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August 14, 2020

August 17: City Council Meetings

The Healdsburg City Council will hold a special closed-session meeting at 5 PM and a regular meeting at 6 PM on Monday, August 17. In the closed session, the Council will continue its discussions about the appointment of a new city manager. In the regular meeting, items include a report on childcare and distance learning, temporarily increasing the low-income electric discount to help qualified customers, and a presentation on energy efficiency and zero-emission building programs.

Both meetings will be held virtually via Web-Ex and can be viewed live online on the City website: http://healdsburgca.iqm2.com/Citizens/default.aspx. The agenda and agenda packets can also be found in the link above. If you would like to provide public comment during a meeting, please go to the end of the agenda(s) for further information.

New County Ordinance: Wear a Mask or Pay a Fine

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on August 6 approved a code enforcement ordinance that allows government employees outside of law enforcement, such as code enforcement officers and park rangers, to issue citations ranging from $100 for individuals and up to $10,000 for businesses for noncompliance of local and state health orders related to the coronavirus. A similar fine structure also applies within the city limits of Healdsburg.

The public can call a new County hotline – 1-833-SAFE707 (1-833-723-3707) to report infractions or email complaints to safe707@sonoma-county.org. For more information, go to: https://socoemergency.org/urgency-ordinance-authorizing-enforcement-of-covid-19-health-orders/ In addition, you will see new signs in the downtown area urging you to wear a face mask in public. Please do your part to help keep our community safe and Healdsburg open. Thank you.

Firefighters Issuing “Wicked Tickets”

We love it when we see people wearing masks in public -- especially kids. So Healdsburg firefighters have been handing out "Wicked Tickets" for a free pipsqueak slush from Amys Wicked Slush (thank you, Amy!) to some deserving youngsters (and those young at heart). Thank you for doing your part.

August 19: Camp HBG 2.0 Distance Learning Camp

Over the past two months, the Community Services Staff has worked with the Healdsburg Unified School District on how to best support families for the upcoming school year. We are pleased to announce that Camp HBG 2.0 Distance Learning Care will start on August 19.

This program will provide students in grades TK-5 distance learning in a supervised environment and help parents to return to work. Community Services Recreation staff who have experience running the traditional after-school program as well as the modified Camp HBG program this summer will supervise the program. Camp HBG 2.0 will follow guidelines by the Sonoma County Health Officer, California Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control. For more information, please visit www.cityofhealdsburg.org/camphbg

We are seeking financial contributions from our community to help pay for this program. The coronavirus pandemic has impacted many families and businesses, and the City’s TOT (Transient Occupancy Tax) revenue that would typically support a program like this, has also been greatly impacted. Your gift will support families by providing safe, nurturing, and educational day care while parents work and help keep our community strong.

Gifts in any amount are appreciated. To donate now to the program, please go to: www.corazonhealdsburg.org/donate. For more information or to discuss other ways to support the program, call Recreation Manager Dave Jahns at 707-431-3152, email djahns@cityofhealdsburg.org, or visit www.cityofhealdsburg.org/fundcamphbg.

The partnership between the City of Healdsburg and Healdsburg Unified School District and the services being offered to the community during this challenging back-to-school season were recently highlighted in the Opportunity Institute’s nationwide brief on expanded learning: https://www.partnerforchildren.org/resources/2020/8/3/expanded-learning-in-school-reopening

Healdsburg Fire Responds to Apple Fire

Healdsburg Engine 6361, staffed with Captain Mack Montanye, Engineer Justin Potter and Firefighters Mike Jacobs and Dean De La Montanya, was dispatched to the Apple Fire in Riverside County on August 2 as part of Sonoma County Strike Team 2398C. The crew joined other fire crews from Sonoma Valley, Rancho Adobe, Forestville and Santa Rosa, and have recently returned. As of today, the fire is more than 90 percent contained atalmost 33,500 acres. Here are a couple of photos of essential mop-up work.

COPE and Emergency Preparedness

On August 12, Parkland Farms hosted by a COPE leader (Citizens Organized to Prepare for Emergencies) met with Fire Marshal Linda Collister and representatives of the Sonoma County Emergency Management Department to review evacuation warnings and evacuation orders as well as what should go in your emergency go-bag. The County made a helpful video called “ Go Bags for the Whole Family” which can be found here: https://youtu.be/6wf7zQktwpQ

The following night, City and Cal Fire representatives met with the leaders of the Fitch Mountain COPE group and homeowners association to discuss their newly approved wildfire protection plan, which includes information on fuels management, evacuation, and communications. The virtual Zoom meeting featured Fire Marshal Collister, Cal Fire battalion chiefs Marshall Turbeville and Paul Fleckenstein, Community Services Director Mark Themig, and Parks Superintendent Jaime Licea. If you would like to learn more about COPE, including how to start your own COPE group, please contact lcollister@ci.healdsburg.ca.us.

Open Streets Healdsburg Creates
Community Space Downtown

On Monday, July 27, City Council approved a full street closure of Plaza Street between Healdsburg Avenue and Center Street and a portion of Plaza Street between Center Street and East Street. These street closures are part of a pilot program, "Open Streets Healdsburg,” that provides more physical space and places to stroll and sit downtown for our community, businesses, and visitors.

The Healdsburg Fire Department tested the proposed street closure configuration to ensure it could access buildings should the need arise and the Healdsburg Police Department and Public Works Department reviewed barrier placements and other issues, while our Community Services team worked on the overall layout. Open Streets Healdsburg will continue through September 8, when City Council will evaluate the outcomes. For more information, please visit our Marketspace web page at www.cityofhealdsburg.org/marketspace

Gauntlett Reservoir Roof Replacement

As a first step in the Gauntlett Reservoir roof replacement, the City’s contractor successfully completed the bypass of the reservoir and will start the removal of the roof structure next week. The Gauntlett Reservoir roof, originally constructed in the mid-1950’s, is a wood framed structure; the new roof will be a full-spanning metal arch structure.

The Gauntlett reservoir holds raw water before it is treated and provided to the City’s water customers. Most of the City’s water flows through this reservoir, so this is an important component of the City’s water system. The roof-replacement project is expected to be completed in early 2021. Pictured above is intern Callie Charleton, an environmental engineering major at Cal Poly, as she observes the work to install the bypass.