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MENASHA K-9 CORPS DOG FIRST AID COURSE BENIFIT 4 May 2008 Dog First Aid Course Course will be instructed by staff members from the Fox Valley Animal Referral Center
CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER READY TO HELP 3 May 2008 As part of the 2008 city budget we created a new position to assist keeping Menasha a great place to live. The Code Enforcement Officer deals with issues or conditions affecting the quality of life, health or safety in the City of Menasha. For more information visit the city web page here: or download a complaint form here: Menasha Code Enforcement Unit Reporting Form We're all here to continue making Menasha a great place to live, feel free to call the Police Department non-emergency line to report an issue 967-3500 or return the form by mail or fax at 967-5145 5th ANNUAL DOTY ISLAND RUMMAGE SALE SATURDAY JUNE 7TH 2 May 2008 Please note that there was an error on the date in the DIDC newsletter Have a few boxes of unneeded items floating around the garage and/or basement? We have the solution for you! Sign up for Doty Island’s annual island-wide rummage sale and clear the clutter. This annual event attracts bargain shoppers from around the Fox Valley – remember, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure! For only $10 you'll get: Fri & Sat Ads in the Oshkosh Northwestern To register, contact:
or mail your check to:
THANK YOU MENASHA 20 April 2008 I can't tell you how humbled I am to have been chosen as the next mayor of Menasha. I'm looking forward to a new and brighter day for our fair city and the people who live and work here. Our city has much untapped potential both in its physical structure and its people. Working together over the next four years we can tap into this potential and create an even more vibrant community. None of this would have happened without all of the people who believed in me, and those who volunteered and/or donated to our campaign. I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart.
I'm sure that many of you have noticed that this site has been inactive for some time now, for that I apologize. I had a serious virus on my computer from which I am now just beginning to recover. I'm not sure exactly how this site will continue in the future, however I will continue to make sure that the people of this community have as much information as possible regarding their city government. Keep watching for further updates. CITIZEN BOARD MEMBERS NEEDED 20 April 2008 Our community is stronger when we have more voices at the table. Therefore, I'm inviting all of you to take the opportunity to serve on a city of Menasha Board or Commission. Currently there are two openings on the Library Board, and one on the Police Commission. There will be other opportunities to serve your community as the year continues, so now is the time to express your interest for the three openings or a seat on:
If you have an interest to serve with one or several of these groups please forward your resume and a letter of interest to: Office of the Mayor
All letters will be kept on file and considered when a vacancy occurs
MENASHA K9 CORPS UPDATE 9 March 2008 The K-9 Corps recently applied for a $7,500 grant toward the $35,000 goal of our police K-9 program and is requesting your assistance. If you are also in support of this venture and would be willing to take a couple of minutes to add your comments about the worth of this grant please do so at this web address http://www.myhometownhelper.com/ViewProject.aspx?tell=2&id=37931
Prior to submitting your comments you will need to scroll through the rules and must check the “I agree” section for the rules near the middle of the form just above the comments box. Please feel free to share this with your friends and neighbors to show our hometown support of the project. Also, today the K-9 Corps hung the community sign to track our progress on the fundraising goal. Don’t forget to check it out at the base of the Racine Street bridge. And don’t forget to check out the website www.k-9Corps.org as they should be publishing the fundraiser events in about mid March. Thanks for your assistance
Jeff Jorgenson Menasha PD
MENASHA HISTORICAL RESOURCES 16 February 2008 I happened to meet someone with this incredible resource last week and was able to make a copy. Amazing the industry in the community in 1898 Menasha Press Semi-Centennial Souvenir Edition June 1898 For history buffs another great website to check out is this teaching aid from the UW Oshkosh Library Menasha History - Change over Time Don't forget about our 1986 historical survey Great news we have just received notification that we have been awarded a grant from the Wisconsin Historical Society to update our 1986 survey. Wis Historical Society Grant Award KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR STATE GOVERNMENT 15 February 2008 State Senatro Leibham recently introduced me to this new way to keep in touch with whats happening in the state government. This allows you to be notified of items to be discussed in both houses of our state government. Instructions to subscribe are below. Another great resource is the League of Municipalites website, and their Legislative Bulletins. Capitol Connection By State Senator Joe Leibham February 13, 2008 ~ A New Link to your State Government ~ Last week, I took the opportunity to inform you about a number of legislative proposals that could be deliberated before the State Senate in the coming weeks. In response to my column, I received some good constituent feedback, both positive and negative on each of the pending proposals. I appreciate the time that many people have taken in an effort to inform me of their views.
As a follow up to last week’s discussion, I wanted to inform you about a new tool designed to help citizens to better follow the legislative process. This tool, the Wisconsin Legislative Notification System, allows anyone the opportunity to follow specific legislation by receiving daily or weekly e-mails when there is new activity on a legislative proposal. You can choose items by Proposal, Committee, Author or Subject and can select the activities for which you would like to receive notifications.
