January 15, 2021 City Manager’s Update

City Manager’s Update (pdf)
January 15, 2021

Greetings, all. During the last several weeks, Winters has lost several leading residents; their contributions to the community, their professions, and the lives of others will long be remembered. It is their spirit of volunteerism and dedication to the greater good that makes this community so special. And to families who lost loved ones to valiant fights at far too young an age, may family, friends and special memories help carry you through…

COVID-19

• Our biggest news? We are back in the Purple Tier! which feels like such a relief after the Stay at Home Order. Restaurants and bars may now serve food and beverages at their outdoor dining patios. More information is available here. Please remain vigilant by wearing masks, washing hands, and not socializing indoors with people outside of your household bubble. Together we can
•  avoid sliding backwards and get ahead of this virus.
• Police Chief Miller and other Police Department personnel began receiving their COVID vaccines this week. Our public safety personnel report 3-5 COVID positive calls per week, so we’re happy Police, Fire and Ambulance crews now have access to the vaccine to help protect themselves and their families.
• To register for notifications related to receiving the vaccine, please click here.
• For updated information about the pandemic, please see the County’s COVID landing page.
• A new COVID testing site is now available in Winters, which will be open every Friday at the Community Center at 201 Railroad from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Residents will need to make an appointment by calling: (888) 634-1123 or going online at: https://lhi.care/covidtesting. There may be some delays in receiving test results due to the high volume of tests being processed.

Please Note:

• City Hall will be closed on Monday, January 18, for Martin Luther King Day.
• Now that we are back in the Purple Tier, curbside service is resuming at the Winters Community Library on Saturday, January 16. https://yolocountylibrary.org/locations/winters/.

Don’t Miss Out!

• The Winters Joint Unified School District is recruiting candidates to fill a vacancy for District 4, which is in the northeast area of the Winters community.  More information is available on the School District’s website https://www.wintersjusd.org/. Applications are due January 21 at 4 p.m.

Did You Know?

• The Interfaith Immigration Network assists immigrant families impacted by the pandemic. The program is called ApoYolo: https://www.yiinyolo.org/covid-19/. At least 25 Winters families are being supported. Donations to assist more Winters families can be made at https://yolo-interfaith-immigration-network.square.site/ . Please refer any families you know who might need assistance to ApoYolo.
• The California Elections Code requires that the Yolo County Board of Supervisors adjust its supervisorial boundaries following the completion of the decennial census so that districts are as equal in population as possible and in compliance with the Federal Voters Rights Act of 1965. The Board of Supervisors heard a report on January 12, which is available here. The City of Winters is in District 2, and portions of the unincorporated Winters community fall within District 5. The Board will complete its redistricting process over the course of the next year.

Upcoming Council Meeting (link)

• There is a Council meeting on Tuesday, January 19. Items include recognizing some of the leading residents that have passed away, including Marshall McKay of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation for his decades’ long leadership on behalf of Indigenous People and contributions to the community. Council will also consider making appointments to the Putah Creek Committee and Waste Advisory Council, as well as a resolution to protect the remnant grove of oak trees at the Rancho Arroyo Detention pond.

 Woot! Woot!

The Winters Fire Department is partnering with the Solano Community College to host its first Fire Academy, which began on January 11. For the next six months, 30 students will attend the academy at the Winters Public Safety Facility. Collaborations like this not only leverage limited resources to benefit Winters and our partners, it will also introduce young adults who might not otherwise know all that Winters has to offer. As an instructor, Chief Lopez also gets a sneak peek at potential volunteers and future candidates.  Kudos to Chief Lopez for bringing this collaboration to Winters.