Category Archives: Community Events

City Manager’s Update (pdf)
February 25, 2022

Greetings, all.

Tidbits Here and There:

• Healthy Yolo Together provides COVID testing at the community center on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. (Thank you, Yolo County, for funding that service).
• In addition, the WJUSD continues to provide COVID testing for the community at the District Office: M, W, F 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. and at the Library: T, Th 1:00 – 6:30 p.m. Thank you, WJUSD!
• The Senior Center fundraising team is happy to report that the Yolo Community Foundation has received almost $42,000 to help outfit the center! Every dollar helps. Please visit https://www.wintersseniorcenter.com/ or reach out to Marlene Bell, Karen May or Sandy Vickrey for more information. Feel free to contact me if you need assistance getting connected.
• City staff is working to finalize the scope of work and budget for Council’s consideration of a consulting agreement related to the Downtown Visioning Project, which will address outdoor dining policies, use of the public right of way, parking, and trash management. These very practical policies and procedures will help set the stage for envisioning what downtown Winters means to all of us. If you would like to be included in an email list to receive project updates and meeting announcements, please email cityclerk@cityofwinters.org and ask to be included in the Downtown Visioning distribution list. A significant part of this project includes community engagement in both English and Spanish so that we hear from business owners, property owners, residents, and visitors alike.
• City staff has recently developed a Short-term Vacation Rental Permit Program consistent with the ordinance Council adopted in 2018. For more information, please contact Kirk.Skierski@cityofwinters.org for more information.  Information will be added to the City’s website shortly. In addition to the short-term vacation rental permit, the City will require a Business License and the collection of Transient Occupancy Taxes, which conveniently occurs when properties are listed on AirBnB.

Don’t Miss Out!

• TK and kindergarten enrollment packets are available at Waggoner Elementary School, 500 Edwards Street, from 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The registration deadline is March 18.

 PG&E Updates

• PG&E is finalizing a new “Report It” safety mobile app that allows customers to submit photos of non-emergency potential safety concerns related to the electrical system. For more information, please visit pge.com/reportit. Currently the app is in its beta stage for residents in high fire zone areas and users must be accepted; therefore, you may be required register through the Join the Waitlist feature.
• With active fire season upon us ~ did it ever really end…~ don’t forget to register here for PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) alerts, which occur when heat, humidity and wind conditions create high risk for wildfire events.
• In addition to planned PSPS events, PG&E has also implemented Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS) as part of infrastructure that has been rebuilt due to wildfire damage. The EPSS includes highly sensitive sensors that detect items making contact with power lines in order to immediately de-energize the lines to avoid any arcing or event that could cause a fire. These EPSS events can occur in windy conditions, if poles tip or any other reason that adds tension to or breaks a line. Before the lines are energized, a PG&E crew does a safety inspection.
• To view outage information, please go to https://pgealerts.alerts.pge.com/outagecenter/.

Upcoming Council Meeting

Our next meeting is Tuesday, March 1. Items include appointing Patrick Wall to the Natural Resources Commission, the extension of the grading moratorium and a discussion regarding re-instating the weekend Main Street closure program, which also includes an update on special events, including a new proposed spring festival for March 25-27 that has not yet been approved.  We’ve also included an update on the significant projects and Council approved strategic initiatives that staff have been working on as an informational item. The packet is linked here.

And last call for the manual distribution of the agenda packet. If you are interested in receiving either the Planning Commission or City Council agenda packets, please make sure you register through the Granicus platform here to receive an automatic alert that a packet has been posted.

Woot Woot!

A huge shout out to the 7!! Winters High School and Middle School Robotics Teams that are going to State in early March! What an amazing achievement for those students.

GOOD LUCK!!

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

Greetings, all. City Hall will be closed on Monday in observation of Presidents’ Day.

COVID-19

• Healthy Yolo Together, funded by Yolo County in cooperation with UC Davis, has opened COVID testing at the Community Center Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. No appointment necessary, no cost.
• Doors are open at City Hall and the Public Safety Facility for walk-in traffic. Although the universal indoor masking order has been lifted, masking is still strongly encouraged especially for the more vulnerable and at risk. Vaccinated individuals may remove their masks inside city facilities. Some employees are choosing to continue to wear their masks regardless of vaccination. Thank you for respecting individual choices and remaining considerate of others.