Following is a step-by-step process of how to sign up for this no-cost notification service:
1. Go to the Legislative Notification website at http://notify.legis.state.wi.us.
2. To receive notification e-mails, you must create an account. To do this, go to the “Login” box and click “Create one now.” Simply provide an e-mail address and create a password. Please note that the e-mail address you provide here will be the e-mail address that will receive the notifications. 3. Once you have completed this step, you will receive a confirmation e-mail. This e-mail will ask you to activate the account by clicking on an Internet link contained within the message. If your e-mail does not contain a link, simply copy and paste the address into your web browser. The address should look something similar to this: http://notify.legis.state.wi.us/home.aspx?enable=D7E146EC0396846D. Once this step is complete, you will be given confirmation that your new account has been activated. Please note that you will not receive any notifications until the e-mail service has been activated.
4. Once again, visit the Legislative Notification website at http://notify.legis.state.wi.us and log into your new account with your e-mail address and the password you just created.
5. At the top of this page you will see five tabs. Click the “Notify Items” tab.
6. Next, click “Add more proposals to follow.”
7. The screen that follows will ask you what proposal you wish to track. You may track items by bill number, committee, author or topic. For example, if you wish to follow Senate Bill 3, go to the “Add Items” page and, in the “Search by” box, enter the bill type (AB – Assembly Bill, SB – Senate Bill, AJR – Assembly Joint Resolution, SJR – Senate Joint Resolution, AR – Assembly Resolution or SR – Senate Resolution) and the proposal number. Since in our example we are using Senate Bill 3, you would change the drop box to SB and then type the number “3” into the box next to it. Then, click “Search.” 8. The next screen will generate a search result for SB 3. To confirm that you would like to add SB 3 to your notification list, simply check the box next to the bill number followed by clicking the “Add” button below.
Congratulations! You will now be able to receive notifications on legislative proposals. If you have any questions regarding this process, you may contact me for assistance.
Wisconsin Public Power Inc. Joins Focus on Energy 20 January 2008 Approximately 168,000 electric utility customers who are served by members of Wisconsin Public Power Inc. (WPPI) including Menasha Utilities will benefit from the state’s energy efficiency and renewable energy program. WPPI has joined Focus on Energy, a statewide initiative to help utility customers reduce their energy use and install cost effective energy efficiency and renewable energy projects Read the entire Press Release HERE
November 2007 CITY FINANCIAL REPORT 19 January 2008 Link to the November City Financial Report for your review WREATH FACTORY POISED TO EXPAND January 11 , 2008 Wreath Factory Poised to Expand The Planning Commission took action on Tuesday night recommending the relocation of the Menasha Health Department and sale of the current building at 226 Main Street. The City Council determines the sale price so this was not discussed at the Planning Commission meeting. City staff investigated many locations throughout the community as the new location of the Health Department, currently the favored location is the former offices of Dr. Gadowski on Racine Street between Morton's & First National Bank. The space is similar in size (2,700 sq ft) to the current building (3,000 sq ft), is handicapped accessible, has ample parking, and needs little renovation to meet the city's needs. Personally, I'm very excited about the Wreath Factory's expansion. They have played a major role in the increased traffic and interest in our downtown. Of their expansion, Paul Brunette of the Wreath Factory stated; "we could not even think about expanding if it weren't for the support of the community and the local government". Their confidence in the downtown is beginning to spread to others as well. There are a number of groups and private individuals that are expressing interest in buildings throughout the downtown. The acquisition of 226 Main by the Wreath Factory will allow them to expand their outdoor furniture line and their outdoor garden center. This will allow them to expand their selection of unique items especially in the outdoor garden center. Their recent purchase and renovation of 216 Main Street has added another quality business to the downtown. If all goes well we should see an expanded Wreath Factory and Otter Creek Outdoor this year. SUNDAY HOURS RETURN TO THE MENASHA PUBLIC LIBRARY December 20, 2007 Having the library open when the public is available to use it has been near and dear to my heart ever since I was elected to the city council. I have tried the previous two budgets before 2008 to have the hours reinstated but was unable to garner enough votes to make it happen. Fortunately this year was a different story. Therefore it is with great pleasure that I can report starting January 6th, the library will be open once again on Sundays!
The library will also be staying open an hour later on Fridays throughout the year. Watch for some special programs during the month of January to celebrate our Thanks to library director Tasha Saecker, and the library board for making this a priority!
WILD APPLE GLASS STUDIO AND GALLERY WEBSITE ONLINE December 20, 2007 The Wild Apple Glass Studio & Gallery is housed in the former Moon Jewelry Building on the riverfront in downtown Menasha. The historical structure was purchased and renovated by Joseph and Mary Jo Weidert in 2006. The exhibition gallery is 650 sq.ft. with a 24’ vaulted ceiling and original hardwood floors.The glass studio and classroom is 550 sq.ft and is open to the public for glass fusing demonstrations and workshops. The Wild Apple is a member of the Glass Art Society and the Wisconsin Painters & Sculptors NE Chapter. Stop in and see what downtown Menasha has to offer. Their website is located here Wild Apple Gallery
Menasha K9 Unit Meeting December 17, 2007 As citizens with a vested interest in the success of your police department please consider partnering with the us to implement a K9 program. As many of you know the budgets within Menasha have been pretty tough these last few years so we have not been suggesting the implementation of new programming. This past Summer Menasha Police Department has recognized some problems we have had in our parks. Due to these problems, the police department organized a meeting which included police, parks employees, Council members, Park Board members, mayor, City attorney, and concerned citizens. We identified the issues and implemented several strategies to reduce those problems which included target hardening strategies to parks facilities, better communication and trainings, and implementation of watch programs around our parks.
