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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.12.24 Newsletter TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Mark Rohloff, City Manager DATE: July 12, 2024 RE: Weekly Newsletter 1. MIXED-USE TAX INCREMENTAL DISTRICT PROPOSED TO FACILITATE HOUSING GROWTH: City staff are proposing to create a new Mixed-Use Tax Incremental District (TID) to facilitate housing growth in the northwest portion of the city near the Interstate 41 and US Highway 45 interchange. Consistent with Council’s goal to implement recommendations in the City’s housing plan and the City’s Strategic Plan to encourage additional housing, City staff are recommending that a TID be created to utilize new increment being generated in the area to fund new City infrastructure near the interchange, which has been identified as a growth area. Installing infrastructure in the northwest portion of the city will allow previously undevelopable land (due to lack of utilities) the opportunity to be developed into additional housing units and commercial development. The installation of the utilities will also provide looped service to the City’s existing utility infrastructure, which is critical in order to provide a second point of service to the entire portion of the city northwest of Interstate 41. Next steps include the organizational meeting for the Joint Review Board, comprised of one representative from each of the four taxing jurisdictions, on Monday, July 29, 2024 and a presentation to the Common Council during the Wednesday, August 14, 2024 Council meeting. Subsequent meetings to create the new TID will include the Plan Commission, the Common Council, and the final Joint Review Board meeting. If you have any questions, please contact Director of Community Development Kelly Nieforth. 2. MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORTS: It was recently pointed out to staff that we had not been providing monthly financial reports to Council as required by State Statutes. It appears as though staff fell out of that habit during some staff turnover in Finance back in 2021. Between the budget process and annual audits, Council received accurate financial information, but not with the regularity required, so we are correcting this. The June 25th agenda included a financial report for the first quarter of 2024. These reports will resume to a monthly basis with the June 2024 report, which will be on Council’s August 14th agenda. Staff has been working with our Enterprise Resource Program (“ERP”/accounting) software to provide reports that are both compliant and useful for Council to review. You may notice format changes in subsequent months as we work to improve the readability of the reports. Staff welcomes your input as we improve the report formats. Please contact Finance Director Calmes if you have any thoughts. 3. PRIVATE-SIDE LEAD WATER SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT LETTERS SENT TO PROPERTY OWNERS: The City has applied for and is in the process of receiving funding from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) through the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program to help reduce the cost to private property owners for lead water service line replacement work in 2024 and 2025. While we are working with the WDNR on the funding, notices are being sent to property owners adjacent to proposed 2025 water main replacement projects (including street reconstruction projects). The purpose of these letters is to inform the property owners of the City’s ordinance regarding replacement of lead water service lines and to encourage property owners to register for an appointment to have the Water Utility perform an inspection to determine the material type of their water service line at the water meter at no charge. Property owners may also hire a plumber of their choosing to perform the inspection or perform the service on their own using the new “Self-Report Your Service Lines” option on the City’s website. If you have questions regarding the private-side lead water service lateral replacement program, please contact Assistant Director of Public Works / Utilities General Manager, Steve Gohde. 4. PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ON WEST 9TH TO BE UPGRADED: The Transportation Committee has received frequent requests to upgrade the pedestrian crossing located at the intersection of West 9th Avenue and Graceland Drive. There are a number of commercial establishments in the area and the pedestrian crossing has become increasingly popular. The Common Council allocated funds in the 2024 CIP for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. At their July 9th meeting, the Transportation Committee recommended the installation of rectangular rapidly flashing beacons (RRFBs) at the intersection of West 9th Avenue and Graceland Drive to improve the safety of the pedestrian crossing at that location. There is no ordinance associated with this and there is broad support for the project. The Transportation Department is working on procuring the necessary equipment via cooperative purchase, which will be on a future agenda. If you have any questions about this item, please contact Transportation Director Jim Collins. 