Aquatic Updates:

• The heater is being repaired this month – hopefully, the final major investment to essentially rebuild the original equipment over the course of this last year. We’ve also signed a maintenance agreement for the equipment to keep it operating for another 10 years…
• We’ve posted job openings for lifeguards, a supervising lifeguard and a pool manager. Last year’s lead team is not returning to town (we wish them well!), so we’re looking for new people to step in or up. Please click here for more information. We will conduct lifeguard training during high school spring break: 3/28 – 4/2. Returning lifeguards need to apply and onboard.
• Lap swim will open beginning of April. We’re working with SASO Swimming to return for swim team and lessons.

Don’t Miss Out!

• The Winters Friends of the Library (WFoL) will host their annual fruit tree sale on March 5^th beginning at 9 .m. (8:30 for WFOL members) at the parking lot on the corner of Railroad and Edwards. Trees are $10; proceeds help support WFoL community programming. More information is here.
• Tk and Kindergarten registration packets are available at Waggoner Elementary School, 500 Edwards Street, from 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Developmental Bilingual Education (DBE) forms for Kindergarten will also be available. DBE Enrollment is Limited. The deadline to submit a packet is March 18th. For more information, please contact the school office at 530-795-6121 or email Nicole at nbrace@wintersjusd.org.
• To non-profits and CBO’s ~ if you’re interested in applying for a microgrant from Yolo County for American Rescue Plan funding, the County is offering information sessions and assistance during officehours. More information is here. Grant deadline is March 31 at 5 p.m.

Please Note

• The Fire Department is getting a head start on private property weed abatement this year. With no rain on the horizon, approximately 50 property owners with large parcels will begin receive courtesy letters explaining the annual process and timelines for weed abate. Given the lack of rain, property owners should expect to have to abate several times before everything stays knocked down…
• The Winters Chamber of Commerce is preparing a community resource guide for businesses, non-profits and community organizations. If you would like to advertise or be included in the Guide, please contact the Chamber directly at 530-795-2329 or by emailing sue@winterschamber.com or jeff@winterschamber.com. More information is here. Sign up for the Chamber newsletter to receive information about upcoming events, business tips, training opportunities and resources.

• The City is still interested in receiving applications for vacant seats on the Natural Resources Commission, Senior Commission on Aging and the new, yet to launch Climate Action Commission. Participating on a commission is a great way to get involved in local issues, meet community members, and participate in local governance. More information is here.
• Speaking, of participatory governance, Valley Clean Energy (VCE) is looking to fill two at-large Community Advisory Committee seats. Ideal candidates possess subject matter expertise / experience or are from professional sectors that intersect with VCE activities. More information is available on VCE’s website (CAC Meetings and Agendas - Valley Clean Energy).

Upcoming Council Meeting – March 1

• Public meetings will remain virtual / remote for the time being, until we stabilize a hybrid platform for the Council Chambers, which requires integrating older AV equipment with Zoom and our agenda streaming platform. We’re interviewing contractors to help us complete this effort so that elected, appointed, staff and the public have the option of participating in person or remotely to accommodate different needs.

Woot Woot!

After today’s meeting with State transportation officials, a continued thank you to all the community members, advocates, elected officials, and state, county and local staff who have worked tirelessly to advocate for $10 million in funding to widen the I-505 overpass at Route 128 to improve safety and more importantly to reconnect the Rio Villa community that was cut off from Winters when I-505 was constructed. A special thank you to Ponticello Engineering for their efforts to support this project. Our next grant application is due June 15.

And if you’re curious about what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes, check out this I-505 project video…https://www.mizzicafilms.com/dangerous-crossing.

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

Greetings, all. The City is back to full staffing after a head spinning January, so both City Hall and the Public Safety Facility will be open to walk-in service beginning on Monday, February 14, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

COVID-19

• And there are big changes on the masking front! As cases rapidly decline, Yolo County has decided to align its masking order with the recent State order, meaning effective February 16 the universal indoor masking order will be lifted in Yolo County! Vaccinated individuals may go mask-free in public places. Universal masking will still be required in specified settings, including public transit, K-12 schools, childcare, healthcare, correctional, shelter, and long-term care settings. Unvaccinated persons are required to mask in all indoor public settings. Fully vaccinated individuals are recommended to continue indoor masking when the risk may be high. More information is available here.
• COVID testing is still available at Winters Health Care, through the Winters Joint Unified School District and at various pharmacies. There are numerous options to get vaccinated as well. For information, click here.

