HomeMy WebLinkAbout_Minutes PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL
CITY OF OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN
JANUARY 24, 2017
REGULAR MEETING held Tuesday, January 24, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers,
City Hall
Mayor Cummings presided.
PRESENT: Council Members Deb Allison-Aasby, Benjamin Stepanek, Tom Pech Jr.,
Lori Palmeri, Steven Herman, and Mayor Steve Cummings
EXCUSED: Council Member Caroline Panske
ALSO PRESENT: Mark Rohloff, City Manager; Pamela Ubrig, City Clerk; Lynn
Lorenson, City Attorney; and Steve Gohde, Assistant Director of Public Works
Council Member Allison-Aasby read the Invocation.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Nikki Paulsen and Alexis Appleton from Martin
Luther Lutheran School; and, Lydia Fulton and Emelia Yahnke from Grace Lutheran
School.
INTRODUCTION OF CITY STAFF
Mr. Rohloff introduced Kelly Nieforth, Economic Development Services Manager. He
explained her position had been reclassified and she would now manage the economic
development division. He stated she would work closely with the Greater Oshkosh
Economic Development Corporation and act as a liaison between the development
community and any other department in the City when they are seeking assistance on
development facilitation. He explained she had worked for the City for a number of years
as an economic development specialist and had previously worked for Calumet County.
He introduced Brad Priebe, Assistant City Attorney. He explained he had been the City's
municipal prosecutor since 2007 and handled citations issued by the police, fire and
inspections departments. He stated his role had been formalized to Assistant City
Attorney and expanded to include nuisance abatement and other related items. He
explained he was a 1991 graduate of UW Oshkosh and 1994 graduate of Temple Law
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
School in Philadelphia. He stated he had 22 years of experience as an assistant district
attorney, circuit court judge and private practice attorney.
Ray Mauer, Director of Parks, introduced Jean Wollerman, Senior Services Manager. He
stated she had been the older active adult director for the Neenah/Menasha YMCA for 25
years. He explained she had been the senior center director for the City of Menasha since
2010. He stated she had started in her position on January 9th, 2017 and would also work
as the City staff liaison with the Committee on Aging.
Dean Smith, Chief of Police, introduced Matt Kroening, Police Liuetenant. He stated he
had been with the Oshkosh Police Department for 22 years; the previous 15 years as a
sergeant. He explained prior to coming to Oshkosh he worked briefly with the
Milwaukee Police Department and had over 25 years of law enforcement experience. He
stated he had been a high profile individual as district 1 supervisor and was instrumental
in the activities around the university. He explained he had a passion for history and
was a graduate of Oshkosh West and UW Oshkosh. He stated his promotion was
effective January 13th,2017. He introduced Dave Maas, Police Sergeant. He stated he had
been with the Oshkosh Police Department for 8 years and had previously worked as a
community service officer for Platteville while attending the university. He explained he
had been working in the Oshkosh area schools for a number of years; most recently at
Oshkosh West High School as a School Resource Officer. He stated he was proud to
promote both individuals to their new ranks.
PRESENTATION
Jason White, Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation, stated the
corporation was in the third year of its strategic plan. He explained they were thankful
for the support they had received from both the public and private sectors. He stated
they had continued to maintain a ratio of 1/3 local government funding sources and 2/3
supported through private businesses throughout the community. He explained the
organization is a great example of what a private/public partnership should be. He stated
Council had been provided a multi-page handout detailing the accomplishments of 2016.
He encouraged Council to review the information and ask questions. He explained they
appreciated the support of both the community and investor base. He stated the
organization's staff was committed to the community and passionate about producing
outcomes. He explained at the end of 2016 they had produced a list of the top ways
Greater Oshkosh EDC had influenced the greater Oshkosh economy in 2016. He stated
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
their project portfolio translated to nearly 307 new jobs, 916 retained jobs and $45 million
in new capital investment. He stated in the first year of the strategic plan they had
connected with over 150 CEO's in the community, accomplishing the ongoing goal. He
explained in the second year of the strategic plan they had achieved 160% of that goal.
He thanked the City for helping them accomplish that benchmark. He stated they had
created the vision for the Sawdust District. He explained many people were anxious to
talk about the arena although the project was bigger than that from the standpoint of the
Pioneer, the potential entertainment district, greenspace, office properties and so on. He
stated they were excited about the potential that would bring to the south shore of
Oshkosh. He explained to remain a flexible organization they needed to remain aware
of the current challenges holding Oshkosh back economically and be prepared to address
them as needed. He stated they were becoming more involved in the area of workforce
development. He explained there was a need to further develop and expand the existing
workforce in the community and therefore they were actively looking at ways to attain
and attract talent to the greater Oshkosh area. He stated initiatives they had begun and
would continue to develop included promoting the Oshkosh area as a desired place to
live, partnering with area groups to expand public transportation options, forming
partnerships with UW Oshkosh and Fox Valley Technical College, supporting the efforts
of Oshkosh for Education to provide a quality K-12 education program, and forming
additional partnerships around the availability of early childhood options and quality
daycare for all hours. He explained it was important for GO-EDC and the community
take in all of the above and all hands on deck approach when it comes to workforce
development. He stated although the community was fortunate in that there were a
number of companies in the area that were growing and creating jobs, the significance of
the other side of workforce development should not be discounted.