5. 2024 REVALUATION UPDATE: It has been a whirlwind couple of months for the Assessment Services Division in the midst of the citywide revaluation! The open book period officially closed on June 28, 2024 and over that eight-week period, staff had conversations with many property owners related to the updated values for 2024. Over 19,000 notices of changed assessment for residential property owners were sent out and Assessor Division staff responded to over 1,000 combined calls and emails and hosted nearly 400 in-person appointments, mainly at City Hall but some out in the field for updated interior inspections. Contracted commercial assessment staff sent out over 2,000 notices of changed assessment to commercial property owners and responded to approximately 80 combined calls and emails and hosted over 20 in-person or phone appointments. As of July 12, 2024, only eleven (11) residential and two (2) commercial appeals have either been heard or scheduled for the Board of Review. The Board of Review is scheduled to wrap up the appeals process next week. If you have any questions, please contact City Assessor Jodi St. Charles. 6. “LET’S GO!” THE OSHKOSH PARKS DEPARTMENT SUMMER SCHEDULE IS PACKED WITH FUN EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES: The summer schedule of activities is jam-packed, and we want you to take advantage of it. Here's a list of must-attend events in July and early August: • Make sure you don’t miss the last free Live at the Leach Amphitheater Concert on Tuesday, August 13 featuring Pink Houses. Pink Houses is a nine-piece band that is a non-stop party of your favorite Rock, Pop, Country, and R&B hits. The gates open at 5:30 pm, and the evening promises food trucks, bounce houses for the kids, and incredible live music. • Plan a trip to Menominee Park Zoo. The zoo has a great educational staff, and each week, there is a full schedule of activities (usually three per day) that parents and kids will love. The weekly schedules are located on the Menominee Park Zoo Facebook page - www.facebook.com/MenomineePark/ . i. July 15th – July 19th: National Zookeeper Week (activities to be posted on Facebook) ii. July 17th: Wildlife Wednesday, Snakes with Badgerland Reptile Rescue, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. iii. July 24th: Wildlife Wednesday, Zoo Education Coordinator Event, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. iv. July 31st: Wildlife Wednesday, Butterflies with Randy Peterson, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. v. August 7th: Wildlife Wednesday, “Who Eats What?” with 1000 Islands Environment Center, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. • Experience a unique night out at Brews on the Bay. Located at the north end of Rainbow Memorial Park, this event offers a taste of local craft music, delicious food from food trucks, and live music from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. It's an evening you won't want to miss! i. July 17th: Plastic Knives ii. July 31st: Power Play Trio iii. August 7th: Brad Emanuel To learn about all the exciting things happening this summer, please check out the 2024 City of Oshkosh Parks Department Activity Guide. If you have any questions about upcoming events, please contact Jenny McCollian, Revenue Facilities Manager, at (920)236-5080. 7. LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS COMING TO SOUTH PARK AVENUE/HIGHWAY 44 MEDIANS: This summer, the center median islands on South Park Avenue/Highway 44 will get some color added to them. The narrower island between Koeller Street and 20th Ave will get eight Witch Hazel trees. The wider island between I-41 and Koeller Street will see the installation of three separate shrub beds starting July 9th and continuing through the 13th. The southbound lane closest to the island will be closed during that time, but traffic can still make all turns. The 80-foot-long beds will include various flowers, shrubs, and trees. This is the first phase of a project to rejuvenate the medians and roundabouts in the City of Oshkosh, revive their beauty, and make them more maintenance-friendly. The rejuvenation of other roundabouts will begin in September and go through the fall. This was made possible through a partnership with the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation and the Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau. If you have questions about these projects, please contact Travis Derks, Landscape Operations Manager, at (920) 236-5080. 