05/07/2021 City Manager’s Update
City Manager’s Update (pdf)
May 7, 2021
Greetings, all. More beautiful weather out there! And just in time for Mother’s Day. To all those moms, aunties, and ladies that care and nurture our youth, a heartfelt thank you for all that you do. Happy Mother’s Day! It certainly takes a village in my book.
Still looking for things to do and give on Mother’s Day? Our local businesses are offering a range of experiences, treats, and gifts.
COVID-19
The State issued new mask guidance on May 3, linked here, which Yolo County adopted.
- Fully vaccinated people don’t need to wear a mask outdoors except in a crowd.
- Unvaccinated people still need to wear a mask outdoors if they can’t maintain 6 feet of social distance.
- With few exceptions, masks are required indoors (unless eating and drinking).
Yolo County’s update: cases rates are holding steady, the more infectious variants are gaining traction, specifically the B.1.1.7 (UK) and P.1 (Brazil). These variants are more contagious and can cause more severe illness.
According to health guidance, the best way to help slow the spread of COVID-19, is to get vaccinated, get tested, wear a mask, maintain social distancing, and avoid large gatherings. We are so close to getting ahead of the virus, it’s important to not let our guards down too soon.
Free Covid testing is still available on Friday’s at the Community Center, no appointment necessary. Vaccination clinics are posted on the County’s website here.
Please Note:
Yolo County is working with large landowners to develop a grant funded Prescribed Burn Association (PBA) to promote the use of controlled burns in Yolo County. The primary goal is to reduce the risk of wildfire. The PBA will be a landowner-led organization that will allow association members to pool their knowledge, people-power, and equipment to help others in the association conduct prescribed burns. The County resolution can be found here and the Scope of Work can be read here.
It is weed abatement season! Please get those weeds knocked down and follow best practices by NOT mowing, discing or weed whacking during windy conditions. A spark can easily start a fire, which has already occurred this season.
Don’t Miss Out!
The Winters Museum is opening Saturday, May 8! And will resume its regular schedule of Thursday – Sunday, 1 – 5 p.m. Their grand re-opening exhibit “The Lost Japanese Community of Winters” will open in June. I wondered about the beautiful mural on the side of the building… The museum is located at 13 Russell Street, which is also the home to the Historical Society, a historic bar and print shop, and more memorabilia you can absorb in one tour. It’s worth a visit.
Don’t forget! We have summer jobs available! Lifeguards, a pool manager, an HR manager, and more. Please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/CITYOFWINTERS.
The Senior Commission on Aging and Planning Commission have seats opening up on June 1 and July 1, respectively. More information is on our website at cityofwinters.org – click on the commission landing pages.
Did You Know?
The Sacramento Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District monitors and controls unwanted bugs for the region. Their specialty: mosquitoes, especially those that spread West Nile and Zika Viruses. For more information, please fightthebite.net. On occation the District contracts for aerial spraying to combat the presence of dangerous mosquitoes. Spray alerts are listed at https://www.fightthebite.net/media/spraying-updates. You can also sign up for email alerts on the Services tab. To report mosquito bites during the day, please call SYMVDC directly at 1-900-429-1022, which helps track the potential presence of invasive mosquitoes.
The City of Winters relies exclusively on well water for its water supply, sharing that resource with agriculture and private wells. In drought years if more water is drawn out than is returned back through rain percolating down into the underground aquifers, eventually the basins can shrink and permanently lose storage capacity (called subsidence). As counties declare drought conditions following a dismally dry winter throughout the State, water conservation becomes critically important, both inside and outside. As we enter the dry summer months, please watch for articles on water conservation, or forward them. We’ll happily share tips and updates through the Friday Update and social media.
Upcoming Council Meeting
The next Council meeting is May 18, which will include a presentation on the proposed FY 21/22 budget.
Woot Woot!
A shout out to the Public Works team who recently installed the new trees at the City parking lot on First Street. The trees have irrigation.
The planter bed adjacent to the street will be landscaped once some additional work is completed. Two EV charging stations will be installed near the alley, which will receive power from a new transformer that PG&E will install as part of undergrounding utilities this summer. And a new private trash enclosure is planned for mid-frontage to support the hotel and businesses along Main Street as part of an alley beautification and activation plan.