Category Archives: City Manager’s Update

City Manager's Update (pdf)  click to view full Update
February 10, 2023

Greetings, all. The utility newsletter that used to be included in with the utility bills is coming back by popular demand, which means the Friday Update will no longer be weekly. The bilingual utility insert will help reach those who are not English readers or on social media and is part of a multi-pronged approach to reach different community groups.

I’ll prepare this newsletter the 2^nd & 4^th Fridays of the month and then prepare the utility newsletter the 3^rd week in time for envelop stuffing. As always, if you have an item of community interest that you would like to include in the Friday Update, please email me at Kathleen.trepa@cityofwinters.org by Thursday evening.  I’ll cull items for the monthly newsletter. Any thoughts on what we should name the monthly newsletter?

Don’t Miss Out!

• Tomorrow, Saturday, February 11 the Yolo County Fair Museum will be open from 10 – 1 p.m. About a dozen regional historical groups worked together to create the exhibit that highlights people and events that have shaped Yolo County through the generations. Enter through Gum Avenue; admission is free. The museum will be open the 2^nd Saturday of every month.
• There is a joint Planning Commission – City Council meeting on Thursday, March 2, from 6 – 9 p.m. at the Public Safety Facility’s Community Room. This is intended to be a community workshop to discuss various policy options and recommendations for the Downtown Visioning Project. The focus has been on outdoor dining and gathering, Main Street closure schedule, parking, trash management and a few other items sprinkled in, like the Community Center. Please attend if you have opinions on how we live, work, and play downtown. This is an in-person meeting only.
• Winters HealthCare and UC Davis are hosting a cancer prevention health care fair at City Park on Saturday, March 11. A number of health care and community partners will be onsite to share information and resources. A reminder that regular preventative wellness screenings can help catch cancer early!
• Wednesday, March 22 is Council goal setting in the downstairs conference room of City Hall, Abbey Street entrance, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. This is a public meeting to establish project priorities. The date was changed from February 18 – our apologies for any confusion.
• Fourth Friday is back, along with programming on Main Street by the Downtown Business Association (DBA). This year’s Spring Festival is Friday, March 24 (Main Street will be closed from Main – First Street); Saturday, March 25 (Main Street will be closed from Second – Elliot, including the intersection for a craft show); and Sunday, March 26. Please note the approved road closures. More information will follow.
• Youth Day is on!! Saturday, April 29 is the parade and festivities in City Park. The famous duck dump into Putah Creek is Friday. Buy a duck and help support this much beloved tradition, now in its 85^th

Please Note:

• The City Council approved the seasonal closure for Main Street from Railroad to the mid-block crossing, beginning on Friday, March 24 – Sunday October 29, 2023. The weekend schedule has changed, however, so that Main Street will open around 10:30 a.m. on Sundays.
• Three Oak Parks entered its 90-day maintenance period on December 13. If the developer continues to meet maintenance standards, the park will open around March 14! Watch for more information for a grand opening celebration in April!!
• Next week we’ll open a recruitment for lifeguards and a pool manager! Please encourage any students who want a great summer job to apply ($18-$25 / hour) depending on position and qualifications. The City will offer lifeguard credentialing over 4 Sundays, beginning March 12, 8:30 – 5 p.m. We are looking for a qualified adult pool manager! Please help us make this upcoming season a success!
• We need commissioners! For Planning, Climate Action and Senior Commissions. If you’re interested in learning more about local governance and feel passionate about land use, climate change, natural resources or senior community programming, please click here.
• Girl Scout cookies are coming to a location near you! Please visit Winters Collective and Arco (2/24 and 2/25), Steady Eddy’s and Arco (3/4), Arco (3/5), Steady Eddy’s (3/11) and Winters Collective (3/17). Times vary so visit often! And you’ll be sure to find booths staffed by young entrepreneurs.
• Pool Update: we continue to wait on the permit from County Health to replace the heater, which we hope to have next week (everyone is short staffed…). The equipment is here and will not take long to install. The recruitment to hire lifeguards should open next week. The lifeguard credentialling will need to occur over 4 Sundays, beginning March 12. If we have enough returning lifeguards, we should be able to open the beginning of April per the traditional schedule.

Upcoming Council Meeting

The next meeting is February 21.

Woot Woot!

A huge Woot! Woot! to Officer Brandon Kenney who was unanimously selected by his peers as the 2022 Winters Police Department Officer of the Year. Congratulations! Our officers are committed to serving the Winters community with integrity every day; we thank them for their service.

