Here is what's playing this week on Eye on Oshkosh...

Be sure to join us starting Monday, July 23 when Cheryl and Dan talk with Bob Cornell, president of the Oshkosh Seniors Center Advisory Board, who stops by to discuss recent changes in the structure of the Seniors Center, and some renovations they’re making, as well a general things about the center and how people can get involved.  In the second segment, Cheryl and Dan are joined by UW-O students Joshua Nelson and Amber McCord, who have been instrumental in starting the Oshkosh Urban Community Garden. This garden is located in the central park of the city, on Jefferson Street just behind Main Street, and is open to participation by interested community members. Find out how they came up with the idea, what local businesses have helped them with their project, what they’ve accomplished so far in their first growing season and how you can get involved with this effort. *Programming note:  This show will air for two (2) weeks – from July 23 thru August 5.

In the Oshkosh area, "Eye on Oshkosh" can be seen Mondays at 7 p.m., Thursdays at 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 6 p.m. on local cable access channel 2 (Time Warner Cable). Check with your local cable company or its TV listings for replay times in other, more outlying areas. “Eye on Oshkosh” also may air at times other than just those listed. Check the guide on your cable access channel for other days and times, as well. “Eye on Oshkosh” is copyrighted and any unauthorized copying or use of any portion of the program is strictly prohibited by law.

The Oshkosh Area School District and Oshkosh Education Association Reach Tentative Agreement on the 2012-13 Contract

Negotiators for the Oshkosh Area School District and the Oshkosh Education Association (OEA) reached a tenantive agreement today on total base wages for 2012-13.

After two meetings, both parties agreed to recommend a salary freeze to their respective groups for ratification. Base wages are the only subject that can be bargained. All other wages, benefits and working conditions are established by the Board.

John Lemberger, Chairperson of the District’s Negotiation Team, expressed appreciation for the OEA’s recognition of the District’s difficult budget problems.

“Teachers really stepped up to support the strong education system we have in this District,” said Lemberger. Kelli Saginak, also commented, “We would like to be able to continue to work together in the near future to find a way to compensate our teachers for their dedication and efforts educating our future leaders.”

The deep concessions already given did not come easily, but should be valued as our contribution to help further develop the reputation that our district is a destination location for public education. Amanda Potratz, OEA Negotiations Co-Chair, said “Our members deserve a raise for the hard work they do on behalf of students, but we understand the District’s difficult financial condition and we want to preserve quality education for students.” When benefit concessions are combined with the pay freeze, the result is less take home pay for teachers."

As part of the budget cuts proposed earlier this year, one option would have required secondary teachers to teach one extra class per day, resulting in the layoff of 37 teachers. Teachers, instead, suggested a pay freeze where equivalent savings could be realized without impacting educational programs. Lemberger stated “This settlement preserved teacher jobs and a better education delivery system.”

Negotiators from both groups were pleased that they were able to reach a voluntary settlement. With this settlement, both parties reaffirm their support of a strong public school district in the community and look forward to future collaboration in developing a fair and competitive compensation system.

-END-

Classes added for downloading audio books at Oshkosh Public Library

Oshkosh Public Library is offering additional small-group classes in August for readers who want to learn how to download free eAudiobooks to a variety of electronic devices. 

Class size is limited to ensure that participants get the personal service they need. Classes will instruct users how to download eAudiobooks from the library’s OneClickdigital service. Free eBooks and eAudiobooks are available at www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org.

Classes will include information on how to download the Media Manager software to a user’s computer and transfer the eAudiobook to an eReader or other device. Users of an iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone can download an app to their device for transferring eAudiobooks.

There will also be classes offered for downloading to compatible devices including the iPod; Sansa Clip, Fuze, and View; ZEN Mozaic, X-Fi, and Vision:M; and the Sony Walkman E series.

Daytime and evening classes are available in August. To register, visit the second floor Reference Desk at the library or call 236-5205. Classes are taught in the Technology Learning Lab in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library.

In addition to classes, library staff offers assistance with eBooks and eAudiobooks during library hours by phone at 236-5205 or in person at the library’s 2^nd floor Reference Desk. The library also has Kindles with a variety of pre-loaded titles available for checkout. Visit www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org to download books and find instructions for downloading to a variety of devices.

Here is what's playing this week on Eye on Oshkosh...

Be sure to join us starting Monday, July 9 when Cheryl and Dan talk with Winnebago County Executive Mark Harris about the recently approved contract provisions for the county sheriff’s department employees and why the automatic raises they are being given is a good deal for them and taxpayers. He’ll also discuss the latest tax cuts being allowed for “select groups of businesses” by the Walker Administration, and why it’s not only preferential for them but bad for everyone else. In the second half of the show, Stew Rieckman, general manager and executive editor of the Oshkosh Northwestern joins Cheryl and Dan to talk about the newspaper’s new business model and why it became necessary for them to pursue. *As a programming note, this show is going to run for 2 weeks.

