Town Manager Jon Davis

Hello, Windsor!

Can you believe it is almost May? With its arrival we can look forward to many things; the weather is warm, flowers are in bloom, the Kentucky Derby, Indianapolis 500, Memorial Day, and National BBQ Month! May also means Town Staff are deep into the “budgeting season” and have been hard at work developing the Fiscal Years 2023-2025 operating budget and 2023-28 capital improvement program. At the regular Town Council meeting on Wednesday May 3, the Council will review the first draft of the proposed budget. This will be followed by an additional public input session hosted by staff on May 10, at the Bluebird Center. Both meetings begin at 6:00 PM, we welcome your participation in the process.

With the heavy rain now behind us, Public Works Staff are out tending to any remaining potholes or impacts caused by the weather. You can report potholes or street issues by calling 707-838-1009. Please be prepared to describe the location of the item you are reporting. The Streets Division typically fills 30-40 potholes a week during the rainy season. Thank you, Streets Team!

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Issue #41: April 27, 2023

THE LEVEL 2 WATER SHORTAGE HAS ENDED!

Thank You Windsor Residents for your Water Conservation Efforts During the Drought.

After receiving above average rainfall this winter, Sonoma County was officially lifted out of the drought and Governor Newson rescinded the emergency drought restrictions across most of the state. On April 19^th, 2023, Windsor’s Town Council voted to rescind the Level 2 Water Shortage Emergency, effective immediately.

We want to thank Windsor residents as well as Parks and Recreation for their incredible commitment to water conservation during the drought. As a town, we were able to cut water use by over 20% compared to 2020.

We are thrilled to have made it out of the drought, but it is important to remember that extreme droughts followed by extreme rain events is the new normal here in California. Continuing to make water conservation a way of life will ensure water security for generations to come.

To learn more about the Town’s Water Conservation programs and to find the most recent drought updates, please visit https://www.townofwindsor.com/100/Water-Conservation.

APRIL 26 – TOUR OF THE

BIOFORCETECH BIO-DRYING FACILITY

Councilmember Potter, staff from Senator Padilla’s and Assemblymember’s Wood offices joined Town staff along with Sonoma Water Agency staff at Silicon Valley Clean Water in Redwood City to tour the Bioforcetech Bio-Drying and Biochar Facility. The Town is exploring constructing a similar facility to turn the biosolids in our wastewater into Biochar, a carbon product that can be used as a beneficial soil amendment in gardening and agriculture, or a myriad of other uses like ink or as a concrete additive. The proposed facility would sequester the carbon from biosolids and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90% and help to control escalating costs.

TOWN OF WINDSOR PRESCHOOL PROGRAM ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN FOR 2023-24

The Town of Windsor offers three wonderful preschool programs to the community: Kinderclub, Children’s Circle, and Montessori in Motion. The goal of the Preschool Program is to provide a foundation for lifetime learning and a strong sense of community in a nurturing environment. Each of the three programs offer a different focus and all provide a 6:1 teacher to student ratio.

To keep the rates affordable, families are charged for days of operation only with no fees charged on closures due to holidays. Enrollment is now open for the 2023-24 school year! Click the link: https://bit.ly/TOWPreschoolPrograms or call (707)838-5945 to register or for questions.

CHILDREN’S CIRCLE – Ages 2.5-3.4 years, 9:15am-12:15pm MW and/or T/TH
KINDERCLUB – Ages 3-5 years, 9am-12:30pm MWF or T/H
MONTESSORI IN MOTION – Ages 3-5 years, 9am-12pm MW and/or T/Th

2023 FAMILY MOVIES ON THE GREEN

The Town of Windsor is excited to announce the lineup for the 2023 Family Movies on the Green! We hope to see you there! For more event information, please go to https://www.townofwindsor.com/787/Family-Movies-on-the-Green.

YOUTH BAND SHOWCASE AT

SUMMER NIGHTS ON THE GREEN

Call for Youth Bands! The Youth Band Showcase is returning to Summer Nights on the Green this year! Bands will play a short 30-minute set and be located on the Town Green. Please note, this is a free showcase and youth bands will not be compensated. For more information on dates, how to apply, and qualifications, please click here: https://www.townofwindsor.com/1363/Youth-Band-Showcase.

FREE MULCH GIVEAWAY!

Do you know about the magic of mulch? Adding a layer of mulch to your gardens and landscapes has so many benefits, including improved soil health, weed suppression, water conservation, reduced runoff, and erosion control.

Pickup your own free mulch on April 30^th at Keiser Park. Mulch will be located on the dirt road across from the south baseball fields. Mulch will be available all day on a self-serve basis until supplies last.

Also be sure to check out the free Compost giveaway, hosted by WeAct, one day before on April 29^th 9AM-12PM at Keiser Park.

Mulch can save water by suppressing weeds, increasing infiltration and soil water-holding capacity, moderating temperature, and reducing evaporation. Increased water capacity means less runoff making it to our creeks. Not only that, but mulch also creates a protective layer over the soil leading to less erosion.

To learn more about the benefits of mulch, please visit Town of Windsor Water Conservation.

SONOMA COUNTY ZERO WASTE GUIDE 2023

Take steps to divert material from the landfill and dispose of it properly by reviewing the Zero Waste Guide 2023. The guide promotes reuse, recycling, composting, and conservation through helpful resources to reduce waste. For more information click on the link: Zero Waste Guide 2023 or visit Zero Waste Sonoma.

JOIN OUR TEAM

The Town of Windsor is looking for talented people. For information on open positions, click here for the full list. If you have questions about working for the Town, please reach out to our Human Resources team at hr@townofwindsor.com.

Join our team! Go here to apply.

UPCOMING TOWN MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS

Here are some public Town meetings and workshops coming up in the next two weeks – we’d love to see you. You can always find Town Council and Commission meeting information on the calendar on the Town website homepage.

May 3, 6 PM: Joint Windsor Town Council, Windsor Redevelopment Successor Agency and Windsor Water District – including Budget Workshop

May 9, 5:30 PM: Planning Commission Meeting

May 10, 6 PM: Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting

PLAY IT SAFE AROUND WATER

A message from Sonoma County Fire District: With warmer temperatures and summer around the corner, Sonoma County Fire District is encouraging our community members to play it safe around water. We want you to have fun but be safe while recreating in Sonoma County’s beautiful bodies of water.

Know your limitations, including physical fitness & medical conditions.
Never swim alone.
Never turn your back to the ocean.
Wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket while boating.
Alcohol increases the chances of water accidents.

For more water safety tips visit: American Red Cross – how to prepare for emergencies/water safety.

COUNTY CLIMATE ACTION ON-GOING WORKSHOPS

A message from Sonoma County: The County Climate Action and Resiliency Division has an on-going workshop series to promote home improvements to be energy efficient and resilient. For more information on the workshop series visit Spring Energy and Resiliency Workshop Series (ca.gov).