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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.26.24 Newsletter TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Mark Rohloff, City Manager DATE: July 26, 2024 RE: Weekly Newsletter 1. SOUTH MAIN STREET AND 7TH AVENUE INTERSECTION CLOSURE: Work will begin on the reconstruction of East 7th Avenue on Monday, July 29th. The intersection of South Main Street and 7th Avenue is planned to close to all traffic after 8:30 a.m. Through traffic will be restored on South Main Street by the end of the day on Friday, August 2nd. This closure is required to complete sanitary sewer, water main, storm sewer, and partial pavement work within the right-of-way in a safe manner for both the employees of the City’s contractor and the travelling public. Motorists and pedestrians are urged to plan alternate routes and expect delays due to the closure. As always, please be cautious when approaching any construction zone. Traffic heading north on South Main Street will be detoured at West 9th Avenue to head west to Oregon Street; traffic will then head north on Oregon Street to Jackson Street, then turn east on High Avenue to North Main Street. Traffic heading south on North Main Street will be detoured on Algoma Boulevard to head west to Jackson Street; traffic will then head south on Jackson Street to Oregon Street, then east on West 9th Avenue to South Main Street. The Brooklyn Office Center located at 600 South Main Street will be accessible using West 8th Avenue to South Main Street. There will be a ramped gravel pathway located south of the South Main Street/7th Avenue intersection to the parking lot for business access. The City of Oshkosh Transit bus stop at South Main Street & 7th Avenue will be closed for the week. If you have any questions, please contact Construction Management Supervisor, Craig Ramthun. 2. NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENTS IN OSHKOSH: The 2024 National Night Out is on Tuesday, August 6th from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. and there are twenty (20) planned locations to celebrate the event in Oshkosh. The purpose of the National Night Out is to enhance the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while building a sense of community in our neighborhoods throughout the city. In the past, various Neighborhood Associations in the city have held events as part of National Night Out. This year, eleven (11) recognized neighborhood associations will be hosting an event to bring their neighbors together. Events will take place at the following locations: Boys and Girls Club, Copper Hall, Congress Avenue Tot Lot, Christian Dr/Eichstadt Rd, Stevens Park, Graceland Dr/Abbey Ave, Menominee Park Shelter, Sacred Heart Church Parking Lot, 600 Block of W. 7th Ave, 1000 Block of Pierce Ave, Emmeline Cook School, Minnesota St/W. 10th Ave, New Life Community Church Parking Lot, Sheridan St/Algoma Blvd, Miravida Living, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Wesley United Methodist Church, W. 15th Ave (between Minnesota St. and Iowa St.), Rugby St (between W. 9th Ave and W. 10th Ave), and Evans St (between Mallard Ave and Greenwood Ave). 3. GO TRANSIT ADMINISTRATIVE AND MAINTENANCE FACILITY STUDY NEARS COMPLETION: GO Transit applied for and received a federal planning grant to assess and plan for current and future facility needs, which aligns with the City’s goal to assess, plan for and budget for facilities City-wide. GO Transit’s administrative and maintenance facility is currently housed at 926 Dempsey Trail, along with the City’s Electric, Signs, and Street Painting Divisions. The facility was built as the Oshkosh Municipal Incinerator in 1968. The City’s Transportation Department moved to the facility in the early 1980s and has done a good job making the facility functional. However, the study is demonstrating that the facility is inadequate to meet the Department’s current needs and has no room for growth. Once the study is complete, a copy will be shared with Council. It is anticipated that the study can be used as a basis to apply for future federal grant funding opportunities. If you have any questions, please contact Transportation Director Jim Collins. 4. PARKS DEPARTMENT INVITES YOU TO CELEBRATE SUMMER: Please take advantage of the Oshkosh Parks Department's planned activities in August and early September. There is still time to catch the best of what summer delivers in our community. The Oshkosh Parks Department offers free and very affordable things to do for kids, families, and adults. Interested? Find everything in the 2024 Activity Guide. Make a splash at Pollock Community Water Park before we close for the season on August 18th. Did you know that we offer Lap Swimming, Tot Time, and Lazy River Walking from 10:30 a.m. to noon? (From July 22nd through August 1st, this time shifts Monday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to noon to accommodate swimming lessons.) The early morning designated times are for these activities only. Tot Time is excellent because the Zero-Gravity pool is available for toddlers under five, accompanied by an adult, to have fun at the pool without the distraction of large crowds. Hot days are made for cool fun at Pollock Community Water Park. The public feedback and response to the educational programs offered at the Menominee Park Zoo have been incredibly positive. Zookeepers