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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.16.26 Newsletter : TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Rebecca Grill, City Manager DATE: January 16, 2026 RE: Weekly Newsletter 1. NEW POLLING PLACES FOR SOME OSHKOSH VOTERS: The City has four elections this year, with the first coming up on Tuesday, February 17th. The City is consolidating some of the election day polling places in order to improve the voter experience, utilize locations with adequate parking and accessibility, and reduce costs for each election. While most voters’ polling places will remain the same, voters who previously used the American Legion, St. John’s Church, Father Carr’s Place 2B, and First English Lutheran Church will have a new polling place for 2026. See below for these changes, or check out the full list of current polling places. Previous Polling Place Current Polling Place American Legion 1332 Spruce Street UW-Oshkosh Culver Welcome Center 625 Pearl Avenue St. John’s Church 808 N Main Street UW-Oshkosh Culver Welcome Center 625 Pearl Avenue Father Carr’s Place 2B 1062 N Koeller Street UW-Oshkosh Culver Welcome Center 625 Pearl Avenue First English Lutheran Church 1013 Minnesota Street Wittman Field Regional Airport 525 W 20th Avenue Additionally, the location for early in-person absentee voting has been moved to the UW-Oshkosh Culver Welcome Center located at 625 Pearl Avenue. This site provides hundreds of parking spaces, plenty of room for voter lines to be kept inside the building, handicap accessibility, and an overall greater voter experience. For more information about what’s on your ballot and to find your current polling place, visit myvote.wi.gov. 2. OFD WELCOMES NEW CADETS: The City of Oshkosh welcomed seven cadets on December 15, 2025, and another two cadets on January 12, 2026. These cadets are currently in paramedic school and will graduate in May 2026, at which time they will join the Oshkosh Fire Department as full-time firefighter/paramedics. The new Oshkosh Fire Department Cadet Program has helped OFD greatly in recruiting top talent to fill our ranks. 3. NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS DAY: Members from the Vice and Narcotics Unit attended this year’s 16th Annual Human Trafficking Awareness Day Rally at the Opera House Square held on Sunday, January 11, 2026. Each year, this event is hosted by the Damascus Road Project, Incorporated. Damascus Road helps raise awareness of this issue through a three-prong approach: Educate ~ Locate ~ Advocate ~ in their effort to serve communities and the victims of sex trafficking and sexual abuse. 4. OSHKOSH PUBLIC LIBRARY OPENS JOBPOD: JobPod, powered by Microsoft, is now open for business at the Oshkosh Public Library. On January 6th, more than 40 OPL staff, community leaders and workforce development professionals gathered at the library for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the launch of this new free resource for job seekers. OPL’s JobPod was funded by a grant secured in partnership with the Fox Valley Workforce Development Board. “This is a vital partnership that empowers people to take charge of their futures and move forward in their careers and lives with confidence,” said Library Director Darryl Eschete. JobPod brings together essential tools, training and expert guidance provided by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. Users can access guides, templates and tools for resumes, cover letters and job searches. The dedicated, glassed-in space is a comfortable, quiet area for interviews and virtual meetings or appointments. Job seekers can connect directly with a workforce development professional for personalized help with searches, applications, career coaching and more. JobPod can be reserved by calling 920-236-5205 or at oshkoshlibrary.org. JobPod was created under a partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Bay Area Workforce Development Board, Nicolet Federated Library System and Brown County Library. 5. GET INVOLVED IN A BOARD OR COMMISSION: If you are interested in serving your community, 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 Landmarks Commission Plan Commission 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, the process of appointment, or need more information about a particular board, please contact the City Manager’s Executive Assistant, Kami Zuercher, by email (kzuercher@oshkoshwi.gov) or call (920) 236-5002.