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HomeMy WebLinkAboutnewsletter TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Mark Rohloff, City Manager DATE: April 14, 2022 RE: Weekly Newsletter 1. TSA EXTENDS MASK MANDATE ON GO TRANSIT: The Transportation Security Administration has extended the current mandate for mask use on public transportation, including busses and in transportation hubs, through May 3. If you have any questions, please contact Transportation Director, Jim Collins. 2. INQUIRY KITS – MUSEUM BRINGING TO A CLASSROOM NEAR YOU: Designed in collaboration with the Oshkosh Area School District, the Oshkosh Public Museum has created “Inquiry Kits” to meet OASD curriculum standards and feature authentic historical artifacts covering a range of regional history topics. Inquiry Kits combine Museum artifacts, social studies curriculum, and tactile learning – all in one tote! Topics explored through Inquiry Kits include first peoples, mining & logging, Civil War era, and the fur trade. Students can try on reproduction Civil War uniforms, feel a natural beaver pelt, and explore our region’s industrial history. The development of OPM Inquiry Kits was made possible through funding from the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation. Bookings for classrooms within the Oshkosh Area School District are free and will begin soon! Reach out to Katrina Achilli, Assistant Curator at the Oshkosh Public Museum for more information: 920.236.5776 or kachilli@ci.oshkosh.wi.us 3. COFFEE AND CONES WITH A COP: On Tuesday, April 5, 2022, the Oshkosh Police Department kicked off their Coffee With A Cop series. This event looked a little different as Dunkin Donuts and Baskin-Robbins hosted the event, so cones were served along with coffee from 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. Several members of the Police Department participated in the event. K9 Magic even joined in on the fun, enjoying a "pup cup" and making friends with the citizens who stopped by to have coffee and chat with officers. The turnout was great and officers had an opportunity to connect with several members of the community. Thanks to Dunkin Donuts and Baskin-Robbins for hosting our event. Coffee With A Cop gives us a chance to build better relationships with our community “One Cup At A Time!” 4. OPD HAPPENINGS: On Monday, April 11, 2022, Kayla Rodriguez was welcomed to the Oshkosh Police Department. Ms. Rodriguez is a crisis worker with Winnebago County who will be partnering with Behavioral Health Officer, Scott Sopata, and therapy dog Magic, responding to crises calls for service. In response to a significant increase in the number of calls the department receives for citizens experiencing mental health issues, this highly trained team will be able to assist people work through the crisis and also refer them to public resources. It is our goal that they become the direct contact for people in crisis, working with family and friends proactively providing assistance before a crisis even occurs. 5. INSPECTION SERVICES DIVISION MARCH 2022 REPORT: The city’s Inspection Services Division reported the total value of permits issued during March were nearly 10 times more than the value of permits issued during March 2021, though nearly $45 million of the total permit value issued last month was associated with the construction of the new Vel Phillips Middle School on Kentucky Street. Excluding those permits associated with the new school construction, year-over-year building permit values for March still more than doubled those from 2021. Similarly, permit fees collected during March were more than four times higher than March 2021 as a result of those permits associated with the new school construction. For the first quarter 2022, permit values reached nearly $76.6 million, far exceeding the $15.3 million in permits issued during the same period a year ago. Collection fees for the first three months of 2022 were $361,459, an increase of 175 percent above the $131,967 in permit fees collected during the first quarter 2021. Increases in both categories were once again attributable to the permits and fees associated with the construction of the new Vel Phillips Middle School. If you have any questions, please contact Chief Building Official John Zarate. 6. LINKS:  OFD’s latest issue of Hot Topics: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/00f60f8eff.html March Building Permits Plumbing Permits Electric Permits HVAC Permits Total Value of Permits Total Permit Fees Collected 2021 206 106 54 79 $6,062,822 $55,110.78 2022 209 140 61 59 $58,151,103 $240,200.00 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. LOOKING AHEAD: Among the meetings I have scheduled for the week of April 18 are: On Monday at 10:00 AM I will be meeting virtually with Nichole Lance, our new strategic plan facilitator to discuss the results of the survey we conducted of the department heads, supervisors, and managers in advance of the initial Strategic Plan Retreat. On Tuesday at 8:00 AM I will be attending the BID meeting. At 12:00 PM on Tuesday I will be attending the Council Re-Organizational meeting. At 6:00 PM on Tuesday I will be attending the Oshkosh Area School District strategic plan update meeting. On Friday at 8:30 Am I will be meeting with Fire Chief Mike Stanley to discuss Fire Department issues. At 6:30 PM I will be attending a preview of the Helen Farmsworth Mears exhibit at the Oshkosh Public Museum. If you have any questions about my schedule, please contact me.