A big welcome to Shery Enos, our new senior accountant who joined us from the City of Vacaville. We are thrilled to have someone with her expertise and credentials onboard to help tackle a back log of projects. Welcome, Shery!

And a big thank you to Teacher Melanie Ellison (and a new Natural Resources Commissioner) who brought her 6^th grade students to the Nature Park for a trash clean up. The storms brought a lot of debris downstream, which is a reminder to all of us to not litter or dispose of items in creek beds. Everything in the street eventually finds its way into our waterways.  Thank you, students and Ms. Ellison!

City Manager’s Update (pdf) 
January 27, 2023

Greetings, all.  Loving the sunshine after all the rain!

Don’t Miss Out!

• Yolo County has extended the deadline to apply for a microbusiness COVID-19 grant to May 12, 2023. Eligible businesses must have begun operations before December 2019, had less than $50,000 in revenues in 2019, have fewer than 5 employees, and didn’t already receive a Small Business Relief Grant. Not sure who is left ~ looking for really small businesses ~ please click here for more information.

Please Note:

• Calling parent volunteers! The 2^nd–3^rd grade boys basketball recreation group needs more parent volunteers. Our league registration fees were based on parents helping to keep score and referee. Please reply to Ben Freeland’s emails if you can volunteer and help contain costs for next year’s registration. Thank you!
• Yolo Pharmacy, 23 Main Street, now offers free disposal of expired and unwanted medications, free mail-back sharps containers for diabetes patients and free prescription delivery to your home. And just a reminder – parking is on the street and not in the park, please. The medicine drop off box at the Police Station is no longer available; it’s at Yolo Pharmacy.
• Good news, upcyclers and thrifters! The Big Blue Barn Thrift Store at the Yolo Central Landfill is now open every Thursday, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. (44090 CR 28H in Woodland). The barn is also open on the 3^rd Saturday of every month for a 50% sale. Mark your calendars for 2/18. Field trip!
• The teachers at Waggoner Elementary and Rominger Middle School need assistance with supplies, please! My daughter is a second grade teacher and I am continually surprised by how much teachers spend of their own money to support their students. Please consider assisting. More information is here.
• Youth Day needs volunteers! Please consider helping to keep this cherished community tradition alive. The event is always the last Saturday of April (4/29 this year). The current chairman of 45 years (WOW!) needs help growing the next chapter of community leaders. Please click here for more information. Thank you, Mike, Carol, Kathy and all the others for your years of dedicated service.
• The Small Business Administration is offering disaster loans for businesses severely impacted by the winter storms. The application filing deadline for physical damage is March 16 and for economic injury is October 16, 2023. More information is here.
• Our local Trauma & Grief Support Program (TAGS) continues to look for volunteers for this very difficult role, helping survivors with unexpected loss. More information is here or if interested in learning more, please contact Sgt Hermosillo at hermosillo@winterspolice.org /530-795-2261. Training and a background clearance are required.

Upcoming Council Meeting

The next meeting is February 7.

Please note, commission meetings will be in person beginning in March. Meetings will be held in the large conference room, Abbey Street entrance. The Planning Commission will still be hybrid (Zoom and in-person) in the Council Chamber.

COVID-19

Yolo County recently released this chart documenting COVID related deaths through various waves of infection in Yolo County. It’s a tragic reminder that COVID is remains with us as it continues to mutate.

It’s important to remember that people have individual health needs and risks, and determine for themselves and their families whether to mask, vaccinate, and get boosted. While public health officials continue to recommend these measures to maximize community protection, these are now mostly personal choices (depending on employment). Please respect them.

Woot Woot!

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of our new Fire Chief Jack Snyder on February 6. Chief Snyder and his family are returning home after his service as Fire Chief in Elko, NV. He was hired in Elko as Deputy Chief in 2017 and promoted to Chief in 2021. Previously the Chief worked for the City of Vacaville from 2012 to 2017. Chief Snyder is also reserve Fire Chief with the Utah National Guard and a Fire Technology Instructor. He served in the US Air Force as a firefighter, rising to the rank of Battalion Chief. Chief Snyder has two associates, a bachelors and a masters in Fire Science and emergency management. He is highly credentialed and committed to community service. He and his family have strong ties in the area, and we are all eager for him to settle in, as are they. Please join me in welcoming Jack Snyder to Winters!

