10/21/2022 City Manager’s Update

City Manager’s Update (pdf)
October 21, 2022

Greetings, all. Lots going on around town. Don’t miss the fall festival activities the weekend of October 28 – 30^th. Fourth Friday, the Saturday craft show, and Sunday’s road race on the southside of Grant Avenue. Downtown will be busy and runners will be loop through neighborhoods on Sunday. Please be careful. More information is on Discover Winters at  https://www.discoverwinters.com/events.  Also, Waggoner Elementary School will once again do their Halloween Parade on Monday. Please drive carefully and watch for adult chaperones assisting with street crossings.

Don’t Miss Out!

• The salmon are coming! The runoff from last year’s atmospheric bomb storm degraded water quality so much last year we didn’t see many, if any, salmon. However, Putah Creek Streamkeeper Max Stevenson reports the salmon will soon begin their 26-mile journey from the toe drain. We’re hoping the gravel fluffing will encourage spawning. Don’t forget the Salmon Festival is November 5 in Rotary Park.
• The Winters Joint Unified School District is hosting a free community flu clinic at the District Board Room on Tuesday, October 25, from 3 – 7 p.m., 909 W. Grant. No appointments necessary. Thank you, WJUSD, for this important public health service! Public health officials expect this year’s flu season will be quite virulent.

Please Note:

• We’ve been notified that a wind event is likely for western Yolo County beginning Sunday 6 a.m. through Monday at 2 p.m. PG&E is planning for a potential PSPS shut down, and reports that approximately 99 Winters accounts are expected to be in the PSPS shut down zone (map below). Please visit PG&E to verify your address and make sure you sign up for alerts. As a reminder, PG&E made a number of changes to the circuits, separating the Winters core from the countryside, as part of reconstruction following the LNU fire. Information is subject to change as weather conditions progress.
• The Winters Cemetery District is drilling a new well as their previous well ran dry last summer. It’s taken a year to get on the schedule; work begun on Monday. Unfortunately, a portion of the work requires 24-hour drilling and there isn’t enough space to install sound walls. Overnight work is expected to be completed around 10/26. For additional information or concerns, please contact Sheila Carbahal at the cemetery at (530) 795-2475, wcd415@sbcglobal.net.
• The City’s Design Review Committee comprised of two councilmembers, two planning commissioners and senior staff met with Farmstead representatives to provide additional input on the evolving site plan for this 62-acre project on the northside of Grant Avenue. The environmental work remains on hold while the developer refines the site plan.
• In other development updates, residential construction continues at the Hideaway and Walnut 10 (both are Meritage projects). Shandalla Estates is proceeding with 6 of their 18 homes and will continue in phases based on sales. Homes By Town has received building permits for new models for alley loaded homes in the Hideaways. Three Oaks Park is coming along nicely, trees are being replaced and the turf has improved dramatically. A portion of park sidewalk needs to be replaced and a final tree inspection, along with some other punch list items, remain before the park can enter its 90-day maintenance period. We know the public is frustrated with these delays, as are we; however, the developer has been making good progress so we’re hopeful we’ll be able to start the final countdown toward an opening in 90 days in the coming weeks.
• Finally, the Fairfield Inn is moving along with new financing in place; final construction includes a kitchen, the pool, frontage work, and some interior work. Thedeveloper has set an outside opening date of December 15^th based on Marriott inspections and the completion of critical items; we hope just in time for the holidays!
• The City Council candidates forum for five open seats was held on October 13 at the Winters Library. Hosted by the Winters Express and Democracy Winters, the videotapes are now available, links below. The links below are provided for public information purposes only as the City as an agency does not endorse any candidate.
• Democracy Winters: https://youtu.be/okVNnxszaag
• Winters Express: https://youtu.be/AjuFhHYfdeY
• Unfortunately, another resident learned the hard way to not leave their car unlocked with the keys in it while popping into a store for a quick errand. It was stolen and recovered in Redding the next day. Chief Miller reports this is the sixth car stolen under similar circumstances in his six years here. Please help deter crimes of opportunity and remember to lock car doors when parked anywhere and not leave valuables in sight.
• PG&E has completed their work for the undergrounding along Newt’s Expressway. They have removed their aerial facilities and cut the tops of the poles along the alley. We are still waiting on AT&T for final design for their work and a schedule. AT&T will remove the poles once they are done, and then the City will follow with the final lift of asphalt on the alley.

COVID-19

• The Governor announced that the state of emergency for the pandemic will end on February 23, 2023, meaning all emergency regulations will end. Public meetings will be primarily back in person. Remote access will be provided for Council and Planning Commission. Masks are always welcome based on individual need and comfort.
• Public health officials are strongly recommending that people receive the full suite of COVID-19 vaccinations available based on age group to minimize the risk of serious illness. New variants are evolving and with colder weather on the horizon, a spike in community transmission is expected. The new bivalent booster helps to protect against the Omicron sub-variants and are readily available, including at Winters Healthcare.

Upcoming Council Meeting

The next Council meeting is November 1, via Zoom and in-person.

Woot Woot!

Congratulations to Lynne Secrist who was recently named 2022 Yolo County Woman of the Year by Congressmember John Garamendi.  Lynne has supported youth musical education as a teacher in the Winters Joint Unified School District for thirty years and since her retirement continues to be engaged in community service, particularly in musical opportunities and as a guerrilla gardener helping to beautify downtown. See the Winters Express article linked here for more information about her contributions through the years, and thank you, Lynne! This village thrives because of engaged residents like Lynne so if you love Winters and want to contribute, there are no shortage of opportunities.

And congratulations to our inbound WJUSD Superintendent Dr. Rody Boonchouy! The School Board recently announced his appointment following a comprehensive recruitment effort. Dr. Boonchouy will begin November 30 and is coming to us via the Davis Joint Unified School District, so a hearty welcome to Winters! I would also like to thank Acting Superintendent Phoebe Girimonte for her outstanding support and collaboration during her interim role. We look forward to maintaining our ongoing collaborations with the WJUSD into the future.