and the Zoo Education Coordinator offer an average of 3 free daily special activities for people to participate in. Increasing the number of programs provided has had a positive impact on attendance. Programs include Wildlife Wednesdays, when the Zoo hosts a special educator like Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, or a craft with animal themes, such as making a fox puppet. The scheduled activities may be found on the Menominee Park Facebook page. Here are some highlights of events coming in the next few weeks: Wildlife Wednesdays at Menominee Park Zoo • August 7th - Wildlife Wednesday, "Who Eats What?" with 1000 Islands Environment Center from 11:00 a.m. to noon • August 14th - Wildlife Wednesday, Ms. Kim's Amazing Animals from 11:00 a.m. to noon • August 21st - Eagle and Friends with the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center from 11:00 a.m. to noon • August 28th - GEE Funny Farm from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Brews on the Bay in Rainbow Memorial Park from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. • August 7th - Brad Emanuel • August 21st - Swamp Water Boogie • September 4th - Ian Seaholm and the Night Thieves Live at the Leach Amphitheater Free Tuesday Night Concert from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. • August 13th - Pink Houses If you have any questions about upcoming events, please contact Jenny McCollian, Revenue Facilities Manager, at (920)236-5080. 5. FUN-FILLED END TO SUMMER PLANNED BY SENIOR CENTER: August is almost here, and it can mean many things, from the “dog days” of summer to back to school. Even that, the days are starting to get a bit shorter. At the Oshkosh Seniors Center, it means a fun end to summer and gets us thinking ahead to what looks to be a busy fall season. Food Truck Friday is coming on August 9th. In addition to 20 different food trucks, you can enjoy a cold beverage and wonderful entertainment in beautiful South Park. While there, don’t forget to purchase raffle tickets to win groceries! The winner will be drawn at the event, and tickets are affordable. Stop at either the Oshkosh Seniors Center location or Red’s Piggly Wiggly to purchase your tickets. Ticket sales help support the Friends of the Oshkosh Seniors Center (FOSC), who directly support the Oshkosh Seniors Center in many ways. Their annual commitment to helping us accomplish our mission means we have access to equipment and programs, from fitness to entertainment to health to technology and the arts. Simply stated, we can’t do the wonderful things we do (for you!) without their support, and they can’t support us without your support. Please consider giving generously to FOSC in any way you can. August will also mean starting a new, exciting program at the Oshkosh Seniors Center intended to make a difference in those at risk for falling: BingoCize. This fall prevention workshop will combine the fun of bingo with the necessary learning and activity to keep you safe and healthy. This fall, we look forward to continuing our vibrant music and arts programs and adding them to our fitness offerings. See you by the river! 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. 6. MUSIC & FESTIVITIES CONTINUE IN OSHKOSH: I’m sure you have heard the planes over Oshkosh this week. While EAA AirVenture may be our biggest event hosted here throughout the year, we continue to have exciting music and other festivities. New this year, we welcomed Stellar Summer, a vendor fair with a twist, adding live music and food trucks at the Leach Amphitheater. They can’t wait to start planning for next year. Stellar Summer is just one of the many new additions to our event lineup. Next month, we will welcome music lovers for a three-day music festival, complete with camping, food, and fun—welcome the XRoads41 Music Festival! I would be remiss not to encourage everyone to attend our annual events that never disappoint. Live music in Opera House Square weekly for “Music on Main” and “Live at Lunch,” and don’t miss the chance to visit your favorite vendors all season long at the Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market. Food Truck Friday will also be back on August 9th in South Park; this is the Friends of the Oshkosh Seniors Center’s 8th year hosting these events with proceeds benefiting the Oshkosh Seniors Center programs. Check out the Discover Oshkosh webpage to see all the exciting events coming up, or contact Kathy Snell, Special Events Coordinator, at (920) 236-5080. 7. ATTACHMENT: Oshkosh Public Library’s August 2024 Calendar of Events 8. 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. 9. 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. 10. LOOKING AHEAD: The meetings I have scheduled for the week of July 29th include the following: on Monday at 3:00 p.m., I will be attending the Joint Review Board meeting to discuss a new tax increment district. On Tuesday at 5:00 p.m., I will meet with Council for a budget workshop on the capital improvement program. On Wednesday at 1:30 p.m., I will meet with staff and members of The Grand Oshkosh Board of Directors to continue conversations regarding the Grand Opera House’s annex renovation project. On Friday at 11:00 a.m., I will meet with Councilor Esslinger and a resident to discuss concerns regarding homelessness. If you have any questions about my upcoming schedule, please do not hesitate to contact me.