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=38.52467500000006&lon=-121.97506999999996#.Y7TEi3aIZPY

Good afternoon, everyone. Hopefully, everyone is aware that a Category 5 storm is headed our way. Please see the link above. A Flood Watch is in effect from 4:00 a.m. tomorrow morning through Friday, January 6 at 10:00 a.m. High winds are forecasted with gusts up to 60 mph tomorrow morning through Thursday, January 5 at 4:00 p.m. Rainfall will be very heavy at times. While Winters has fared relatively well in recent storms, other areas of the County have already experienced localized flooding and power outages. The County will / has proactively declared a local state of emergency to prepare for potential emergency response activities.

Please batten down the hatches and make sure all lighter objects are moved against buildings or inside. Umbrellas are placed folded up and in garages if possible. Outdoor patio furniture and tools are brought inside or against structures. Light objects will blow around in strong winds. Please watch for downed tree limbs and utility lines and call 911 if you see downed utility lines. Do NOT drive through flooded roadways. Only 6” of swift water can move a car.

To reach Public Works during the day to report downed limbs, plugged drains, or an issue in the public right of way requiring immediate assistance, please contact City Hall’s main line at 530-795-4910. To contact Public Works after 5:00 p.m., please call 530-795-4561 and dispatch will contact PW call out.

There are sand bag supplies at the north end of East Street outside the City Corp Yard / Yolo Federal Credit Union. Please bring your own shovel.

Please take care out there.

Best, Kathleen

City Manager’s Update (pdf)
December 9, 2022

Greetings, all. Last weekend’s holiday festivities were wonderful, and the tractor parade was phenomenal! Thank you to all involved!

Don’t Miss Out!

• Thursday, December 15, the Winters Senior Foundation is coordinating a holiday party at the Community Center, from 4:30 – 7:00 p.m. Live Music, no host bar. Tickets are $35. Please contact Joe Tramontana at 707-592-2721 or at tramontana@att.net. A donated children’s gift will go to the Fire Department’s Gifts for Kids program.
• Winters Open Mic Night is a “monthly gathering of musicians, poets and creatives,” held the third Thursday of the month (December 15) at 13 Main Street, upstairs in the Opera House. Open to all!
• Friday, December 16, beginning at 5 p.m. is a community sing-along at the Rotary Park gazebo.

Please Note:

• Downtown Vision and Policy Plan Community Survey - The City is gathering input from the Winters community relating to the Downtown Vision and Policy Plan. We would like to hear from you on several topics involving the future of Downtown Winters, including parking, outdoor gathering/dining, weekend street closures, etc. There is an English version and Spanish version of the community survey. Please take the survey and help us spread the word! The Community Survey will be open until January 9, 2023. For more information, check out our Downtown Vision and Policy Plan webpage here.

English - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WintersDowntownVision
Spanish - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/EncuestaComunitariaWinters

• Last week the City issued a temporary certificate of occupancy clearing the Fairfield Inn to open; however, they are still working on some items and may not have opened yet. Keep referring those family and friends, though, as they should open any day!
• City Hall will close for the holidays, beginning Friday, December 23 – Monday, January 2^nd. Please plan accordingly. Building inspections must be coordinated in advance by emailing building.division@cityofwinters.org or (530) 794-6708.

Upcoming Council Meeting

Next Tuesday, December 13, the City Council will reorganize as the new council is seated. This will be the last meeting of 2022. The new Council will have its first meeting on January 10, 2023 (a special meeting since the January 3^rd meeting is cancelled due to the holiday closure).

Woot Woot!

The Fire Department’s Gift for Kids program will support over 90 needy families in Winters this holiday season. A huge heartfelt thank you to the Fire Department staff and volunteers, their families and everyone who contributed funds and toys to help bring some added cheer to local families this holiday season. The Fire Department runs the program with the help of their own families to wrap all the gifts and coordinate with the families. One of the outstanding traits of the Winters community is how much and how often the people step up to support others.

SEE FULL CITY MANAGER'S UPDATE IN ATTACHED PDF

City Manager’s Update (pdf) 
December 2, 2022

Greetings, all. It’s that time of year again! The holiday festivities begin downtown Friday at 2 p.m.  and continue through Saturday evening. For more information about the holiday tree lighting and tractor parade, please see the linked information below:

www.winterstractorparade.com.

There will be road closures on Main Street during the day and the Railroad & Main intersection will be closed both Friday and Saturday night. Please avoid driving through downtown unless you live there or plan on attending events.

