Tuesday Night Community Forum on Deer Culling

Modified from an e-mail announcement:

Just a reminder that on Tuesday night (6/30) there will be a forum at City Hall on the topic of deer management. If you want to see changes in the city's deer culling policy, it is important that you come to the meeting and make your voice heard. A brief review of how we got to this point:

*Beginning around early 2008, citizens in the Vulcan Quarry/National Guard Armory area approached the City Council and City Administration about their frustration with damages to their property caused by urban deer.
*The police department surveyed residents in the area and found that a large majority preferred nonlethal solutions to problems caused by deer.
*In May of 2008 the City Council passed a "deer management plan" that included a mix of nonlethal and lethal solutions. The nonlethal solutions, which included a ban on deer feeding and education on how to "deer proof" your garden, were supposed to be given time to work before lethal means would be used.
*In early June of 2008 a speaker from the Humane Society of the United States came to Oshkosh to talk about how to deer proof a garden. Her workshops were poorly promoted and not well attended.
*In December the City Council approved the deer culling procedure, which led to a wave of protests. Sharpshooters were brought to Oshkosh and killed around 6 deer in three attempts. At least one other deer was killed by overfeeding.
*During the spring campaign season, mayoral candidate Paul Esslinger said that he supported the creation of a deer management committee that would be charged with examining a range of options.
*Mayor Esslinger now claims that he wants to have a community forum before creating any committee--thus tomorrow night's meeting.

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Oshkosh Citizen Survey - UWO Public Policy

Several weeks ago, a report complied by a UW Oshkosh Public Policy Analysis class was released which detailed the results of a citizen survey completed by 255 randomly selected Oshkosh households. The Report can be found HERE. Note that this report is a seperate report from the recently released "A Vision of Oshkosh" survey of the community that was conducted by A. Nelessen Associates (we'll add this study if a copy becomes available).

This report, the effort put in by the students, and the collaborative feel of this project is a great example of a way in which city and university can partner to serve the goals of both institutions. While providing students with valuable hands-on learning, our community significantly benefits by utilizing the resources, knowledge, and professionalism of the campus to review and improve our services.

I look forward to hearing about additional projects such as this study.

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Money in State Courts Oshkosh Forum

Public Forum to Address Money in State Courts - a public forum in Oshkosh on two bills in front of the Wisconsin legislature dealing with special interest groups and fund raising in state Supreme Court elections.

The event, “Money in Our Courts: An Oshkosh Public Forum,” will be Monday, June 29 at 6:30 p.m. at South Park in Oshkosh (700 South Park Avenue). Guests include Rep Gordon Hintz, Beverly Speer of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and David Keck, a Winnebago County Court Commissioner.

The forum is part of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign’s Judicial Independence Project, an effort to better inform the public on the role campaign donations play in the state court system. Members of the community will be free to ask questions regarding the bills and the issue in general.

The UW-Oshkosh chapter of Democracy Matters, a national student-based non-profit organization, is also co-sponsoring the event.

The Democracy Campaign launched the Judicial Independence Project in February to help prevent third-party interest groups from dominating campaign advertisements that often result in negative attacks on both candidates. The group is concerned primarily about money and fund raising trumping an impartial court system.

For more information, contact Steve Bailey at (715) 570-2942, steve_bailey@live.com.

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Oshkosh Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report

Future posts will most certainly discuss this report, but for now, the 2009 Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Municipal Operations report is available HERE.

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Oshkosh Drinking Water Quality Report

The report is available HERE.

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Fox Valley Tech Free Employment Workshops

To better meet the needs of the rising numbers of local dislocated workers, Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC) has developed 3 sets of free workshops: Career Development, Life Management, and Information Sessions. All are offered at FVTC Appleton and a person can attend as few or many as he or she wishes (note: attendance at all 3 sessions of the career development workshop is expected).

FVTC Information Sessions: Provides information about FVTC and funding resources for dislocated workers. Upcoming sessions are June 25 (1-2 p.m.); July 9 (10:30-11:30 a.m.); July 16 (1-2 p.m.); and July 29 (10-11 a.m.). Call 735-5696 to register and find out room number.

Career Development Series: Review your skills, interests, values and learn how they transfer into a new occupation; explore occupations/career paths, educational options, and goal setting. Upcoming sessions (attend all 3 dates) are: July 8, 15 and 22 from 1:30-4 p.m.; July 8, 15, and 22 from 9-11 a.m.; July 14, 21, and 28 from 9:30-11:30 a.m.; and July 30, August 6, and August 13 from 9-11 a.m. Call 735-5696 to register and find out room number.

