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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11.10.23 Newsletter TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Mark Rohloff, City Manager DATE: November 10, 2023 RE: Weekly Newsletter 1. LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT ACCELERATOR PROGRAM: On Thursday, November 2, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a press conference and roundtable discussion in Kenosha, Wisconsin, regarding its new Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) Accelerator Program. The program will provide communities with additional assistance to meet the regulatory requirements imposed by the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule. The ultimate goal is the removal of all lead piping in the drinking water supply. The first step is to identify what type of material each service line (pipe) is made of. This must be done by October of 2024. City staff has already been working diligently to compile this information for several years. Over the last few months, you may have seen our LSLR program mascot, “Leady,” in your social media feeds or on your streaming devices. This accelerator program will advance the work already being done by providing additional resources for public messaging and communication, records review, neighborhood outreach, and canvassing as well as assisting citizens with scheduling a service line inspection performed by City staff. Additionally, this program will provide resources aimed at the eventual removal and replacement of lead services, including accessing Federal and State funds as they are made available. Additional “Leady” information can be found here: oshkoshwater.com A link to the official EPA press release can be found here: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Partnership with 10 Wisconsin Communities to Accelerate Lead Service Line Replacement as Part of Investing in America Agenda | US EPA If you have questions regarding the Lead Water Service Line Replacement Accelerator Program, please contact Assistant Director of Public Works / Utilities General Manager, Steve Gohde at (920) 236-5065. 2. LIBRARY BOARD NAMES FINALISTS FOR DIRECTOR AND SCHEDULES PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS: The Oshkosh Public Library Board of Trustees is in the final stages of selecting a new Library Director. The Board has chosen three finalists for the position, with interviews scheduled for November 15th and 16th. The finalists are: • Desiree Bongers, Director of Ripon Public Library, Wisconsin • Darryl Eschete, Director or West Des Moines Public Library, Iowa • Holly Selwitschka, Director of Kimberly Public Library, Wisconsin Each candidate will have a dedicated 30-minute session to share their vision for the library’s future. These public presentations will take place on November 15th starting at 4:30 PM in the library’s lower-level meeting room. While the public will not have the opportunity to ask questions or make comments, they can complete a feedback survey following the presentations. The Board will deliberate during the afternoon of November 16th, with the intent to select a director by the end of the day. Additional information will be shared following the final decision and a candidate’s acceptance of the library’s employment offer. Thank you to the community for their support during this transition. The selection of a new Library Director is a significant step in the library’s next chapter. 3. FOUR FIREFIGHTERS COMPLETE PROBATIONARY PERIOD: The Oshkosh Fire Department congratulates Firefighters Ben Cook, Miranda Galligan, Megan Klansky, and Jacob Myers for completing their one-year probationary period on November 7th. Nice job! 4. ATTACHMENT: Notice of Upcoming Shutdown at Best Western Premier Waterfront Hotel 5. GET INVOLVED IN A BOARD OR COMMISSION: If you are interested in serving your community, please consider becoming a member of one of the City’s citizen advisory boards, commissions or committees. To learn more about the boards and commissions, or to complete an application to serve, follow the link below: https://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/boardsandcommissions/ 6. 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/ 7. LOOKING AHEAD: Among the meetings I have scheduled for the week of November 13th include the following: on Monday at 11:00 AM, I will attend a virtual meeting regarding Wisconsin City/County Management Association’s Winter Conference, and at 2:30 PM I will meet with staff to continue planning for the 2024 State of the City. On Tuesday at 7:30 AM, I will attend the Chamber of Commerce’s Community Sounding Board meeting and at 2:00 PM, I’ll meet with staff regarding long-term issues related to homelessness and how they are impacting City departments. On Wednesday, I will attend the Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors meeting. On Wednesday, the City will also be hosting Government Day for the Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Oshkosh program, where I will present about City services in the afternoon. At 4:30 PM, I will attend the public presentations given by the finalists for the Library Director position. On Thursday at 7:30 AM, Finance Director Russ Van Gompel and I will meet with the Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors regarding the 2024 City budget. At 11:30 AM, I will attend the Wisconsin City/County Management Association’s regional meeting in Clintonville, and then will attend the Winnebago County Housing Needs Workshop with Community Development Director Kelly Nieforth and Planning Services Manager Mark Lyons. If you have any questions about my upcoming schedule, please do not hesitate to contact me.