Edition 4 | August 9, 2023 | |
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The City Council has an ambitious agenda and staff is highly motivated to deliver on its goals. To that end, staff has been working on a number of fronts and the City will continually assess the right category of skills/expertise needed to perform certain tasks. In FY 2022/23, the City Council approved the repurposing of four positions (see graphic) essentially removing classifications we did not need as much and adding classifications we needed. For example, we removed a HR Manager position and added a Superintendent position in our Public Works Department. We did this not because we did not need an HR Manager position, but because we needed the Superintendent position more and wanted to minimize expenditures. Two of our new hires are classified as Assistant to the City Manager. One of them simply replaced an incumbent with the same title who left in December and the other was added to replace a Management Analyst position that the City was unable to fill despite three recruitment efforts over 10 months.
The City Manager’s Office supports the whole City organization, as a result they work on a variety of projects and currently are primarily assisting the Directors of Public Works and Community Development. The Assistant to the City Manager classification and their unique skill sets have allowed them to work across departments, help meet critical needs, push projects forward, and start new initiatives internally and externally. They have been a boon to the executive team and have brought innovative ideas and new energy to several languishing projects.
The two employees are in the process of implementing new tools to help residents and businesses more seamlessly interact with City staff that are leading several projects that are scheduled to be implemented before the end of the year. For example, the two new employees are initiating multiple Request For Proposals (RFP) to implement the $32+ million in CIP projects, reuse of the old City Hall, the launch of our new Community Academy (see next story), establish an effective energy infrastructure to reduce operational costs and improve our environmental sustainability, and more. They are also working to implement cross-training programs for staff across departments that will continue to improve the culture of service excellence. All of these projects and many others will help us to meet the needs of our residents and businesses, improve City infrastructure, and continue to make this community a great place to live, work, and play in the Napa Valley.
Anil Comelo
City Manager
City of St. Helena
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Be part of the First Community Academy Class
Have you ever wanted to get an inside look at the operations of the City of St. Helena? Have you considered a run for elected office or desired to be a part of one of our great resident lead commissions? Are you interested in learning about where your tax dollars go? The new St. Helena Community Academy could be just the opportunity you’re looking for. This free academy is an 8-week program designed to provide those that live or work in St. Helena with a better understanding of the operations of the City Government, our regional industries, and our community organizations. This program includes informational sessions on city departments, emergency management, City Council and City Manager forms of government & elections, public safety, industry and community partners, the permitting and development processes as well as walking tours throughout the city. It’s a behind-the-scenes tour for City residents, business owners and workers with the intent to foster better community collaboration. Learn more and apply to be part of the first class.
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Mediterranean Oak Borer / Invasive Beetle
The Mediterranean oak borer (MOB) is an invasive ambrosia beetle that was first collected from declining oak trees near Calistoga in 2019. In California, MOB has been detected in Oaks from the Red Oak family. In St. Helena, valley oak and blue oak trees have been impacted. There have not been instances where species from the Black Oak family, including live oaks, have been impacted. Signs of MOB infested trees can include yellowing leaves, tiny exit holes and boring dust in cracks of the bark, and occasionally sap flux. If you notice any symptoms and or have concerns, contact an arborist for an assessment. The City of St. Helena has become aware of and has begun to work to trim dead or dying branches on valley oak trees located on City managed lands, including a project that took place in early August near the corner of Starr Avenue and Meadowcreek Circle. Learn more from the Press Democrat, University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE Sonoma), and watch this video of a local arborist from Pacific Tree Care discussing MOB before crews began their work off Starr Avenue.
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St. Helena Zoning Code Update - Public Hearing Announcement
Public comment on the draft zoning code is requested. Following four public meetings in the past year, the Planning Commission will hold a public meeting to consider recommending the adoption of the draft zoning code and zoning map. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, at 6 p.m. in the Vintage Hall Board Room, located at 465 Main Street. Learn more about the Comprehensive Zoning Update.
