Oshkosh City staff present updated facility-condition assessment, flag consolidation and maintenance priorities
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Summary
City staff and consultant presented an updated facility condition assessment covering 31 facilities, described a scoring system to prioritize repairs, identified several facilities that need attention, and discussed consolidation opportunities and follow-up studies including a solar feasibility review.
City staff and an outside architect presented an updated condition assessment of Oshkosh City facilities at a council workshop, reviewing 31 buildings to help guide the capital improvement plan and future consolidation or replacement decisions.
John Urban, general services manager, opened the presentation and turned the session over to John Wallenkamp of CUNY Architects, who summarized the follow-up to a 2021 internal assessment. "The highest score means that's the one that needs the most attention," Wallenkamp said, describing the report's ranking system and how it was applied across the city's inventory.
The presentation covered about 30 facilities the consultant inspected directly; one building (Station 1514) was not included because it is county-owned though currently occupied by the city. Wallenkamp said the review used the 2021 report for continuity, added new field observations and photographs, and scored buildings across categories including interior, exterior, mechanical systems, ADA, and potential for future expansion.
Wallenkamp identified the Sawyer storage and joint public safety training facility as the top-scoring site in need of attention. He said the review produced a range of totals across buildings and that many newer facilities scored well. Urban and Wallenkamp emphasized that the report is intended to inform the city's Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and budgeting, not to replace ongoing facilities maintenance.
Council members and staff praised the facilities team for maintenance work completed since 2021 and noted several findings the report highlights. Councilmember Matt said the scoring visuals were helpful and asked why the Transportation Main Facility and Fire Station 19 rose in priority compared with the 2021 assessment; Wallenkamp attributed Transportation's change largely to space inefficiencies and noted that some fire stations clustered together in scoring, pointing to photo evidence for the higher score.
Councilmembers and staff discussed potential next steps: using the assessment to depoliticize roof/HVAC decisions through a facilities-managed set-aside in the CIP, exploring consolidation opportunities (including with Winnebago County-owned properties), and commissioning more detailed master-planning or payback analyses before major capital asks. Rebecca (city staff) said the assessment and related materials will be folded into the capital process and that staff are discussing opportunities with county counterparts. Sherry (city staff) described a grant-funded solar feasibility ("sun") study underway to identify city roofs suited to offset utility costs; the study has included a preliminary review of current utility costs and plans for deeper analysis.
No motions or votes were taken at the workshop; staff said follow-up material will return through the capital process and that funding requests for more detailed studies are possible in future budget cycles.
The presentation and council discussion left clear directions for staff: incorporate the assessment into CIP planning, pursue targeted follow-up analyses (energy paybacks, master-plan recommendations, consolidation studies), and continue coordination with the county and other agencies before advancing large capital expenditures.
Looking forward, staff indicated they will return with capital-process materials and that any large consolidation or replacement projects would require separate funding approvals and likely additional consultant work.
