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HomeMy WebLinkAboutweekly newsletter Date: December 14, 2012 To: Mayor & City Council From: Mark A. Rohloff, City Manager WEEKLY NEWSLETTER Subject: REVIEW OF SOLID WASTE STORAGE BY RESIDENTS 1.: The Oshkosh Municipal Code was revised in August of 2011 to create specific requirements for the storage of carts utilized for the Single Stream Recycling and Automated Garbage Collection Programs. When this ordinance was adopted, Council directed staff to report back on the effectiveness of the program. I have enclosed a sample letter and an informational sheet, which have been distributed to Oshkosh residents by our Sanitation Division. As of December 6, 2012, we have sent out notices to approximately 250 properties. This educational activity equates to approximately 50 notices being sent out every three months. These notices have allowed us to maintain compliance with the code requirements. No citations have been issued. I anticipate that we will be doing additional compliance monitoring as residents get familiar with the new Automated Garbage Collection Program. Please contact Public Works Director David Patek if you want additional review of the current Sanitation Division procedure, and/or if you would like to discuss this ordinance at an upcoming Council Meeting. FOLLOW UP TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STUDY 2.: Members of staff and Mayor Tower had an opportunity to speak with Adam Prager yesterday regarding upcoming Workshops with Council on December 20th and January 15th regarding the Economic Development Study. Until such time as Mr. Prager had an opportunity to meet with all Council Members, he prepared the enclosed “Talking Points” regarding the advantages of creating a public/private partnership for economic development. Mr. Prager’s talking points discuss some of the needs of economic development that specifically relate to Oshkosh, and also discuss best practices in economic development, of which a public/private partnership is one. I would encourage Council Members to review this information and become familiar with it, particularly as you are asked by members of the public and business community regarding the report’s findings and recommendations. I think this information can serve as a base for an “elevator speech” for Council Members who have an opportunity to discuss this important topic. If you have any questions after reading these talking points, please contact Community Development Director Davis or me. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EDITORIAL 3.: I am enclosing a laminated copy of the December 9, 2012, editorial published in the Oshkosh Northwestern regarding economic development efforts in Oshkosh. I thought this would be a good tool in your discussing of the Prager Economic Development Study. Additional copies of the Economic Development Study are available in my office. Please let Jackie know if you need extra copies. Weekly Newsletter December 14, 2012 Page 2 PARKING RAMP IMPROVEMENTS 4.: As the Council is aware, the revised agreement that the city has with the Oshkosh Hotel Investors Group is for the city to continue its responsibility for maintaining the parking structure on behalf of the hotel for the foreseeable future. The agreement provides that the hotel will begin charging a per-night parking charge that is greater than what had previously been collected, along with an escalator clause for additional funds in future years. These funds will be put into a separate account at the city to fund these parking improvements. When this agreement was put together, Transportation Director Chris Strong had already assembled a report that identified some of the deferred capital needs. We recognize that some of these improvements would be necessary prior to the funds actually being collected. As a result, funds were budgeted in the 2013 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) to make sure that many of these improvements were completed prior to the opening of the hotel. The city will still be reimbursed for these costs through the funds collected by the hotel, and through Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) funds. In recent weeks, I had discussions with representatives of the hotel and their contractors. Because of the work being done out there, there is a blurred line between improvements that benefit the hotel and benefit the parking structure under our agreement. We are working with the contractor to identify ways in which the hotel group can more efficiently get some of this work done on behalf of the city in the context of the hotel improvements to make it less expensive for both the city and the hotel group. Once we have identified the proper allocation of costs between the hotel, TIF funds, the Riverwalk Project, and parking ramp improvements, we can better identify how these improvements may be done. In some cases, I believe it would be in the city’s best interest to have the Hoffman Group (the hotel’s contractor) perform some of this work on our behalf. If any of these items require Council approval, I expect that they will be on the January 8th Council Agenda. If you have any questions regarding the city’s approach to have these projects completed in an efficient manner, please do not hesitate to contact me. WINNEBAGO COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION 2012-2013 SURVEY 5.: Please find enclosed the Winnebago County Parks & Recreation Survey for 2012-2013. This is a county-wide survey to get public input of current county-owned parks and recreation facilities to aid in the update of the Winnebago County Comprehensive Outdoor and Recreation Plan. Parks Director Ray Maurer would appreciate all Council Members’ input on this survey, along with all citizens of the area that utilize these facilities. As the survey states, your answers will provide invaluable information on how park facilities are currently meeting the needs of residents and how Winnebago County can make future improvements. DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS & UPDATES 6.: Other items I’m enclosing with today’s Newsletter include two notices from City Clerk Pam Ubrig regarding the special meetings next week on December 18th and December 20th. Insofar as minutes are concerned, I’m enclosing the following: The minutes of the December 4th Plan Commission meeting; the minutes of the November 20th Downtown BID Board meeting; the minutes of the May 31st Storm Water Utility Committee meeting; the meeting notice, agenda and background material for the December 20th Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee meeting; and the meeting notice, agenda and background material for the December 19th Transit Advisory Board meeting. The last item I’m enclosing is the latest issue of The Wisconsin Taxpayer, which features an article on tribal sovereignty and state taxation. Weekly Newsletter December 14, 2012 Page 3 UPCOMING MEETINGS 7.: Meetings I have scheduled for the week of December 17th include the following: At 7:30 a.m. on Monday, December 17th, I will be attending a meeting of the Chamber Governmental Affairs Committee. On Monday, at 8:15 a.m., I will be on WOSH Radio to conduct my monthly interview. On Tuesday, December 18th, at 9:00 a.m., I am meeting with Doug Jarmusz and other board members of the Business Success Center. I have been asked to serve on that board to help bridge the gap between the Business Success Center and the city’s community and economic development efforts. On Tuesday, at 12:00 noon, I will be meeting with Council Member Pech for a conference call with Adam Prager so that Council Member Pech has an opportunity to get an overview of the Economic Development Study directly from Mr. Prager. On Thursday, December 20th, at 9:00 a.m., I will be attending a meeting of city and county representatives to discuss the west side arterial. On Friday, December 21st, I will be at North Point Rehabilitation Center to participate in a holiday event at their facility. If you have any questions regarding my attendance at any of these meetings, please advise me. MAR/jdc Enclosures