Total in attendance: 8
Council members in attendance: Bain, Mattox
Location: Oshkosh Public Library
Next Fifth Tuesday Forum: January 30 at 6:00 p.m., location TBD
Below is a list of topics and, if applicable, concerns/issues/questions raised within each topic and follow up from city staff. For more information about the forum or the items discussed, contact Oshkosh Common Councilor Bryan L. Bain at bbain@ci.oshkosh.wi.us or 651-9329.
TOPIC:
GARBAGE AND RECYCLING SERVICE
|
Concerns/Issues/Questions |
Referred to, if applicable |
Follow up, as received, if applicable |
|
How many garbage routes are there per day? How many crews? |
Four routes per day completed with four crews. |
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How many recycling
routes are there per day? How many crews? |
Two & 1/2
routes per day completed with three crews. The third crew splits time
taking care of violations and working at the yard waste drop off site. |
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|
Is it possible for
the city to partner with the university, local landlords and agencies like
Goodwill, St. Vincent, etc., to collect re-usable furniture that university
students discard rather than seeing most of it end up for curb pick up? |
This could be
evaluated. However, this would be a new
& additional service that is provided. In the recent past, the
City has looked to reduce expenses. This has been accomplished by
eliminating service to various entities. |
|
|
There was
discussion regarding automated collection – concerns with the start up costs
and how the council/city needs to educate the community if they decide to
pursue it. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Concerns/Issues/Questions |
Referred to, if applicable |
Follow up, as received, if applicable |
|
Is the police
department looking into charging the entire cost of overtime to all special events
in the city the require police assistance? Who does the police
department currently charge and how much of the actual cost is being
collected from the special events? |
We would be looking for charging back only the overtime costs we incur during special events. If we are able to assign officers to an event as part of their normal duty hours we have never billed that out. The reason we do not charge for straight time is that we figure that those officers would probably be involved in policing the events whether we had a special detail working it or not. Anytime we have very large gatherings, especially with alcohol, we have officers monitor it. We have three lines on the budget summary sheet that addresses reimbursed overtime. Country USA, 49,083 Security Billing covers several events; Lifefest, Waterfest, PMI and Events that have smaller amounts so they are lumped together. Right now PMI and Lifefest are paying us 100% for our overtime costs. Waterfest only pays for overtime that runs past the Officers tour of duty. i.e. a second shift officer that works past 10:30 PM on an event. If we have to assign an off duty officer because of staffing shortages they do not pay for that. Sawdust Days does not reimburse us at all for their event. From our perspective the best thing about reimbursement is that it changes the focus when making staffing decisions from cost to need. The focus should be on crowd and officer safety not how much money it will cost. |
|
Concerns/Issues/Questions |
Referred to, if applicable |
Follow up, as received, if applicable |
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Does the city have a comments/suggestions box for citizens at City Hall? Online? |
There is a comment/suggestion box for the public or anyone to use at city hall right near the front entrance by the lion. There are comment cards right next to the box that people can use. All of the departments can be contacted online through our e-mail addresses and we do receive a number of suggestions and comments through that means. |
|
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Does the city have
a process in place to solicit feedback, comments and suggestions from its
employees? |
We have no formal process for employees to make suggestions but all department heads and supervisors have an open door policy (including me) to listen to any employee suggestions. They can also use the box at city hall or the cards that are available in the departments to make any suggestions. All of these cards come back to my office for review and then are forwarded to the proper department for follow-up. |
|
Concerns/Issues/Questions |
Referred to, if applicable |
Follow up, as received, if applicable |
|
There was discussion regarding the pending request for proposals on a city productivity audit/assessment – concerns about the cost and what the council and city could do with the information. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Concerns/Issues/Questions |
Referred to, if applicable |
Follow up, as received, if applicable |
|
There was discussion regarding a status check on the new water meter program. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Concerns/Issues/Questions |
Referred to, if applicable |
Follow up, as received, if applicable |
|
There was discussion regarding the possibility of starting a municipal court. (There is a current Oshkosh Police Officer working on a report that will be distributed to the Chief of Police and Common Council.) |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Concerns/Issues/Questions |
Referred to, if applicable |
Follow up, as received, if applicable |
|
There was discussion regarding some concerns about the performance of the City Manager. |
N/A |
N/A |
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Concerns/Issues/Questions |
Referred to, if applicable |
Follow up, as received, if applicable |
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There was discussion regarding storm water management, specifically the proposed retention basin on 9th and Washburn – a general consensus that this location should be used for commercial development. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Concerns/Issues/Questions |
Referred to, if applicable |
Follow up, as received, if applicable |
|
There was discussion regarding some concerns about cutting conference and training budgets from the various city departments. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Concerns/Issues/Questions |
Referred to, if applicable |
Follow up, as received, if applicable |
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There was discussion regarding the frustrations that seem to exist between city employees (their jobs, contracts and benefits), and how to help improve the perceptions/attitudes. |
N/A |
N/A |
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There was also some discussion regarding how the city has some great employees that are extremely friendly and effective at their jobs. |
N/A |
N/A |
No tax dollars were used
to produce or maintain this document.