Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutnewsletter TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Mark Rohloff, City Manager DATE: November 12, 2021 RE: Weekly Newsletter 1. Q & A FOR WATER FILTRATION CLEARWELLS REPLACEMENT: The Department of Public Works hosted a Public Informational Meeting for the Water Filtration Plant Clearwells Replacement Project on October 13, 2021. The meeting was attended by approximately fifty (50) people. Numerous questions were asked & answered and comments made at the end of the meeting. The Department of Public Works also received many additional comments and questions in the weeks following the meeting. Staff, in conjunction with our consultant, have attempted to compile the questions and comments received through November 8, 2021 and to provide written responses. The document is available on the City Website at: https://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/PublicWorks/Documents/17- 18_Responses_to_Public_Comments_Questions_11-8-21.pdf If you have any questions, please contact Assistant Director of Public Works / Utilities General Manager, Steve Gohde, or Director of Public Works, James Rabe at (920)236-5065. 2. 2021 CITIZEN SURVEY REPORT NOW AVAILABLE: The City of Oshkosh Citizen Survey for 2021 is now available online. You can see the results by following the link below: https://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/CitizenSurveyResults/. This initiative has been a valuable partnership with the City of Oshkosh and the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh for over a decade. It is one of the resources used by our supervisors, department heads, as well as elected officials in our collective efforts to develop and execute our strategic plan. A separate trend analysis of survey results dating back to the initial citizen survey in 2009 is also available. The trend analysis offers insight into how opinions have developed and/or changed over time. Although there has been significant information gathered over time, there is still meaningful work to be done. This is a challenge that everyone involved in serving our community is continuously focused on. If you would like to know more about the Oshkosh Citizen Survey or similar initiatives, please contact John Fitzpatrick, Assistant City Manager/ Director of Administrative Services at jfitzpatrick@ci.oshkosh.wi.us. 3. ONLINE PARKING INFORMATION: Recently we received a request from a Council Member asking about finding Parking Tickets and the Appeal Process. This information can be found at https://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/Online_Services.aspx. Please see the Police section. The website had a broken link under the “Parking Ticket Appeal”, but that link has been restored. In addition, the “How Do I” tab on the City’s website will be expanded to include how to pay a parking ticket. While the Police Department issues Parking Tickets, payment and inquiries are processed by the Cashiers in the Finance Department. 4. UTILITY BILLING AND COLLECTIONS CLOSED FOR TRAINING: The city of Oshkosh Finance Department, including Utility Billing and Collections, will be closed to the public on Thursday, November 18, 2021 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm for a staff meeting and in-service training. The public is asked to schedule transactions at other times during the day on November 18th. Collections and Utility Billing will be available to assist customers from 8:00 to 11:30 am and then again from 1:00 to 4:30 pm. If a transaction can only be made from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm, a drop box in front of City Hall can be utilized. The Finance Department appreciates your cooperation and understanding during this brief period of inconvenience. The timing of the meeting and training was established to create the minimal amount of disruption in normal service. For more information, please contact the Finance Department at (920) 236-5005. 5. DOWNTOWN OSHKOSH WISCONSIN’S NEWEST MAIN STREET COMMUNITY: The Downtown Oshkosh Business Improvement District, known more commonly as the BID, recently submitted a successful application to enroll in the state’s Main Street Connect Communities program beginning in 2022. This program is administered through Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) to provide technical assistance to communities in the planning, management and implementation of strategic development projects in downtowns and urban neighborhoods. Participating organizations in the program receive operational assistance including access to educational workshops, webinars and conferences, networking opportunities, and an online resource guide. The more recently-established Connect Communities program is a prerequisite for involvement in the larger state Main Street program. There are currently 85 Main Street program participating organizations active in Wisconsin. Nearby communities with active Main Street programs include Omro, Ripon, Berlin and Fond du Lac. The City of Oshkosh established its business improvement district in 1987 to assist downtown business owners and coordinate their marketing, promotion, property management, revitalization and retention program efforts. Today those efforts have expanded to include downtown beautification, management of various public art projects downtown, and coordination of events and activities to attract residents and visitors to the central city. If you have any questions regarding Oshkosh’s involvement in the state’s Main Street Connect Communities program, please contact Jeff Nau in Planning Services or Sean Fitzgerald in the Economic Development Division. 6. 2021 FOOD AND TOY DRIVE DATES SET: We are back to our traditional means of collecting door to door on the nights listed below. You can also drop off any donations to any of the six Oshkosh fire stations between now and December 12th. We are accepting non-perishable food items, new/unwrapped gifts, wrapping paper/tape, and cash donations. All donations will be given to the Salvation Army and distributed through their distribution program. Monetary donations (and checks) will be given to the Oshkosh Firefighters Charitable Trust and be used to fund the Gary Kassube scholarship, given to two graduating Oshkosh seniors enrolled in a police or fire science program. Additionally, money can be donated through the PayPal link below. https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-click&hosted_button_id=QTK97FZHLAHT6 All routes (maps attached) begin between 5 and 5:30pm. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @OshkoshFoodToy for further updates throughout the drive. We look forward to seeing you on the routes for what promises to be another great year of helping our community! Tuesday, November 30th - Station 14 Wednesday, December 1st - Station 15 Thursday, December 9th - Station 16 Monday, December 13th - Station 18 Tuesday, December 14th - Station 17/19 7. CONGRATULATIONS: On October 28, 2021, Lieutenant Dave Neuber was awarded the Fire Inspector of the Year award from the Wisconsin State Fire Inspectors Association. When describing Lieutenant Dave Neuber, Fire Chief Stanley says one of the many words that come to mind is “dynamo.” Dave is a tireless champion of fire prevention, code compliance, and fire protection. He once said to me that he “doesn’t want to work for a fire department that prepares for the first pick in the draft, I want to work for a department that is always preparing to win the Super Bowl.” That very accurately captures the standard that he holds himself and the department to. Congratulations Lieutenant, an award well deserved. 8. REPORTS ATTACHMENTS UPDATES AND LINKS: Attached is the weekly Museum Board memo and the OPL November 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 November 15 include the following: On Tuesday at 2:00 PM I will be meeting with Trevor Fenrich of Solutions Recovery, Inc. regarding their ARPA application. Wednesday is Government Day for Leadership Oshkosh. I will be giving a short presentation and participating in the event throughout the day. On Thursday I will be meeting with staff to discuss the Winnebago Mental Health Sanitary District. On Friday I will be attending the ThedaCare Community Leaders Group. At 10:00 AM I will be meeting with Superintendent Davis and Oshkosh Area Community Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Wyman to discuss opportunities for the Oshkosh Area School District athletic/sports grounds. If you have any questions about my schedule, please contact me.