In the Oshkosh area, "Eye on Oshkosh" can be seen Mondays at 7 p.m., Thursdays at 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 6 p.m. on local cable access channel 2 (Time Warner Cable). Check with your local cable company or its TV listings for replay times in other, more outlying areas. “Eye on Oshkosh” also may air at times other than just those listed. Check the guide on your cable access channel for other days and times, as well. “Eye on Oshkosh” is copyrighted and any unauthorized copying or use of any portion of the program is strictly prohibited by law.

Oshkosh Public Library to use automated phone calls for customer notices

Starting in July, the Oshkosh Public Library will begin contacting library users via automated telephone calls when items are overdue or materials on hold are ready for pickup.

Currently, notices are mailed to customers’ homes or sent out by e-mail. The automated phone calls will replace notices mailed to customers’ homes. Library users who currently receive notices via U.S. mail can sign up for e-mail notices by adding an e-mail address to the Your Account page at www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org, by calling 236-5203, or by stopping at the first floor Customer Service Desk at the library.

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The change to phone call notices is expected to save the library several thousand dollars in postage costs annually. To ensure that they continue to receive notices about overdue items and holds, library users who choose not to be notified by e-mail should confirm that their phone number is correct in the library’s records. The number can be checked on the Your Account feature at www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org, by calling 236-5203 or by stopping at the first floor Customer Service Desk at the library.

Oshkosh Public Library offers e-mail notices as a convenience to customers, to help them efficiently manage their library use. E-mail notices are sent:

• Three days before items are due
• When holds are ready for pickup
• When it is time to update a library card
• When items are three days overdue

For more information about this and other library services call 236-5203 or visit www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org.

Oshkosh Public Library partners with Evergreen for west-side materials drop-off

A partnership between the Oshkosh Public Library and Evergreen will make it more convenient for residents on the city’s west side to return library materials.

A drive-through book return, similar to the units located outside the downtown library building, has been installed in Evergreen’s circle driveway at 1130 N. Westfield St. Any member of the public can drive up and deposit Oshkosh Public Library materials –books, DVDs, books on CD, magazines, music CDs - in the drop box. Evergreen will transport materials to the library daily, with the exception of holidays and other days that the library is closed.

The new drop-off service is an effort to make library use more convenient for west-side residents, which has been an issue since budget cuts forced OPL to discontinue its bookmobile service in the Festival Foods parking lot in 2007. Partnering with Evergreen allows the library to offer convenience to west side residents without reducing services at the downtown library.

“We often hear from people on the west side that they want to use the library, but don’t have time to come downtown on a regular basis,” says Jeff Gilderson-Duwe, Oshkosh Public Library Director. “We hope that by offering west-side residents a more convenient opportunity to return library items, it will be easier for them to take advantage of our resources and fit the library into their busy lives.”

Ken Arneson, President and CEO at Evergreen, sees the library drop-off service as a win for his residents and the surrounding community. “We’re happy to partner with the library to offer a service that benefits the general public, as well as the residents of Evergreen,” he says. “Our location is convenient for folks who live and work on the west side, but it makes it easy for anyone who travels in our vicinity to drop off items that need to go back to the library.”

Oshkosh Public Library users check out more than 1 million items annually. More than 420,000 people visit the downtown library each year to check out materials, attend programs and events, do research and gather with friends and colleagues.

For more than 45 years, Evergreen has provided extraordinary living options, programs and services to those ages 55 and older.

For more information about the Oshkosh Public Library’s book drop at Evergreen call 236-5203.

Unveiling of the Oregon Street Bridge Lights

Oshkosh Community Friends and Leaders-

Please join us next week Wednesday Night for a rare and exciting event...the unveiling of the Oregon Street Bridge Lights!

The installation of the new multi-color LED lights looks similar to the Main Street bridge lights with more fixtures, more light, (with half the electricity)!  The look is enhanced by the vertical ribs in the Oregon Street bridge structure. After enjoying the jazz orgy with New Orleans favorites Alex McMurray and members of the Tin Men we’ll gather in the outdoor area at Becket’s for some brief comments and lighting ceremony.

Donations will be happily accepted with pledge cards available for the Bridge Lighting Maintenance Fund and for the next logical phase of the project...the Oshkosh Ave Bridge!

THANK YOU to all who have supported this project and have made it a reality.

Please forward this invitation to anyone you feel would be interested:
Hope to see you all there!

Regards,
-jeremy
--
Jeremy Monnett
CEO
Sonex Aircraft, LLC