Friday Update on April 21 2017
All,
We are moving the ball on a number of fronts and this week was absolutely crazy on a variety of projects. Here is an update of things coming before the City Council in the coming meetings:
May 2:
· Waste Management Franchise Agreement which includes modifications to green waste pickup and an expansion of the organics waste program.
· Winters Highlands Public/Subdivision Improvement Agreement.
· Sustainable Groundwater Management Agency– participation of the City in the new Agency.
· City-wide Assessment District.
May 16:
· Public Hearing on the Sustainable Groundwater Management Agency.
· Hotel- Transient Business Improvement District (TBID)- Participation by City hotels in a Yolo County Tourism assessment.
Other items……………
· The new conference room in the former Police Department is mostly completed, with the last areas of concrete being poured and things going up on the walls. This was an incredible project by our Public Works Staff. A great team effort.
· Next weekend is Youth Day. The day will kick off at 6:30 with the Rotary Pancake Breakfast, followed by the parade at 10:00, the events at City Park beginning at noon, then an evening concert in Downtown with the Terry Sheets Band. The full schedule will be included in the Winters Express this week.
· The Parking Committee will be holding a community forum on the Downtown Parking Master Plan on May 3, 2017 beginning at 6:30 at the Winters Fire Department 700 Main Street. More information and the agenda next week.
· The Big Day of Giving (Big DOG) will be on Thursday, May 4. Local organizations participating this year will be the Winters Friends of the Library, Putah Creek Council, Winters Healthcare Foundation, Winters Theatre Company, Winters Education Foundation and the Center for Land Based Learning. Each of these organizations provide immeasurable services and benefits to our town. Click here to get to the WFoL donation page and into the main system for donations to the other organizations. Give early and often.
· The three “rock stars” for the Big DOG are Winters residents and WFoL members Sally Brown, Lisa Nalbone and Linda Springer. By my estimation, they will easily clear the cumulative $100,000 mark for Big DOG for the past few years in this fundraising drive. The local programs over the years at the library have included expanded hours, literacy, the neighborhood library boxes, incredible speakers programs and outreach to children. They certainly have made a difference in our community and I know that this year they are planning to help the Project Playground by helping sponsor a new stage for the WFoL Shakespeare Workshop Program held each summer. I know they work really hard at what they do and our community is much better for their efforts in this area. Good job, ladies!!
Finally, the City Council on Tuesday adopted a Proclamation outlining some of the key attributes which make our community what it is during this time of a lot of discord in the public debate. I have attached a copy (pdf – HERE).
The comments from the 25+ people who attended the meeting were very well put and sincere in helping define some basic tenants on how people should be treated and what defines our community. Winters is a great place to be because much of what is ruining other communities is simply not accepted within the parameters of how we interact in our community. The culture of Winters is simply more kind and deeper than those places where people are more faces and less names.
Mayor Wade Cowan and the City Council really handled things pretty well on a very sensitive topic. The #1 attribute which makes our City Council Meetings effective is the collegiality in how things are addressed. The discussions are honest and frank, hard on the issues and soft on the people; but mostly, they represent a climate where people feel free to express their views in a manner where disagreement is accepted, input is acknowledged and collaboration is essential.
Many who spoke at the meeting asked for inclusion of a couple key points not in the published version. They were articulate and passionate in their comments with the final version including additional words which made the statement even more effective. In the end, the collaboration made the Proclamation better and hopefully more meaningful. At the end, Mayor Wade had Councilwoman Jesse Loren read the final version and it was an incredible way to cap the evening.
Truly what Winters is really about.
Have a nice weekend.
John