Oshkosh officials outline reorganization that would move parks field crews into new Public Work Operations

Oshkosh City advisory board members heard a detailed overview of a proposed reorganization that would move many parks field workers into a newly created Public Work Operations department while placing administrative and event-related functions in a separate Cultural and Enrichment Services unit.

Michelle Benke, Oshkosh City human resources manager, told the Parks Advisory Board that the city manager tasked staff to examine the organizational structure to ‘‘ensure that we are as effective and efficient as possible.’’ Benke said Public Work Operations would group sanitation, field maintenance, water distribution and buildings-and-grounds crews with parks field maintenance and forestry so staff who perform similar hands-on work are managed together. "So the intent is that the parks workers ... will go into this public work operations organization," she said.

Why it matters: proponents say the change should streamline field operations, create a unified grant and communications strategy and let departments share expertise on fund development. Critically, Benke emphasized the plan is high level and staff will solicit employee input before any job-level changes are finalized. "We shared this with the employees last week ... we want input from all levels of the employees and leaders as we put this together," she said.

Board concerns: several board members, and a written statement from Board Member Tim Franz, warned the proposal risks fragmenting accountability and burying parks priorities within a larger public works agenda. Franz read his prepared comments, saying that reassigning parks maintenance staff ‘‘is destined for problems’’ and that the supervisory path could make parks priorities get lost among public works responsibilities. "All the needed work priorities will have to go through one department head to another, and then down again through an organizational chain," Franz wrote.

Staff response: Benke told the board the zoo, amphitheater, concessions and event-support staff would remain in Park Services and Events and not move into the Public Work Operations group. "The zoo will remain with park services and events," she said, adding that service delivery is not expected to be impacted: "We're still dedicating the resources to the parks. It's just going to be rearranged a little bit." She also noted the effort could take through 2026 or longer to phase in and that many details have yet to be worked out.

Next steps: staff said the reorganization of employees is distinct from any council committee restructuring and that committee changes would be a separate council decision. The plan will be refined with employee feedback and follow-up information will be provided to boards, commissions and the public before implementation.

No formal action was taken by the advisory board on the reorganization at this meeting.