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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.30.26 Newsletter : TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Rebecca Grill, City Manager DATE: January 30, 2026 RE: Weekly Newsletter 1. OPD RECOGNIZED WITH GRATITUDE AWARD: In honor of National Mentoring Month in January, Big Brothers Big Sisters were excited to recognize the Oshkosh Police Department with a Gratitude Award for the incredible commitment to fostering a culture of mentoring through the Bigs with Badges program. The presentation took place on Monday, January 26, 2026, with CEO Jaime Kriewaldt and members from the Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Central Wisconsin presenting the award to Chief Dean Smith. Big Brothers Big Sisters Bigs with Badges is a one-to-one mentoring program, connecting youth with law enforcement officers. It helps children see officers in a positive light, helping to build friendships and lasting relationships. Bigs with Badges is a wonderful experience for both the children and officers who are willing to spend the time to enrich the lives of the youth in our community. Fifteen officers were recognized for their dedication to the program: Sergeant Sarah Pauer, Detective Heather Brickham, Officers Brayden Ewing, Kaylee Raabe, Aaron Roberts, Kayla McIntosh, Courtney Scoles, Tanner Rasmussen, Dellas Vandenberg, Phil Steffens, Daniel Rucinski, Casey Schrage, Andy Baltadano, Jacob Rennie and Damita Buss. 2. OPD CELEBRATES RETIREMENT: The Oshkosh Police Department celebrated the retirement of Kris Jahns on January 21, 2026. Kris proudly served the Oshkosh Police Department in several different job capacities. Kris began her career with the department as a part-time Community Service Officer in 1984. She then worked full-time as a Telecommunications Clerk in 1987 before transitioning to the LWAM Drug Unit as an Evidence Custodian and Drug Investigator in 1991. On August 16, 1993, Kris proudly served as a full-time Property Evidence Clerk for nearly 33 years until her retirement. During her tenure with the department, Kris received letters of recognition from citizens and supervisors for her professional work performance. We want to thank Kris for her outstanding dedication and service to the Oshkosh Police Department and to the City of Oshkosh. Congratulations Kris – we wish you the very best for a happy and healthy retirement! 3. 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. 4. 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.