Don’t Miss Out!

• The Fairfield Inn is OPEN FOR BUSINESS! Wow, what a long road that has been. Please help support this new business by referring family and friends who come into town.
• The Winters FFA is hosting a holiday tree sale at 401 Niemann Street, Friday until 7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Local delivery is available. Help our future farmers and buy a tree!
• 2023 registration has opened for Little League, Tee Ball and Girls Softball. Registration is $135 through December 31, and then $145 from January 1 – 15. All skills and abilities welcome, born between September 2018 and August 31, 2009. Register online here.
• Please join the community for a holiday sing along with brass accompaniment on Friday, December 15, at 5 p.m. in Rotary Park at the Gazebo.
• The Winters Senior Foundation is hosting a holiday party Friday, December 15 at the Community Center beginning at 4:30 p.m. Catered dinner, live music, and no host wine bar and soft drinks. Reservations required by contacting Joe Tramontana at tramontana@att.net or (707) 592-2721. The cost is $35 and an unwrapped child’s gift to support the Volunteer Fire Department Gifts for Kids program.

Please Note:

• As you may have heard, the Police Department has begun to enforce timed parking limits downtown. Please watch for those signs and don’t overstay your welcome in a timed parking spot. There are no time limits in public parking lots adjacent to Railroad and First Street.
• Thank you to all who attended the Wednesday evening community meeting regarding the Winters 183 project north of Moody Slough / east of Road 89. About 70 people attended to hear presentations from staff and the property owners’ representatives, ask questions and share comments. Thank you for your thoughtful, respectful participation. To sign up for updates on this project, please email cityclerk@cityofwinters.org and ask to be put on the Winters 183 list.

COVID-19

• The trifecta of influenza, COVID and RSV are rearing their ugly heads. Free COVID tests are in the vending machine at the side of City Hall. Winters Healthcare offers flu and COVID vaccination services. If you’re sick, please stay home to avoid spreading those germs.

Upcoming Council Meeting

Tuesday, December 7, will be the last business meeting of the current City Council and for the 2022 year. The packet has been posted here. Please join us on December 13, beginning at 6:30 p.m. to thank Harold Anderson, Wade Cowan, and Pierre Neu for their years of service to the community. We will also welcome onboarding councilmembers Al Vallecillo, Carol Scianna, and Richard Casavecchia.

Woot Woot!

This year’s holiday weekend activities would not have been possible without the support of Steven Restivo of Bay Area Pop Up Events and the community volunteers who continue to work hard to bring this special event to fruition. A big shout out to Emarie Van Galio and Carla Wroten for coordinating Friday evening activities, to the Winters Friends of the Library for the Holiday Family Festival on Saturday, and to all the volunteers who signed up to help, especially the PG&E employees who come every year to assist along the parade route. Yes, there have been some changes as the event has grown through the years, and yes, we will still celebrate in the rain. Yes, there will be a ton of traffic in town, especially on Saturday. And yes, we hope lots of people enjoy what is the most phenomenal parade I’ve ever seen and all the activities and shopping the group has coordinated. May you all enjoy the lights, the festivities, the food, and the fun.

SEE FULL CITY MANAGER'S UPDATE IN ATTACHED PDF

City Manager’s Update (pdf) 
November 18, 2022

Greetings, all. We have a new basketball league! Please check out the information below.

And we have holiday weekend updates below. Please monitor social media, the Winter Express, Friday Updates and www.winterstractorparade.com for more information about December 2^nd and 3^rd activities, and please click on the website tabs for more detailed information about entertainment, parade participants, etc.

This year we have added more activities to the holiday weekend to help fund event costs and to encourage visitors to come earlier and stay later in order to help manage traffic in and out of the city. We’ve also hired a coordinator since the event has grown beyond the ability of volunteers and staff to coordinate on our own. Steven Restivo of Bay Area Pop Up Events and his team have taken the lead. Please see information at the bottom of the Update for more detailed route maps, and street closure times. Click here for entertainment information.  Notices will be delivered to businesses and residences along street closures on November 30. Check your front doors, please.

Don’t Miss Out!

