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Home My WebLink Aboutweekly newsletter Date: July 26, 2012 To: Mayor & City Council From: Mark A. Rohloff, City Manager WEEKLY NEWSLETTER Subject: TH th 15 AVENUE & SOUTH MAIN STREET 1.: At 6:00 a.m. on Monday, July 30, PTS th Contractors will be closing the intersection of 15 Avenue and South Main Street to cut and cap the existing water main so they can get all of the affected businesses back up with water by 9:00 a.m. The intersection will then be closed for 14 calendar days while PTS installs sanitary sewer, water main and storm sewer. After the 14 days, South Main Street should be open on two lanes of concrete pavement. If you have any questions concerning this public works project, please contact Public Works Director David Patek. TH PRIMARY ELECTION ON AUGUST 14 COUNCIL MEETING ON AUGUST 15 2.: With all of our summer activities, it may be difficult to keep track of our many changes in schedules during the summer season. However, I wanted to point out that the state-wide primary election th will be held on Tuesday, August 14. This is the normal date for our Council Meeting, but with th the election, we have moved this meeting to Wednesday, August 15. I wanted to give Council Members as much advance notice as possible so that you can make the appropriate schedule th changes so that you may be in attendance on August 15. If there is anything you would like on th the Agenda for August 15, please contact City Clerk Pam Ubrig. Also as a reminder, the Plan st Commission is holding a special Workshop on Tuesday, July 31, at 4:00 p.m. regarding the central garage project. City Clerk Ubrig has noticed this meeting so that Council Members may feel free to attend. I expect that Council will discuss this matter at a future meeting regardless of what discussion takes place at the Workshop. US 41/21 INTERCHANGE 3.: The completion of the US 41/21 interchange remains on schedule. The tragedy that occurred on the bridge pushed the construction on the main span structure back about two weeks, but that has not delayed the construction of the interchange itself. Lunda and its subcontractors are scheduled to complete the US41/21 southbound ramps early and open the movement to the west of WIS 21 by Labor Day. In the past few days, concrete pavement has been placed on the ramps on WIS 21 and west of US 41. The roundabout at the US 41/21 southbound ramps, concrete sidewalk, landscaping, lighting, pavement marking, and signing all need to be completed prior to opening. These ramps opening two months early will provide relief to everyone in the area. The full completion of the remaining US 41/21 northbound ramps and th opening WIS 21 east/west across US 41 remains scheduled for November 15. Lunda has th November 5 as its goal for opening, and continued good weather and coordination should see that goal accomplished. The West Side Association will be scheduling a ribbon cutting ceremony for that date. If you have any questions concerning this construction, please contact Public Works Director David Patek. Weekly Newsletter July 27, 2012 Page 2 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STUDY UPDATE 4.: Last week, Community Development Director Davis, Economic Development Specialist Kelly Nieforth and I met with the Prager Company Team regarding the first steps in the process to conduct the Economic Development thth Study. The Prager Team will be in town on August 9 and 10 to meet with key stakeholders and other community members regarding their roles and views on economic development here in Oshkosh. The Prager Team will conduct make-up interviews the following week for people who thth are unable to make the initial interviews on August 9 and 10. The Prager Team will also assemble a small group of people with an informed interest in economic development to assist them in making sure that they have conducted all of the necessary interviews and have gathered all of the appropriate information that the group feels is necessary to provide a thorough and balanced view of economic development in Oshkosh. The Prager Team will hold monthly meetings with this group for the next three months as they proceed through the study. If you have any questions regarding the Prager Team’s work on this study, please contact Community Development Director Allen Davis. CLEAR WATER WORKSHOP FOLLOW-UP 5.: I had the opportunity to view Monday’s Workshop on clear water, as well as meet with staff following the Workshop to discuss follow-up action items. As a courtesy, staff met with the local realtors group that had expressed an interest in one of the recommendations regarding inspections at the time of property sale. We will incorporate any substantive input they provide into recommendations on that topic. Meanwhile, I believe that staff has provided you with a matrix of various clear water/I & I efforts that have taken place in other communities in this region. Staff’s goal at the Workshop was to identify the various advantages and disadvantages of the various approaches that we can take to address clear water issues in the city. I believe that the key factor for the Council to consider is how deep the Council wants the city to get into regulating improvements on private property. Specifically, there may be some belief that some of the options that staff presented to Council may be considered too intrusive from a property rights standpoint. Staff is aware of and sensitive to this issue, and I know that other Council Members have been given this feedback from other property owners. At the same time, I think the data that staff provided to Council indicates that the seriousness of this issue will require that we address the sources of clear water inflow and infiltration into our sewer system, as private properties account for approximately 40% to 45% of all clear water sources. I encourage you to review the information presented by staff at the Workshop. Meanwhile, staff will collect information regarding the economic advantages of reducing clear water as it relates to reducing operating costs at the treatment plant as one of the benefits of any clear water reduction program. If you have any thoughts or suggestions based upon information that you have reviewed, please contact Public Works Director Dave Patek. DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS & UPDATES 6.: Other items I’m enclosing with today’s Newsletter include a newsletter from Evergreen Manor, which features an article on the Oshkosh Police Department’s Step-Up Program. One of the program’s objectives is to develop community partnerships, and this particular segment paired Evergreen residents with Oshkosh’s at-risk youth. As you can see from the article, the program was a huge success. I am also enclosing a copy of a letter received from the Grand Opera House, which included a check for $10,295.13, which is part of their pledge to the city for their building restoration. Insofar as minutes are concerned, I’m thth enclosing the minutes of the June 7 Museum Board meeting; and the minutes of the July 19 Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee meeting. Weekly Newsletter July 27, 2012 Page 3 MANAGER OUT OF OFFICE - NO NEWSLETTER NEXT WEEK 7.: I will be on vacation ththth from July 28 through August 7, and will be returning to the office on Wednesday, August 8. rd Due to my absence next week, there will be no formal Newsletter on Friday, August 3. I will have Jackie forward you any information that may be appropriate for you to review. I will be checking in periodically for messages in case Council Members need to contact me for any reason. Council Members may also contact me via cell phone if you care to leave any messages. MAR/jdc Enclosures