Greetings, all. It will be glorious out this weekend. Looking for things to do? Visit Yolo tracks events and deals as does our own local visitors bureau Discover Winters. If you have never been to Park Winters, oh my goodness – join the garden tour on Saturday at noon.
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Did You Know?
Please Note:
Upcoming Council Meeting – May 17th, via Zoom
The packet for Tuesday’s Council meeting has been published here. It’s include an agreement for a new audit firm, a recommended appropriation to close out the Blue Oak Park improvements, the appointment of a new assistant city attorney, two agreements with Eco Green for upgraded facility lighting, and the second reading of the social host liability ordinance and administrative citations for use of illegal fireworks. The County will provide an update on animal services and the Natural Resources Commission will present their annual work plan. The only discussion item relates to a speed study conducted for W. Main and Niemann Streets and the establishment of a 25 mph speed zone for W. Main and 30 mph for Neiman. The staff report is here.
As a reminder, public comment may be provided during the Council meeting or submitted in advance by emailing the cityclerk@cityofwinters.org.
Woot Woot!
May 15 – 21st is Public Works Week!! These crews maintain roads, parks, and facilities; they provide water and treat wastewater. They are the backbone of any community, the unsung heroes in emergencies and disasters next to Police and Fire. They come with big trucks, drive big equipment and have big hearts. They pull puppies out of storm drains and fish keys from yucky places. So please thank our local Public Works employees when you see them out and about in the community.
Please join us in recognizing Peace Officer Memorial Day on Sunday, May 15, honoring law enforcement officers who have lost their lives or been injured in the line of duty. More than 800,000 law enforcement officers serve at the local, state and federal level. Locally, Yolo County will recognize its fallen officers on noon at May 19 at the old courthouse in Woodland, 725 Court Street. Winters Police Department will host this year’s event. The guest speaker is Officer Kadi Griess whose father, CHP Officer Kirk Griess was killed in 2018 on Interstate 80 in Fairfield. Our hearts go out to Officer Kirk Griess’ family and to all those who lost loved ones in the line of duty, including Davis Officer Natalie Corona who was killed in 2019 while investigating a traffic accident.
The 2X2 committee was created to promote intergovernmental communication between the City of Winters and the County of Yolo on issues of mutual interest. This committee is not empowered to make decisions on behalf of the entities its members represent; it has been established for information purposes only.
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Based on guidance from the California Department of Public Health and the California Governor's Office, in order to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus, we encourage you to observe the live stream of the meeting. Please contact Kristine - 530-794-6760 / Kristine.DeGuerre@cityofwinters.org for additional instructions.
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City Manager’s Update (pdf)
May 6, 2022
Greetings, all, and a Happy Mother’s Day out there to all those moms, caregivers, aunties, and co-parents who together help raise our children and nurture the village! And what better way to share a special moment or find gift than to visit downtown with that special someone.
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Did You Know?
Please Note
Wildfire Preparedness
Upcoming Council Meeting – May 17, via Zoom
We tested the hybrid platform at the May 3rd meeting, and it worked great! We also debuted our new streaming service, so Council meetings will stream live on the City’s website here. Moving forward recordings for Council meetings will now be archived with agenda packets and minutes on the same Council meeting landing page. Make sure you click on the + sign for Council meetings to open the archive list. Recordings will now be indexed by agenda item, making it easier to playback only what you would like.
Woot Woot!
The Winters High School Robotics Team competes in World Competition in Texas today! Just a Wow! Wow! Wow! to those kids. They have already won in our book. Congratulations to the competitors and their families.
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City Manager’s Update (pdf)
April 29, 2022
Greetings, all. It’s Youth Day Weekend! See you at the Trestle Bridge tonight at 6:00 p.m. to see which ducks floated the fastest! You can still buy ducks up to 5 p.m.
And don’t forget breakfast at the Community Center, sponsored by Rotary and the volunteer fire fighters. Proceeds go to their favorite charitable activities supporting local youth and families. The celebration schedule is here.
COVID-19
Please Note:
Don’t Miss Out!
Upcoming Council Meeting – May 3rd via Zoom
The agenda packet is linked here. Items include the 2nd reading for a mandated Miliary Equipment Use Policy (we have none), a presentation by the Mosquito & Vector Control District; award of contract for the Downtown Visioning Project and a proposed ordinance related to social host liability and administrative citations for the use of illegal fireworks.
We will also be testing new equipment for a hybrid participation platform; if all goes well we expect to allow in-person participation at public meetings in the very near future.
Woot Woot!
A round of applause for all those volunteers out there helping to make this weekend’s Youth Day celebrations a smashing success.
Based on guidance from the California Department of Public Health and the California Governor's Office, in order to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus, we encourage you to observe the live stream of the meeting. The Hispanic Advisory Committee meets on the 1st Monday of each month via Zoom. Please contact the City Clerk at cityclerk@cityofwinters.com for additional information.
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City Manager’s Update (pdf)
April 22, 2022
Greetings, all. We will have a fireworks show on July 3rd! Thank you to the School District for once again hosting the event at the football field. Costs have gone up significantly so we will begin the fundraising to help support the event. Donation envelopes will be included in an upcoming utility billing. Any and all contributions are welcome. The fireworks fund currently has about $4,500 in the account and we are anticipating costs of approximately $20,000 for the show, security guards and portapotties.