Audra Hoy, GO-EDC, explained the aviation business park was submitted as a gold
shovel beta site for the New North. She stated a gold shovel site needs to meet criteria
that make it easier for development. She explained the designate would flag the site as
an easy place to 'set up shop'. She stated in 2016 they had met with over 130 companies
in the aviation realm and discussed their plans and needs. She explained there was
concern for some companies surrounding the climate of the area, however, some were
interested in expanding or relocating to Oshkosh. She stated they had 9 solid leads that
were moving forward. She explained the initiative for 2016 had been 'Oshkosh is open
for business' which encouraged companies and individuals to come to Oshkosh to open
and keep their business and the goal of 2017 was to build upon that foundation. She
stated they were looking at different types of advertising, prospecting, and an in-depth
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focus. She explained Council had reallocated $250,000 from the general loan fund to the
capital catalyst fund. She stated GO-EDC had held many conversations with different
business; some who did not meet the criteria for the fund. She explained they were
looking for high tech growth industries such as IT, manufacturing, biosciences, medical
research, and aviation. She explained they had two awardees; one as recent as that
morning. She stated she was not able to divulge too much information and would follow
up with communication to the long range finance committee and Council. She explained
they were entering the third year of their strategic plan. She stated the strategic plan was
dated 2015 through 2017 and there was no existing staff present when it had been
founded. She explained staff was working on a strategic plan that they had not been
present to cultivate and were looking forward to beginning the next strategic plan. She
stated although there was a year left they wanted to get the 2018-2020 strategic plan in
place and ready to go by the second quarter of 2017. She explained part of the plan would
be to serve internal stakeholders such as the board, committees and staff in addition to
external stakeholders such as Council, City staff and investors. She stated a survey would
be provided for Council and additional stakeholders to be able to provide feedback to
GO-EDC. She thanked Council for their ongoing support.
Council Member Pech questioned if the annual report was available on the GO-EDC
website.
Mr. White stated the information provided to Council was not presently on the GO-EDC
website.
Council Member Pech questioned if City staff could put the information on the City's
website.
Mr. White stated yes.
Council Member Pech stated as the chair of the long range finance committee he had
appreciated working with GO-EDC and establishing the capital catalyst fund. He
explained the ability to leverage funds from both the City and WEDC demonstrated that
Council was committed to economic development and appreciative of the public/private
partnership with GO-EDC.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
Council Member Herman asked for an explanation of what challenges GO-EDC and the
City faced. He questioned if there were any hurdles the City would be able to help
overcome.
Mr. White stated he had observed that economic growth was concentrated on growth
industries such as IT, manufacturing and aerospace. He explained unless a number of
people entered into those occupations there would be a shortage which was the present
situation in the community. He stated there would need to be a community wide effort
to develop a workforce. He explained in an arena discussion with the plan commission
he had expressed the need to promote the quality of life of the community. He stated the
arena would be a proponent of supporting everything the community had to offer. He
explained a workforce economist had indicated as larger employers in the area continued
to grow the unemployment rate in the community could be at a historic low. He stated
at some point Oshkosh would need to attract more workers and not rely on the existing
base. He explained the importance of highlighting the area as a destination for families
and workers as well as a welcoming community.
Council Member Pech stated GO-EDC was partnering with the University of Oshkosh,
Fox Valley Technical College and the Oshkosh Area School district to begin to address
the need of workforce development.
Mr. White stated workforce development was one angle. He explained there were
additional components such as helping local companies open up new markets around
the globe. He stated they had supported the hiring of an export trade consultant at UW
Oshkosh.
Council Member Pech questioned if the international trade zone established at the
Wittman Regional Airport was being utilized.
Mr. White stated it was a useful tool but had not been utilized as of yet. He explained
they expected to make use of it with future tenants of the aviation business park.
Council Member Allison-Aasby questioned out of the 9 leads GO-EDC had if any were a
result of the efforts with EAA during the past year.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
Ms. Hoy stated yes; all of the leads were a result of efforts with EAA. She explained they
were working at how to further develop that resource to result in a bigger and better
impact.
Council Member Allison-Aasby stated GO-EDC's presence last year was a foundation
that could be built upon.
Ms. Hoy stated she believed in the past businesses had approached GO-EDC and now
they were positioned where they could take initiative and approach businesses. She
explained they needed to discover the most effective means to promote themselves
through items such as trade publications or articles.
Mayor Cummings asked for an explanation of the perspective the potential businesses
had on the renovation of the aviation business park.
Ms. Hoy stated she did not believe many business owners were aware there was available
space in Oshkosh. She explained GO-EDC had been on an 'awareness campaign' to
extend the invitation to prospective businesses.
Mayor Cummings thanked GO-EDC for their success in the community.