Don’t Miss Out!

• Yolo County has established a micro-grant program for American Rescue Plan funding to support community-based projects consistent with County ARP funding goals. Micro-grants range from $1,000 -

  $10,000. For all those non-profits out there, the grant deadline is March 31. More information is available here (micro-grant link is at the bottom). Thank you, Yolo County!

• This is definitely an employee driven labor market; however, if you or anyone you know is entering the job market or is looking for a change, Yolo County is offering free resources to help people find new, sustainable career opportunities. The County Library, YoloWorks! and Starbucks have teamed up to offer virtual assistance on Thursday, February 24^th at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Attendees must register at this weblink to access the meeting: https://tinyurl.com/YoloWorks

Please Note:

• Calling all volunteers! Meals on Wheels is looking for volunteers again to deliver meals to residents in the Winters community. Please visit mowyolo.org if you can help a couple hours twice a week. Meals are distributed from the Winters Community Center.
• Calling all civic minded, community-oriented residents! The City of Winters is looking for commissioners to fill vacancies on the Natural Resources, Climate Action and Senior Commissions. These working committees serve as force multipliers for the City and work on issues related to environmental sustainability, conservation, climate change, and services to the 55+ population in the greater Winters area. Click here for more information.
• Water billing was delayed this month. Bills were mailed on Thursday. Thank you for your patience. There will be no late charges.

Did You Know?

Does this photo look a little familiar? Check out the mural on the side of the Winters Museum, 13 Russell Street. Taken by Dorothea Lange, these are Winters residents at the Turlock Assembly Center. Members of the Kato, Kozen, and Esaki families were sent there in 1942, awaiting placement in an internment camp at Gila River, Arizona… 200 Winters residents were forced into internment camps during WWII; only 20 returned. The exhibit will end March 20 to make room for a new one on Montecito, the town lost during the creation of Lake Berryessa.  Museum information is available at www.historicalsocietyofwinters.org. It is so worth a visit.

Upcoming Council Meeting

• The next Council meeting is Tuesday, February 15. The Council will consider new fees for short-term vacation rental and sidewalk vending permit programs, final acceptance of the Rancho Arroyo Pond improvements, and a professional services agreement for new city engineering services. The Police Chief will also present a report related to the City’s Automated License Plate Reader program. The agenda packet will be available here.

Woot Woot!

An enthusiastic and heartfelt Woot! Woot! to the Waggoner Elementary School PTA, and the teachers and students for helping to decorate local businesses with hearts galore. What a great lesson in placemaking, positive affirmative and civic engagement. The downtown looks spectacular for Valentine’s Day, and the students have reminded us of how much there is to appreciate in this special town, like the wooden play structure in City Park. That was one of the community assets and collaborative efforts that helped attract me to Winters. It takes a village…

Local businesses are ready to help create magical moments and provide special gifts to recognize your favorite people. Come check them out, grab a beverage and enjoy a meal.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

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

Greetings, all.

COVID-19

• COVID case rates were down slightly this last week in Yolo County, which is good news. Fingers crossed they continue to decline.

Please Note:

• Last weekend the Winters community experienced its own overnight crime spree related to stolen tools and valuables from mostly unlocked vehicles; work trucks were targeted. One window was smashed to steal a toolbox left on the seat. And one unlocked truck was stolen when the thief found the keys inside; it was recovered in Vacaville. These were crimes of opportunity. Please lock house and vehicle doors, and do not leave valuables in vehicles in plain sight, even in our beloved town of Winters.
• Yolo County is seeking applicants to fill 5 at-large vacancies on its Community Services Action Board (CSAB). The CSAB mission is to combat poverty by promoting health, stability and self-sufficiency and meets the second Tuesday of every other month from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. Applicants must represent the low-income population or work for an organization serving this community. For more information, please visit the CSAB webpage here or apply here.
• The Fire Department’s monthly newsletter is posted here.

 Don’t Miss Out!