The show at the football field will once again be family family. If you would like to participate with a food truck, be a vendor, or have an informational booth, please contact Diana Tafolla at diana.tafolla@cityofwinters.org. If you would like to volunteer to assist day of, please contact Taylor Buley at buley@outlook.com. Stay tuned for more information.
Please Note:
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Click here for more information on how to support our community-based organizations that give so much and make Winters the magical place it is.
Did You Know?
Upcoming Council Meeting – May 3rd
The meeting will be via Zoom, although we hope to test our hybrid platform with staff and the mayor.
Woot Woot!
Happy, Earth Day, everyone. Today is the 52nd anniversary of Earth Day. Begun in 1970, Earth Day is the beginning of the modern environmental movement. As I was researching Earth Day, I came across this website www.earthday.org/history/ and noticed the reference below:
Senator Gaylord Nelson, the junior senator from Wisconsin, had long been concerned about the deteriorating environment in the United States. Then in January 1969, he and many others witnessed the ravages of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Inspired by the student anti-war movement, Senator Nelson wanted to infuse the energy of student anti-war protests with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution. Senator Nelson announced the idea for a teach-in on college campuses to the national media, and persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chair. They recruited Denis Hayes, a young activist, to organize the campus teach-ins and they choose April 22, a weekday falling between Spring Break and Final Exams, to maximize the greatest student participation.
Pete McCloskey and his wife Helen reside here in Winters, having moved into town from the Capay Valley about a year ago. Along with many others, their contributions to environmental awareness and sustainability helped launch a better understanding of how we collectively impact our place on this planet.
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” —Jane Goodall
In honor of Earth Day, I’m pleased to announce that five members of the community have come forward to serve on the newly formed Climate Action Commission and were appointed to the City Council on Tuesday evening: Ken Britten, Gar House, Patrick Wall, Woody Fridae, and David Springer. Stay tuned for more on their efforts as they are seated and establish a work plan overseeing the implementation of the City’s Climate Action Plan, which is available online here.
CITY OF WINTERS/WINTERS JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
2X2 MEETING
VIA ZOOM TELECONFERENCE
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
*5:00 PM*
The meeting will be held via Zoom.
https://wintersjusd-org.zoom.us/j/93690776652
Meeting ID: 936 9077 6652
Notice is hereby given that the Planning Commission Meeting of Tuesday, April 26, 2022, is hereby canceled. The meeting is being adjourned to the next regular Planning Commission Meeting held on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 @ 6:30 PM Teleconference via Zoom.
City Manager’s Update (pdf)
April 15, 2022
Greetings, all. May 5th is the Big Day of Giving through the Sacramento Community Foundation. In its tenth year, this event garners some of the most significant support our local non-profits receive. And there are so many worthy causes that cross any number of different interests and passions. Please click here for more information and consider supporting a registered, community-based organization that helps make Winters so special.
Please Note:
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Did You Know?
Upcoming Council Meeting – April 19, 2022
We have a very full packet for Tuesday night, which is available here. The consent calendar includes appointing Karen Conerly to the Senior Commission on Aging, an update to the Senior Center naming opportunities, and the street closure request for the Youth Day Parade. Discussion items include reallocating grant funds for an emergency generator at the Community Center and general discussion about long term use of the Center, the Final Map for Walnut 10, affordable housing plan for the LDS subdivision, a military equipment use policy for the Police Department, and a general discussion regarding sports watering ballot initiatives. There will also be two presentations regarding regional and local groundwater usage as part of the background information for a staff recommendation to update the 2007 Water Master Plan, develop a drought contingency plan and compile condition assessment information for the water production and distribution system.
The meeting will be held via Zoom. The link is in the agenda packet. The upgrade to the Council Chamber A/V system is making good progress. New cameras have been installed, the wiring and connections simplified, and the noisy server for the streaming service is now nicely and quietly enclosed. We have a few more items on order and hope to test the hybrid platform in May.
Spring Cleaning
We want make sure the town is looking spruced up for spring. Please report graffiti on public property or utility boxes to Public Works at (530) 795-4291 and leave a message with the date and specific location of the graffiti. For private property, we appreciate it if owners would please remove graffiti within 48 hours. Many thanks.
Happy weekend. Happy Easter.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85727799402?pwd=MVZOWW5mRHVlYzd2WTlGSGlwQ3NBdz09
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One tap mobile: 1 669 900 6833
City Manager’s Update (pdf)
April 8, 2022
Greetings, everyone. It’s warming up! Have a glorious weekend. Don’t forget to get your tickets for the Toast of Winters tonight at the Community Center, beginning at 5:00 p.m., to recognize 2020 and 2021 community leaders. More information is here.
Calling All….
Pool Updates:
Please Note….
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Upcoming Council Meeting – April 19th, via Zoom
City staff is working with a retired network engineer to stabilize the A/V system in the Council Chambers in order to provide in person and remote participation options for public meetings. We’re getting closer! Parts are on order. As soon as the work is completed, and we’ve been able to test the system, attending Council meetings in person will be available.
