Friday update 10-30-2020
Friday update 10-30-2020
Happy Halloween Eve, or as they say where my Mom lives, Happy Neewollah Eve. (yes, that is Halloween backwards). In Independence Kansas (population 8,500) where my Mom and other assorted family members live, Neewollah is a full week celebration with parades and concerts and fundraising for various organizations and it all ends on Halloween with the traditional trick or treating for children. Guess what…..A pretty scaled down version of the event, no parade, no concerts, no fundraising for organizations, just the socially distancing activities are allowed (yard decorations, scarecrow contests, etc) Covid-19 had dramatically changed an event that has been happening for 100 years, this year is the 101st Neewollah celebration.
Just like Neewollah, our activities here in Winters have changed and adjusted due to the Covid-19 pandemic, distance learning, distance teaching, limits on businesses, social distancing and wearing facemasks has changed so many things for all of us.
Some concerning news is that our statistics are going in the wrong direction this week. We must adhere to all the Covid-19 protocols to keep the statistics firmly in the Red Tier and not start us on a trajectory that would see us going backwards into the Purple Tier.
Every one of us can help keep our statistics going the right direction by following all the gathering, social distancing and mask wearing requirements that Yolo County has put in place so that we can remain in the Red Tier and try to work our way to the Orange and eventually the Yellow Tier.
Staff has been working with members of the City Council and the Winters Downtown Business Association this week to utilize some CARES Act funding for business assistance and to work on Winterizing the outdoor dining area. This has been a very collaborative experience, lots of discussion and input from all involved. Look for more information in the upcoming week.
The City of Winters submitted a Grant application to CALOES for funding for a generator at the soon to be constructed Winters Senior Center (still waiting on the contract from the State to come in before we can move forward on the actual construction). Not sure if we will be successful but, we are applying for every possible funding source we can to see if we can make a generator happen for the Senior Center. The grant was announced last week and was due by 5pm today, and thanks to Lisa Baker, we got it submitted on time. Now we just wait and see who gets funded and who doesn’t.
Staff also worked with SACOG this week on project called Green Zone. Preliminary submittals were due today, and with the help of SACOG staff member Sam Shelton, the City of Winters will be participating in the project. More work will need to be done as we move through November and December on this project but, we did make the deadline of submitting the documentation today.
The Council meeting has just 2 discussion items on Tuesday, discussion about the Oak Grove at the Rancho Arroyo Detention Pond, and a resolution allowing the closure of Main Street and the Mid-Block crossing until March 31,2021 due to the Covid-19 restrictions on indoor dining. This will allow for the continued use of the street for outdoor dining during the winter months. Also on the Council Agenda on Tuesday is a presentation from Police Chief John Miller and City Engineer Alan Mitchell about speeds on Niemann Street.
Don’t forget, Tuesday November 3, 2020 is election day. This is your opportunity to vote and have your voice heard. There are many ways to vote, drop box at Lorenzo’s, voting in person at the Winters Community Center, or mailing your ballot in. No matter how you prefer to vote, make sure that your voice is heard this election day
Shelly Gunby
Interim City Manager
Director of Financial Management