• Congratulations to Anona Gallery at 14 Main Street! They are having a soft opening this Friday, January 28 beginning at 5:30 p.m. Please help support a local artist and swing by to say hello. Public art, galleries, and creative spaces lift our spirits, and help grow our local economy.

Did You Know?

• A 2.0 earthquake occurred Tuesday evening in South Sacramento. While a small one, it is a reminder that we are in earthquake country. On April 19 1892, the Allendale area outside of Winters was the epicenter of a 6.4 earthquake, and two days later a 6.2 quake. Information on how to prepare for an earthquake, or another disaster, is available here.
• The City hosts Free Tax Return Preparation services provided by the AARP Tax-Aide Foundation at the Winters Community Center, 201 Railroad Street. Mark your calendars for:
• Mondays 9:30 to 12:30 AM on February 7 and 14, March 14 and 28 and April 11.
• Please call (530) 505-1220 to set up an appointment.

Upcoming Council Meeting

Our next meeting is February 1^st. There are only several consent calendar items on the agenda: final adoption of the State mandated Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, a resolution authorizing the submittal of grant applications to CalRecycle to support recycling programs, and the FY 20-21 Annual Comprehensive Finance Report, which has been posted on the City’s website. The agenda will be posted here. Please remember to sign up for an eAlert to receive a link to the agenda packet when it is posted.

Woot Woot!

This has been a “hair on fire” few weeks for the City team (ok me). Staffing shortages have caused interruptions and disruptions in multiple departments as they have across the community in many businesses. I will admit it has been challenging, so I want to give a huge shout out to all the employees and volunteers who work for and support the city. People are pulling together; flushed and feverish employees are remoting in to keep work moving along; they are coming in off paternity leave to staff Fire trucks; they are saving lives and trying their best when ambulances are elsewhere because of call volume and staffing shortages. Consultants are doing staff work to meet deadlines because of overload, and volunteers are trying to keep projects moving forward despite a harried city manager. This small and mighty team and our partners are working so very hard for you and each other. A huge thank you to the Winters team and shout out to everyone doing their very best during challenging times.

City Manager’s Update (pdf) 
January 14, 2022

Greetings, all. We are riding the Omicron wave…I hope people are staying relatively well, bouncing back quickly, and being kind and patient to short-staffed businesses and service providers, like us! We’re experiencing staffing shortages at City Hall and out in the field. If someone hasn’t returned an email or phone call, please check our website at www.cityofwinters.org and reach out to the department or division manager or call 530-795-4910. Thank you for understanding the rapid pivots of the week. We hope to be back on our feet in a couple weeks and appreciate your patience.

COVID-19

• The WJUSD continues to offer COVID testing for the community. This week’s schedule was disrupted due to staffing shortages. Next week’s schedule is below:
• District Office (909 S. Grant Ave): Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 1:00pm-3:00pm
• Winters Library (708 Railroad Ave): Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00pm-6:30pm

Given the Omicron surge, schedules are subject to change without notice.

• Yolo County continues to need volunteers for its COVID-19 vaccine clinics. If you're interested, please complete the brief course offered here. At the end of the course, you can sign up as a volunteer. Questions can be sent to: coordinator@yolocounty.org.
• As of January 11, Yolo County reports seeing an average of 85 cases per 100,000 residents per day or almost 600 cases per 100,000 residents this last week. Hospital capacity is low; the goal is to be able to maintain care levels which is why individual protections are important. It is primarily the unvaccinated and immune compromised that need hospital care for COVID.
• In-home vaccinations are still available in Yolo County.  Call to schedule: 530-902-3230.
• For all vaccination locations including pharmacies and community clinics, visit ca.gov, or call 833-422-4255.
• The US Government will issue free at home COVID-19 test kits, 4 per household, starting January 19. More information is available at https://www.covidtests.gov/ . The site is available in English and Spanish. Fingers crossed the site doesn’t crash in the first 30 minutes… Please be patient.

Vax’ing, Boosting, Masking and Testing ~ combined are the best strategies

recommended by public health officials for reducing risk, individually and for the community.