The April 19th agenda is quite full. We’ve scheduled presentations on municipal and regional water usage as part of a recommended update to the City’s Water Master Plan. January – March 2022 have been the driest first three months of any year in California’s recorded history. Water conservation measures will become increasingly important as we enter six plus months of heat and little to no rain on the horizon…
Woot Woot!
I would like to introduce our new Administrative Services Director, Cathy Mathews, to the Winters community. Cathy comes to us from the private sector, including entertainment, private education, and manufacturing. She is a credentialed human resources professional and has years of experience overseeing human resources, finance, IT, recreation, and maintenance operations. As a result of her experiences and skills, we will do a little reorganizing in the general government side of City Hall to leverage her background. Cathy began on Monday, and we are thrilled to have her on board. She can be reached at cathy.mathews@cityofwinters.org.
To join this meeting via Zoom 5:30pm:
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Meeting ID: 880 9819 7361
Passcode: 991915
The Winters City Council meeting will be conducted pursuant to AB 361:
Based on guidance from the California Department of Public Health and the California Governor's Office, in order to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus, we encourage you to observe the live stream of the meeting. The Hispanic Advisory Committee meets on the 1st Monday of each month via Zoom. Please contact the City Clerk at cityclerk@cityofwinters.com for additional information.
Join Zoom - 6:30pm:
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Meeting ID: 857 0241 0568
Passcode: 024567
Good afternoon, everyone. Please see the PG&E notification below regarding power outages due to a fire near the Vaca Dixon Substation. - Kathleen
https://pgealerts.alerts.pge.com/outagecenter/
FYI, there is a fire occurring right now close to PG&E’s Vaca Dixon substation. In the interest of public safety, local fire officials have asked us to de-energize power lines until that fire has been cleared. Customers in Dixon, Vacaville, Fairfield, Suisun, and Winters are currently being impacted. Letting you know in case you hear from your constituents.
As I hear more, I will keep you informed.
Many thanks,
Clay Merrill | Local Government Relations Representative
Yolo, Solano, and Colusa Counties
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
City Manager’s Update (pdf)
March 25, 2022
Greetings, all. The Spring Festival begins tonight on Main Street. Please note Main Street will be closed from Railroad to First Street beginning at 3:30 p.m. The closure will extend to Second Street at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday to accommodate Saturday’s craft show. Main Street will reopen from the mid-block crossing to Second on Saturday after the craft show closes.
Please note this is the first weekend of the Main Street closure season. Beginning today, Main Street will close on Fridays around 3:30 p.m. and open on Mondays at 7:30 a.m. from now until October 31st. The half block closure will allow for additional programming and activities coordinated by the Downtown Business Association to bring people into downtown to shop, dine and play. Please support all of our businesses. Their success helps us all through the collection of sales tax revenue, which funds police, fire, park maintenance, the aquatic program, and other municipal services.
Please Note: Well # 8 Construction
Meritage is constructing the Hideaways at Winters within the Winters Highland Subdivision, within includes a new well (#8) as part of the project. The well will be located at the corner of Taylor and Vasey and is anticipated to be over 700’ deep. As you can imagine, well drillers have been very busy of late, and the driller’s schedule opened up earlier than anticipated. The driller will begin mobilizing on Monday, March 28. A portion of the well construction requires 24/7 work. Sound walls will be erected, overnight flood lights will be oriented downward directly to the boring site, and backup beepers on trucks will be turned off overnight. We understand this work will be disruptive and apologize for any inconvenience to residents.
The geotechnical principal, Scott Lewis of LSCE, is overseeing the well construction. He will host a Zoom meeting on Tuesday, at 6:00 p.m., (click link) to explain the work, overall schedule, and the measures the driller is required to use to help mitigate impacts to the surrounding neighborhood. He will also be available to respond to questions and concerns, and may be reached at slewis@lsce.com or (916) 240-0230. Meritage representatives will also be at the meeting as well as City staff.
Please Note: Three Oaks Park Construction
City staff and consultants have been inspecting Three Oaks Park this week. The City also retained an arborist to inspect the trees. There is additional work that needs to be done to bring the park to satisfactory condition before the maintenance period begins. Unfortunately, the park opening will be delayed by several months as a result. Our goal is to ensure the park landscaping and amenities meet specifications prior to taking over maintenance. The sooner the park meet standards, the sooner it will open to the public. Homes By Town was conditioned to build the park under the approved Development Agreement and is responsible for its construction.
Please Note: Green River Tap Room
A couple more updates on the improvements that have been made by Green River Tap Room to address noise complaints. In addition to the new stage, the owner has installed a new point-of-sale system that texts diners when their order is ready (no more order pick up announcements!). In addition, the owner is installing new sound equipment that is controlled by the business, eliminating the possibility of sound amplifying speakers and bands turning up the music. Significant investments have been made that hopefully will minimize the noise coming across the creek. To provide feedback to the owner, please email John Neil at jn@oldgreenriver.com.
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Upcoming Council Meeting
The next meeting is April 5th.
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