Life Management Series. This includes5 different workshops and you can attend as many as you want. Call 735-5696 to register and find out room number.

· Life Happens: What to do when you are thrown a curve ball. July 6 from 8:30-10:25 a.m. or July 21 from 12-1:55 p.m.

· Life Wellness: Look at wellness in various parts of life, including mind, body, relationships, assertiveness, and more. July 6 from 10:30-11:25 a.m. or July 21 from 2-2:55 p.m.

· Fun & Games: Become familiar with personal computers in a relaxed environment. July 6 from 11:30 a.m.-12:25 p.m.; July 21 from 3-3:55 p.m.

· How to be a good classroom citizen: Listening and communication skills, classroom etiquette, and ethics. July 8 from 12-1:55 p.m.; July 23 from 8:30-10:25 a.m.Academic Toolbox: Skills you need to be a good student including time and stress management and understanding your learning style. July 8 from 2-3:55 p.m.; July 23 from 10:30 a.m.–12:25 p.m.

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80s Dance Night

Come dancing at the Time! They will be playing 80s music, so wear your spandex and leg warmers, and pop that collar. Cover will be $5, and as always, we graciously accept additional donations. All proceeds go toward renovating the Time Theater. All ages. Refreshments will be available.

Host: Time Community Theater

Date: Friday, June 26, 2009

Time: 8:00pm - 11:00pm

Location: Time Theater, 445 N. Main St, Oshkosh, WI

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Asylum Bay

I had not heard of Asylum Bay during the first 5 years I resided in Oshkosh. I had considered a significant downside of the Oshkosh area to be the lack of any quality natural areas nearby. When I heard that county / state land exceeding 56 acres was located just North of Oshkosh along the water, I was eager to check it out.

This past weekend, I was able to take advantage of the fine weather and take my girls out to Asylum Bay. While the accessible area isn't extremely large, I was pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful area along Lake Winnebago complete with a large diversity of birds, large waterfowl (I don't know Storks from Herons, etc, and Sabai isn't answering), beautifully large Oaks, natural shorelines, and several hiking trails through a state wildlife area.

One of the more interesting things I found was a large section of woods that seemed to be glowing white, covered with soft white tree seeds. It really seemed mystical, until my kids starting crying at the biting mosquitoes.

Other great things available include: picnic tables, lots of fishing spots, a lighthouse, and a fine open field for playing disc. Here are some pics from the visit:

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Public Forum With Bob Poeschl

Oshkosh Common Councilor Bob Poeschl is holding a Public Forum Tuesday June 16. 6 - 7:30 p.m., at Firestation 17, 1813 Algoma Blvd. (enter through the back).

The public is invited to meet and discuss community issues with Councilman Poeschl. If you have any questions, please call him at 920-312-0529 or email at bpoeschl@ci.oshkosh.wi.us

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Art Fair at South Park June 14

This Sunday, the Oshkosh Fine Arts Association is hosting the 52nd annual Winnebagoland Art Fair at South Park in Oshkosh. Admission is free, and hours are from 10am - 4pm.

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Race Unity Social This Weekend

This Sunday, June 14th from noon - 5:00 P. M., the 16th Annual Race Unity Social will be held at Abe Rochlin Park, located on the west bank of the Fox River and the south side of the Congress St. (Highway 21) bridge. Turn left off of Algoma Boulevard at the Oshkosh Public Museum to access the bridge. The park entrance is on Sawyer Street. This is a rain or shine event, with FREE food and music; feel free to bring an ethnic dish to pass if you choose. There will be pinatas and other activities for children. Meet, eat, dance, listen, play, sing, learn and have fun! "Let's all make new friends." Sponsored by:

Oshkosh Area Community Foundation
Oshkosh Baha'i Community
Campus Center for Equity and Diversity UW Oshkosh
Multicultural Education Center

For more information call: 920-233-3918

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New Oshkosh leaders group to hold community meeting on state budget impact

Citizens for a Strong Oshkosh (CSO) will hold a public meeting on June 15 to examine the proposed state budget and how it will affect the Oshkosh community. The meeting will take place Monday at 6:00 pm at the Oshkosh Convention Center, 2 North Main St, Oshkosh.

