Friday Update on February 8 2019
All,
First, some announcements:
- Congratulations to both the Boys and Girls Soccer Teams from Winters High on their combined League Championships for the Sierra View League. Really proud of these students and players who represent our town well throughout greater Northern California. Now on to the Northern Section Championships. Many of us have seen these players literally their entire lives and to see them become the champions they are on the field and in life is absolutely amazing! Go Warriors!
- On Sunday, February 10 at 2:00, the City will host an information briefing for those affected and interested in the overflow of the detention pond behind Foxglove Street near Ivy Loop. We will give an overview of the cause of the overflow, information about the operation of the pond and moving forward. The meeting will be in the driveway at 620 Foxglove so bring a soccer chair. If it is raining, we will move down the street a bit to the Public Safety Facility, 700 Main Street in the Emergency Operations Center Conference Room.
- The Buckhorn Food Truck is now on the corner of Railroad and Grant Ave. A chance to get your tri-tip sandwich fix and support a really good local business! Congrats to Silverio and the entire team on going through the process and getting this going!
- On Friday (today) at 4:00 at the NE corner of Railroad and Main, the “Before I Die” public art wall will be unveiled. The project is sponsored by Yolo Hospice, Winters Participation Art, Winters High School Art Students and the Winters Healthcare Foundation. The wall will be up for about 6 weeks. Pretty cool project!
- Movie Night with the “Night Shift” and Winters PD and Fire will be on Saturday, February 16 in the apparatus bay at the Fire Department. They will be showing “The Grinch” and provide snacks. Admission is Free. All are invited!
A few notes:
- Today is Karla Sanders final day with the City of Winters in our receptions area in the Finance Department. We wish her the best with her future endeavors and thank her for her services with the City of Winters! Good job, Karla!
- Congratulations to recently promoted Sergeant Jose Hermosillo on his swearing in at the City Council Meeting surrounded by his fellow officers, family and friends. Sergeant Hermosillo is a testament to hard work, professionalism and will represent the Police Department well in his new position.
- Staff is working with the WJUSD and the Department of Industrial Relations in the development of apprenticeship programs within the Winters Community. Dan Maguire is the lead on this and advancing opportunities for WHS students. Well done.
- Blue Mountain Terrace Senior Apartments are working toward the start of construction with a final financing call and readiness for a March groundbreaking.
- Staff is working with State Parks to position the City for some Prop 84 Grant Funds.
- Both Winters Fire and Police have started fitness challenges over the next month. When you see them out and about, give a cheer for getting healthier.
- The Police Department will be limited operation next week as Karla Fergeson is on vacation for a week!
- Winters Fire will be advancing the final draft of the Community Wildfire Protection Program before the Winters Fire District Board, City Council and the County Board of Supervisors over the next month. A real collaboration and a good start on shoring up the interface areas of the Greater Winters jurisdictions! Kudos to Art Mendoza for his work on this.
Finally, the past few years has seen leadership of our Police and Fire Departments within the region through training, mutual aid and our collaboration with our neighboring jurisdictions. The emergence of the influence of our staff within the region has become a hallmark of the pride and professionalism with pulses through our organization. I have learned that it really is all about the “people” of the organization who extend our reputation. I cannot adequately express the feeling of being at a meeting when someone from another agency tells me they are “working with” someone from our team on a very meaningful project or effort which advances the profession.
As one of the smallest agencies, I will profess that it is tough living within the limited resources. The adage of having to do “so much with so little” gives me even more motivation when I see our staff giving the extra effort to keep up with our neighboring jurisdiction which have resources beyond our comprehension. It means we are working hard!
Hard work is one of the character traits which defines Winters. Our agricultural roots help establish the benchmark for accepting the effort it takes to achieve the excellence which is embodied and permeates through the Winters community. Our kids are champions on the playing fields, classroom and FFA, our environmental projects make salmon spawn in our creek, we produce the best food in the world, we are the home to a world class vocational training academy with the PG&E Gas Safety facility and our City Staff are second to none in the professional fields. Our Downtown is best in the region and people want to be here because of an incredible vibe. None of this just happens. It really comes down to a culture of hard work and commitment to being the best.
Really proud of some of our recent achievements and how we set the bar for other communities. Small yet mighty!
No Friday Update next week.
Have a good weekend and go Warriors Soccer in the North Section Soccer Championships!
John