Simultaneously, two concerned citizens approached the Common Council and called for action to improve issues in our parks and after they reviewed our strategies to reduce those problems they began a process to bring a K9 to Menasha Police Department. The K9 which has been suggested is a no-bite dog that would be predominantly used for 3 purposes: sniffing for drugs, sniffing for missing persons and public relations and presentation. They are currently writing grants to overcome the initial $30,000.00 price tag which considers the Dutch Shepherd, the training for the dog and officer, and the vehicle.
Menasha PD is looking for a group of citizens to assist us in reaching our goal. Join us to find out how you can help us with this project. Appleton and DePere Police departments had great success in their ventures and we know that the citizens of Menasha will rise to the occasion. Please reply to Jeff Jorgenson to verify your attendance so he can put you on the list to send out the invitation and agenda for the meeting scheduled for January 9, 2008 at 6:00PM. Thanks for your consideration.
SNOWPLOW DRIVER APPRECIATION DAY December 17 , 2007 December 11 is time to appreciate snowplow drivers Snowplow crews keep roads open and safe for travelers Governor Jim Doyle has proclaimed December 11, 2007 as Snowplow Driver Appreciation Day, reminding motorists of the important role Wisconsin’s 2,000 – 3,000 snowplow drivers play in keeping Wisconsin’s economy open for business even during the coldest, snowiest months of the year. Governor Doyle’s proclamation notes that Wisconsin’s economy depends on clear, wellmaintained highways. It also urges all citizens of Wisconsin to reflect on the valuable service performed by snowplow drivers, to exercise caution whenever encountering snowplows on the highways, and to limit non-essential travel during the worst driving conditions to allow snowplow drivers to safely and efficiently clear streets and highways. Secretary Busalacchi offered a few safety tips for driving during wintry conditions:
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MARTENSON November 27, 2007 All of us, as City of Menasha residents, should be thankful that there are people like Stan Martenson who have volunteered their time and expertise to the community. Stan has been involved in numerous ways with Menasha over the years including being the president of Menasha Action Council and the Menasha Utilities Commission. Today we received his resignation from the Utilities Commission, his shoes will be hard to fill. Thank you Stan for your service to the community.
NOW'S THE TIME TO GO GREEN November 25, 2007 Wisconsin Public Power Inc., which provides electricity to municipal utilities statewide including Menasha Utilities, has filed with the Public Service Commission to double the amount of power provided for each $3 block of green energy customers buy. "Costs for our Renewable Energy Program have gone down, and we're passing that savings along to customers," Tom Paque, WPPI vice president of customer services, said in a statement. The program allows customers to voluntarily purchase monthly blocks of power from sustainable sources such as wind, biomass and water. Under the new pricing structure, each block will double from 150 to 300 kilowatt-hours. The change cuts in half the program's original 2 cents per kilowatt-hour price. Forty WPPI member utilities offer the program, with more than 3,300 customers participating. Resources powering the program include wind turbines in Worthington, Minn., a hydroelectric power plant on Wisconsin's Black River, and a landfill biogas project in Outagamie County. Make a difference, beginning today! Menasha Utilites Renewable Energy Program makes investing in renewable energy easy and affordable. Simply sign up for the number of blocks of renewable energy you wish to purchase. There’s no special equipment to install and no difference in the way you receive or use energy at home. You pay just $3.00 additional per month for each block of renewable energy. For example, if you sign up for three blocks, an additional renewable charge of $9.00 will appear on your monthly bill. You can change your participation level or withdraw from the program at any time. Participation is optional; buy as much or as little as you’d like. How much difference can even a modest purchase make? A lot! Purchasing just two blocks of renewable energy per month, for an entire year, is like offsetting 50 percent of your car’s emissions. To get started, simply complete the response form. Fold the sheet into thirds and mail it, postage-paid, or insert the form with your next bill payment.
