11/11/2022 City Manager’s Update

City Manager’s Update (pdf) 
November 11, 2022

Greetings, all. A heartfelt thank you to all the veterans, servicemembers, and their families today, and a special recognition for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Please see below for an exhibit sponsored by the Friends of Yolo County Archives in honor of those who died in WWI. Semper Fi.

Don’t Miss Out!

• A new tradition has popped up in town. Sunday, November 20 from 2 – 4 p.m. is the first “Be Thankful Banquet” Thanksgiving style with all the fixings. The event will be held at St Anthony’s Parish Hall at 511 Main Street and is sponsored by St. Vincent de Paul. This non-denominational, free event is open to the community on a first come, first serve basis. Reservations are required and transportation is available by calling Al Calderone at 530-902-8920. More information is in the Winters Express article here. Donations are welcome; St. Vincent de Paul is a 501(c)3.
• Preparations are in overdrive for the holiday weekend, December 2^nd and 3^rd for the Tree Lighting and Tractor Parade. More information is at winterstractorparade.com. Street closures associated with the weekend events is going before Council next Tuesday, November 15. See below for packet information / link. Please note, the events have expanded to help spread out traffic (we backed up I-505 last year…) and generate revenue to cover costs. Please watch for more information in the Winters Express and at the event website.
• If you are interested in renting a Main Street pergola for the parade for $1,500, please email cityclerk@cityofwinters.org by noon on November 23^rd and include your name and phone number. Names will be drawn and winners notified that afternoon. Not all pergolas will have furniture so people may need to bring tables and chairs. Proceeds help fund the event.

Please Note:

• Election results are posted on the Yolo County website here ~ click on the Winters tab. Please note, the posted results are from 10:30 a.m. November 10 when approximately 30% of the ballots county-wide had been counted. The majority of ballots have yet to be reported. The next update will be Tuesday, November 15 at 5:00 p.m. The Council race is too close to call.
• The home builders were given permission to work today and tomorrow. Given the changing economic climate and the wet weather, we are helping home construction move along when we can.
• AT&T has provided a schedule to begin its work along Newt’s Expressway. They need several weeks to pull their wire and remove the poles. Work will begin on December 5. Any Wave / Astound customers on that block should make alternative service selections soon…
• Work continues to install a permanent gas line on the trestle bridge. PG&E should complete the project by the holidays, pending any weather delays. Love that rain!
• Front yard and parkway landscaping helps beautify the community; however, we have been receiving concerns about tall shrubs, hedges and overgrown trees that are blocking views at corners, making it difficult for drivers to see when entering a street. We will begin reaching out to some property owners as we follow up on site distance concerns. On a related note, we’ve installed a new stop sign at Haven and Main to remind drivers to stop before entering Main. Please watch for families and children entering the park area.
• The Climate Action Commission meeting is Monday, November 14, via Zoom. The packet is here.
• As the holidays approach, there are so many opportunities to help families in need. It’s a good idea to check charitable donation status before donating money. Non-profits like Yolo Food Bank feed thousands of families across the County. Then there is the Toys for Tots program, sponsored by the Yolo County Chambers of Commerce (info below or call 530-574-2060) and the Winters Volunteer Fire Fighters also coordinate a gift drive for needy information. Please contact the Fire Department for more information or stay tuned for next week’s Update.
• Head’s Up! The 530 area code region will get a new area code overlay in 2023, meaning new numbers will be issued with a different area code within Yolo County. More information about area overlay zones is at https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/AreaCodes. Stay tuned for more information.

COVID-19 +

• Friendly reminder that free COVID test kits are at City Hall in a vending machine in the little parking lot. Public health officials strongly encourage people to be fully vaxed and boosted for COVID and for the flu; it looks as if flu season will be a doozy this year…

Upcoming Council Meeting – November 15

The meeting is hybrid, in person and via Zoom. The consent calendar includes a request to schedule a special meeting on December 13 to seat the new Council and cancel the December 20 meeting as well as a contract to replace the pool heater (and an update on other needed repairs at the pool). Discussion items include a $5,000 contribution toward the Yolo Roadmap to the Future project, an extension for the NeighborWork Tentative Subdivision Map, street closures for the December 2-3 holiday weekend (tree lighting and tractor parade), and a basketball league recreation services agreement with National Association of Athletics.  The packet is here.

Woot Woot!

The Chamber’s tractor and tree decorating contest is back! Help make Winters the merriest place to be this season. Purchase a tractor or trailer cut out from the Chamber by calling 530-795-2329 and pull those holiday decorations out. A huge shout out to everyone, including the staff at City Hall, who decorate for the seasons. It is you all, and these efforts plus so many more that have helped make Winters one of the most charming small towns in California!