09/23/2022 City Manager’s Update

City Manager’s Update (pdf)
September 23, 2022

Greetings, all. Winters has just been recognized as one of the 8 Most Charming Small Towns in California in 2022. WOW!! What a great testament to all the businesses, stakeholders, and invested community members who make this town so special. Congratulations, everyone!

And helping to contribute to our amazing downtown charm is newcomer Upper Crust Baking, which opened this week at the old Lester Farms Bakery, 606 Railroad. And, yes, they do have donuts, which City Hall staff report are fantastic. Drop by and welcome them to the neighborhood.

And don’t miss out on the latest outdoor dining space behind Chuy’s. The Ogandos have created another magical patio. Please enter the restaurant through the front.

Part of what makes this town so special is the care people show to others, particularly those in need. To those seniors coordinating a Pink Out game for breast cancer awareness as a senior capstone project, thank you. To contribute, please purchase a shirt and support the DONNA Foundation, click here. The Pink Out games are October 14.

I’m not sure what beats Hooby’s cornhole tournament on October 20th beginning at 4:30 p.m. in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, though.

Don’t Miss Out!

• Carnitas Festival is this Saturday! The downtown will be swirling with baile folklorico, children’s activities, food trucks, carnitas plates, music and lots of dancing. Festivities begin at 4:30 p.m. It will be hopping.
• KVIE/PBS will air a segment about the Winters History Museum exhibit about the “Lost Town of Monticello” on Monday, September 26 at 7:30 p.m. (KVIE Channel 6). The “Rob on the Road” preview is available here.
• The Rotary Food & Wine Gala is October 14 at Hotel Winters. Tickets are $60, which will support Rotary’s philanthropic projects. To buy tickets, please click here or swing by First Northern Bank.
• Yolo County and the WJUSD have partnered to offer a free community flu vaccination clinic on October 25 from 3 – 7 p.m. at the district office, 909 W. Grant Avenue. Thank you! No appointment necessary.

Please Note:

•  Newt’s Expressway Underground project locations – the electrical crossover will begin on Saturday 10 p.m. Several locations are identified for either 9/27 or 9/29. If you do not receive the schedule, please contact me. The poles in the alley will be topped on October 19.
• Yolo County Central Landfill is hosting the grand opening of its new composting facility on Wednesday, September 28 from 9 – 10 a.m. 44090 County Road 28H in Woodland. Please RSVP here if you’re interested in attending. The City is obligated under SB 1383 to procure, or have procured in its name, 300 pounds of compost or 600 pounds of mulch, which we don’t use…. We’re working on a compost or mulch give away program for this material. Watch for more information.
• Solano County Water Agency will be working along 5 miles of Putah Creek between Oct 10 and Oct 21 preparing gravel for spawning salmon. A small backhoe will be used to ‘fluff up’ the gravel. This work isdone under permit from the CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife. The SCWA team will be at the Winters Putah Creek Nature Park for a few hours doing this work. Here is a short video explaining the process https://youtu.be/e9vj1RT6tLc. Please contact Streamkeeper Max Stevenson with any questions at mstevenson@scwa2.com. Let’s hope lots of salmon make it up the creek!
• Correction: The senior walking group meetings Tuesday (8 a.m.), Thursday (8 a.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.) at the Community Center parking lot doors. Don’t forget yoga on Wednesday’s at 9:30 and socialization and games on Thursday at 1 p.m. at St. Anthony’s.
• We are looking for applicants for the Senior Commission on Aging and the Planning Commission ~ that recruitment will be posted soon. For more information, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at cityclerk@cityofwinters.org or (530) 794-6702.
• The pool heater is officially on its last legs. We are closing the pool for City programming effective October 3rd. An equipment replacement project is in the works and will be brought forward to the City Council at a future date.
• First 5 Yolo has announced a grant program to support existing licensed childcare providers or unlicensed providers who would like to become licensed. The lack of childcare has reached a critical state as many people have left the workforce to care for children. For more information, please visit https://www.first5yolo.org/partners/apply-for-funding. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis through February 1, 2023.

Woot Woot!
We were just informed that our FY 21-22 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report received a Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of America. This is the highest form of recognition for government accounting and financial reporting. Outstanding effort by the team, past and present, for this achievement. Woo Hoo!