HECKRODT SUPPORTS ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS November 18, 2007 All members of the city council received the following email from James Bartz and Tracey Koenig on Sunday:
We did discuss adding police officers at the budget workshops, and the police chief did state that he would be bringing forth a proposal probably for the next budget that would address our needs in the police department. We have grown significantly over the past 10 years and have been able to manage without additional officers. We are now most likely at the point where we will need to add some staff to compensate for the increased size and population of the community. Our police department has been doing a good job with the resources it has, but I agree with the chief that we will need to look at changes over the next year to address issues that continue to arise in the community. LANDMARKS COMMISSION PLANS TO APPLY FOR GRANT TO UPDATE INTENSIVE SURVEY November 4, 2007 The Landmarks Commission is normally a quite committee that regulates exterior building alterations on the historic buildings in the downtown area, and provides financial assistance for renovations in the form of grants and low interest loans We are planning on applying for a grant to update our existing Historic Properties Inventory (known as the Intensive Survey) that was last produced in 1986. This will help form a framework as to how the Landmarks Commission can work to best protect our historic Resources. The grant from the Wisconsin Historical Society should cover the entire cost of the project. 1986 Intensive Survey Report
LITTLE LAKE BUTTE DES MORTS CLEANUP CONTINUES November 1, 2007 Dear Community Leader: I wanted to update you on the Little Lake Cleanup Team (LLCT) project in Little Lake Butte des Morts and share with you our plans for next year. We had a very productive 2007 season that enabled us to accomplish work in more areas than originally planned. We surpassed our original goal by dredging approximately 130,000 cubic yards of sediment. I also want to share that in-water work will be completed for this season on Saturday, November 3, and our crew will remove the dredging equipment and pipeline the following week. As in past seasons, our hauling of dried sediment will then continue throughout the fall and winter and into next spring. With our fourth season of work nearly complete, I am pleased to share that we have made significant progress. In total, we have removed approximately 335,000 cubic yards of PCB-impacted sediment. We also made significant progress this year with sand cover Looking beyond the next work season, we are currently discussing the final phase of the cleanup project with the EPA and DNR, and we will continue to keep you updated on those steps as we work toward completing this project. Bill Hartman
August 2007 CITY FINANCIAL REPORT 13 October 2007 Link to the August City Financial Report for your review WPPI Unveils Innovative GreenMax Homes Program September 30 , 2007 Thanks to a pioneering new program from Wisconsin Public Power Inc., homeowners looking to build or remodel in WPPI member communities now have a new opportunity to lessen their carbon footprint. WPPI’s GreenMax Home program is aimed at helping customers build highly efficient, environmentally friendly homes. As part of its overall efforts to encourage public and community support for renewable energy, conservation, and energy efficiency, WPPI is soliciting competitive proposals for grants that will help fund the construction of up to three net zero energy homes in WPPI member utility service areas. Net zero homes combine state-of-the-art green and environmentally friendly technologies and practices with renewable energy technology to ensure that the homes produce as much energy as they consume. “As customer-owned utilities, WPPI and its members are uniquely positioned to encourage energy conservation and efficiency, as well as to educate customers on the benefits of renewable energy,” said WPPI President and CEO Roy Thilly. “We are pleased to present this opportunity for creating reliable, sustainable homes.” Grants will be awarded to cover part of the incremental cost of designing and building a GreenMax Home over the cost of constructing a conventional house. New construction projects as well as existing homes are eligible. Applications are available to download here. Grantees will be announced by December 21, 2007. http://www.wppisys.org/newsroom/frontpagenews.asp?ID=155 WPPI has also released their 2007 Stewardship Report N-M FIRE RESCUE WELCOMES MIKE SIPIN AS ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF September 30 , 2007 Mike is a lifelong resident of the City of Menasha. He has been married to Elizabeth for 13 years and they have a 2-year old daughter, Laura. Mike came to NMFR after 17 years with the Appleton Fire Department where he was the Battalion Chief of Training for the past 7 years. Mike is certified through the State of Wisconsin in Fire Instructor I along with rope, confined space and trench rescue operations. He is a State of Wisconsin Collapse Rescue instructor and is currently a co-team leader of the Wisconsin Task Force 3. Mike has an Associates Degree in Fire Protection from Fox Valley Technical College and is currently working on his Bachelor of Science Degree in Fire and Emergency Response Management. His anticipated graduation date is May 2008.
STEAM PLANT ISSUES ON THE BOIL August 19, 2007 Decorum and civility are essential to the proper functioning of our city government and the health of our community in general. Mayor Laux's behavior at the August 6th Administration Committee meeting was improper. Though never appropriate, political bickering has become par for the course in Menasha, and it often has a negative effect on the ability of the council and city staff to work together. However, it's one thing when politicians take a swing at each other, and another thing altogether when politicians go after companies that make Menasha home, providing jobs for so many of our friends and neighbors. My biggest concern with the events of August 6th is the mayor's repeated accusations implicating a company with ties to the city that go back over a hundred years. The mayor's conspiracy theory, which is baseless, rests on the notion that a respected member of the business community in Menasha would conspire with an alderman to cause damage to the city's interests. No Business deserves to get a black eye from the mayor because of his political differences with an alderman with whom he disagrees. I would believe that all customers would want the steam plant to be a successful venture for the city. If the plant fails, they will not only have to pay increased taxes but generate their own steam at a higher cost as well. A Menasha businessman was gracious enough to provide his perspective on the publicly released study on the issues with the steam plant. It is beyond me why the mayor would find this objectionable. It was stated by the city attorney at the August 6th meeting that he, Mayor Laux, and Doug Young thoroughly reviewed every word of the Sargent & Lundy report before they placed it on the city web site and made it available to the general public. I was asked how to get a copy to review, and I pointed him to the city's web site. It was read, and an email sent to me at my city email address with comments on the report. Mayor Laux printed this email from my city council email box without informing me, and ambushed the city council with his accusations. According to Mayor Laux and Doug Young, this email is evidence of a conspiracy to undermine the city's future efforts to renegotiate the steam contracts with customers. This is absurd. Now the mayor has made the email to me public by including it as an attachment to the Administration Committee agenda for August 20th. I'm confident that anyone reading this memo will come away with a greater understanding of some of the problems with the steam utility and the difficulty of finding solutions that are mutually beneficial to the city and the plant's customers. The challenge confronting the mayor, the utility, and the citizen-owners of the utility is not the lack of a negotiating strategy. The challenge is developing a plan that can be presented to all parties that will stop the financial losses that obviously cannot be supported indefinitely. At this time, there is no such plan on the table. Attacks like the one staged August 6th always have collateral damage - a fact the mayor perhaps failed to consider. I believe such behavior undermines the best interests of our city as a whole, and the mayor needs to step back before making baseless accusations in the future. He represents, after all, the public image of the City of Menasha. As in the past I will continue to help citizens and taxpayers navigate the maze of local government. Providing citizens directions to access public documents, publishing a newsletter, and maintaining a web site all contribute to better government and better community.