PUBLIC HEARING
Ordinance 17-23 Approve Amendment to Comprehensive Land Use Maps Changing
the Land Use Designation for Properties Located at 2521 & 2615
Bowen Street from Industrial to Residential; Approve Rezoning of
Property located at 2521 & 2615 Bowen Street from UI Urban
Industrial to MR-12 Multi Family Residential- 12 (Plan Commission
Recommends Approval)
MOTION: WAIVE THE RULES (Pech; second, Palmeri)
CARRIED: Ayes (6) Allison-Aasby, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Mayor
Cummings
MOTION: ADOPT (Pech; second, Herman)
CARRIED: Ayes (6) Allison-Aasby, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Mayor
Cummings
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Attorney Charles Williams, 1416 Menominee Drive, stated he was present to represent
Anchorage Realty, the property owner. He stated time was of the essence for the property
owner and to be able to begin the development they needed to send plans to the state for
approval. He explained the plans had been reviewed by zoning department staff and
plan commission who recommended the approval. He stated the property was located
on North Bowen Street in an area that had formerly been an industrial park. He explained
the street was a gateway into the City and the project would improve the area. He stated
they planned to build two six unit apartment buildings with mini-storage behind the
apartments. He explained the property had been occupied by several businesses
throughout the years and had been destroyed by a fire in November. He stated he
believed the development would be an improvement and would not be detrimental to
other nearby commercial property. He explained the proposed development would
improve the aesthetic of Bowen Street corridor which was identified as a gateway into
Oshkosh in the 2001 Mayor's Gateway Report. He stated the proposed development
would provide a much needed 'facelift' to the area and a buffer to the industrial sites to
the west. He explained TR Karrels and Associates stated the potential rezoning would
not be detrimental to the financial stability of the economic welfare of the City. He stated
the design of the units was unique in that they were 3 bedroom units with one bedroom
downstairs and two upstairs. He explained the units would contain a washer and dryer
and have access to a garage. He stated they would not be subsidized and would be
market rate apartments. He explained they would like to build the units so they would
be available to rent as soon as possible. He requested Council to waive the rules so plans
could move forward as he was not aware that there had been any objections to the
potential rezoning.
Council Member Herman stated he appreciated how well thought out the project was.
He stated he supported moving it forward due to the fact that the only thing holding the
project back was Council approval of the rezoning.
Mayor Cummings stated he believed the development would make a nice addition to the
City.
CITIZEN STATEMENTS
Council Member Pech stated resolution 17-47 had been withdrawn from the agenda. He
questioned if it would be appropriate for individuals who had planned to speak on the
issue to do so during citizen statements.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
Ms. Lorenson stated that would be an appropriate time to address the issue.
Council Member Pech stated if there were individuals interested in speaking on the topic
they were able to participate during citizen statements. He explained the resolution
would return to a Council agenda at a later date.
There were no citizen statements to Council.
CONSENT AGENDA
Report of Sills by the Finance Director
Receipt & Filing of Common Council Minutes from January 10, 2017
Receipt & Filing of Museum Board Minutes from December 1, 2016
Resolution 17-24 Approve Initial Resolution for Special Assessments Paving,
Sidewalk, Driveway & Utilities / First Local Street Concrete Paving
Program Near East Side — Contract No. 17-04
Resolution 17-25 Approve Final Resolution for Special Assessments — Contract No.
17-17/Hemlock Court & Fraser Drive - Concrete Paving
Resolution 17-26 Approve Agreement with LifeQuest Services for EMS Billing &
Collection Services for the Oshkosh Fire Department (5.25%, 2017-
2019)
Council Member Palmeri asked for an explanation of the analysis.
Tim Franz, Fire Chief, stated last year Council had requested that the Fire Department
seek out competitive proposals for ambulance billing services prior to the renewal of the
contract. He explained a representative from Life Quest Services was present to answer
questions. He stated previously Life Quest Services previously received 5.49 percent of
monies collected for services. He explained that had been reduced by .24 percent and in
doing so the City would pay less for the service and would not result in a difficult
transition that could occur if the City switched service providers.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
Resolution 17-27 Approve Engineering Services Agreement with CH2M HILL
Engineers, Inc. for Water Filtration Plant Clearwells Replacement
Final Design ($932,940.00)
Resolution 17-28 Approve Engineering Services Agreement with CH2M HILL
Engineers, Inc. for Wastewater Treatment Plant Motor Control
Centers & Electrical System Study ($235,220.00)
Resolution 17-29 Award Sid to Gegare Tile Inc. for Flooring Replacement for the
Oshkosh Seniors Center ($27,733.00)
Council Member Herman questioned which Senior Center location would experience the
floor replacement.
Ray Maurer, Director of Parks, stated the majority would take place in the south side
building, specifically in the Willow room, the great room and staff office areas. He
explained the north side building would have some replacements in staff office areas as
well as a portion of the Oasis room.
Council Member Herman stated he wanted citizens to be aware of the areas of the Senior
Center that would be receiving improvements.
Mr. Maurer stated the main entrance in the south side building had been revamped
approximately two years ago and improving the great room would be a nice addition.
He explained the rooms that had been formerly occupied by LSS Services would also
have the floors replaced.
Resolution 17-30 Award Sid to Process Equipment Repair Services, Inc. for Sar Screen
Rail Replacement for the Wastewater Treatment Plant ($139,499.00)
Resolution 17-31 Approve Renewing Bird City Wisconsin Designation; Designate
May 6, 2017 as International Migratory Bird Day
Resolution 17-32 Rescind Personal Property Taxes — Oshkosh Pizza Ranch Located at
1051 S. Washburn Street
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
Resolution 17-33 Approve Special Event — Oshkosh Rotary Club to utilize Riverside
Park, the Riverwalk & City streets for the Snowflake Shuffle /
February 25, 2017
Resolution 17-34 Approve Special Event — Salvation Army Oshkosh to utilize City
streets for the Pedal Out Hunger event/June 17, 2017
Resolution 17-35 Approve Special Event — Expansion Theory Productions, LLC to
utilize Opera House Square & Peabody's Ale House Parking Lot for
their Oshkosh Main Street Music Festival/July 26, 27, 28 & 29, 2017
Council Member Herman stated last year the event was held during the Farmer's Market
and there had been concerns about the music. He questioned if it had been agreed upon
that music would not be played during the Farmer's Market.
