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October 23, 2020

Ballot Box at City Hall and Voting Information

The Nov. 3 General Election is only 11 days away, so if you haven’t submitted your Vote-by-Mail ballot yet, please do so soon. If you want your ballot to be counted in the tally on election night (versus later tallies), it must be submitted by Oct. 29, according to the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters.

There are several ways to submit your official Vote-by-Mail ballot. You can mail your ballot, hand it in at an in-person polling location (there will be one at the Villa Chanticleer), or drop it into one of the many secure 24/7 ballot drop boxes in the county. There is a ballot drop box right in front of Healdsburg City Hall (401 Grove St.). Here's a list and map of all the official ballot boxes and in-person polling locations in Sonoma County: https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/Elections/11-03-2020/Locations/

For information on all the candidates, propositions, and measures up for vote -- including Measure T, which extends the Measure V 1/2-cent sales tax -- please go to: https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/. Our webpage on Measure T (formerly Measure V) also has videos and historical information on how this funding has helped Healdsburg: https://www.ci.healdsburg.ca.us/405/Measure-V-Measure-T
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Halloween Drive-Thru Treat Trail

Join Rotary Club of Healdsburg Sunrise and Healdsburg Community Services for a safe and fun Halloween experience for your little ghouls and goblins. Come to the Community Services’ Drive-Thru Treat Trail on Oct. 31 from 4-6 PM at the Community Center, 1557 Healdsburg Ave. No registration required and the event is free.

We also need your help to make this socially distant event a spooky good time for all:

• Register for a Trunk Spot: Decorate your vehicle trunk, pick-up bed, or the back of your van for Halloween and be part of the event. To reserve your trunk spot, please email communityservices@cityofhealdsburg.org or call (707) 431-3301.

• Donate Candy: Drop off an unopened bag or two of candy at the Community Center Monday to Friday, 8 AM - 5:30 PM, through Oct. 29.

For more information, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/391415018699323/, call (707) 431-3301, or email communityservices@cityofhealdsburg.org.

Dia de los Muertos

Oct. 28: Webinar on Accessory Dwelling Units

Homeowners in Napa and Sonoma counties interested in building an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) are invited to take part in a free webinar on Oct. 28, from 6-7:30 PM, to learn about the basics of ADUs (also known as granny or in-law units) from local experts.

The webinar will be presented by the nonprofit Napa Sonoma ADU Center. For more information and to register, please go to https://napasonomaadu.org/aduevents or  email info@napasonomaadu.org. 

Volunteer Opportunity: Commission Vacancies

If you'd like to serve your community, consider volunteering on the City's Parks & Recreation Commission, which has two open slots, or the Senior Citizen Advisory Commission, which has three open slots. Go here for more information on the roles and responsibilities of the commissioners, as well as the eligibility requirements to serve: https://ci.healdsburg.ca.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=481

The deadline to submit a completed application to the Office of the City Clerk is 5:30 PM on Friday, November 6, 2020. Commission applications are on the City’s website under "Government: Boards and Commissions" at https://www.ci.healdsburg.ca.us/177/Boards-Commissions. For more information, please email rallan@ci.healdsburg.ca.us.

College Street Sewer and Replacement Project

Work is underway on the College Street Sewer and Water Replacement Project, which will replace the sewer and water systems in:

• Fitch Street between North Street and Piper Street
• Piper Street between Fitch Street and College Street
• College Street between Piper Street and
• Lincoln Street except for the area upgraded with modernization of the Junior High.

Once the sewer and water system replacements are complete, various curb ramps will be upgraded and the streets will be repaved. Additionally, the sewer system in Grant Street between College Street and Brown Street will be replaced and the trenches restored. This portion of Grant Street will be repaved when the water system is replaced.

Construction hours are 7:30 AM – 6 PM, Monday to Friday. We expect the project to take about eight months. During construction, traffic on parts of Fitch, Piper, Grant, and College streets may be impacted. Please observe and adhere to construction area signage and traffic control. For any questions, please email Senior Engineer Clay Thistle at cthistle@ci.healdsburg.ca.us.

Borel Road Tree Removal and Road Closure

The City will remove a grove of eucalyptus trees on Borel Road starting in the beginning of November. Unfortunately, these beautiful trees are not healthy and need to be removed before they become a safety hazard.

This work will require a closure of Borel Road for a week during the day, with a brief opening during the lunch hour, and intermittent road closures the following week. City Staff have been working with the residents who will be directly impacted by this closure.

Screen Replacement at Wastewater Treatment Facility

City Staff from the Public Works and Utility departments removed one of the wastewater treatment facility's fine screens – which filter out rags, hair, and other stringy material in untreated wastewater -- for repair and replacement. This work helps to maintain the City’s wastewater treatment capabilities. 

Pictured is the screen assembly being craned out of the plant’s headworks for further disassembly and repair. As a reminder, wipes clog pipes: Disposable wipes – even the ones labeled “flushable” -- should go in the trash, NOT the toilet. The only things that should be flushed down the toilet are the three P’s; pee, poo, and toilet paper. 

Progress Continues on City's Floating Solar Project

This week, the solar developer began mocking up the floating pontoons that support the solar panels and installing anchors around the wastewater treatment ponds to hold the floating solar array in place. 

Once constructed, this solar project will provide roughly 8 percent of the City’s annual energy needs and eliminate roughly 2,400 metric tons of CO2e (greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) each year. Pictured here are pontoons and solar panels ahead of placing them on the ponds.