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Pedestrian Safety Priority
The City of St. Helena is continuing to make improvements across the City to improve pedestrian safety. Many organizations and departments work together to support pedestrian safety throughout the City including the Public Works and Police Departments, the Active Transportation & Sustainability Committee (ATSC), Napa Valley Transportation Authority (NVTA), Blue Zones Project Upper Napa Valley, The Napa County Bicycle Coalition, and others. A few of the most noticeable actions that you will begin to see in the coming weeks and months include an increased period of traffic enforcement by the Police Department, speed control signage and monitoring equipment located throughout the City, new slow and stop signs exiting Crane Park onto South Crane Avenue, “bulb-outs” and other traffic calming measures on Madonna Avenue and Pratt Avenue, and a new, safer crosswalk at Main Street/Highway 29 and Spring Avenue. State Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry recently secured funding for this new project and our Public Works team is in the process of developing a scope of work and RFP that could get the project completed by the end of the year. Learn more about the grant secured by Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry in The Press Democrat and St. Helena Star.
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National Night Out Success
On Tuesday, August 1, the Saint Helena Police Department hosted its annual National Night Out event at the new City Hall and Police Department located at 1088 College Ave. The event was a huge success as they partnered with the Parks and Recreation Department, city staff, and community organizations. Safeway donated hamburgers, hot dogs and all of the fixings while the St. Helena Fire Department supplied brick oven pizza for everyone at no cost. The Police Department cooked and provided entertainment, a dunk tank, shaved ice, and held a community raffle of a bicycle, gift cards, cash and a goodie basket donated by Denise Nichelini. The Parks and Recreation Department helped with planning the event, providing games and activities, while the Public Works Department provided the DJ and music. There were information booths from “Moms Demand Action,” Napa County OES, UpValley Family Centers and Aldea Children & Family Services who provided information to the hundreds of community members in attendance. National Night Out is a night for people from across America to stand together to promote awareness, safety and neighborhood unity. The evening showcases the vital importance of police-community partnerships and citizen involvement in our fight to build a safer nation and community. Learn more about the Police Department from the St. Helena Star. Watch the recap video.
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Free Community Open Gym Nights
The Parks and Recreation Department continues to partner with the St. Helena Unified School District to increase usage of community facilities and is now offering free drop-in volleyball, along with the ongoing drop-in basketball program. Drop-in basketball, which started in early March, has continued to grow as we were able to offer an adult basketball league, and continue to provide open gym in two-hour sessions on Monday and Wednesday evenings at St. Helena High School. Drop-in volleyball began in July and is available to the community every Tuesday and Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School gym. We are working closely with the current group of players to reach a broader audience and start an adult volleyball league once we have the numbers to support it. Learn more.
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St. Helena Community Garden
The community garden at Jacob Meily Park continues to thrive since its inception more than 13 years ago. Located in the northeastern corner of the park, it transformed an underutilized part of the park into a truly beautiful, productive, and tranquil place. The garden opened on Earth Day in April 2011, and operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) volunteer organization. The fully fenced area includes 30 individual gardens that are rented for a nominal fee that goes towards insurance. The gardens are as individual as the people who plant them with vegetables, fruits, and flowers popping up throughout the garden. The garden is managed by the St. Helena Community Garden Inc., which has a team of 5 board members that donate additional funds and time to maintain the garden. The spaces are rented annually in March by St. Helena residents and each year four “scholarship gardens” are provided at no cost to low-income families, its board president and founder is Susann Ortega. For more information or to join the waiting list email sthelenagarden@gmail.com.
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Growth Training Grant for Napa County Businesses
The Napa Success Accelerator is a special program funded by Napa County, with the goal of helping our businesses recover and thrive in Napa County. Successful applicants will participate in an intensive curriculum PLUS weekly business advising to overcome any challenges you may encounter. Businesses that complete the program will also receive $2,500 in capital to be used for business recovery and growth. Napa Success includes six (mandatory) online sessions over six weeks, while working one-on-one with your expert Business Advisor. The deadline to apply has been extended to August 11 at 5 p.m. Learn More.
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Active Transportation & Sustainability Committee
The St. Helena Active Transportation & Sustainability Advisory Committee is an advisory committee to the City Council and Planning Commission. The committee, made up of seven community members, which includes two alternates, works to engage in the process of information sharing, stakeholder engagement, public input and consensus building in order to provide viable options and creative solutions to transportation and sustainability issues to the City of St. Helena City Council, Mayor Paul Dohring acts as the Council liaison for the committee as well. These meetings typically include presentations from local organizations from throughout St. Helena and Napa County on transportation and/or environmental sustainability, plus the committee often takes the first steps in implementing traffic calming initiatives and pedestrian safety efforts. Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month, beginning at 5:00 p.m. in the Main Conference Room at City Hall (1088 College Avenue). Learn more at the ATSC.