Kathy Snell, Special Events Coordinator, stated on Saturday the Oshkosh Main Street
Music Festival's side yard stage music would not start until 2:00 p.m. which was after the
Farmer's Market.
Council Member Herman stated he wanted to make sure they community was aware of
that. He explained he was aware that several people were concerned about the conflict
in music and wanted to explain that an agreement had been reached.
Council Member Palmeri stated last year there had been several police calls from the
nearby residents regarding the outdoor amplification of the music and the time the music
ended. She explained she wanted to make sure the end time was clearly stated this year
and speakers pointed in a different direction.
Ms. Snell stated the end time had changed to 11:00 p.m. instead of midnight as it had
been in the past.
Resolution 17-36 Approve Appointment to the Sustainability Advisory Board
Resolution 17-37 Disallowance of Claim by Town of Vinland v. RC Excavation, Inc.,
et al
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
Resolution 17-38 Disallowance of Claim by the Winnebago Apartment Association,
Inc., Discovery Properties, Midwest Realty Management, Inc.,
Schwab Properties, LLC, Ultimate Properties, LLC & Donn Lord
Resolution 17-39 Approve Special Class "B" Licenses, Operator Licenses &
Secondhand Dealer Licenses
MOTION: ADOPT CONSENT AGENDA (Allison-Aasby; second, Pech)
CARRIED: Ayes (6) Allison-Aasby, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Mayor
Cummings
ACTION TAKEN ON ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
Ordinance 17-40 Approve Amendment to Comprehensive Land Use Maps Changing
the Land Use Designation for Properties Located at the Northeast
Corner of Harrison Street & East Custer Avenue from Industrial to
Commercial (Plan Commission Recommends Approval)
MOTION: ADOPT (Pech; second, Herman)
CARRIED: Ayes (6) Allison-Aasby, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Mayor
Cummings
Josh Kwakkel, 1407 Grand Street, stated he lived behind the site and questioned what
impact the proposed change would have on his property.
Council Member Pech stated he was a member of the housing authority and explained
because the building next to his property would be rehabilitated and no longer remain
an empty warehouse there would be no negative impact to his property value. He
explained it may have a positive impact. He stated vandals had entered buildings and
damaged the property and equipment. He explained the project would turn a blighted
building into a livable apartment complex.
Council Member Herman asked for an explanation of the proposed land use change.
Darryn Burich, Planning Services Manager, stated in the recent past the last single family
house on the block had requested the area be changed to residential property. He stated
the comprehensive land use plan reflected commercial and industrial usage in the area
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therefore City staff was not comfortable changing to residential land use. He explained
the zoning had been changed from manufacturing to commercial to allow the single
family house to conform to the zoning designation. He stated City staff had not changed
the land use map from manufacturing to commercial. He explained allow the land use
plan to match the zoning district.
Council Member Herman explained the changing the land use plan would expand the
options of what could be built in the area.
Mr. Burich stated it would 'breath life' into a vacant building.
Council Member Herman questioned if there would be potential for property values to
increase in the area.
Mr. Burich stated that by creating an active use out of formerly vacant property would
upgrade the quality of life in the neighborhood. He explained City staff was actively
working to mitigate any negative aspects to the change in land use.
Council Member Allison-Aasby questioned if there were additional questions or
concerns from Mr. Kwakkel.
Mr. Kwakkel stated he did not believe it was a positive change. He explained he did not
believe anyone would want to live next to an apartment complex. He stated he was
opposed to the change.
Council Member Allison-Aasby thanked Mr. Kwakkel for speaking.
Council Member Herman stated he believed the land use change and rehabilitation of the
building was an improvement that followed the City's strategic plan of improving the
quality of the neighborhoods by addressing areas that had decay. He explained although
he understood Mr. Kwakkel's concerns he believed the project would be advantageous
to the area and he would support it.
Mayor Cummings stated the blighted property was an eyesore on a major street leading
into the City. He explained the project would add value to the neighborhood and homes
in that part of the City.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
Ordinance 17-41 Approve Rezoning the Northeast Corner of Harrison Street & East
Custer Avenue from UMU Urban Mixed Use to UMU PD Urban
Mixed Use with a Planned Development Overlay (Plan Commission
Recommends Approval)
MOTION: ADOPT (Herman; second, Pech)
CARRIED: Ayes (6) Allison-Aasby, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Mayor
Cummings
Council Member Pech asked for an update on the geothermal heating and cooling system.