LIFT BRIDGE OPERATIONS IN WINNEBAGO COUNTY July 24, 2007 Information bulletin on remotely controlled lift bridges in Menasha & Oshkosh
Senate Unanimously Passes Bill Closing Property Tax Loophole July 23, 2007 From: Wisconsin League of Municipalities Last week the Senate unanimously passed SB 122, legislation strongly supported by the League that closes a property tax loophole for manufacturers. The bill reverses a Wisconsin Tax Appeals Commission decision known as Newark that too broadly interpreted a 50-year old property tax exemption for manufacturers waste treatment facilities and pollution abatement equipment.
Geothermal Heating for Wisconsin July 23, 2007 Our speaker for the evening of August 2nd is Rick McCutchin, CEO and President of Alternate Energys, Inc., located in Wrightstown. He is an expert in geothermal heating & cooling systems, design & installation of which is the special focus of his company. Here is a an overview of what Rick will address. Geothermal Heating for Wisconsin Geothermal heating needs to become the new standard for heating and cooling homes in Wisconsin. This is a renewable energy source that has an immediate return on investment the day the system is turned on. We increase our independence from oil companies and refineries and it’s a constant source. We don’t need to worry about the ground not being underneath our feet one day. Systems far outlast conventional furnaces and air conditioners. We first flushed a 16 year old system in Hortonville to clear sediment and minerals from the Valley’s hard water supply. That’s all the maintenance a system installed properly requires. Geothermal also works in a variety of capacities. Heating and cooling a home are the most obvious, but a geothermal system also provides hot water and swimming pool heating. It can be installed with a duct system or in floor radiant tubing. It cannot be, however, installed in baseboard heating applications or radiators. A qualified geothermal contractor will have all that information and rely on your contractor to provide additional options in heating. The heating industry is enormous, with an incredible amount of options and combination of heating sources to ensure you safe and comfortable year round. ECOS Fox Valley meetings are held the first Thursday of the month in the Menasha Public Library Company E meeting room Lower Level @ 6:00PM the public is welcome
July law of the month Drivers must yield to pedestrians July 14, 2007 It may be a shock to some drivers, but motor vehicles don't own the road. And they may be surprised to learn that Wisconsin law requires drivers to yield to pedestrians in many situations. According to state law, drivers must:
In addition, drivers may not legally overtake and pass any vehicle that has stopped for pedestrians at an intersection or crosswalk. Drivers who fail to yield the right of way to pedestrians who are legally crossing roadways may be issued citations that cost approximately $160 to $217 (depending on the type of violation) along with four demerit points assessed on their license. A citation for passing a vehicle that is stopped for a pedestrian costs $312 with three demerit points. "To prevent crashes, drivers must obey the law and yield to pedestrians," said State Patrol Superintendent David Collins. "Drivers also must slow down and pay attention, so they can see and safely react to pedestrians crossing the road. Drivers should be especially alert in areas where children typically cross roads, such as near schools, parks and playgrounds and in residential neighborhoods. Pedestrians also must be cautious, and they should not suddenly move into the path of a vehicle that does not have sufficient time to yield." Last year in Wisconsin, 56 pedestrians were killed and 1,372 were injured in traffic crashes. May 2007 CITY FINANCIAL REPORT 30 June 2007 Link to the May City Financial Report for your review
Bill Closing Tax Loophole Continues to Advance June 2 , 2007 This week, the Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions unanimously voted in support of legislation closing a property tax loophole for manufacturers. Senate Substitute Amendment 1 to SB 122, which the League strongly supports, reverses a Wisconsin Tax Appeals Commission decision known as Newark that too broadly interpreted a 50-year old property tax exemption for manufacturer’s waste treatment facilities and pollution abatement equipment. Under Newark, potentially any manufacturer that uses recycled material in the manufacturing process would be able to claim a property tax exemption for their entire facility. Without this legislation the Newark decision will result in significant losses in the manufacturing property tax base and shift even more of the local property tax burden onto homeowners. Senators Hansen (D-Green Bay) and Cowles (R-De Pere) and Rep. Kaufert (R-Neenah) are the authors of the legislation and are working hard to get the bill passed despite opposition from the paper industry and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. SB 122 has now been referred to the Joint Finance Committee.
New City Phone Directory April 29 , 2007 Recently the city replaced its aging phone system. The new system will reduce long term cost and provide a direct number to most phones in city buildings which wasn't previously available. The system's cost and use will be shared with Menasha Utilities which made the new system even more economical.