Diverse community leaders formed CSO to preserve quality services and infrastructure that Oshkosh residents rely on every day. CSO includes business owners and union leaders, elected officials from all branches of local government and interested citizens. Although members have different roles in the community and reflect different political persuasions, all care deeply about Oshkosh. Steering committee members include John Nichols, Frank Tower, Mark Harris, Tom McDermott, Steve Hintz, Jessica King, Paulette Feld, Dennis Schwab, Kathleen Propp, Joan Wade, Ashley Hesse, Sean Fitzgerald, Vue Thao, Tom Willadsen, and Steven Powers.

CSO has been looking at the large role that state revenue decisions play in our community. The budget proposed by the Governor and amended by the Joint Finance Committee is being debated now by the entire legislature in Madison.

According to Mark Harris, Winnebago County Executive, “At this community meeting, we will discuss the growing state budget deficit and how it may affect Oshkosh. We want to inform and involve citizens so state legislators hear their opinions before the budget is finalized. The decisions our state legislators make may raise our property taxes and jeopardize local services for years to come.”

CSO has met at least monthly since November to discuss the role that state revenue and decisions play in local public structures from law enforcement to schools to human services and economic development. They have been studying reforms at the state level that could make Oshkosh stronger.

Interested members of the community are encouraged to attend the meeting on June 15 at the Oshkosh Convention Center. Call 231-4770 for more information

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Common Council Live Chat

Thanks to The Chief for turning us on to this.

(Pardon while we work out the bugs)

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Common Council Meeting June 9 Preview

Tonight's Common Council meeting should prove to be as interesting as always. Unfortunately I will likely miss the beginning if not all of it.

Some highlights:

• Harold Buchholz - Welcome the seventh member, but everyone wants to know what kind of tie he will be wearing...
  
• Liquor Licenses - I think this council is done pussyfooting around with unused licenses. The Granary may make a good case but HoJos is out.
  
• Res 09-209 is the Parking Lot Resolution. Mayor Esslinger's public opposition has made this a higher profile issue than it needs to be. This will pass 5-2, as Palmeri, Poeschl and Buchholz will join King and Tower in voting for the Parking Lot.
  
• Wastewater Treatment Plant (09-211 and 09-212) - the DNR gave the city wastewater treatment plant good marks (straight A's! but is there "grade inflation" occuring???). 212 calls for an end to the "emergency" that permitted the city to replace some equipment waiving the bid process. I know this "emergency" irritated Palmeri when it happened, will he take to the pulpit?
  
• Board Appointments - Oh no! Will the appointments be politicized??? What? Mayor Esslinger is appointing Polly Briley and Tina Haffeman to the Landmarks Commission? I thought he only appointed political allies... Stop the presses, "Esslinger Appoints Qualified Citizens to City Board." And the Chief was convinced he would appoint Michelle Monte? Even the best can be wrong sometimes I guess.
• City Manager Goals - Yawn. Will this just get finalized and put to bed?
• Recycling Bins - This one could be interesting. The Northwestern is backing the City Manager's suggestion that they just buy the bins with a one time charge rather than take out a million dollar loan. They compare it to charging a pack of gum and paying interest on it for years. I think they are right - buy the bins, no more debt.
• Poeschl and the Bike Plan - Poeschl has noticed a discussion on the Bike & Pedestrian Plan as part of Council Member Statements. It seems as if the public will be able to weigh in, at least the VP of the Oshkosh Cycling Club plans to do so. The City has just put together a 15 member committee that is charged with overseeing the development of an updated Bike and Pedestrian plan, but their job should be easy since the plan development has been outsourced to a third party. The President of the Cycling Club is on the Committee, as is a member of the Sustainability Advisory Board. Commuter biking in Oshkosh is a huge problem and will likely be a continuing topic of conversation as the new plan is developed and as major arterial roads are rebuilt with (or more likely without) bike lanes.
  
• Greenhouse Gas Inventory of City Operations - part of the City Manager's report, this is an undertaking of the Sustainability Advisory Board and the first step towards the development of a Sustainability Action Plan to reduce GHG emissions in Oshkosh. You can read the report yourself online here.

Enjoy the meeting! I hope the Chief puts up another live chat thing...

