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Save The Date

Oshkosh Chamber's 117th Annual Meeting is set to take place on January 16, 2025 starting at 5pm at the Oshkosh Convention Center. Registration is now open, for sponsorship opportunities, please contact grace@oshkoshchamber.com

If you are celebrating a milestone of 25, 50, 100, 125, 150, etc... years in business at any time in 2024, please contact our Marketing and Events Director, Grace Burdick, at grace@oshkoshchamber.com 

Celebrate Small Business Saturday on November 30th! Every purchase at a small business makes a difference. Let's support our local entrepreneurs.

See what the Oshkosh Area has prepared for Small Business Saturday by clicking the button below.

Get to know other people at the Oshkosh Chamber with our newest networking opportunity,  Oshkosh Chamber Network Builder, presented by Elsewhere Market & Coffee House + Rise & Grind!

The City of Oshkosh Common Council adopted a $233.5 million budget for 2025 which levies roughly $47 million on taxpayers. The overall levy decreased approximately $550,000 less than the tax levy set for 2024, which the council achieved by moving $3.6 million from the general fund in an effort to mitigate the impact of the recent revaluation of residential properties across the city. As a result, the tax rate for the coming year will be $8.14 for every $1,000 of assessed property value.

MK Lofts held a ribbon cutting event and welcomed its first tenants after a multi-year project to renovate the 112-year-old building at Ninth and South Main streets which served as the former headquarters for Miles Kimball Company. The city’s newest apartment development features a mix of 28 studio and two-bedrooms units with monthly rental rates ranging from $1,000 to $1,550.

The Winnebago County Board of Supervisors approved a 2025 budget of $229 million which levies taxpayers a total of $72.7 million, barely more than a one-tenth of one percent increase from the 2024 tax levy. The resulting county tax rate for 2025 will be $3.55 for every $1,000 of equalized property value, a decrease from the 2024 county tax rate of $3.84.

T. Wall Enterprises of Middleton broke ground last month for its Mill on Main mixed-use project along the Fox River and South Main Street in the city’s Sawdust District. The nearly $20 million first phase of the project includes a four-story apartment building with nearly 100 units, ground floor commercial space and underground parking. The initial phase also includes a separate clubhouse facility with an outdoor swimming pool and pickle ball courts. Completion of the first phase is expected in spring 2026. Overall, the total proposed development on the nearly 8-acre property will include 293 units over the course of three phases.

CITY OF OSHKOSH EMPLOYMENT DATA 

The city’s unemployment rate for October 2024 registered at 2.5 percent, down a notch from 2.6 percent in September and a decrease from the October 2023 mark of 3.0 percent. Oshkosh recorded total employment of 34,592 in October, up nearly 270 positions from the same time a year ago. Total labor force numbers in October were 35,491 workers, an increase of 185 available workers from October 2023.

OSHKOSH OCTOBER 2024 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

Unemployment rates edged down slightly in Oshkosh and remained flat in Winnebago County in October 2024, as reported by Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

WISCONSIN and US EMPLOYMENT DATA 

Wisconsin’s October 2024 unemployment rate dropped to 2.5 percent after posting a 2.9 percent rate in September and is lower than the October 2023 unemployment rate of 3.0 percent. In October, there were 3,101,033 state residents working compared with 3,058,211 during the same month last year, gaining an impressive 43,000 new workers statewide during the past year. The national unemployment rate for October 2024 was 3.9 percent, down slightly from the September jobless rate of 4.1 percent but up from the 3.6 percent rate recorded in October 2023.

WINNEBAGO COUNTY EMPLOYMENT DATA 

Winnebago County’s unemployment rate for October 2024 was 2.3 percent, a decrease from the 2.8 percent recorded in October 2023 and holding steady with the unemployment figures posted for September this year. Employment data revealed 92,467 Winnebago County residents working this year compared with 91,751 last year, resulting in a net gain of 716 positions. Winnebago County’s labor force also increased over the course of the past year from 94,141 in October 2023 to 94,622 workers this past October, a gain of nearly 180 people in the county workforce over the year.

If you’d like more information or have questions about this data, please contact Sean Fitzgerald, Economic Development Director for the Oshkosh Chamber, at sean@oshkoshchamber.com or call 920.303.2265, ext. 20.