MARINA PATRONS WILL FUND EARLY BUOY PLACEMENT March 6, 2007 Navigation on the Fox River Channel in Menasha is hazardous in the spring even with buoys, and this year someone at city hall again dropped the ball on buoy placement. Last year the DOT began opening the bridges two weeks earlier, and continuing operation two weeks later to match the operational schedule of the Oshkosh bridges. This makes a lot of sense to have the navigational season be the same in Oshkosh and Menasha, however the contract to place the buoys (held by Winnebago County) was never changed to match the new season. While understandable the first year, this year we should have had a plan with Winnebago County, or funds in our budget to cover increased costs. Instead this issue comes forth at the 11th hour to the council as a crisis. Another example of why we should have a merit based pay plan for supervisors. Their annual salary increase should be affected either positively or negatively by their long range planning, day to day management, and budgeting skills.
STEAM PLANT WILL NOT HAVE EFFECT ON PUBLIC WORKS STAFFING 1 March 2007 Last week Ald. Pack asked that we discuss the need for filling two vacant positions in the Department of Public Works, with the justification that we might need the money for a work out plan for the Steam Utility in the future. Thankfully everyone (9-0 vote), including Ald Pack, voted to continue the hiring process that we had started to fill these vacant positions. We have budgeted for these employees, you have been taxed for these employees, and we have interviewed for these positions, its time that we fill these positions. Dept of Public Works employees touch the lives of everyone living in or passing through the city of Menasha on a daily basis. They are the people that plow the roads, fix the sewers, collect the garbage, and mow the weeds. Without them this would be a very different city. The department has done a phenomenal job doing more with less employees. Prior to 1977 there were 44 employees at the city garage & park departments, by 1986 we were down to 31. We are trying to maintain 30 Public Works & Park employees total. This reduction occurred as the city grew substantially in area and population. Currently we are at 27 employees and were on track to fill the vacancies with two new positions that could work in Parks or Public works as the need arose. This was a substantial plus for the community as previously employees were dedicated to one department or the other no matter where the most important workload was that day. This is not to say that all of us on the council don't realize that the steam plant is a serious issue for the community. I am very concerned that the steam utility not effect quality of life issues within the city. A downward spiral of community services would only increase future problems with declining property values. This is a road we can not afford to go down. Filling these vacancies will go a long way in maintaining the quality of services we expect as well as maintaining our infrastructure for current and future residents.
EVER CONSIDER STARTING A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH ?? HOW ABOUT BEING ON THE EMAIL NOTIFICATION GROUP ?? 4 February 2007 Be Educated, Be Involved, Take a Stance in your Neighborhood The key to safety in your neighborhood realistically is just being a good neighbor. Do you know the names/faces of those who live next door. Would you be suspicious if a moving truck pulled in next door and started loading up televisions and stereos? Does an adult in a car asking questions of a small child on the sidewalk strike you as odd? Have you ever answered the door to find someone selling meat or offering to do home improvements? These are all situations the police would find suspicious and we would prefer to investigate them while they are occurring instead of after someone becomes victimized. The police department needs all neighborhoods to have citizens who will take an Jeff Jorgenson WINNEBAGO COUNTY TO RECONSTRUCT MIDWAY ROAD IN 2007 4 February 2007 The city will be participating in County AP (Midway Road) reconstruction project with Winnebago County this summer. The project is expected to cost $2.3 Million excluding pedistrian facilites
IS THERE MERIT IN A MERIT BASED SYSTEM? 21 January 2006 It appears that there isn't support in the City of Menasha for a merit based pay system (Merit Pay Plan proposal). On a vote of 4-3 the personnel committee voted to continue the current system of compensation for supervisory employees. The current system is based on a longevity matrix of min & max salaries based on the number of years worked, and a cost of living increase (see the matrix). What it basically boils down to is the longer you work for the city the more your pay will be. A merit based system would have compensated employees for the effort put into their jobs, encouraging average employees to excel and outstanding employees to continue doing an outstanding job. Its discouraging to have both the Mayor and human resources director speak so adamantly against the system that almost everyone in the private sector uses. Our two closest municipal neighbors, Neenah and the Town of Menasha also use a merit based system. Hopefully this discussion will return in the future.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OPEN GOVERNMENT! 5 January 2007 I would like to thank everyone who came to the January 2nd meeting, wrote a letter, or called an aldermen, to support continuing broadcast of city council meetings on Cable TV. City residents have the right to see what their representatives are doing first hand not through the filter of the press. Taping and broadcast should resume soon. The mayor and I are working on a more cost effective solution in the long term through the purchase of some new equipment. I'll keep you informed as to how this will work.
A REFERENDUM ON PROVIDING OPEN GOVERNMENT? 30 December 2006 Talk about "grandstanding" - Mayor Laux attempted to avoid accountability by declining to
Many looked at last week's decision as a move by the council to reduce public scrutiny of our conduct - an impression that is understandable in view of the source of the funding as well as the relatively small price tag. If the mayor truely wants to run the city by referendum, why wasn't the $40,000,000 Steam Plant put up for referendum? or the $1,000,000+ new fire station? or the hundreds of thousands in TIF dollars for the Broad Street condos or new theater on Third Street? The Post Crescent said it well yesterday:
It's time that the elected officals in this city step up and do what's best for the community. This may involve some members of the council being willing to reconsider a decision made without sufficient input from constituents who have themselves now stepped up to express their wishes in this matter. We must use every means available to provide citizens the opportunity to hold their elected public servants to the utmost level of accountability and responsiblity. That can only be done if they can easily see what we, their elected representatives, are up to. I urge the mayor to withdraw the proposed referendum and take a stand for open, accountable and transparent city government in Menasha.