Sue Van Houwelingen, Director of the Oshkosh Housing Authority, stated that although
she did not have an update, she was almost certain that the geothermal plans would move
forward. She explained the testing was complete and it was determined that a
geothermal system was suitable for the property. She stated they were finalizing the
financial piece of the project. She explained there would be a substantial cost savings for
the Housing Authority if the geothermal system was to be installed. She stated the cost
for traditional heating and cooling would be approximately $75,000 per year and the
geothermal system would cost between $30,000 and $35,000 a year. She explained the
geothermal system would eliminate the chiller. She stated an official decision had not
been made but the goal was to install the geothermal system. She explained they were
continuing meetings with the construction company and considering a grant from WEDC
in the event that phase two cleanup needed to be complete.
Mayor Cummings questioned if they property qualified for historical tax credits.
Ms. Van Houwelingen stated they had begun the process of applying for the historic tax
credits.
Council Member Palmeri questioned if there were plans for a greenspace or a play area
for children.
Ms. Van Houwelingen asked if she were referencing a public park.
Council Member Palmeri stated yes.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
Ms. Van Houwelingen stated they had not discussed a public park. She stated she would
like to see a second shift daycare built in the area. She explained she believed it would
help the residents and the community. She stated there would be greenspace in the area
although a public playground was not currently in the plans.
Council Member Palmeri stated she was excited to see a project utilizing a geothermal
system.
Ms. Van Houwelingen stated she would do everything in her power to make sure it
happened.
Mr. Burich stated there was a small public park located south of the building on Grand
Street. He explained he was not sure what type of equipment was located at the park.
Ms. Van Houwelingen stated there was a small park adjacent to additional Housing
Authority property.
Matt Weidenhoff, Martin-Riley Architects and Engineering, stated the property directly
north of Mr. Kwakkel's residence was presently a greenspace. He stated the plans were
to turn the space into a picnic area. He stated the area west of Mr. Kwakkel's residence
would remain greenspace up until the building.
Council Member Herman questioned when it was anticipated work would begin on the
project.
Ms. Van Houwelingen stated they hoped to close during the summer and finalize
financing to begin construction. She explained there had been setbacks due to the
bidding process. She stated a conservative estimate would be September of 2017. She
explained the investor was on board.
Mayor Cummings stated it was his understanding the exterior of the building would be
in line with the age of the building and incorporate historical features.
Mr. Weidenhoff stated the main fagade on Custer Avenue would be restored to a similar
condition as the original structure built in 1910. He explained the windows on the fagade
would be a rebuilding of the existing original windows. He stated the project would
include a new roof as a portion of the existing roof had collapsed. He explained the area
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
between the two historic structures would include an ADA ramp and serve as the main
entry of the building.
Council Member Palmeri questioned if the design of the units would include ADA
elements.
Mr. Weidenhoff stated yes. He explained 20 percent of the units would include ADA
elements and the building itself would be 100 percent compliant and accessible to
handicapped visitors.
Ordinance 17-42 Amend Residential Rental Contact Registration Required Ordinance
to Clarify Registration Requirements & to Delete Remedy of
Withholding Occupancy
FIRST READING; LAID OVER UNDER THE RULES
Ordinance 17-43 Approve Parking Regulation on Say Shore Drive
FIRST READING; LAID OVER UNDER THE RULES
Resolution 17-44 Approve Planned Development for Multi Family Development; 300
East Custer Avenue (Plan Commission Recommends Approval)
MOTION: ADOPT (Pech; second, Allison-Aasby)
CARRIED: Ayes (6) Allison-Aasby, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Mayor
Cummings
Resolution 17-45 Approve Planned Development for Development of a Mixed Use
Arena/Event Complex Located at 1212 South Main Street (Plan
Commission Recommends Approval)
MOTION: ADOPT (Herman; second, Stepanek)
CARRIED: Ayes (6) Allison-Aasby, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Mayor
Cummings
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Patricia Diener, 1316 Broad Street, stated she was excited for the potential of the Sucks D
League to come to Oshkosh. She explained she believed it would bring people and
money into the City.
Council Member Herman stated if everything went as planned there would be new
development in a presently rundown area of the City. He stated with the arena, the
potential D League and GO-EDC developing the Sawdust City District there would be
exciting opportunities for citizens in the area. He explained he believed it was a great
opportunity and one that should be taken advantage of.
Mayor Cummings stated he believed the project would transform an area that had been
blighted for decades into the new crown jewel of the City.
Council Member Pech stated he agreed. He explained he believed if everything went
according to plan the arena would serve as an anchor to the south shore just as the
revitalization of the hotel had been the anchor to the north shore.
Council Member Palmeri stated the storm water management plans had not yet been
submitted and would need to be reviewed by the department of public works. She
questioned if there was an update.
Steve Gohde, Assistant Director of Public Works, stated they had spent several hours
reviewing the plans earlier in the day. He explained the first plan had been submitted
and City staff was working to meet the new code development as well as portions of
existing code. He stated they were looking at an underground system identical to what
was used at the Senior Center.
Council Palmeri questioned if there was a sense of the potential square footage of
impervious surface area.
Mr. Gohde stated the site was largely impervious and he did not have an exact total of
acreage on hand.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
Resolution 17-46 Approve Memorandum of Understanding for the Community
Image Collaborative Campaign ($20,000.00)
MOTION: ADOPT (Pech; second, Herman)
CARRIED: Ayes (6) Allison-Aasby, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Mayor
Cummings
Mayor Cummings explained there had been great things happening within the Oshkosh
Area School District that many citizens were not aware of. He stated a group called the
Quality of Life Committee had been formed with the school district, UW Oshkosh, the
technical college, EAA, the Community Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce, the
Convention and Visitors Bureau, the City and GO-EDC. He explained they had identified
many assets within the City that many citizens were unaware of. He stated it was time
to market the community as a great place to live, play, work and learn.