 Please Note:

• City offices will be closed on Monday, January 17, in honor of Martin Luther King Day.
• The local concrete plant is closed for overnight work; therefore, Caltrans has approved rescheduling the night work for the Grant Avenue median in front of the Chevron Station to daytime. Work will begin next week. Please watch out for construction and slow down in the zone.
• We are proceeding with speed surveys on W. Main Street and Niemann Street in order to provide some feedback to drivers with heavy feet. Please respect local speed limits and watch for children headed to and from school.

Don’t Miss Out!

• The Health Education Council has launched a COVID Youth Ambassador Corps, which is a 4-week community health training and PAID community project program for Yolo, Solano and Napa County youth and young adults 17-24 who are interested in promoting vaccination through social media campaigns, art/music, and community / school / homebased events. For any budding journalists, public relations, public health, and / or communications majors, advocates, or peeps out there, this is a great opportunity for you! Please spread the word. Applications close January 18 for the next cohort. More information is available here or by contacting Patricia Guzman at pguzman@healthedcouncil.org.
• Yolo County jobseekers now have free access to five Grow with Google professional certificate programs to obtain Google Career Certificates. You can participate in IT Support, Data Analytics, Project Management, UX Design or Android Development professional certificate programs without a college degree or prior experience at NO cost. For more information, please go to yoloworks.org / the JobSeeker Tab and Grow with Google. Courses are available in English and Spanish. For more information, please contact Erica Johnson at erica.johnson@yolocounty.org or call/text (530) 631-2289.

 Did You Know?

For all of us newcomers in town, check out this photo Eric Lucero just shared of a prominent corner in town…. What a change!

• SB 1383 requires organics be removed from the landfill waste stream, meaning please put food scraps in your green waste bins. Food businesses must also separate food waste from their trash containers. To learn more, please visit wm.com.

Upcoming Council Meeting

Our next Council meeting is January 18, 2022 via Zoom. There are a number of consent calendar items related to the Winters Highland development and the construction of Well 8 at the west end of Vasey, and various agreements and purchases. The two discussion items relate to the rural recreation grant application and development of paseo park in downtown and a new State mandated Water Conserving Landscape Ordinance.  The agenda is linked here.

To register to receive an auto-notification that a City Council or Planning Commission packet has been posted, please register through our Granicus platform on the City’s website at https://www.cityofwinters.org/granicus/.

Woot Woot!

On Monday, January 10th the Fire Department responded to a medical emergency for a gentleman who collapsed at home ~ cardiac arrest. Captain Schechla, and Firefighters Kitsia Pelayo, Cameron Simental and Michael Curran along with AMR paramedic crews conducted CPR and provided advanced life support treatment resulting in a field save. Kudos to our team and partners at AMR for saving his life!

Please note that the three firefighters who responded to this incident were volunteers! The Winters Fire Department has only 5 paid full-time staff (including Captain Schechla) and is supported by a cadre of dedicated volunteers and reserves. And we need more help. If you’re interested in learning more about joining the Fire Department and getting involved with a strong, community-centric group of people, please check out information  on the Resident/Reserve Volunteer Interest Form.

Good afternoon, all.

Unfortunately, due to the surge in COVID infections within the community, and among employees and / or their families, we will close public buildings to walk-in service effective Wednesday, January 12, and follow the same protocols we did last winter. While the doors will be closed, we will pivot to primarily remote service for most activities to help flatten this surge and keep our visitors and employees safer. Please note the following:

Police & Fire: The facility will be closed to walk up service.

• For emergencies (crime in progress or immediate medical assistance), please call 911.
• To reach a police officer for non-emergencies, please call dispatch at 530-795-4561
• To reach an on-duty Fire captain, please call 530-795-4131, press option 6.
• For Fire Department non-emergencies, please call Fire dispatch at 530-666-8920.
• For anyone who walks up to the building, there is a call button to speak with staff inside. Press the button and someone will assist you.

Building Division:

• Please continue to contact building staff by emailing Building.Division@cityofwinters.org or by calling 530-794-6708.
• Permits can be applied for and issued via email.
• Inspections are still ongoing.
• Credit card payments can be made by phone.
• Curbside appointments for service can be made by calling the building division.
• To reach Building Official Tom Davis, please email tom.davis@cityofwinters.org or call his cell at 530-864-3377.

Planning Division:

• To contact Kirk Skierski, please email kirk.skierski@cityofwinters.org or call 530-794-6718.