8. SENIOR CENTER BRINGS FIRST ANNUAL OSHKOSH UKEFEST ON THE FOX RIVER TO OSHKOSH: An anonymous donor gifted the Seniors Center money to start a ukulele program five years ago. The seed money allowed the Center to purchase ukuleles and contract with instructors to teach people how to play. The program has been wildly popular and, during the last year, over 100 people attended beginner and intermediate classes. The ukulele players have bonded, and many have become so enthusiastic that they travel to ukulele festivals in the Midwest, such as the Aurora, Illinois Ukulele Fest. The latest estimates show there are over 2 million ukulele players in the United States, and the industry is experiencing major growth. The festivals consist of a public performance of popular artists in the field and, during the day, people can attend workshops designed for beginner, intermediate, and advanced skill levels. The event should attract ukulele enthusiasts and music lovers from the region. On Saturday, September 28th, the first Oshkosh Ukefest on the Fox River is taking place at the Oshkosh Seniors Center and will feature nationally-known artists Victoria Vox and Lil’ Rev. Local favorite Aaron Baer will be featured on the main stage. Aaron is a local musician who teaches classes at the Oshkosh Seniors Center and owns New Moon Café, which features live music performances. The ukulele festivals are well-known for their “strum along,” and it is incredible to experience 50-plus people playing at once! Tickets for the event and performance will be available very soon, and the Center hopes Oshkosh will enthusiastically support this new music event. Please find additional information about the Center, program details, and registration information on our webpage. For more information, contact Dan Braun, Senior Services Manager, at (920) 232-5300. 9. VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT FOR OSHKOSH PARKS: As part of the Parks Department Strategic Plan, staff has been working on ways to better engage our volunteer base here in Oshkosh. Every year, a number of individuals and groups volunteer to provide services in our parks and other facilities. Over the last several years, we have been able to increase the number of volunteers assisting with Park events and programs. We were determined to recognize the number of volunteers and hours they contributed this year. We purchased a Volunteer Software Management program to assist with recruitment, signups, tracking, and communication. We launched the software as a test in March with our Bunny in the Barn and Breakfast with the Bunny events. We are now utilizing this same software to capture event volunteer time and hours donated for landscaping and operations assistance. From January 1 through May 31, 2024, volunteers have provided 411 hours of service including assisting with weeding, mulching, picking up sticks and debris in parks, and shoreline cleanup. We could not have the success of our events or be able to keep up with the overall maintenance of our parks without volunteers. We encourage those interested to check out our volunteer opportunities and make a difference in the community by visiting our volunteer page. If you have questions about volunteering for the Oshkosh Parks Department, please contact Kathy Snell, Special Events Coordinator, at (920) 236-5080. 10. FIRE DEPARTMENT WELCOMES NEW FIRE FIGHTERS: The Oshkosh Fire Department would like to welcome our newest firefighters, Donovan Harper and Kelsie Smith, who started with us on Monday, July 8th and will start their Fire Academy training in August. 11. 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. There are current openings on the following boards and commissions: Board of Review Board of Zoning Appeals Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee Long Range Finance Committee Plan Commission Sustainability Advisory Board To learn more about the boards and commissions, or to complete an application to serve, visit our boards and commissions webpage. If you have questions about current openings, please contact the City Manager’s Executive Assistant, Kami Zuercher, at (920) 236-5002 or kzuercher@oshkoshwi.gov. 12. AGENDAS AND MINUTES FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: Upcoming board and commission meeting agendas can be found on our Meeting Notices web page. All meeting minutes are uploaded to the City’s page for boards and commissions upon approval. 13. LOOKING AHEAD: The meetings I have scheduled for the week of July 15th include the following: on Monday at 9:00 a.m., I will attend the Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation’s (GO-EDC) Executive Committee Meeting; at 2:00 p.m., I will meet with Parks Director Maurer, Councilor Larson, and a resident to discuss concerns regarding Lakeshore Park. On Tuesday at 11:00 a.m., I will meet with staff to discuss design of South Main Street for a future Department of Transportation repaving project; at 2:00 p.m., I will meet with Finance staff to prepare for the Capital Improvement Program budget workshop with Council on July 30th. On Wednesday at 7:30 a.m., I will attend GO-EDC’s Board of Director’s Meeting. On Thursday and Friday, I will be in Eau Claire for the League of Wisconsin Municipalities’ Board Meeting. If you have any questions about my upcoming schedule, please do not hesitate to contact me.