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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWeekly Newsletter Date: May 7, 2010 To: Mayor & City Council From: Mark A. Rohloff, City Manager WEEKLY NEWSLETTER Subject: 1.2010 CITIZEN SURVEY : Included with your packet today is a hard copy of the 2010 Citizens Survey that was conducted by Professor Karl Nollenberger's Policy Analysis Class. This year's version of the survey resulted in 338 responses, which corresponds to a margin of error of approximately 5.3%. Our goal was to reach a 5% margin of error, so we fell slightly short of that mark. However, we remain optimistic that the results accurately reflect the views of the community at-large. The format of the survey is similar to last year's, and I encourage Council Members to refer to last year's survey if you wish to compare both documents against one another. I would also ask that Council Members bring the surveys to next Tuesday's Council Meeting in case you have any questions, as this item is on the Agenda under my reports. The "extra" question that was added to the survey at the request of Council Members was the question regarding dogs in parks. Although the results of the survey on this topic appear to be mixed, the students provided some theories on the results based on the way in which the question was worded. The open-ended comments shared with me by the students indicated that the mere placing of the dogs in parks question in the survey did result in several comments on that subject. As this remains a policy issue, I am providing it to you to seek your direction on this topic. At next Tuesday's meeting, I will be prepared to share my insights into the survey and see if there is any additional direction that Council may want to give me in this regard. If you have any questions in advance of the meeting, please feel free to contact me. 2.OSHKOSH CORPORATION TIF UPDATE : Ihad previously reported to Council that we would be presenting the Development Assistance Grant to the Council for your consideration at thth the May 11 Council Meeting. As you can see from the May 11 Agenda, this item is not on the Agenda for your consideration. I wanted to assure you that we have continued to maintain contact with Oshkosh Corporation regarding issues within a proposed Development Assistance agreement. Due to language issues that both sides would like to iron out appropriately, and due to affected parties with either the city or Oshkosh Corporation not being available at times, we are unable to work through all of the contractual issues in a timely fashion for us to provide to Council. As a result, we are holding off on presenting this to you at this immediate time. I don't want to make any additional promises that we'll have everything worked out for presentation to the Council at th the May 25 meeting, but wanted to assure you that we are continuing to work on it and we'll bring it to Council when all of the items have been worked out and are ready for your consideration. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Weekly Newsletter May 7, 2010 Page 2 3.COMMERCIAL DECK/PATIO ADDITIONS FOR LIQUOR LICENSE HOLDERS : As I am sure you are aware, the state's new smoke free law goes into effect on July 5, 2010. With the new law going into effect, establishments that want to continue to cater to smoking customers have made numerous inquiries about establishing some type of outdoor smoking area that will comply with the new law. Unfortunately, the State Department of Commerce has been woefully inadequate in giving direction to municipalities on what outdoor structures may permit smoking under the new law. For this reason, our zoning and building staffs have been trying to assist establishments in guiding them on how to build such structures if they desire to do so. Please find enclosed a letter from Zoning Administrator/Development Review Coordinator Todd Muehrer in which he is advising these establishments to contact him so that he may have their plans reviewed by the city's new Site Plan Review Committee. We are hoping that meeting with us in advance will enable establishments to get guidance on how they may be able to comply with our codes, yet still address the state's yet-to-be determined criteria for an appropriate outdoor structure. If you have any questions regarding the city's efforts to assist businesses in this regard, please contact Community Development Director Allen Davis. 4.MAIN STREET RECONSTRUCTION UPDATE : Please find enclosed an update from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation regarding the status of the North Main Street project. Even with the rainy weather that we've experienced this week, the project still appears to be on- schedule and we remain optimistic that things will remain that way. Please note that High Avenue/Waugoo will be closed beginning next week for about two weeks. Our belief is that Church Avenue/Merritt will be opened beginning next Monday. If you have any questions regarding the status of this project, please contact Assistant Public Works Director Steve Gohde and he will get the answers from the DOT's on-site representative. 5.DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS & UPDATES : Other items I'm enclosing with today's Newsletter include the new promotional brochure for the Leach Amphitheater. I am also enclosing an informational brochure from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation entitled, "Roundabouts..Everything You Need to Know". I'm also enclosing an update on the 2010 hotel/motel room tax. Insofar as minutes are concerned, I'm enclosing the minutes of the October st 21 Board of Health meeting; and the meeting notice, agenda and background material for the th May 11 Traffic Review Advisory Board meeting. The last item I'm enclosing is the May Newsletter from the Oshkosh Auxiliary Police, which lists the events they have planned for the months of May and June. th 6.UPCOMING MEETINGS : Meetings I have scheduled for the week of May 10 include the th following: On Monday, May 10, at 9:30 a.m., I will be meeting with representatives of the City Center Hotel regarding their proposed renovation plans. On Tuesday, at 2:00 p.m., I will be meeting with Steve Hoopman of Habitat for Humanity on future plans for that organization. On Wednesday, at 7:30 a.m., I will be attending a follow-up meeting to the Poverty Plunge event that th was held on May 7. At 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday, I will be meeting with the League of Women Voters to discuss levy limits and their impact on the city's budget. Weekly Newsletter May 7, 2010 Page 3 At 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, I will be meeting with Joe Fahey of the Institute for Wisconsin's Future, County Executive Harris, and School Superintendent Lang, all of whom will be making a th presentation at the Library on May 20 regarding the Stimulus Package and its impact on Oshkosh. On Thursday, at 12:45 p.m., I will be attending a DARE graduation ceremony at Jefferson Elementary School. On Friday, at 8:30 a.m., I'll be meeting with Megan Lang and Maureen Lasky of the BID to discuss plans for other features along Main Street following completion of the project. If you have any questions regarding my attendance at any of these meetings, please do not hesitate to contact me. MAR/jdc