FOUR ON THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW Updated 31 December 2006 Thank you all for watching the city council meetings, tonight's meeting may be the last one that you will be able to watch without physically going to city hall and sitting in an uncomfortable chair for hours on end late at night. The council voted 5 to 4 (technically the vote was 4-4 and the mayor declined to vote so the motion failed so the mayor declining to vote was the deciding factor) to stop placing the meetings on television so that you could monitor what we are doing. We're now going back to the good old days when things were decided in the back room out of the view of the public. Remember that the mayor could have cast the deciding vote to stop this secrecy and continue the service to the community, but he made the conscience decision to put an end to open government. Also remember that this council enacted a new fee on all cable subscribers to pay for this just this year which will now be used to reduce taxes for people without cable television. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS ILLEGAL and will be pursuing it with the state. City government was becoming more transparent, accountable, and responsible to the citizens of Menasha. This step backwards will cut off civic engagement in the community and allow quasi backroom deals while no one is looking. I urge you to call ALL FOUR of the aldermen who voted against this AND the mayor. They want to shut you out of city government! Better yet stop by and express your opinion in person. District 4 Steve Pack 823 Emily Street 725-7105 spack@ci.menasha.wi.us District 6 Terry Eckstein 736 Paris Street 751-0871 teckstein@ci.menasha.wi.us District 7 Tom Michalkiewicz 1408 Geneva Road 725-1954 tmichalki@ci.menasha.wi.us District 8 Jan Chase 176 Royal Oaks Court 725-3342 jchase4@new.rr.com Mayor Joe Laux 105 DePere Street 725-4716 mayorjoe@ci.menasha.wi.us Editorials & Articles supporting Televising & Open Government Letters Supporting Televising & Open Government PROPOSAL ALLOWS MORE TIME FOR CITIZEN COMMENT 17 December 2006 The Post Crescent did a story on my proposal (O-36-06) to change the council and committee schedule allowing more time for citizens to react to proposed Ordinances. Action will be taken at the Dec 18th meeting
Now that council meetings are televised Thursday following the meeting, it would be very effective to work with this schedule as people who watched the meeting could contact their alderman before a vote is taken. Currently by the time the public is informed about an issue it has already been voted on. We need to hear from citizens regarding this if it is to pass, please consider speaking at the meeting on Monday night or emailing me, or droping off a note with the city clerk
The Center on Wisconsin Strategy - Releases Report on TIF use 5 December 2006 If you are interested in use of TIF this is an excellent report on how TIF functions and how to get the most bang for the community
CITY BUDGET FOR 2007 1 December 2006 The 2007 Budget process proved to be much more interesting than the 2006 budget, I'm unsure if this relates to the increased knowledge of some of the junior alderman or just a council that was on a mission. Regarding public safety, for the second year in a row the mayor's budget proposed elimination of crossing guards for the pool and city streetlights. The council once again reinstated the crossing guard. The council also felt strongly that we had eliminated enough streetlights. The mayor had proposed cutting another $10,000 or approx 100 lights the compromise was a reduction in the number of bulbs in the poles along the riverwalk, and 20 lights within the city. We also added $2,500 into the budget for the streetlights. We also felt strongly about maintaining public infrastructure. We added $100,000 to the street repair budget that had been zeroed out for the second year in a row. Historically in the $400,000 range annually this addition places us around $200,00. Without including some street repair in the budget I feared that special assessing for streets would be suggested in the future which I'm not in favor of. The budget also includes specific streets for street tree planting (Lucerene, Southfield, & 9th). We also included tennis court repairs which may be grant eligible. Finally tax reduction, , the council realized that many people are having an increasingly hard time affording their taxes especially after the last reassessment. Therefore I'm happy to report that we were able to reduce the mayor's suggested tax levy by $86,244, even after adding the $100,000 of road projects. We received our first PILOT payment from the marina this year as well. We had well over 15 hours of discussion on the budget and looked at things down to $50. We reduced cell phones, scrutinized travel, and locked in gas prices for the year. (A complete list of our actions is available here). This council sent the message that you must justify the expenditure if it was in your budget . While we are on the right path for an accountable responsible city government, but there is still plenty of work to do in the coming years.
TAX EXEMPT PAPER MILLS? 18 October 2006 Last month word came out that area paper companies were attempting to become tax exempt due to the fact that they are using recycled fiber. This is of great concern to the city of Menasha due to the large percentage of our tax base that consists of Paper Mills. Represtentative Kaufert recently sent me the following information that might be of interest to you.
Representative Dean Kaufert and Senator Rob Cowles have currently drafted legislation to reverse the 2004 Tax Appeals Commission’s decision and return the statutory reference to “non-marketable” materials.