Bill Wyman, President of the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, stated he was
present to discuss community image collaborative campaign. He explained to make the
campaign a success they required a high level of community participation. He stated
several organizations had formed a committee to draft an RFP for an ad agency to team
up with the community organizations to make a campaign about the quality of life in
Oshkosh. He explained the RFP was sent to 18 different agencies and 7 were returned.
He stated the committee, comprised of the City, the school district, UW Oshkosh, and the
Community Foundation, narrowed the selection down to three and visited the agencies.
He explained the group selected STIR Advertising out of Milwaukee, known for their
'disruptive marketing'. He stated they did advertising for the state fair, the Milwaukee
Bucks, and the City of Savannah, Georgia. He presented Council with several examples
of the work STIR had done. He stated they had won awards for work completed for the
Milwaukee Technical College. He explained they did well at incorporating a theme into
their ads. He stated they had done advertising for the Milwaukee Performing Arts for an
initiative to get the community more involved. He explained now that they had recruited
an ad agency the next step was to get the group of ten community organizations working
together. He stated once the core group was established they would be able to involve
additional parties such as private businesses, foundations and private donors in an effort
to raise additional funds. He explained the ten community organizations included the
Chamber of Commerce, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Oshkosh Area
Community Foundation, GO-EDC, the Oshkosh Area School District, Fox Valley
Technical College, UW Oshkosh, City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County and EAA. He
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
stated the purpose of the campaign was to promote the positive attributes of Oshkosh as
a prime residential and business destination, build community pride beginning with the
current residents and businesses and attract new residents to the community. He
explained the campaign would last three years and the goal was to improve the
perception of quality of life, raise awareness of what Oshkosh has to offer, improve the
image and reputation of academic institutions including UW Oshkosh, Fox Valley
Technical College and the K-12 program and improve employee retention and
recruitment. He stated for the collaborative campaign to work there would need to be an
organization to operate as a facilitator to handle fiscal responsibilities, administrative
tasks and communication with outside agencies. He explained the Community
Foundation had agreed to take on that role and employed a staff of two marketing
individuals in addition to himself therefore three individuals would be dedicated to the
campaign. He stated there were requirements for the partner organizations which
included financial in-kind support, promotion of the campaign, participation in
interviews with outside agencies and sharing of knowledge with the ad agency to allow
them to begin campaign development. He explained they would encourage the partner
organizations to utilize the images the ad agency created for social media. He stated they
asked that one person from each organization act as a designated representative. He
explained the three year campaign would cost approximately $300,000 per year. He
stated the goal was to have each community organization commit $20,000 per year for
three years and the remainder of the funds would be raised through business and private
donations. He explained that the campaign was not a tourism or economic development
campaign. He stated the campaign was to raise pride in the community and display the
assets the community has to offer. He likened the campaign to the Pure Michigan
campaign. He stated Oshkosh had the potential to improve its image and reputation with
support from community organizations.
Mayor Cummings stated he believed every citizen of Oshkosh should be an ambassador
for the City. He explained the campaign would need to begin internally.
Council Member Pech stated he believed those opposed to the campaign would say that
it would not have a true impact. He explained he believed it was an opportunity to
rebrand the City and share the things that make Oshkosh great with individuals that may
not be aware. He stated it had potential to change the image that many individuals had
of the City. He explained he believed the present image was due to lack of awareness.
He stated the participation of the ten major organizations was noteworthy and it was
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
time to move forward. He explained he believed it was money well invested in the future
of the community and fully supported the campaign.
Mayor Cummings stated the community organizations had been quick to agree to
participate as they could identify the potential positive impact.
Council Member Palmeri thanked Mr. Wyman for his presentation. She stated she had
recently travelled to Schenectady, New York which was largely automotive dependent
and recognized the walkability of Oshkosh, especially downtown. She explained while
traveling and reading items such as the Sky Mall magazine that promoted different cities
across the U.S. she wondered why Oshkosh was not promoting itself. She stated she was
excited about the campaign. She questioned if there was an idea of the number of hours,
events and meetings the designated staff person would need to commit to the campaign.
Mr. Wyman stated he believed in the beginning stages there would be a significant time
commitment. He explained he believed the later stages would largely be dependent on
the existing monthly meeting.
Mayor Cummings stated he agreed.
Council Member Herman questioned if Mr. Wyman anticipated the momentum
continuing beyond the three year campaign.
Mr. Wyman stated he hoped it would continue and that the Community Foundation
would continue to support it.
Council Member Herman questioned what they hoped to achieve in year one of the
campaign.
Mr. Wyman stated year one would concentrate on the internal building of pride within
the community. He stated after that phase they planned on spreading the campaign and
bringing more people into the community.
Council Member Herman stated he supported the campaign. He explained he believed
there had been a need to change the image of the community for some time. He
encouraged Mr. Wyman to contact Council for help.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
Council Member Palmeri asked for an explanation of the fiscal impact.