• The City has started a new youth basketball league program, partnering with the National Academy of Athletics. Registration is open here for the season that begins January 21. Scholarships are also available for qualifying families. This is a new partnership. If this winter’s season is a success, we can continue to build upon youth sports opportunities. The City’s landing page will be updated shortly with league information.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2^ND TREE LIGHTING 

New this year is a holiday marketplace in Rotary Park (2 – 9 p.m.) with different activities, music, and holiday gifts. The downtown businesses are also coordinating a hot coco crawl and elf hunt (4 - 7 p.m.) AND we will have bouncy houses and a petting zoo on the 100 Block of Main Street.  Caroling at the gazebo with middle and high school students is scheduled from 5:00 – 5:45 p.m. The tree lighting is 6 p.m. Have your picture taken with Santa until 9 p.m.

Main Street will be closed from 12 noon from the Rotary Park Driveway to Second Street until 10 p.m. HOWEVER, the Railroad & Main Street intersection will be closed beginning at 3:30 p.m. and reopen as soon as it is safe for pedestrians to cross safety unassisted.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3^RD TRACTOR PARADE

Saturday will be busy with lots of options! The Winters Friends of the Library have returned with their Family Holiday Festival at the Community Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The holiday marketplace in Rotary Park resumes at 10 a.m. Children’s activities (jump houses and petting zoo) open at 2 p.m. at City Park.

Street closures will begin at noon in the downtown core and radiate out to accommodate tractor staging and pedestrian traffic. Food trucks, vendors and portapotties will be located along side streets to help serve parade watchers along the entire route from Haven to Morgan.

Property owners along Main Street: Please do not tape off the street in front of your property for your exclusive use. Everyone is welcome to set out chairs to reserve a spot along the public street. Please do not block sidewalks.

Main Street Pergolas: The City is renting pergolas on Main Street to help fund event costs. If you are interested in having your name entered into a drawing to rent a pergola for $1,500, please email cityclerk@cityofwinters.org by noon on November 23. Renters will likely need to bring tables and chairs for their use since the furniture in most of the pergolas are owned and maintained by adjacent businesses.

Please Note:

• Please join us for a community meeting on Wednesday, November 30, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Community Center (Rotary Park) to learn more about the potential development of 183 acres north of Moody Slough / primarily west of Road 89 inside the City Limits. Informally dubbed the Winters-183 project, the property owner’s representatives and city staff will present information and answer questions. The property location is bookmarked here and is at the end of the update.
• It’s leaf season. Just a friendly request to dispose of leaves in green waste cans first before putting them in piles in the street. It is taking the drivers longer to collect from the street than in the cans and sometimes they can’t complete the route in one day. Thank you.
• AT&T will start work in Newt’s Expressway next Monday & Tuesday; portions of the alley will be blocked over the two days. This first stage includes minor trenching to make connections to aerial facilities at either end of the alley.
• The large dirt pile at the Meritage location next to Taylor Street will be removed and transported to a city-owned sports park site north of Moody Slough beginning on Monday. The Meritage contractor will spread the dirt and grade out the existing mound to facilitate future development of this site. The site has been identified as a future sports park, albeit without adequate funding for development at this time.
• We’re looking for commissioners! 2 seats on Senior Commission and 1 for Planning Commission. The senior commission is helping to prepare for the senior center and coordinate services and activities for the 55+ age group, and the Planning Commission supports the City Council in land use planning and permitting. Joining a commission is a great way to get involved and learn more about local governance and community service. For more information, please contact cityclerk@cityofwinters.org.
• Home builders have been given permission to work on Friday, November 25. They are pushing hard. On a related note, Meritage is opening their sales office tomorrow with a grand opening from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Info here. Location: corner of Valley Oak & Niemann. 

Council Meetings & Election Update

The next meeting is December 6, which will include business items. Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, December 13 to thank Wade Cowan, Pierre Neu and Harold Anderson for their years of service on the City Council and congratulations to three new councilmembers who will be seated that night. December 13 will be primarily ceremonial as part of the council reorganization. The new council will select their mayor and mayor pro tem. Cake and punch will follow the council meeting, so come on by to congratulate everyone. The December 20 meeting has been cancelled. Happy Holidays, all!

The election results are still not final. Please click here for updates from the Yolo County Elections Office. As of Tuesday evening, there were still 15,729 ballots left to process. The next posted election update will be Friday at 4:30 p.m. This reminds me of the old Heinz ketchup ads “anticipation.”

WINTERS 183 PROJECT LOCATION IN RED BOX BELOW

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!

City Manager’s Update (pdf)
October 28, 2022

Greetings, all. It’s Harvest Festival time! Tonight is Fourth Friday, Saturday is the Main Street Market from Railroad to Second, and Sunday is the Spooktacular Race. The downtown will be popping! Please watch for pedestrians, runners, goblins, etc.