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How the St. Helena Municipal Code City Rules Affect You
Visibility Triangle
Do you live on the corner of a street? Do you walk, bike, or drive throughout the City? If you answered yes, you may have wondered what the City of St. Helena Municipal Code says about the “Visibility Triangle” and what that means. On a corner lot, this is the triangle formed by the street frontage lines extended to their intersection and a line connecting such a lot line measured thirty-five (35) feet from their point of intersection. Fences, hedges or dense planting in the form of a hedge or wall cannot exceed two feet in height when located in the visibility triangle. Trees located in the visibility triangle need to be maintained to provide a clearance of seven feet, six inches from the ground to the lowest branches. Read the Code.
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St. Helena Preschool for All
Since its establishment in 2010, St. Helena Preschool For All has led the way in providing high-quality preschool experiences and parent education for 3-and-4-year-old children in our community. Their unwavering belief in the transformative power of early childhood education and parent involvement has positively impacted over 248 children and their families, preparing them for future success. In collaboration with the St. Helena Rotary Club, their Preschool Promise Campaign stands as a remarkable initiative that promotes equal opportunities for all children. Through this campaign, they have diligently worked to offer scholarships, enabling low-income families to enroll their children in exceptional preschool programs. As we prepare to embark on the Preschool Promise Campaign this August, we warmly invite you to join us on this transformative journey. Your contribution, whether through donations or community sponsorship, will play a pivotal role in making high-quality early childhood education a reality for every child. For more information about St. Helena Preschool For All and the Preschool Promise Campaign, please visit their website at shpreschoolforall.org.
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St. Helena Calendar: Learn more about our business community’s upcoming community events, sthelena.com/events.
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St. Helena Farmers’ Market: Providing our community with a beautiful venue for meeting friends, greeting neighbors, cooking demonstrations, and more every Friday morning, sthelenafarmersmkt.org.
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Music in the Vineyards: Celebrate the 29th season of Music in the Vineyards, now through August 20, musicinthevineyards.org.
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Backyard at Beringer Concerts: Enjoy live music in Beringer’s Backyard on select Saturdays, now through October, 2 p.m. until 4:30 p.m., beringer.com/en/winery-events.html.
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Music on the Terrace: Experience the “Sounds of Summer” with live music, a featured food truck, and the opportunity to purchase Merryvale wines by the bottle. 1st & 3rd Fridays now and through October, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Merryvale Vineyards, merryvale.com/experience/winery-events.
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Summer Rummage Sale Supports Homeless Services: Grace Episcopal Church is hosting a Rummage Sale event with 20 local and area rummage sale vendors. Vendors pay $25 for booth space and commit to donating at least 25% of their proceeds from the event to the agencies selected by the church’s Outreach Ministries committee. Saturday, August 12, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn more.
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Music with Alvon Johnson and His Allstar Band: Widely recognized as one of the most versatile musicians, singers and entertainers on the music scene today. He travels the world singing and swinging Jazz standards with Big Bands. Cameo Cinema, August 13, 2 p.m., Learn More.
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Winemaker Dinners at Harvest Inn: An opportunity to meet and mingle with some of Napa Valley’s top winemakers as you enjoy their delicious wines paired with Harvest Table’s fresh, seasonal cuisine. The first Winemaker Dinner featuring Kerr Cellars will be held on August 18, 6 p.m., harvestinn.com/st-helena/events.
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Vintner's Vanguard 2023: A unique opportunity to taste amazing wines from the boutique producers who make wine at Brasswood Estate. August 19, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., brasswood.com/brasswood-upcoming-events.
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Heritage Fire Napa Valley: America’s beloved, live-fire culinary experience is back and ready to heat things up! Celebrating pasture diversity and family farming. The event includes an all-star cast of top chefs who will be on-site dishing up delicious bites prepared over live fire and beverages. Sunday, August 20, 4 p.m., Charles Krug. heritagefiretour.com/napa.
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City of St. Helena
1088 College Avenue
St. Helena, CA 94574
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