS AND INFORMATION: 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 9. UPCOMING MEETINGS: At 8:30 AM on Monday, I will be doing my monthly interview with Bob Burnell on WOSH radio. At 10:00 AM I will be attending the Joint Review Board meeting. At 2:00 PM I will be hosting the second ARPA citizen input/listening session. At 3:30 PM I will be meeting with Mayor Palmeri to discuss Tuesday’s agenda. On Tuesday at 7:30 AM I will be attending the Propel Leadership Breakfast. At 8:00 AM Wednesday I am scheduled to participate in a League of Wisconsin Municipalities panel. At 6:00 PM I will be hosting the third ARPA citizen input/listening session. At 8:30 AM on Thursday I will be meeting with staff to review the final Facility Assessment Report. At 11:30 AM I will be meeting with Finance Director Van Gompel to discuss the ARPA program. At 1:30 PM I will be hosting my quarterly virtual employee meeting. If you have any questions about my schedule, please contact me.