Don’t Miss Out!

• The salmon have arrived in Winters! See if you can spot any from the bridge. Don’t forget the Salmon Festival is Saturday, November 5, beginning at 11 a.m. at Rotary Park.
• Our local businesses need you! Are you looking for a full or part-time job to help make ends meet? To just help out? Help save the environment and your gas tank; walk or ride your bike to work. Please swing by your favorite store or restaurant, like Steady Eddy’s and Carboni’s, to apply. Steady Eddy’s offers minimum wage + tips, a great work environment, and the staff there  help build community. Please email carla@steady-eddys.com for more information.
• Want to explore the world through the eyes of the Fridaes? Well, you can, through their https://fridae.blog as they travel through Southeast Asia on their current trip, or scroll down and see where they’ve been since 2018! The photos are wonderful. Thank you, Rebecca and Woody, for sharing.

Please Note: 

• We are hearing anecdotal reports of campaign signs being vandalized or removed. Please don’t do that. An open, unfettered election is core to our democracy and that includes the public’s right to understand the issues before the community and for people to promote and vote for candidates they feel best represent their interests. Please respect people’s freedom of speech and right to participate in the election process. By the way, tampering with signs is a misdemeanor and a finable offense.
• Property taxes are due November 1st and delinquent if unpaid by December 12. Don’t forget!
• The sewer contractor for Walnut 10 has been given permission to camera lines on Saturday.
• The Fire Department Shrimp Feed is sold out. 250 tickets went quickly.
• PG&E will soon begin replacing the temporary gas line on the trestle bridge with a permanent line, which will require some tree trimming and tree removal on the south side of Putah Creek on the upper bank. Work will be completed by November 24.
• As the cost of living goes up, the California Public Utilities Commission offers financial assistance related to various utility services for qualified households. More information is here.
• I just learned about STEAC, a Davis based non-profit that works through other non-profits or government agencies to provide financial support for rent and utilities to prevent homelessness, to help people gain and maintain financial independence, and provide food assistance. Please visit their website and if any of the services are of interest, please reach out to RISE for referral services. They are located at 200 Baker Street, Room 5, 530-794-6000. St. Vincent de Paul Society is another great organization that can help families in need.
• History buffs, the Fall edition of The Archives Ledger is available here.
• Mark your calendars, the Planning Commission is holding a special meeting on November 17 to continue the public hearing on the Grand Prince Odeum. The meeting will be hybrid (in person and Zoom access). The packet will be posted the week of November 14. The regularly scheduled Planning Commission meeting of November 22 will likely be cancelled ~ no business items.

Upcoming Council Meeting
The November 1st meeting has one discussion item – a proposed ordinance banning flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes, within the City of Winters. Consent calendar items included an updated Community Services Officer I/II classification, ratification of emergency repairs to aerators at the wastewater treatment facility, contract amendment with Ample Electric for the EV charging station at the First Street parking lot, and an update on repurposing of the OES PSPS grants. The Police and Fire Chiefs will also provide an overview of this week’s Winter Apartments fire. The packet is here.

Our agenda platform Granicus has been having trouble with video services. We hope the video playback will be restored soon.

Woot Woot!
Tuesday night’s fire at the Winter Apartments was certainly a very scary event that could have had a tragic ending. Thankfully, all the occupants managed to escape with the help of one of the tenants who heard her neighbor’s smoke detector go off in the middle of the night, saw the orange glow out the window and alerted the others. She likely saved their lives. The Fire Department and overnight police officers responded quickly, entering the building to look for occupants. Thankfully, our first responders also were uninjured. And finally a shout out to the apartment manager who is working to relocate those tenants to other vacant units within the complex. The Fire Chief reports she has been outstanding. Red Cross and several community-based volunteers are offering assistance. It certainly takes a village.

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.

City Manager’s Update  (pdf)
October 7, 2022

Greetings, all.  I’ll be on vacation next week so no Friday Update for October 14. Have a great week.

Don’t Miss Out!

• The Putah Creek Council needs your help! Tomorrow, Saturday 10/8, is Stewardship Volunteer Day at the Native Plant Nursery from 9:00 a.m. – 12 noon. Click here for more information.
• Winters Community Library is hosting a voter registration drive on Wednesday, October 12 from 1:15 – 3 p.m. Anyone turning 18 by November 8^th, can pre-register to vote. For more information about where and how to register to vote, click here.

