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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.25.25 Newsletter : TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Rebecca Grill, City Manager DATE: July 25, 2025 RE: Weekly Newsletter 1. CITY RECEIVES FIRST PFAS SETTLEMENT PAYMENT: The Department of Public Works and the City Attorney’s office have collaborated over the past two years to provide information in order for the City to receive payment from an Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Products Liability Litigation for Public Water Systems settlement. The settlement involves four companies: 3M, Dupont, Tyco, and BASF. These foams are known to have contained PFAS and contributed to water contamination. The settlement allocation the City will receive from 3M has been calculated at $524,990.45. The first payment of $104,998.09 has been received. The City’s allocation from the settlement was calculated based on the concentration of certain PFAS compounds in our drinking water source, Lake Winnebago. While Lake Winnebago concentrations are very low, and do not require any additional treatment processes to keep the PFAS levels in our drinking water below regulatory limits, the City still received an allocation. The payments will be made in installments through the year 2033. It is anticipated the 3M allocation will be the largest that the City receives. If you have questions regarding the Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Products Liability Litigation for Public Water Systems settlement, please contact Assistant Director of Public Works / Utilities General Manager, Steve Gohde. 2. PRIVATE-SIDE LEAD WATER SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT LETTERS SENT OUT 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 2025 and 2026. While we are working with the WDNR on the funding, notices are being sent to property owners adjacent to proposed 2026 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 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. 3. CITY’S GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN ACTION: In a display of the City of Oshkosh’s guiding principles of “Can-Do Spirit” and “Responsiveness,” the City’s Transportation Department recently addressed a request by the Oshkosh Arena to update signage on the City’s wayfaring signs, which had previously displayed an outdated name for the Oshkosh Arena. After being contacted by their Marketing and Sales Manager about the outdated signs earlier this month, Transportation staff acted promptly and was able to get the updated the signage in place quickly. Oshkosh Arena staff is appreciative of the City’s support as they continue their efforts to build awareness for their brand and their role in the community, and we applaud the Transportation Department staff for their actions to support a community partner! 4. CHECK OUT THE PARK PROGRAMS THIS SUMMER: Although we're already halfway through summer, we still have many events to offer the community. All of our events are listed on the Parks Department page of the City of Oshkosh website. The Parks Department offers something for everyone, from live music and zoo programming to craft fairs and special events at our Children’s Amusement Center, along with other attractions. Check out the Parks Department’s 2025 Activity Guide, which provides a comprehensive overview of all our events and the hours of operation for our park facilities. We hope to see you at some of these fantastic park events before summer ends. 5. MEMORIAL BENCH PROGRAM: The memorial bench program continues to expand as more units will be installed in South Park and Red Arrow over the next few weeks. Find out more about this program at the Park Department Online Services page. 6. NEW OSHKOSH PARKS AMENITIES PORTAL: Our new Parks Amenities Portal is now live! This portal provides residents and visitors with a more accessible and organized way to search for the numerous parks and park facilities in and around the city, as well as the specific amenities they offer. Users can use the interactive city map to find specific locations and their details. Interested in finding out which parks have basketball courts or boat launches? Use the amenities filters to quickly sort through locations and find exactly what you’re looking for! Do you already have a specific park in mind that you'd like to learn more about? The portal features a directory of locations that can be easily searched with just a few clicks. 7. NEW PROGRAM SUPERVISOR AT SENIORS CENTER: The Oshkosh Seniors Center is pleased to introduce Rebecca Bays as their new Program Supervisor. Rebecca brings a wealth of experience, including her role as Senior Programming and Recreation Director at the Berlin Seniors Center. She is also the current President of the Wisconsin Association of Seniors Centers and holds a Master’s of Business Administration degree with a Leadership emphasis. 8. BRAIN HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIR AT THE SENIORS CENTER: The Seniors Center will host the Brain Health & Wellness Fair on Wednesday, September 10th. A variety of speakers, community partner booths, and hands-on, interactive demonstrations will keep you engaged and learning all morning in the South Building. In the afternoon, the Center will host a concert at the North Building. The J+ Band will perform popular hits from the '60s and '70s. Tickets for the concert will go on sale in early August. If you have any questions about the parks or Seniors Center, please contact Sadie Ingenthron, the Marketing and Fund Development Coordinator, at 920-236-5080 or SIngenthron@oshkoshwi.gov. 9. 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 Landmarks Commission Long Range Finance Committee Plan Commission Transportation Committee 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, by email (kzuercher@oshkoshwi.gov) or call 920-236-5002.