UNSIGNED LETTERS CONTROVERSIAL ? 14 October 2006 An unsigned letter is causing a big stir at city hall, so much of a stir that one alderman wants to limit what can be discussed at council meetings and included in council agendas as communications, by ordinance (see ordinance here). Three alderman acknowledge receiving this letter (see letter here) including myself. There are many reasons that someone may not want to sign their name to a letter, the main reason being retaliation from neighbors and politicians. Many people have been living with nuisances for years because the city hasn't taken a proactive approach to ordinance enforcement for some time. When a letter comes to my mailbox with or without a name attached I will look into the situation and see if there is a problem that can be solved. While its often a struggle, because of staffing constraints, most of the city staff has been very cooperative in looking into these issues and correcting them where possible. This, so called, controversial letter states many of the same issues that were addressed by a police department survey for ordinance violations this summer. While numerous properties were cleaned up there are still some in the community that need work as shown by this person's observations. Ignoring the problem like some on the council and the mayor are proposing doesn't make the problem go away. I believe in open discussions of issues relating to the wellbeing of the community, whether they arrive as a letter, a phone call, or an observation. This ordinance is nothing more than an attempt to silence the people of this community. 3RD STREET DESIGN
The recently completed Schreiber Anderson study identified the corridor needing streetscape improvements and having two major gateway intersections. Roundabouts, a three lane roadway, pedestrian friendly intersections, truck turning requirements, on street parking, colored concrete, overhead utilities, and decorative lighting were all studied. It turns out that there is just not enough space to do a lot of the things that would really enhance the corridor and maintain traffic flow. The street will have two lanes and one parking lane from Tayco to Milwaukee, and four lanes from Milwaukee to Manitowoc. The three-lane option and roundabouts just didn't work without greatly affecting property owners. The intersections will stay largely the same throughout except at Manitowoc, Third, and Plank where new traffic islands will be installed. Unfortunately, it was cost prohibitive to relocate overhead utilities. Discussions are ongoing regarding colored concrete, new street lighting, and street trees. |
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Please email me events to be considered for the calendar Monday, May 5th, 2008 UWFox Valley Fine Arts Theatre 12:00 Noon -- Free Monday, May 5th, 2008 Menasha Common Council 140 Main Street 3rd Floor 5:30PM Tues , May 6th, 2008 Menasha Plan Commission 140 Main Street 3rd Floor 3:30PM Wed, May 7th, 2008 Ribbon Cutting -- Healthy Concepts Shopko Plaza 2:30PM Thurs, May 8th 2008 Doty Island Development Council Generations Coffee House 7:00PM Sat, May 10th 2008 Dog First Aid Class Benifits Menasha K-9 Corps The Dog Lounge Sun May 18th , 2008 Heckrodt Prairie Medow Dedication Heckrodt Wetland Reserve Thurs, May 22nd 2008 Doty Island Development Council Generations Coffee House 7:00PM Monday May 26th , 2008 Memorial Day Parade Street Use Permit Thurs, June 5th 2008 ECOS Fox Valley with Leon Church Sweetwood Builders Menasha Public Library 6:00- 8:00 PM -- Free Sat, June 7th 2008 Doty Island Rummage Sale Throughout Doty Island |
REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY September 26, 2007 PLANNING COMMISSION
October 9, 2007 note: date printed wrong July 17, 2007 June 12, 2007 June 5, 2007 May 1, 2007 April 3, 2007 March 20, 2007 March 6, 2007 PARK & RECREATION BOARD UTILITY COMMISSION Steam Utility Financial Report Feb 07 Steam Utility Financial Report March 07 Steam Utility Financial Report April 07 Steam Utility Financial Report May 07 Steam Utility Financial Reports July-Sept Steam Utility Financial Report Oct 07 Steam Utility Financial Report Nov 07 Steam Plant -Noise Issues 11-5-07s Steam Plant -Turbine Repairs 11-5-07 Communication PCI vs City of Menasha Communication Steam Plant Noise Requested Steam Plant Info 3-5-07 Steam Plant Work Out Plan 3-5-07 Steam Plant PILOT Payment 3-5-07 Info for Steam Plant Refi 11-28-06 Further Info on Steam Plant 11-28-06 ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE Available on the City Website BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS Available on the City Website COMMON COUNCIL Available on the City Website DOCUMENTS FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS Schriber Anderson Study (Racine St) Sewer Service Fee Resolution 10-2-06 Lake Park Villa's Memo 10-2-06 Comm. Regarding Theater 11-20-06 2005 City Audit Report 12-4-06 2008 CITY BUDGET Budget - State Aids Calculations Budget - League of Municipalites USEFUL LINKS
City of Menasha Phone Directory Menasha Comprehensive Plan Website Steam Plant Due Diligence Report County Supervisor Norton's Blog Winnebago County Sales Tax Proposal CUT Winnebago County Board Website Neenah Ald Piergrossi's Website Doty Island Development Council NorthEast Wisconsin Autism Network DOWNTOWN & LOCAL BUSINESS WEBSITES Needle Freaks Tatoo & Body Piercing Sanctuary Center for Yoga & Healing I couldn't find web pages for everyone so please email me your page and I will add it !
Authorized and Paid for by Merkes for Menasha John Hill Treasurer
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The city of Menasha is currently contracting with the state of Wisconsin for the complete reconstruction of Highway 114, from Tayco Street to Manitowoc Street in 2008. The cost of the project will be shared between the city and the state. Given that this is an important gateway to the community we have expended considerable effort to make the final design something that will serve the city well.