Mr. Rohloff stated City staff had been informed from the State that the payment for
municipal services had increased $30,000. He explained $20,000 would be able to be
utilized for the campaign commitment.
Resolution 17-47 Appfeve Chafges fef E)Et,.,,,fdin fy SefVicesfef SpeEial Events
204-7 WITHDRAWN BY STAFF
COUNCIL DISCUSSION, DIRECTION TO CITY MANAGER &FUTURE AGENDA
ITEMS
Mayor Cummings reminded Council of the future workshop meeting with legislators on
January 30th at 7:30 a.m. at the field operation facility, 639 Witzel Avenue.
Mr. Rohloff explained the list of topics he had prepared to discuss at the meeting with
legislators included payment for municipal services, dark store assessment issues,
personal property, rental inspection, the bridge assignment to the City and the reduction
of commercial value.
Council Member Allison-Aasby stated she had another topic listed in notes.
Mr. Rohloff stated additional topics would be able to be discussed however the hour and
a half meeting would pass quickly with the existing six topics. He explained he would
like to provide the legislators' staff with an agenda of the items Council and City staff
planned to discuss.
Mayor Cummings stated there was an update on the inactive liquor license for Packer's
Pub.
Mr. Rohloff stated there had been no activity on the inactive license. He explained the
owners had a potential buyer that had fell through. He stated there were two options for
Council to pursue. He explained the first option was to wait until the end of the licensing
period which occurred at the end of June. He questioned when the renewal process
typically began.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
Ms. Ubrig stated the Clerk's office mailed renewal applications to the establishments on
March 151h with a due date of April 151h
Mr. Rohloff stated the other option was for Council to direct City staff to begin a
revocation hearing. He explained the business was a good location and it would be
beneficial to have an establishment developed there. He stated it was the Council's
discretion as to which option to pursue between now and renewal time.
Ms. Lorenson stated non-renewal was a similar process to revocation although it was
somewhat less complex.
Mr. Rohloff stated if the owners did not apply for a renewal there would not be a need to
pursue either option.
Ms. Lorenson stated if the owners did not apply for a renewal it would automatically
become an open license.
Council Member Palmeri questioned if there were other organizations or entities looking
for a license or if there was a waiting list.
Ms. Ubrig stated there was not a list maintained however occasionally the Clerk's office
did receive inquiries.
Mr. Rohloff stated the arena would be seeking a liquor license upon successful
completion of their project.
Council Member Herman questioned if the arena would be exempt under state statutes
due to the size of the facility.
Mr. Rohloff stated when all liquor licenses were allocated City staff would recommend
the exemption. He explained if a license became available, such as the license for Packer's
Pub, and the arena would request a license, then they would recommend allocating the
available license. He stated the City would need to have no available licenses for the
arena to apply for the exemption.
Council Member Pech questioned if the City was holding a liquor license for the Marion
Road Development.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
Mr. Rohloff stated yes and because it was assigned it did not impact the arena; there was
only an impact if the City had an available unassigned license.
Council Member Herman stated Council had received a note from the owners stating the
business was for sale or lease and although they had received some calls they did not
have any official leads. He explained he believed the timelines for the arena and liquor
license renewals were inline therefore his inclination was to take no action at this time.
Mr. Rohloff stated the City would be able to do the exemption license for the arena if the
business successfully sold.
Council Member Herman stated Council would be able to take further action in the future
if need be.
Mr. Rohloff stated he would like to maximize the City's ability to issue liquor licenses.
He explained it would be beneficial for another business to acquire the license from
Packer's Pub and the arena to acquire the exemption license. He stated as the Sawdust
District became developed it would be advantageous for a liquor license to be available.
Council Member Herman stated there may be another license available from the Granary
as there had not been any recent activity with the establishment.
Mr. Rohloff stated he would need to check on that item. He explained the City would
need to look at other similar licenses.
Council Member Palmeri questioned if the exemption license was for a 300 seat
restaurant.
Mr. Rohloff stated the arena would have food service, a restaurant license and would
have at least 300 seats.
Council Member Palmeri questioned if the seating in the entire arena was considered.
Mr. Rohloff stated all interior seating is counted and the arena would easily meet the
threshold. He explained his goal was to issue liquor licenses in growing and developing
areas and not to revoke them from an establishment like Packer's Pub due to its prime
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
location. He stated he had challenged the Clerk's office to maximize liquor licenses at
every opportunity.
Mayor Cummings questioned if there were establishments that had a liquor license and
may have closed without Council being aware of it. He asked if it was an area that was
monitored.
Ms. Ubrig stated there was a list the Clerk's office maintained of establishments they
became aware of. She explained typically it was word of mouth and that there was no
procedure in place.
Mr. Rohloff stated it became apparent relatively quickly. He explained typically it would
only be approximately two months before City staff became aware. He stated it would
be recognized when the establishment stopped purchasing alcohol or through tax liens.
Ms. Ubrig stated the water utility was a significant indicator.