  

• The community is invited to attend a Winters City Council Candidates Forum on Thursday, October 13 from 6–8 p.m. in the Margaret Parsons Room at the Winters Community Library (708 Railroad Ave.) The open, in-person forum will also be live streamed and is hosted in collaboration by the Winters Express and Democracy Winters. All five candidates will be given an opportunity to answer questions curated from community submitted questions and topics of interest. The moderators will be Kate Laddish and Crystal Apilado.
• The Winters Police and Fire Departments are hosting the 2022 Winters Public Safety Festival on Saturday, October 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 700 Main Street. This FREE kid friendly event will be filled with games, free goodies, and special demonstrations from our emergency services agencies. We hope to see you all there!
• The Master Gardeners and Winters Friends of the Library are holding a plant sale on Saturday, October 15, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Winters Community Library Teaching Garden, 708 Railroad. Cash or check only, please.

Please Note:

• Free Covid tests are next to the side parking lot entrance of City Hall.
• Three Oaks Park is looking good! There are a few more trees to replace. The biggest hold up to enter the maintenance period is to correct an incorrectly installed sidewalk that does not meet ADA requirements, an issue that was identified several months ago.
• If you are interested in Nor Cal transportation planning and the Link21 Program to connect Northern California by light rail, click here for upcoming community meetings.

Upcoming Council Meeting

The next meeting will be October 18. The packet will be posted here on October 13. So far, the agenda is very light – several presentations, a fire grant approval, and a discussing regarding paseo park improvements.

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!

City Manager’s Update (pdf)
September 16, 2022

Greetings, all. There are a lot of upcoming events! Please see below…

Don’t Miss Out! Special Event Alert

• 9/18 – Porch Fest is this Sunday, from 12 – 6 p.m. primarily at City Park and on Main Street, although don’t miss the porch at Third & Russell! Food trucks and lots of music.
• 9/24 is the return of the Carnitas Festival. Get ready for carnitas and a celebration of Hispanic heritage! Advance tickets for carnitas are available here. The event is 4:30 – 10:30 p.m.
• 10/7 from 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. is the high school pep rally (subject to the street closure request being approved by Council at Tuesday’s 9/20 meeting). Main Street will be closed at Railroad beginning at 10 a.m. The intersection of Main & First will be closed with traffic detouring through the alleys during the rally.
• 10/12 Winters is hosting the high school track meet from PG&E Way along the nature park trail. Watch out for runners, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. Rotary Park will be busy beginning at 2:30 p.m.
• 10/14 the Rotary Club’s Food & Wine Gala returns at Hotel Winters. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased at Ace Hardware, First Northern Bank or from any Rotarian. Proceeds support Rotary’s community programs.
• 10/30 is the return of the Spooktackular 10k/5k/Fun Run. Open to all runners and walkers, the 5k/10k route begins at Rotary Park, loops around Main & Abbey Streets west of Railroad and then through the neighborhoods east of Railroad. The intersection of Railroad & Main will be closed for about 30 minutes as the race starts to allow runners to clear the intersection (beginning at 8 a.m.). Please note: the race course will be noticed as no parking on the shoulder to allow space for runners. Signs will be posted at least 24 hours in advance. The 1 mile monster dash begins at 10 a.m. along the Putah Creek trail. Please sign up at the link above. Proceeds support the High School Cross Country & Track team. There should be plenty of great costumes!
• The Salmon Festival is back! 11/5 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Rotary Park. Booths, vendors and food trucks will be on site. Activities for youth. Start watching from the trestle bridge for the salmon!
• The Winters Volunteer Firefighters are also bringing back their famous shrimp feed on 11/5 for dinner. Mark your calendars and watch for updates!

Seniors on the Move!