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Leach Amphitheater Summer 2009

The 2009 summer season at the Leach Amphitheater in downtown Oshkosh marks the first year this facility is being run by the city (the municipal government - specifically, the parks dept). The season was opened the last weekend in May with Waterfest and a weekend-long Irish Fest. Irish Fest was the first show organized by the city, and seemed to have gone quite well - fun, good music, and good weather. I am unsure of attendance and revenue figures, which obviously are significant indicators of success.

Additional summer programming includes music shows by local high school bands, the increasingly popular Brews N Blues, the Golden Dragon Acrobats, a major country act, and several other small programs. What isn't evident is an array of local musical acts or theater shows, despite a healthy local music and theater scene in the Fox Valley. According to the current schedule available on the Leach site, many of the Saturdays are open - nothing scheduled. Information available on the Leach website indicates a dedication to providing local programming, suggesting that this type of programming may be coming.

I have been an advocate for city coordination of this facility since January 2006. According to a Sept 08 post on MainstreetOshkosh.com:

In March of 05, Tony Palmeri and I had spoken at the council meeting in which the residing council members spoke of delusions of grandeur regarding the Leach... We simply requested that the facility serve the taxpayers who funded it, allowing access to local community groups and artists. This didn't happen. Now, it seems, that many are "coming to their senses" and recognizing the importance this fabulous facility can play for our local community - now including those individuals and groups who are eager to organize exciting programming at this facility, but who maybe couldn't afford the $1500+ rental charges previously requested.

I was pleased to see the city take control of the facility, with a focus on bringing in wanted acts, hosting and facilitating local programming, and running a top-notch facility.

I still think the city needs help. As stated in 2008, The Leach provides an amazing opportunity for UW Oshkosh business major interns and UW Oshkosh Marketing interns to work closely with staff on maximizing the use of this facility. Further, Human Services student interns may be able to collaborate with community agencies to expand partnerships in that direction.

I still think the Parks Dept needs help, as stated in 2008:

I second the call by Dr Palmeri for a Leach Advisory Board, and believe that putting the responsibilities on the current Parks Board would accomplish nothing. I would go further and call it an Advisory and Review Board, responsible for ensuring citizen input, participation, and approval of operations. The board should consist of at least one local musician, someone from the local media like Jane Spietz, someone from the local restaurant industry, someone from the university, someone from a local environmental program, a representative with WaterFest, and several others. Most importantly is that this group has the authority to guide and decide.

I think many people are skeptical of and resistant to the notion of the city effectively running this facility. But I also think the city has the capacity and potential to be excellent at operating one of the finer outdoor stages in Northeastern Wisconsin. I think it is time for the "gate keepers" to open the doors for further involvement, assistance, criticism, and promotion. Let's expand the programming, and bring in theatre, bring in Oshkosh area-rooted music acts like the Blueheels, let's try symphonic performances and fine dining meals like Madison's concert in the park, maybe partner with the local dance studios and feature local dance talent, and other ideas that the owners of the facility (Oshkosh residents) have.

Finally, I think everyone in Oshkosh and around the Valley should take a look at the programming available, and check out the facility for yourself. It is a beautiful setting and an amazing donation / contribution to our community.

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1st Annual Butterfly Festival on Saturday, June 20th

Attend the 1st Annual Butterfly Festival on Saturday, June 20th at Memorial Park in Appleton . This fun family event includes breakfast, children’s games, activities, and butterfly demonstrations. A group butterfly release will conclude the event. Proceeds benefit Parent Connection, a child abuse prevention program of Family Services,. Family Services provides valuable education and resources for families throughout the Fox Valley, including Oshkosh. For more information or to register, visit http://www.familyservicesnew.org/butterfly-festival.

According to Parent Connection supervisor Angie McCarthy, many of our families they are working with would like to attend, but can’t afford the $10 cost. If you would like to contribute to help assist a family, go to the website & register. You can also contact Angie and discuss options for helping out - amccarthy@familyservicesnew.org , 920.233.1926

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Invest in Downtown Oshkosh - Start With the Parking Lot

Downtown, things will be great when you're
Downtown, no finer place for sure
Downtown, every thing's waiting for you

Downtown Oshkosh has been suffering for many years, stores abandoned as shoppers drove instead to first malls then Wal-Mart and the 41 Corridor where shopping without a car is virtually impossible. Left behind are shells of former small businesses in between family owned businesses that are doing just fine.