Finance Department:

• Business license renewals, applications, and payments can be made at https://winters.hdlgov.com/ (a hyperlink with a button at the bottom of the City’s website)
• Utility payments can be at www.cityofwinters.org and click on either one time or returning customer portal buttons at the bottom of the home page.
• Payments can be made in a secure payment box in front of city hall, which is checked regularly.

Please visit our website at www.cityofwinters.org for other department and staff contact information.

Can’t find what or who you need from our website, please call the Main Line at 530-795-4910 and follow the prompts or press 0; a staff member will answer.

 If you need to meet with staff, several options are available: Zoom meeting, outside, or by appointment.

 Thank you for understanding the need to limit indoor COVID exposures for the public as well as our employees and their families. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. We appreciate your patience.

Also, the WJUSD testing provider has had staffing shortages as well, which has affected the schedule. See this week’s WJUSD testing schedule in the box below.  This is for rapid, antigen testing. Thank you, WJUSD, for offering this service!

 Best, Kathleen

Kathleen Salguero Trepa
City Manager
City of Winters
P: (530) 794-6710
Kathleen.trepa@cityofwinters.org

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Post Date: 01/07/2022 4:43 PM

Press Release (PDF)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

John Fout, Public Information Officer
Phone: (530) 666-8042
Email: John.Fout@yolocounty.org

(Woodland, CA) – On Monday, January 10, Yolo County will begin distributing free home antigen test kits to residents and workers seeking to shorten their isolation period to less than 10 days. Yolo County recently revised its COVID-19 guidance to align with the State of California’s reduced isolation and quarantine period.  The revised guidance allows individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 to shorten their isolation to less than 10 days if they have no symptoms or symptoms are improving (including no fever for 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medicines) AND test negative for COVID-19 on day 5 or later. Individuals who end their isolation before day 10 must wear a face mask that fits and filters well over their mouth and nose when around others through day 10.

Either a PCR or antigen test can be used to shorten the isolation period. However, many individuals will continue to test positive by PCR for weeks or even months after their initial COVID-19 infection, even though they are no longer contagious. For this reason, antigen tests are preferred for shortening the isolation period. Due to limited supplies, the antigen test kits being provided by the County are available only for individuals who have tested positive in the previous 7 days. Persons seeking test kits must present documentation of their positive COVID-19 test results at the distribution site. Proof of a positive test can be provided electronically using a smartphone or tablet, or by showing a printout of test results. Home antigen test results are now accepted as proof of a positive test result. Individuals can document their home test result with a photo of the test result, the individual’s name, and the date and time of collection.

Yolo County will host drive-thru home antigen test distribution events in Woodland on Monday January 10th and Friday January 14th from 10am to 3pm at 137 N. Cottonwood St. All individuals are required to be wearing a mask and must show proof of positive test result. If possible, people with COVID-19 seeking a home test should have a family member or acquaintance pick up a test for them while they isolate at home to mitigate the spread of the virus. The drive-thru event will be hosted at this site continuously on Mondays and Fridays until supply is exhausted. The County is also working to make additional drive-thru events available in West Sacramento.

In addition to the upcoming drive-thru distributions, Yolo County is working with community partners to provide tests at other community locations. Healthy Yolo Together testing sites will have home tests available on-site for persons who test positive using rapid tests and for pickup. Persons seeking tests for pickup are required to be wearing a mask and must show proof of positive test result. ORALE will have home test kits available on-site only for persons who test positive using rapid tests. For information on HYT testing sites, please visit, healthydavistogether.org. For information on ORALE COVID-19 testing sites in rural communities, please visit the ORALE COVID-19 website.

Each test kit provided by Yolo County will contain 2 tests. The first test should be used no earlier than day 5 after symptoms began or the initial positive test was collected, whichever came later. The first day of symptoms or the day of the positive test is considered day zero. Persons should wait until their symptoms have improved and they have been without fever for 24 hours before testing. If the first test on day 5 or later is positive, the person should remain in isolation and wait until day 7 or later to test again using the second test. If the second test is positive, the person should continue to isolate for the full 10 days.