Mr. Rohloff stated his inclination was to wait until renewal time to reevaluate the
situation with Packer's Pub. He referenced the memo regarding the lead service
replacement program and stated the recommendation from City staff would require
several approvals from Council. He stated City staff wanted to make sure Council was
in agreement with the direction of the plan. He explained the recommendation was to
implement a mandatory lead service lateral service replacement program. He stated if
the lateral itself was being replaced the service would need to be replaced at the same
time. He explained other municipalities were implementing similar programs
throughout the country. He stated property owners would be responsible for replacing
their service upon the City replacing the public portion of the line. He explained property
owners would not be required to replace the service until the City began replacement of
the public portion in the neighborhood. He stated public works staff recommended
property owners fund the cost of the replacement unless the City determined an
alternative funding source. He explained in reference to the grant attributed to this year's
project the City would be able to fund approximately 50% of the cost up to a maximum
of$1500 per lot. He stated the maximum was put in place as some properties may be set
back further from the street and incur more of a cost. He explained it was undetermined
if grants from the state would continue in subsequent years. He stated he believed there
was a need at a state level for the grant program to continue as it was a pervasive issue
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
statewide and throughout the country. He explained if the state suspended the program
they City may need to explore different options.
Steve Gohde, Assistant Director of Public Works, explained City staff would be able to
explore other grants and funding services. He stated the City would not be able to utilize
any funds from the water utility as that was not allowed by the PSE. He explained there
would be potential to implement a fee on the sewer service. He stated at the water plant
a chemical that contained phosphorus was added in order to help treat the interior of the
pipes to prevent lead from leaching into the water. He explained the phosphorus then
needed to be removed from the water after its cycle through the City. He stated if the
need to add the phosphorus could be removed it would help the City be able to meet
phosphorus requirements at the end of the cycle.
Council Member Palmeri questioned how the number of services in need of replacement
had been calculated.
Mr. Gohde stated it had been based on the timeframe of the cutoff of lead service
installation that occurred in about 1959. He explained the age of properties and when the
water mains and facilities were installed were used to come up with a total of properties
that would require replacement.
Council Member Palmeri questioned if there would be a confirmation of whether or not
there was a lead service line prior to a property being required to pay for a replacement.
Mr. Gohde stated yes. He explained homeowners had the ability to check the pipe that
entered their home. He stated if the pipe was able to be scratched by an item such as a
key and the dull gray became shiny it was likely a lead pipe. He explained galvanized
pipe was unusual to find in Oshkosh and copper pipe was common though many older
services were installed with lead.
Mr. Rohloff stated City staff would inspect the services to determine they were lead
before requiring a replacement. He explained if the public portion was lead it was likely
that the private portions would also be lead.
Council Member Palmeri questioned if as the replacements occurred there would be less
phosphorus introduced into the system that would then need to be removed.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
Mr. Gohde stated the amount of phosphorus would remain uniform until all lead was
removed.
Council Member Stepanek stated he believed when the City received the grant the goal
had been to complete 200 properties in 2017. He questioned if there was a change to the
goal.
Mr. Gohde stated the goal was to complete all of the homes in the reconstruction plan as
well as some homes located on water relays. He explained he believed it would be
approximately 250 homes.
Mr. Rohloff stated if Council was in agreement of the direction of the plan the City's
plumbing code would need to be updated. He explained City staff would need to
provide public education regarding the program. He stated many citizens were likely
unaware that their property had a lead service although that was the case for most homes
built pre-1960 in Oshkosh.
Council Member Palmeri asked for an explanation of the estimate of cost per home.
Mr. Gohde stated based on discussion with plumbers the estimate was approximately
$2,000 per lateral.
Council Member Palmeri questioned if a homeowner would be able to seek out
replacement of the lead service on their own.
Mr. Gohde stated they would be able to do so. He explained the way the ordinance was
being drafted was if a property owner was required to replace their service the City
would need to replace the public portion. He stated additional replacements within the
streets would be completed if citizens elected to replace their service independently.
CITIZEN STATEMENTS TO COUNCIL
There were no citizen statements to Council.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—JANUARY 24, 2017
CO UNCIL MEMBER ANNO UNCEMENTS & STATEMENTS
There were no Council Member announcements or statements.
CITY MANAGER ANNO UNCEMENT AND STATEMENTS
Mr. Rohloff stated the annual service agreement with Bates Soil and Water Testing was
for wetland determination and delineation services. He explained the cooperative
purchase for the 2017 rugged laptop order was for public safety laptops. He stated there
was not a public report of the Buckstaff demolition project and it would be discussed in
closed session. He explained the agreement with Split Rock Studios was related to the
People of the Waters exhibit at the public museum. He stated Trish Marks, the
administrative assistant for the parks department,was retiring after 25 years. He thanked
Ms. Marks for her years of service.
MOTION: THE COUNCIL MAY CONVENE INTO CLOSED SESSION
PURSUANT TO SECTION 19.85(1)(E) OF THE WISCONSIN STATE
STATUTES TO DISCUSS BARGAINING OPTIONS, STRATEGY,
PARAMETERS AND TERMS RELATED TO THE NEGOTIATION
OF AN AGREEMENT FOR THE SALE OF 1118 SOUTH MAIN
STREET (THE FORMER BUCKSTAFF PROPERTY). (Allison-Aasby;
second, Pech)
CARRIED: Ayes (6) Allison-Aasby, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Mayor
Cummings
MOTION: ADJOURN (Pech; second, Allison-Aasby)
CARRIED: VOICE VOTE
The meeting adjourned at 7:52 p.m.
PAMELA R. UBRIG
CITY CLERK
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