• Introducing a new section to share senior related activities and programs, offered by the Winters Senior Commission (WSC) and the Senior Foundation (SF).
  - Every Wednesday, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Yoga. St. Anthony’s, follow the signs. (SF)
  - Tuesday & Thursday mornings at 8 a.m. and Saturday 1 p.m. – NEW! A walking group will meet at the Community Center parking lot doors. Distance and route TBD based on participants. (WSC)
  - Every Thursday 1:00 – 3:30 p.m. Socialization & Game Day. St. Anthony’s, follow the signs. (SF)Please Note:
• Businesses: if you have not yet ordered your organics or green waste recycling bin, or filed for an exemption at City Hall, please expect a letter from Waste Management. The City is required under SB1383 to enforce organics recycling so you will need to either schedule service or obtain an exemption. For more information, please contact Waste Management at (530) 406-4330.
• Walker Consultants is helping with the Downtown Visioning project. A landing page has been created here and will be updated regularly. The consultants will be at Fourth Friday on September 23rd to solicit input from residents and visitors, and a community survey will be linked to the landing page soon. Downtown businesses – watch for an email about a business workshop on September 23rd and business survey. A community workshop is scheduled for later in the fall, stay tuned.
• The City of Winters is actively recruiting for a senior accountant, fire chief, community center attendants and after school instructional aides. If you’re interested, please click here and join a great team of dedicated, fun-loving employees who believe in community service and good governance.
• As we approach Veteran’s Day, the exhibit, “Honoring the Dead of WWI: A Photographic Exhibition Commemorating the Centennial of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Yolo County Fallen,” opens October 7 through November 29 at Gallery 625, Erwin Meier Building, 625 Court Street. Curated by Yolo Arts, guided tours are available, no reservations required.
• A Design Review Committee meeting to discuss the latest site plan for the Farmstead project is being scheduled for October 7 during business hours. Time will be confirmed next week. This meeting will be open to the public given the scale of the project and community interest. This meeting is for senior staff, the applicant and designated representatives from Council and the Planning Commission to discuss the latest proposed site plan for the project. The public will have an opportunity to provide comment. This is a high level look at the project. Once the proposed site plan is sufficiently confirmed, then additional engineering and environmental work can proceed, which may and often does result in modifications for a final site plan. The meeting will be in person in the large conference room at City Hall, Abbey Street entrance.

Upcoming Council Meeting – September 20
This meeting has items from September 6 as well. It is a full agenda. The packet will be available on the City’s landing page here. Items of interest include (but not all) Main Street closure requests for the pep rally and Carnitas Festival, appointing Karen Croley to the Senior Commission, the purchase of a Fire command vehicle and $50,000 grant to support PD’s impaired driving enforcement efforts, an easement to extend Valley Oak Drive into Winters Highland, amending the Winters Highland Development Agreement, rejecting the bid for the emergency generator at the Community Center, and modifying the underground utility district for Newt’s Expressway to maintain overhead wires on First Street.

Also, please note that on Monday evening, September 19 beginning at 6:30 p.m., the Natural Resources Commission will hear a report about replacing the temporary 2” gas line on the trestle bridge with a permanent 4” line. The packet will be posted here. The meeting will be remote.

COVID-19

• Free test kits are available in the vending machine next to City Hall’s side employee entrance. The County stocks the machine and has noticed low usage so we’re trying to get the word out.
• Bivalent boosters that target the original COVID strain and Omicron variants are now available from Moderna and Pfizer at pharmacies, public clinics and through health care providers, including Winters Health Care which serves anyone at no cost to the patient. More information is here.

A Moment of Reflection…
I’ve thought about whether to share this or not and am taking the leap into the more personal….I don’t know how other people feel, but 2022 came in hard with Omicron, and the challenges have just kept coming. This has been an extraordinarily difficult year for the City team with more staffing transitions, COVID disruptions, supply delays, and whatever else has bombarded the community in general. We want to be out of the pandemic, but we’re still struggling with its impacts. There are a lot of balls in the air, projects in various stages, events and reservations to process, fires to fight and bad folks to chase; no shortage of things to get done, not all of which can be done at the same time. The pool heater and deck operations have been the bane of our existence this season, and it is likely the pool will close early as a result…We’re getting quotes for a new heater and assessing whether more band-aid repairs are worth it. Stay tuned.

I want to recognize the City team for their hard work and perseverance. Please thank our staff as you see them out and about. A kind word and moment of appreciation means a great deal, especially to those who choose to serve others, whether it’s at the City or your favorite restaurant. A relatively new resident called on Tuesday to say he had lost his house in Paradise and then again in Napa due to wildfires. He rents here in Winters and shared how much he appreciates this community and the City for our collective efforts to serve others. I took a moment to think about life from his perspective and reset my expectations on what is positive and not so much. His small gesture was the highlight of the day for several of us.

I would also like to give us here at the City some space and grace to catch our breaths and prioritize what is most important for ourselves, the organization and the community. We apologize for any delays in service or work in progress, and thank you for your understanding and patience.