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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11.22.24 Newsletter TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Mark Rohloff, City Manager DATE: November 22, 2024 RE: Weekly Newsletter 1. AVAILABLE HOUSING RESOURCES: At the recent Common Council meeting, multiple members of ESTHER spoke during the Citizen Statements to Council portion of the meeting and shared concerns about housing in Oshkosh. During their comments to Council, suggestions were provided by the ESTHER members to help with the current housing issues in the city and support individuals who are in need of housing. In response to the ideas shared by ESTHER, city staff wanted to share the resources and programs that are currently available to individuals who are renting a housing unit in the City. Multiple speakers mentioned Racine Rents, an initiative that offers multiple programs to ensure rental properties are safe in Racine. Like Racine, Oshkosh has an active rental registry and inspection program, which provides City inspectors an opportunity to inspect rental units and ensure the units meet code. This program is voluntary due to state statutes that limits the City’s ability to require the inspections. The City also contracts with the Milwaukee Fair Housing Council to assist the City with tenant complaints or discrimination. In an effort to improve the existing rental units, Oshkosh also has a repair loan program for landlords to make improvements to their rental units to maintain safe housing units in the city. Oshkosh does have similar programs as Racine, but does not have all the programs listed in one place like the Racine Rents website. City staff will be working to create a tenant resource page on the City’s website, which will provide all the available resources that are offered in the City in one place in an effort to provide comprehensive information to residents looking for assistance. Please contact Director of Community Development Kelly Nieforth if you have additional questions. 2. LEAGUE OFFERS “LOCAL GOVERNMENT BASICS” ONLINE PROGRAM FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS: In an effort to support elected officials with balancing their responsibilities and learning more about municipal government, the League of Wisconsin Municipalities is now offering “Local Government Basics,” an online, on-demand training that provides a comprehensive overview of city powers, how to avoid conflicts of interest, and covers key topics such as public records, open meetings, governance, ethics, and finance. Funds are available in the budget for Council members who may be interested in this or other training opportunities. Please reach out to Kami Zuercher, Executive Assistant to the City Manager, for help in getting registered. 3. MENOMINEE PARK ZOO BEAR AND FOX EXHIBIT IS COMPLETE: With much cooperation from many resources, the bear and fox exhibits in the Menominee Park Zoo are complete, and species were successfully introduced for patrons to view and learn from them in the future. Mr. Reeves (11-month-old Black Bear) arrived from the Anchorage, Alaska zoo, on November 7th and is adjusting to the new exhibit very well. In addition, our team successfully introduced two red foxes (Joey and Apollo, 7-month-old males) with Mellie, our 6-year-old female. Their energy and inquisitive behavior are intriguing to observe, and we encourage patrons to visit the zoo. The zoo will be open weekdays (excluding holidays) from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Here are the updates on other Park Department projects: • 44th Parallel Park Playground reconstruction and restoration are complete. • The Stevens Park Neighborhood Association participated in choosing the park’s new playground design. The chosen design is on the Common Council agenda for approval on November 26th. If approved, playground construction will take place in the spring and early summer of 2025. • Park restrooms and seasonal shelters are closed for the season and will reopen in mid- April 2025. 4. “BEAR-Y FOXY” FESTIVE HOLIDAY EVENT: We want to celebrate the opening of the new bear and fox exhibit and the arrival of Mr. Reeves on Sunday, December 15th, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The zoo will be open and we invite the public for a ribbon cutting at 12:30 p.m., followed by holiday festivities. Admission is free. Meet the trio of feisty foxes and their fun-loving neighbor, Mr. Reeves. There will be carolers and musicians spreading the joy of the holiday season. The zoo will sell special black bear and fox souvenirs during the event. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to sip on some hot cocoa and have a fox or bear cookie! If you are lucky, you’ll run into a very special jolly guest joining us from the North Pole. The event is a unique holiday experience to share with family and friends, and we hope to see you at Menominee Park Zoo. If you have any questions about this event, please contact Jenny McCollian, Revenue Facilities Manager, at 920-236-5080. 5. SENIOR CENTER WELCOMES YOU TO JOIN IN THE HOLIDAY MERRIMENT! In late November and December, the Oshkosh Senior Center is filled with joy, song, and merriment as the holidays are celebrated. The Golden Tones holiday concert with special guests The Fox Sounds is Sunday, December 8th, at 2:00 p.m. The Winter White Dinner is scheduled for Tuesday, December 10th and, this year, the madrigal singers will provide the entertainment. Advance tickets are for sale at the front desk. At this time of the year, the Friends of the Oshkosh Seniors Center appeals to the public for support of the Center. These annual contributions are critical to funding the wonderful programs and essential services our community counts on. This year’s theme is about the dream of retirement, living in your own home, and how the Center has almost everything you need to help make that a reality. Please consider a gift to support the programs and staff that help fulfill dreams. Donations may be made online. If you have any questions, please contact Dan Braun, Seniors Center Manager, at 920-232- 5300. Seniors Center Program details and registration information may be found on our webpage. 6. THE HOLIDAYS BRING FUN COMMUNITY EVENTS TO SHARE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS: While many of the approved Special Events for 2024 have wrapped up, plenty is still in store for those looking to get out and enjoy these fun community events. We are just a week from the annual Festival Foods Turkey Trot, where over 1,000 attendees will converge on our City streets. Or perhaps you are waiting for a mesmerizing walk through the Celebration of Lights hosted at the grounds of EAA. Race for the Light participants will enjoy the lights again, with proceeds benefiting the Oshkosh Area United Way. For more information on these or other upcoming events, check out the Discover Oshkosh website. If you have any additional questions regarding Special Events, contact Kathy Snell, Special Events Coordinator at 920-236-5080. 7. AND NOW WE WAIT! Something new will be popping out of the ground around Opera House Square this spring. With the collaboration of the Downtown Oshkosh Business Improvement District and the Oshkosh Parks Department, and the help of Avail Switchback Systems, 1,200 Tulips will emerge next spring to bring an early splash of color and beauty to the planting beds in the square. We thank Avail Switchback Systems for providing volunteers to plant all the bulbs. If you have questions about landscape operations or forestry-related topics, please contact Travis Derks, Landscape Operations Manager, at 920- 236-5080. 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: BID Board Board of Review Board of Zoning Appeals Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee Landmarks Commission 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 November 25th include: on Monday at 3:30, I will meet with staff to discuss the implications of a potential jurisdictional transfer of State Highway 44 (Note: this was initiated by the DOT and I have my reservations…more to come). On Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., Community Development Director Nieforth and I will meet with a local developer about a potential project. As a reminder, City Hall will be closed on Thursday, November 28th for the Thanksgiving Holiday. I will also be out of the office on Friday, November 29th, and there will not be a newsletter next week. The meetings I have scheduled for the week of December 2nd include the following: on Tuesday at 9:00 a.m., I will meet with a consultant working with ADVOCAP to discuss their childcare incubator project. On Wednesday at 5:00 p.m., I will attend the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation’s Donor Appreciation Event. On Thursday at 8:00 a.m., I will attend the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Oshkosh Steering Committee meeting; at 4:00 p.m., I will attend East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission’s Oshkosh Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting; and that evening, I will participate in the Downtown Oshkosh Holiday Parade. On Friday at 2:00 p.m., I will meet with staff to continue conversations regarding the impact of homelessness on City departments. If you have any questions about my upcoming schedule, please do not hesitate to contact me.