Wisconsin Department of Transportation Updates on Oregon/Jackson Street Project

WisDOT is preparing to hold a Public Involvement Meeting to review plans for the upcoming project and to discuss real estate needs, schedules, traffic control, and aesthetics. The meeting will take place Wednesday, December 11th at 5p.m. The meeting is open to the public and questions/comments are encouraged. Read more at https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/by-region/ne/oshkoshbr/default.aspx

Wisconsin's Election Results and What's Next from WEDA (Wisconsin Economic Development Association)

Narrow races throughout ballots in Wisconsin kept the states "ticket-splitting" reputation alive this voting season. Now with all election results in, voters ask "what's next?". 

Upcoming Events

• Ribbon Cutting - OCC Health Clinic
• OC Connection - December 2024
• Business After Hours - December 2024

Oshkosh Chamber had over 50 vendors participate in our FutureYOU Career Expo Event on November 12th.

8th graders from the Oshkosh Area were able to explore all types of career paths they could take in the future. So many young minds were positively influenced during this event.

Thank you to those businesses that are taking their time out of their days to inspire our youth!

Leadership Oshkosh Class of 2025

Leadership Oshkosh just completed Government Day featuring presentations from Mark Rohloff, City Manager, Mike Ford, UWO Professor on Government in Wisconsin and heard from a panel of elected officials.

The day culminated with a mock city council meeting!

Youth Leadership Oshkosh completed Public Safety Day with a visit to the Fire Department where they discussed the values of firefighters/EMS professionals, tried on and tested out some of the gear, and had a CPR experience to the beat of  “Stayin’ Alive”.

Register for our Amplify Holiday Member Mixer on December 4th! 

Register Now

Goodwill North Central Wisconsin receives Vets Ready Employer Award

Veterans find support and hope at Goodwill NCW

EAA Aviation Museum events bring festive air to 2024 holiday season

Fox Communities Credit Union Welcomes Todd Healy – New Senior Vice President of Commercial Lending

Press Release - OASD High Schools Continue to Exceed Expectations in Newly Released State Report Cards

Oshkosh School District Announces Community Engagement Initiative
Oshkosh Schools Academy Launching January 2025

Holly Jolly Holiday Pass Returns-Discover Oshkosh

New addition at Best Western Premier Bridgewood Resort Hotel & Conference Center

• New addition, called the North Tower, consists of 39 new lodging rooms and another meeting room to accommodate 50 people

Send your Press Releases and Business Briefs to grace@oshkoshchamber.com to have them included in next months Member Matters

RENEWALS

Accu-Tech Again

Badger Mill Supply

Behnke Financial

Bergstrom Mahler Museum Of Glass

Blue Door Consulting

Brickham Stamping Co

Brio Bldg. (Mackson Corner)

BW Premier Bridgewood Hotel

Caramel Crisp

Carpet Gallery & Flooring Ctr

Charlie's Caramels

Chet Wesenberg Architect LLC

China King

Click Printing

Cooperative Educational Serv

Copper Leaf Boutique Hotel

Covey

Cousins Subs

D & M Rentals

D R Hansen Plumbing

Dande Acred (Poplar Creek)

Dublins Irish Pub

Dunkin & Baskin Robbins

Friar Tucks Oshkosh

Habitat For Humanity Of Oshkosh Inc

Hilton Garden Inn

Integrity Saw & Tool

J.J. Keller

Leeco Steel

Life Promotions

Mackson Corners Waterfront

Max Wellness

Mineshaft Oshkosh

Motel 6

Multi Circuits

Omro Animal Hospital

Oshkosh Converting

Oshkosh Corporation

Oshkosh Festivals

Oshkosh Food Cooperative

Oshkosh Herald

Oshkosh Marine Supply

Players Pizza & Pub

R & R Insurance

R J Albright

Subway-Universal

Scharpfs

Seek

Senior Stride Homecare

Ssm (Ssm Franciscan Courts)

Team Snw - Ardy & Eds

The Salvation Army

The Taqueria

The UPS Store

Twohig Flooring America

Venue 404

You've Got Maids