12/10/2021 City Manager’s Update

City Manager’s Update (pdf) 
December 10, 2021

Greetings, all. HOLIDAY HOOPLA continues! Saturday, December 11, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. over 100 vendors will set up on Main Street from Railroad to 2^nd. Main Street will be closed through 1^st Street.  2^nd Street will be open for cross traffic.  The vacant lot off Newt’s Expressway will be open for 15-minute parking only so residents can zip in and out of their favorite restaurants and stores. Please come by and support local crafters, businesses and holiday makers!

COVID-19

• The Omicron variant has been detected in Yolo County. The first case was detected on Thursday by Healthy Davis Together and the UC Davis Genome Center. Vaxing, boosting and masking are strongly recommended by public health officials to minimize COVID spread and serious illness. To find vaccination locations in Yolo County, visit yolocounty.org/getvaccinated, or contact Winters Healthcare – click here for information.
• Thanksgiving gatherings are producing the expected uptick in COVID case rates. As we enter Christmas and New Year’s, please considering COVID testing, especially if guests or family members are unvaccinated, as a way to avoid the inadvertent spread of COVID. Rapid tests are available in pharmacies and testing locations are available at multiple locations (Winters Healthcare, pharmacies, county sponsored locations, etc).
• Yolo County is in urgent need of volunteers to work drive through events. Please click here for more information about assisting with events on December 12 in Woodland and December 17 in West Sacramento. Together, we can make a different in our communities.

Please Note:

• City Hall has several upcoming closures:
  • Friday, December 17 at noon for an employee holiday party. Public Safety and Public Works will still be available for call out, and lead staff by cell phone.
  • December 24 – January 2, subject to Council approval at the December 21 meeting. Public Safety, Public Works, and limited inspections will be available during the closure.

• Chevron frontage improvement work continues, and the contractor will soon begin construction of a median to prevent crossing Hwy 128 at that location. Median construction will require overnight work with lane shifts for worker safety, next Wednesday & Thursday, depending on weather conditions. Please drive carefully and watch for traffic control information.
• Public Works provides free sand and sandbags outside of the gate for the Corporation Yard at the terminus of East Street, next to Yolo Federal Credit Union. Bring your shovel!

Don’t Miss Out!

• Yolo Healthy Aging Alliance is sponsoring a free holiday meal for adults 60 years or older on December 15 at Blue Mountain Terrace and the Winters Senior Apartments. Meals are $10 for under 60. Donations are always welcomed to help support programming. Please see the flyer at the Update for more information and remember to RSVP please!
• Monday, January 10 from 1:00 – 6:00 p.m. Vitalant will host a blood drive at the Community Center, 201 Railroad Ave. IDs and masks are required. To schedule an appointment, call Vitalant at 877-258-4825 and mention blood drive code SMFM164 or you can CLICK HERE to make your appointment online. Remember to eat well and drink fluids prior to donating.
• The tractors and trees decorating contest, sponsored by the Chamber, is well underway and make for a wonderful evening walk to enjoy the lights and displays. There are prizes so for more information on how to vote, please visit the Chamber website here for more information.
• Please watch for information from Waste Management regarding the 2022 Bulky Waste Pick Up program. Residents can use a voucher to take bulking items to the landfill AND call for one pick up per year curbside. Vouchers will be mailed to each account so check your mail! More information is here.

Did You Know?

• The City is recruiting for Climate Action Commission members! This new commission will help oversee and participate in the implementation of the City’s Climate Action Commission. More information is available here. Applications will be accepted through January 10, 2022. If you’re passionate about combating climate change, please apply!
• The Senior Commission on Aging would like to hear from you! Please participate in a brief survey (click here) about what types of activities and programs you would like available. Seniors represent a sizable portion of the community and we want to make sure our seniors thrive. The Spanish survey is here.

Upcoming Council Meeting

The next Council meeting is December 21^st. As in years past, Council will consider approving a holiday closure between December 24 – January 2 so staff can enjoy a holiday break with their families during this traditionally quiet time. Emergency services will still be available. All of which means Council will be asked to cancel the January 4^th Council meeting for lack of business.

Woot Woot!

Last weekend’s holiday festivities were nothing short of epic, phenomenal, awesome, unexpectedly crowded, surreal and extraordinary. The unofficial estimate was 10,000 people, about double the number of people in 2019. It takes a tremendous effort by many people to organize, implement and work the event so a HUGE thank you to all of those people from the Chamber team, the Downtown Business Association, PG&E, multiple sponsors, the Cowan family, City staff, community volunteers and countless others. THANK YOU!