Please remember to visit our COVID-19 Testing & Quarantine website for up to date information on these events.  For information on the new guidelines and COVID-19, visit https://www.yolocounty.org/covid. The CDC and the California Department of Public Health also offer additional resources on COVID-19.

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City Manager’s Update (pdf)
December 17, 2021

Greetings, all. In this final update for 2021, a hearty Happy Holidays to all of you from all of us at the City of Winters. May your holidays be bright and merry. Happy New Year!

This & That from City Hall:

• Yippee! The replacements parts have arrived for the Blue Oaks Park playground equipment. Fingers crossed the equipment will be open for play next week. Contractors have been identified to install the basketball half court and overhead park lighting, once the weather clears and the area dries out a bit. Hopefully, the added lighting will help deter some of the vandalism to the new play equipment…
• Security fencing has been installed at Three Oaks Park to help let the landscaping settle in without wear and tear. We are thankful for all the rain; however, the boggy conditions do make the area
• more susceptible to damage. There is more work to do, followed by a maintenance period. Thank you for helping us protect the park during the rainy season.
• Finance is going live with our new online Business License platform, which will allow for automated renewal notifications, and online applications and payments. Renewal forms will be mailed out before the holiday closure. Look for the account and PIN number in the area “Online Renewals Now Available.” Please let us know if you have any questions by calling (530) 795-4910. Manual renewals / applications will still be available at the counter or by dropping off a completed application and payment in the drop box.
• People can sign up to receive an auto-notification that the Council agenda packet has been posted by signing up through our Granicus platform here. It’s easy peasy and then you’ll receive something that looks like this. You can unsubscribe or change your email at any time. The agenda will include links to all the items in the packet so you can easily click through to items of interest.

Don’t Miss Out!

• Rumor has it one of our local residents and her brass Downtown Quintet will kick off a roaming performance starting at 5 p.m. tonight, beginning at Railroad & Main next to the holiday tree. Music, some last minute shopping, a relaxing glass next to a heater on Main – sounds like a great way to kick off the evening, especially since we have a break in the weather.

COVID-19

• The Omicron variant is the cause of a COVID outbreak at a West Sacramento high school. Six people thus far have tested positive. Public health officials are very concerned by the transmissibility of this variant and the combination of cold weather and holiday gatherings, bringing people together indoors. Masks are now required indoors throughout the State until January 15, per a recent state-wide health order. Please vax, mask, boost and / or test – all strategies that help slow the spread and lessen illness. The Winters school district hosts a testing location in the Railroad parking lot at the library on Tuesdays and Thursdays 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Winters Healthcare has walk in service for testing and vaccinations. Stay well.

 Upcoming Council Meeting

Our next meeting is December 21^st and we have a lengthy agenda; the consent and discussion sections both have a number of items. The link to the packet is here. Consent items include relocating the PG&E Community Resource Center from the Public Safety Facility to City Hall’s large conference room, creating a new employee classification for Executive Assistant / Deputy City Clerk, appointing the City Manager as City Clerk, awarding a contract for executive recruitment services for the Director of Administrative Services, Annual and Five Year AB 1600 Development Impact Fee reports, repurposing a $100,000 SACOG grant to support the paseo park project, and approving the 2022 Council and City Hall closure schedule. Two ordinances are also on the Consent Calendar for second reading: increasing the Council stipend effective after the next Council election in 2022 and moving Council elections from the primary ballot (alternating March and June) to November’s general election ballot.

Discussion items include the SB 1383 mandated edible food recovery program, introduction of an EV Charging Station Ordinance, Rescindable Notice of Intent to Withdraw from the City’s risk pool, a resolution approving street name lists, and formally establishing the Hispanic Advisory Committee and the transfer of HAC funds to a new community foundation.

Woot Woot!

Each year our public safety team warms our hearts with two programs: Shop with a Cop and Toys for Youth. The Winters Police Department takes children from families in need holiday shopping, not for themselves, but for their parents, helping these children bring joy to the entire family. There is a valuable lesson in there about the gift of giving. The Fire Department staff and volunteers have the children covered. This year they will provide children’s gifts to about 100 families (200 children) in town, unbelievable! Santa helps deliver the gifts Christmas Eve morning. Thank you to everyone who donated, helped wrap, and supported these programs. And thank you, Winters Police and Fire Departments for leading with your hearts.