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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWeekly Newsletter Date: March 26, 2010 To: Mayor & City Council From: Mark A. Rohloff, City Manager WEEKLY NEWSLETTER Subject: SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS FOR MAIN STREET RECONSTRUCTION 1.: Within the next week, the Public Works Department will be sending out preliminary estimates for special assessments associated with the North Main Street reconstruction project. The staff was working to achieve two basic objectives in preparing special assessments in accordance with the city's special assessment policy. The first objective was to maximize the benefit that the DOT's funding would provide to all property owners in this area. The second objective was to achieve a level of fairness for property owners in the area. Looking at the options available to us under the special assessment policy, we identified a method by which the property owners will be paying less than the actual cost of the project. In the case of the properties south of Algoma Boulevard (which are along the USH 45 portion of the road), we were able to establish a rate that is approximately $8.00 per foot less than the standard assessment rate. Please note that because the south end of the project has a wider road, the rate is still higher than the north end. On the north end, the rate will be able to stay at the city's standard rate. For your reference, I am providing Council with a copy of the city's special assessment policy. I will also be providing you a copy of the schedule of special assessments so that you have this information well in advance of the April 13, 2010 public hearing. I would encourage you to review this information and let us know if you have any questions. I suspect that you may get questions or calls from property owners along Main Street. If you do, please do not hesitate to contact staff so that we may assist you in being responsive to these questions. UPDATED SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING RESULTS 2.: Please find enclosed a revised memo from Sanitation Supervisor Jim Hintz regarding the single stream recycling results through February, 2010. While the overall tonnage totals have remained unchanged, Mr. Hintz is pointing out that there has been a 22% increase in tonnage in recyclables in the first five months of the program. This is an improvement over the original projection of an 18% increase. This improvement is another reason to give residents time to become accustomed to the 96 gallon carts as they may find more opportunities to recycle as time passes. We are all very pleased with the success of the single stream recycling program so far, and we will continue to monitor the results of this program on a regular basis for the City Council. If you have any questions on this program, please contact Streets and Sanitation Superintendent Kevin Uhen. Weekly Newsletter March 26, 2010 Page 2 DETENTION POND NEAR OSHKOSH NORTH HIGH SCHOOL 3.: Please find enclosed a notice mailed to property owners in the vicinity of the proposed storm water detention basin that is planned northwest of Oshkosh North High School. The public information meeting will be held st on March 31 at 5:30 p.m. at the Oshkosh North High School auditorium. In the event that a quorum of the Council is present, the City Clerk will be noticing this meeting as a public meeting. If you have any questions, please contact Public Works Director Patek. MYTHBUSTERS - BRIDGE STYLE 4.: I wanted to clarify a rumor that has been circulated regarding construction along the Highway 41 corridor. You may have heard that a truck recently hit the newly constructed Snell Road bridge that goes over Highway 41. As you are heading northbound on Highway 41, you may also notice that there is a wooden board that is attached to the bridge as you are passing under it. Somehow, a rumor circulated that the bridge was hit because the bridge was improperly designed and constructed too low, thereby posing a safety hazard for the future. In reality, the truck in question that hit the bridge had equipment that protruded too high in violation of highway driving standards. Furthermore, the board covering up the alleged damage is actually covering up the name, Snell Road, because the bridge is not yet completed and because there is still some bridge naming discussion in the Town of Oshkosh. The true myth that needs to be dispelled is that the bridge was constructed too low. In reality, the bridge has been constructed to the proper height standards. However, the bridge height was predicated on the lowering of the level of U. S. Highway 41. As this has not been done yet, and is not scheduled to be done until paving in this area takes place, the clearance between the current Highway 41 elevation and the maximum height of the bridge does not meet interstate standards at this time. However, it does meet U. S. highway standards. The incident of the truck striking the bridge had nothing to do with the height of the bridge, but rather driver error for not properly retracting equipment. Because several people (myself included) had heard some of these stories, I asked our engineers to set the record straight so that you were aware of the situation in case you were brought into this rumor discussion. If you have any other questions regarding the Highway 41 project, please contact Public Works Director Dave Patek. DEPARTMENT REPORTS & UPDATES 5.: Other items I'm enclosing with today's Newsletter st include a press release announcing the April 1 opening of our yard waste drop-off site on Idaho Street. Hours of operation will be 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on the weekends. The price of the permit for the drop-off site is $15 for city residents and $80 for non-residents. I am also enclosing an informational sheet regarding the latest timeline for the North Main Street reconstruction. Insofar as minutes are concerned, I'm nd enclosing the minutes of the February 22 Urban Wildlife Advisory Committee meeting and the th minutes of the March 17 Transit Advisory Board meeting. The last item I'm enclosing is the latest issue of the FOCUS newsletter, published by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance. Weekly Newsletter March 26, 2010 Page 3 th UPCOMING MEETINGS 6.: Meetings I have scheduled for the week of March 29 include the following: On Monday, at 10:00 a.m., I will be meeting with a representative of a new engineering firm in town that is interested in seeking city business. On Monday, at 2:00 p.m., I will be meeting with OAEDC Director Rob Kleman regarding a potential developer in the city. On Tuesday, at 4:00 p.m., I will be attending a meeting of the Redevelopment Authority. On st Wednesday, March 31, at 12:00 noon, I will be attending a wall-raising at the Habitat for th Humanity property on 9 Avenue. This property was recently purchased by Habitat from the city. nd Please keep in mind that next Friday, April 2, City Hall will be closed for the spring holiday. If you have any questions regarding any of these meetings, please contact me. MAR/jdc