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HomeMy WebLinkAboutnewsletter TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Mark Rohloff, City Manager DATE: October 1, 2021 RE: Weekly Newsletter 1. HANDLE WITH CARE: On November 1, 2020, the Oshkosh Police Department, in conjunction with the Oshkosh Area School District and Winnebago County Human Services, agreed to test the “Handle with Care” Program. This program identifies children who have been involved in a traumatic incident and speeds up the offering of services provided to them by way of school social workers. Every school day the Oshkosh Police Department will notify social workers from the school district of incidents that have affected students. The social workers will then make an assessment of services that should be provided. The services can be as simple as letting school staff know that a child may need extra attention and understanding on a certain day. During the timeframe of November 2020 to June 2021, the program was able to identify 70 children that needed extra attention due to traumatic incidents they were involved in or witnessed. The groups involved in this testing phase agreed the program is valuable to these children. It was decided that the Oshkosh Police Department would enter this program into policy and continue to work with other agencies on this important topic. Over the first week (three days) of the new school year, we have already identified five children who have benefitted from this program. The Handle with Care Program was a recommendation of the Winnebago County Overdose Fatality Review Team (OFR). The Oshkosh Police Department actively participates in OFR and assists in making recommendations of this nature. 2. NEW COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP EPISODES: Staff from Oshkosh Media worked with two local nonprofits this week to produce new episodes of monthly shows highlighting the organizations’ missions:  “The Place To Be Oshkosh” is co-produced by Oshkosh Media and Father Carrs Place 2B. This month’s episode features representatives from UW-Oshkosh talking about community engagement. Click here to watch.  “The Outpost” is produced in partnership with Disabled American Veterans Chapter 17 Winnebago County. The most recent episode, recorded on Wednesday, September 29, welcomed veterans from the Vietnam War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to talk about their experiences in the service, as well as the benefits DAV provides. Click here to watch.  The Oshkosh Ice Hawks hockey team will return to the Oshkosh Media studio later this month to record their annual season preview show. Stay tuned to Life TV and the Oshkosh Media YouTube channel for chances to watch. To see schedules for when these shows will air on Life TV, go to www.OshkoshMedia.org. Please contact Oshkosh Media Operations Coordinator Jake Timm at 236-5261 for more information. 3. HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PLANNING UPDATE: In early 2019, city staff and stakeholders from the Historic Jackson Neighborhood began meeting to develop a neighborhood plan that outlines the future vision of the neighborhood. After several meetings, the neighbors decided to take a break from the planning process to focus on the development of the Jackson Corridor Study. The group reconvened on September 29th to kick off the planning process once more. The planning process involves survey distribution and collection, neighborhood-wide visioning sessions and numerous workshops in order to reach the entire neighborhood. The plan will include various goals and objectives that are developed by the neighborhood planning group to highlight assets and address challenges currently facing Historic Jackson. This will be the sixth neighborhood plan that the Planning Services Division has helped develop. The group hopes to complete the adoption process before the end of 2021. The next meeting is scheduled for November 3rd at 5pm at City Hall. For additional information, please contact Associate Planner, Alexa Naudziunas at 920-236-5059. 4. 2021 CITIZEN’S POLICE ACADEMY: Tuesday, September 21, 2021, was the official kickoff to the 2021 Citizen’s Police Academy that runs from September 21 – November 9. Fifteen members of the community are participating in the academy this year where they learn about the policies, procedures and personnel of the Oshkosh Police Department. They gain hands-on experience in topics such as: K9 Unit, drug information, self-defense, Police Auxiliary, crime prevention, Project Lifesaver, Drone demonstrations, use of force, Crisis Negotiation and crime scene processing. Academy members will also participate in the Run With The Cops event for Special Olympics on October 7. A highlight of the academy is the ride along with an officer, which gives them an up close and personal look at the life of an officer on the job. The Citizen’s Police Academy helps build a stronger relationship between the Oshkosh Police Department and the citizens we serve! 5. BIKE WITH THE BLUE: In partnership with Caramel Crisp Café, the Oshkosh Police Department participated in the Bike With The Blue event on Sunday, September 26, 2021. Families joined members of the OPD Bike Patrol Unit, Officers Cody Rukamp and Trey Johnson, along with PIO/Crime Prevention Officer Kate Mann for this fun-filled event! In addition to the free bike helmets, blue lights and OPD goodies that were given out to the kids, the event also included a ½ mile bike ride along the City’s Riverwalk! We want to thank the families that joined us for this first-ever event; we had a great time! 6. TITANIC - THE WISCONSIN CONNECTION: This exhibit continues to draw visitors from around Wisconsin to the Museum. There is still time for your visit, be sure to stop in before October 13, as it will make its final departure. 7. WHITE CHRISTMAS: The White Christmas exhibition opens November 13 through January 23, 2022, in partnership with the Rosemary Clooney House, Augusta, Kentucky. The Oshkosh Public Museum will be the third U.S. city to host the 2,000 square foot exhibit. You will enjoy original White Christmas film costumes created by legendary designer Edith Head, props, sheet music, cast member's memorabilia, archival materials, replica backdrops, and more! In addition, visitors will experience first-hand the musical genius of Irving Berlin and the making of this beloved holiday film about two WWII veterans who team up with a singing sister duo to save a faltering Vermont lodge owned by the veteran's former commanding officer. As a part of this exhibition, we will partner with Eve Vanden Heuvel, Miss Wisconsin Outstanding 2021, and the Auxiliary of the DAV for Operation Waverly - a program to support veterans. More to come! 8. REPORTS ATTACHMENTS UPDATES AND LINKS: Attached is Winnebago County’s 20-21 Overdose Fatality Review report and the Oshkosh Public Library September Highlights. 9. 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/. 10. 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 11. UPCOMING MEETINGS: Among the meetings I have scheduled for the week of October 4 include the following: On Tuesday at 10:30 AM I will be attending a meeting with Oshkosh Kids Foundation representatives for an update on their “Tiny House” project. At 1:30 PM I will be meeting with a group seeking to establish a new mosque in Oshkosh. On Wednesday at 7:30 AM I will be participating in the Oaklawn Elementary “Walk to School Day”. At 8:00 AM I will be attending the Leadership Oshkosh Steering Committee meeting. At 5:00 PM I will be attending the Long-Range Finance Committee meeting. On Thursday at 6:00 PM I will be on the local show, Eye on Oshkosh. If you have any questions about my schedule, please contact me.