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HomeMy WebLinkAboutweekly newsletter Date: February 3, 2012 To: Mayor & City Council From: Mark A. Rohloff, City Manager WEEKLY NEWSLETTER Subject: OSHKOSH EMS HIGHLIGHTED IN ACADEMIC RESEARCH 1.: Please find enclosed an article from a journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. As the organization's name implies, this group takes an academic approach to analyzing issues in the emergency medical field. Our Fire Department, led by Chief Tim Franz and Battalion Chief Jim Austad, participated in and co-authored this study to analyze costs for Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The purpose of the study is to identify ways in which cost analysis can be used to provide EMS services in a cost effective manner, while not compromising the quality of service. Although this article will likely be read by only members of the EMS community, I wanted to point out that the Oshkosh Fire Department is recognized nationally as a leader in EMS, and our department is looked to on many occasions to provide input and participate in research projects such as these. While I don't expect you to read the entire article cover to cover, I believe that it points out that our Fire Department takes cost control very seriously while providing an excellent service to our residents and surrounding communities. If you have any questions regarding this study, please contact Fire Chief Franz. th GRAND STREET AREA REZONING 2.: At the January 24 Council Meeting, I indicated that staff would be working toward providing a recommendation to the Council regarding amendments to the city's plan regarding the subject neighborhood. We also indicated that we would engage the neighborhood to provide input into this process. I am happy to report that the Planning Services Division has sent out a notice to property owners for a neighborhood th meeting on February 15 (notice enclosed). Following this neighborhood meeting, staff will conduct a Workshop with the Plan Commission to discuss this item and work on a recommendation to the City Council. It is anticipated that a public hearing would be held in th March, followed by Council approval of these changes at your March 27 meeting, thereby st meeting the April 1 deadline that we established. For Council's reference, I'm enclosing the letter being sent to the neighbors, inviting them to this neighborhood meeting. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Community Development Director Davis or Planning Services Director Burich. Weekly Newsletter February 3, 2012 Page 2 NEIGHBORWORKS UPDATE 3.: This week, I had the opportunity to meet with a representative from the national NeighborWorks organization, who was in town to meet with NeighborWorks staff and Board Members regarding progress that the group has made since their introduction to Oshkosh. The national representative was pleased with the progress being made by NeighborWorks, yet understood the concerns we had regarding the formation of neighborhood groups to actually begin specific projects within the target areas. City staff explained that the Council was committed to neighborhood engagement, and the city was pledging its support to this program, even in light of potential cuts to the Federal Community Development Block Grant Program. The NeighborWorks representative discussed resources that the national organization will provide to the local chapter, including training for neighborhood leaders to become more effective in getting community consensus on issues and carrying out program goals. We did not have an opportunity to discuss specific plans for the upcoming presentation to Council. I will follow-up with the local NeighborWorks representatives prior to their presentation to Council. If you have any questions regarding the NeighborWorks program, I would encourage you to contact Council Member Cummings, who serves on their board, or Community Development Director Davis. BUDGET SURVEY UNDERWAY SOON 4.: Council will recall that in previous years, we have worked with Professor Karl Nollenberger's Policy Analysis Class to conduct a survey of budget priorities for the community. Mr. Fitzpatrick, Management Assistant Brian Chapman, and I met with Professor Nollenberger this week to talk about this year's survey. Because of our movement toward performance based management, and the city's new participation in the ICMA Center for Performance Management (CPM), we discussed ways in which we can modify the survey to more closely align with our goals to gather data regarding performance management, particularly as it relates to citizen input on satisfaction with city services. Mr. Chapman and Mr. Fitzpatrick will be discussing these survey changes with Professor Nollenberger's class this Saturday. We will likely have the survey out within the next couple of weeks. We will also have an on-line version of the survey available to the general public in addition to the scientifically valid survey that is mailed out by the class. Professor Nollenberger worked with our Planning staff to identify a resource to more effectively reach community residents to improve the response rate. We feel confident that we will be able to improve the confidence level of the survey to 95% or better, which is considered the statistically valid goal for studies of this nature. If you have any questions regarding this survey, please let me know. LOVE YOUR RIVER INPUT MEETINGS 5.: Please find enclosed an invitation from the Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway to participate in Community Input Meetings that will be taking place from February 11 through February 16, 2012, in various communities. The th meeting in Oshkosh will take place on February 15, at 6:00 p.m., at the UW-Extension, at 625 County Road Y. The purpose of this meeting will be to discuss how Oshkosh can join with the Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway in protecting and preserving the Upper Fox River and Winnebago Pool Lakes. The information gathered through this public input meeting will determine what services can be supported to enhance economic tourism and heritage opportunities, and generate collaborative private and public partnerships throughout the region. If you have any questions concerning the Oshkosh meeting, please contact Principal Planner David Buck. Weekly Newsletter February 3, 2012 Page 3 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS & UPDATES 6.: Other items I'm enclosing with today's Newsletter include the latest issue of The Wisconsin Taxpayer, which talks about migration in Wisconsin. I am also enclosing highlights from the Oshkosh Public Library for the month of January, 2012. Insofar as minutes are concerned, I'm enclosing the following: The minutes of thth the January 17 Plan Commission meeting; the minutes of the December 7 Long Range th Finance Committee meeting; the minutes of the January 9 Sustainability Advisory Board th meeting; the minutes of the January 5 Museum Board meeting; the minutes of the October thth 26 Board of Health meeting; the minutes of the January 11 Landmarks Commission th meeting; and the minutes of the December 14 Board of Appeals meeting. th UPCOMING MEETINGS 7.: Meetings I have scheduled for the week of February 6 include the following: At 2:00 p.m. on Monday, I am meeting with representatives of the Special Events Committee to discuss a review of the Country USA/Rock USA events and ways in which we can improve the delivery of services for these events in the future. On Tuesday, at 7:30 a.m., I will be attending the Chamber's Economic Outlook Breakfast. Several members of the City Council will be accompanying me at the city table, so we have noticed this as a public meeting. Following that meeting, I will be meeting with Mayor Tower and Deputy Mayor Herman to go over the resolution regarding performance evaluation, which will be on th the February 14 Council Agenda. At 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, I will be meeting with th Communications Coordinator Dean Leisgang to begin preparations for the March 19 State of the City event. At 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, I will be meeting with UW-Oshkosh Vice Chancellor Tom Sonnleitner regarding land acquisition issues related to the central garage project. If you have any questions regarding my attendance at any of these meetings, please do not hesitate to contact me. MAR/jdc Enclosures