In the last 25 years, the money has followed the trends of the time and taxpayer money has gone to develop the Corridor and other growing parts of the city. However the trend toward strip malls and big box retail stores is declining in America and there is a resurgent trend toward "walkable communities", urban in-fill, and re-building the sense of "community" that Main Street America always embodied.

Note the successes of the Harry Potter event downtown, the Public Enemies shooting, the monthly gallery walks, the movies in the park, Waterfest, and other events that drew are are drawing increasing numbers to downtown Oshkosh. Note the businesses that have survived from the past (Kitz & Pfeil), and the continuing success of a handful of businesses that are staying afloat if not thriving (New Moon Cafe, House of Heroes, Oblios, Apple Blossom Books, Salon Mode, the Exclusive, etc.). Also note that building owners downtown are investing in their properties and improving their appearance and functionality.

Notice to those who say Downtown Oshkosh is dead: there are still lots of people shopping downtown.

Downtown Oshkosh, like it or not, is on the verge of a renaissance. Put aside the fact that close to half the store fronts are empty right now and consider that Main Street from the Fox River up to (...?) will be completely redone and redesigned next year. The buildings are getting make overs. The Convention Center has been remodeled, and the Hotel was just purchased by people that want to make it a top notch joint. The library is hopping, events downtown keep people coming, and after Main Street is redone those store fronts on Main Street are going to be in high demand for small businesses ready to jump into the New Downtown. Downtown Oshkosh has the potential to flourish once 2010 turns into 2011.

About that Parking Lot...

The parking lot behind the buildings on the east side of the street is owned by the city - its called "public parking". It provides parking for downtown shoppers, as well as over flow parking for the always busy public library, parades, and Waterfest. When Main Street is closed in 2010, that parking lot will be the entrance to those shops that are hoping to weather the construction storm and make it through to the boom. And just as important, that parking lot (as well as the one behind Kitz & Pfeil) are visually an integral part of Downtown and the downtown experience. Visitors from out of town with their out of town money are more likely to come back to Oshkosh and spend their money if they found it easy to park. (It sounds lame, but its true.) The parking lot is going to be nice - it will meet all of the current standards for parking, including rain water "sinks" to reduce flood causing run off, and all of the tree-bush-flower requirements that the city makes businesses put into their parking lots.

In other words, for $600,000 to $900,000 you are going to get a pretty sweet parking lot - and it all supports downtown redevelopment.

City Hall and the Common Council have already put their money where their mouths are - the funding for this parking lot has been secured. Investment in Downtown Oshkosh only comes around about once every five years. If the current Council supports downtown redevelopment and investment like I think they do (and I think they should) than they won't stop this project from happening. The fact that the Mayor and one other Councilor have come out against the project is disappointing but hopefully the other 5 Councilors will continue their support for Downtown Oshkosh.

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City of Oshkosh Begins Beach Water Testing

According to the ONW,

The testing at Menominee Park beach started on Wednesday. Initial results showed E. coli levels of 166.4 bacteria per 100 milliliters of water during that day and much lower levels on the following day.

The story also included an interview with Colleen McDermott, and said the following:

In 2002, a team of microbiologists from UW-O found high levels of E. coli in the water, but the city said it wasn't responsible for the beach and ignored those results, said Colleen McDermott, a UW-O professor for microbiology, who worked on the 2002 project. City officials said at that time a "swim at your own risk" sign posted at the beach put the liability in beachgoers hands. "We were finding high level of E. coli that if it were Lake Michigan, then they would've required that beach to shut down," McDermott said.

I'm very pleased to see that this is happening, and believe the significant change in the city that is allowing this to take place is the new city manager Mark Rohloff. This small endeavor that he has helped facilitate is hopefully a sign of the positive steps our city will be taking under his guidance.

For some past information on getting the testing going, check out MainstreetOshkosh story HERE and EyeOnOshkosh story HERE.

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Winnebago County Posts Water Sampling Results Online

The results of water sampling at points throughout Winnebago County are now available on the county's website at http://www.wclwcd.org/health/sampling_sites.html.

Testing results are available dating back to the summer of 2008, and are current through May 27, 2009 as of this post. Testing includes 10 locations, including several in the Oshkosh area. Of particular notice is the frequency of high contamination levels at the county park beach.

Congrats to the county for completing this testing and for promptly posting it for public access. This is an example of quality government service.

The next question that comes out of such testing is what steps can be taken to remedy contamination levels such as those demonstrated at the county park beach?

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