09/03/2021 City Manager’s Update
City Manager’s Update (pdf)
September 3, 2021
Happy Labor Day, everyone. I hope you enjoy the long weekend. Thank you to all those essential workers who support us in our every day lives – in stores and restaurants, the supermarket and gas stations, all the delivery drivers, agricultural workers, teachers, police and fire and City Hall workers, plus the dog walking, grocery delivering helpers. We appreciate you and need you! Gracias.
COVID-19
- The Winters Joint Unified School District is partnering with Healthy Yolo Together to offer free, saliva-based COVID-19 testing in front of the library at 708 Railroad for WJUSD staff, students and the community. The site will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. – 6:15 p.m. (closed for lunch from 1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.) More information is linked HERE. Thank you WJUSD & Healthy Yolo Together for this important public health service.
- Yolo County continues to offer free vaccination service at your home or worksite.
Please Note:
The blood banks need blood donations. Please swing by the Community Center on September 13 from 1 – 6 p.m. to donate. Information in the box.- Due to the unprecedented drought and extremely dry conditions, PG&E is updating equipment settings to automatically turn off power if an object strikes a line or there is an issue with the equipment. This “fast trip” setting reduces the risk of a potential wildfire and will be used when wildfire potential is the greatest, most often in late summer and fall. Fast trip outages are not Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). For more information, visit pge.com/wildfiresafety. For questions, please email wildfiresafety@pge.com or call 1-800-PGE-5000.
Upcoming Council Meeting – September 7, 2021
We have a very busy agenda for next Tuesday, link HERE. There are two public hearings: one for the draft Housing Element Update and the other extending the urgency ordinance prohibiting grading permits unless conditions established by the City Council have been satisfied. We will also recommend that the City Council adopt updated building and fire codes. The consent calendar includes the formation of the Natural Resources Commission, appointments to the Senior Commission on Aging and the Yolo County Habitat Conservancy Implementation Advisory Committee, bond amounts for the City Clerk and City Treasurer, the appointment of Shelly Gunby as interim City Clerk, budget amendments for two public works projects, and the designation of Jesse Loren as a voting delegate for the CalCities annual membership meeting.
City Hall Tidbits
Sometimes it’s the basics that really count, or the simple things. Tom Davis, our contract building official, has been quietly settling in. If you’re looking for him, just peak through the Building Division door and he’ll let you know if he’s out for inspections. We might not see his sign as much though, since our new part-time permit technician starts on Tuesday, Lauren Shelley. Come on by and say hello.
Captain Art Mendoza, Driver Operator Jr. Mederos and Firefighter Cameron Simental have been working the Dixie Fire for the past week. Our thanks go out to them and all the emergency responders on all the fire lines.- We’re always looking for volunteers for the fire department. It’s a great team, doing great work for the community. For more information, please click HERE.
- After almost 25 years Administrative Services Director Shelly Gunby has announced her final retirement plans and will depart City Hall mid-January. We’ve opened a recruitment to replace her. More information is available HERE. If you know a municipal finance professional who wants to work for a great community, please help spread the word. Applications are due by October 6.
Woot Woot!
- A huge thank you to all the new volunteers for Meals on Wheels, which had to reduce service to our seniors in need due to a shortage of volunteers. It seems a few of you responded to the call to action, so a very big thank you. It takes a village! If you would like to help out, please see mowyolo.org; call (530) 662-7035 or email volunteer@mowyolo.org for more information.
- Major kudos to all the students and artists with the Winters Participation Gallery who painted the mural on the wall of Kountry Kitchen at the corner of Railroad and Grant. Mark your calendars - The students and lead artists will sign the mural on September 14th at the Winters Market from 6pm-7pm. Thank you for helping to beautify Winters one wall at a time!
For more information about the murals around town and the Winters Participation Gallery, please visit their website at www.wintersparticipationgallery.org/home .