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HomeMy WebLinkAboutnewsletter TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Mark Rohloff, City Manager DATE: June 17, 2022 RE: Weekly Newsletter 1. WINNEBAGO COUNTY CUTTING ROUTE 10 FUNDING: Winnebago County Cutting Transportation Funding – Winnebago County has informed staff that due to budget constraints they are no longer able to offer funding for Route 10. Route 10 connects the cities of Oshkosh and Neenah and serves as the connection between GO Transit and Valley Transit allowing residents a travel option throughout the Fox Valley. The route currently serves county residents primarily going to and from work, as well as social service and medical appointments, school (UWO and FVTC) and a few social trips. This route is currently a fixed route bus service operating six days a week and is contracted through Kobussen bus lines. The costs to run this route annually increases with Consumer Price Index (CPI) and fuel escalators. Ridership on this route has been continually decreasing in recent years. GO Transit knows that this service is important for those that use it and believes connecting GO Transit and Valley Transit is important for mobility throughout the region. However, there is most likely a better way to provide the service. GO Transit hired SRF Consultants to study the route and service alternatives. SRF presented their study to the Transit Advisory Board on Wed. June 15th. The board agreed with SRF’s recommendation for an expansion of an on demand shared-ride taxi service to be tested in 2023 to replace the Route 10 fixed route service. The details of a pilot program, such as eligibility, service area, and fares would need to be worked out, and most importantly, local funding is still needed to continue to offer any type of service between Oshkosh and Neenah. Route 10 is funded mostly through GO Transit’s federal and state grants (approximately 53%) along with some funding from Winnebago County (approximately 37%) and fares (approximately 10%). Winnebago County is having a public budget hearing on Wed. June 29th from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Whitman Airport Meeting Room. Official notice can be found at: https://www.co.winnebago.wi.us/human-services/divisions/administrative-services- division If anyone is interested in expressing their opinions on this topic, please attend this meeting. If you have any questions on this, please contact, Transportation Director, Jim Collins 2. PUBLIC MUSEUM PROVIDES RESOURCES IN OASD CLASSROOMS: This spring, the Oshkosh Public Museum distributed over $5,000 in free teacher resources throughout the Oshkosh Area School District. The initiative was coordinated by OASD Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator Tanya Schmidt, who is employed part time by OPM as our Education Assistant. “One of the most amazing things about being able to work with the OPM and the OASD at the same time is connecting the classrooms to the rich resources available. Especially with the new curriculum standards – OPM has been a wealth of information and photographs for K-12 when they learn about the community they live in,” said Tanya. With Tanya’s expertise and connectedness throughout the OASD, OPM books and resources were given free of charge to teachers in elementary schools throughout the district and both high schools. Teachers eagerly took advantage: “Thank you for offering these books to our classrooms!” said one elementary school teacher. In total, OPM distributed nearly 600 books this spring alone. Likewise, OPM Inquiry Kits launched this spring. Tanya celebrates their early success, “In grades 3-5 the Inquiry Kits bring history to their hands, makes their learning tangible, and unforgettable.” This spring, 75 third, fourth, and fifth graders had Inquiry Kits in their classrooms throughout the OASD. Inquiry Kits were developed by Museum Staff and Tanya Schmidt, and made possible by a generous grant from the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation. 3. 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/. 4. 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 5. LOOKING AHEAD: Among the meetings I have scheduled for the week of June 20 include: Beginning at 9:00 AM on Monday I will be wrapping up the CIP meetings with Department Heads. At 9:00 AM on Tuesday I will be meeting with staff to get an update on the 217 North Main Street building. At 11:00 AM I will be doing a short interview with NBC 26 regarding Oshkosh current events. At 11:30 AM I will be meeting with staff to discuss special assessment funding options. At 2:30 PM I will be meeting with staff for an update on the Menominee Park Boathouse project. On Wednesday at 2:00 PM I will be attending the monthly virtual Local Government Funding Committee meeting. At 5:00 PM I will be attending the Grand Opera House board meeting. On Friday at 2:30 PM I will be making a presentation on Local Government Funding at the State Fire Chiefs Conference in Green Bay. If you have any questions about my schedule, please contact me.