In this edition of the Insider:

Sonoma-Marin Water Saving Partnership Awards

Russian Riverkeeper - The Hanson Floodplain Restoration Project

Daily Acts Office Happy Hour Event

Holiday Celebration Sponsorship

Windsor Military Memorial Wall Dedication

Daffodils In Windsor

Great Shakeout - October 19

Windsor Ready! Emergency Preparedness

Spooked by Halloween Waste - Reduce, Recycle, Reuse & Compost

Join Our Team

Meetings and Workshops

A Message from Town Partners

2023 WaterSense Partner of the Year and 2023 Sustained Excellence Award

Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership, a group of 13 water utilities including the Town of Windsor, has received two awards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their exceptional work promoting the EPA WaterSense program and water efficiency in 2022. WaterSense, a voluntary partnership program sponsored by the EPA, is a label for water-efficient products, programs, and homes, and a resource for helping consumers learn ways to save water.

At the WaterSmart Innovations Conference held in Las Vegas earlier this month, the partnership was honored with the Partner of the Year Award and the WaterSense Sustained Excellence Award, marking their second Sustained Excellence and seventh Partner of the Year awards.

Throughout the summer of 2022, the Partnership participated in WaterSense campaigns, hosted community events to distribute water-saving products, and played a pivotal role in certifying professionals and promoting water-efficient landscaping. For more information on the Partnership visit https://www.savingwaterpartnership.org/ For more information about WaterSense, visit https://www.epa.gov/watersense

The Hanson Floodplain Restoration, an important restoration project spanning 360 acres west of Windsor, has submitted permit applications for construction permits to Sonoma County after 11 years of hard work. A major milestone! It will convert four gravel pits back into a historic habitat of seasonal wetlands.

The restoration will eliminate mercury contamination, increase groundwater recharge, sequester polluting fine sediment from the river, and provide abundant food for juvenile salmon in low-velocity off-channel waters. By giving the river more room, the project will reduce channel velocities and resulting bank erosion which is currently a major problem in this reach. After the restoration work is complete, the property will become a county park with walking trails and a boat-in and group campground so you can enjoy this restored property and its wildlife.

This project is down-slope of the Town's well field along the Russian River, and the Public Works Department has been involved in meetings all along the way with the County and multiple professionals to ensure our wells will be protected throughout the work. More to come, as funding becomes available.

For more information on the project visit Russian Riverkeeper – Hanson Floodplain Restoration Project Update

Join the Town of Windsor and Daily Acts

for a special Office Happy Hour event.

Stop by Barley and Bine Beer Café, located at 7765 Bell Rd, Windsor on October 25, 5:30PM - 7PM, to learn about the process of sheet mulching while enjoying a cold beverage.

Daily Acts staff will highlight the benefits of sheet mulching, the steps you'll need to take, where to purchase materials, and how you can apply for the city rebate to lower costs. Bring photos of your landscape for personalized recommendations.

Barely and Bine has generously offered their Happy Hour Pricing ($1 off beer, wine, and ciders) to anyone attending our event!

The Town of Windsor Parks and Recreation Department is currently seeking sponsors for the 22nd Annual Holiday Celebration! This is a great way to promote your business and be a part of this beloved community event. Sponsorship pledges are due on November 9.

For more information on sponsorship, please visit https://www.townofwindsor.com/347/Holiday-Celebration or contact Hilary at (707) 838-5942 or by email at [email protected].

The Town of Windsor and the Windsor Museum and Historical Society invite you to the formal dedication of the WINDSOR MILITARY MEMORIAL WALL, on Saturday, November 4 at 11AM. The dedication ceremony will take place at the north end of the Town Green in the shadows of the Veterans Flagpoles.

This Memorial Wall honors the 86 lives lost in and over the sky of Windsor and Sonoma County during WWII. The Memorial also honors the 11 Windsor boys/men who lost their lives defending our country in all wars.

For information on how to order an engraved memorial brick to be placed at this project please call (707) 838-4563.

The Rotary Club of Windsor is sponsoring a daffodil planting project in collaboration with the Town of Windsor.

Rotary is looking for approximately 30 volunteers to help plant 5,400 bulbs on November 4, from 9AM -11:30AM, at the Windsor Senior Recreation Center, 9231 Foxwood Drive.

Lunch will be provided to volunteers once the bulbs are in the ground! To sign up visit, https://givingtime.org/sonoma/

Get Ready to ShakeOut – October 19, DROP! COVER! and HOLD ON!

Join millions participating in the Great Shakeout 2023 scheduled for 10:19 AM on October 19. This annual drill can occur at work, home, or school. To register for a drill anytime visit Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills - Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills Registration or Renewal

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) has helpful resources and tools to get prepared by visiting www.earthquake.ca.gov. There are life-saving apps and alerts/warnings available to reduce injuries and respond quickly at How do I sign up for the ShakeAlert® Earthquake Early Warning System? | U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov)

This scheduled drill prompts all of us to recommit to emergency preparedness by committing to make a plan, know your zone, get alerts and warnings, and network with family and neighbors. Be Windsor Ready!

Spooked by Halloween waste?

Here are some helpful tips to reduce, reuse, recycle, and compost!

Instead of buying a new costume, consider:

• Reusing a pre-worn costume, buying a second-hand costume, or renting a costume.
• Hosting a costume swap with your friends.
• Making your own costume with reused materials.

Scary decorations set the mood! Remember to:

• Save money and reduce waste by reusing decorations from year to year.
• Make your own decorations from pre-used materials.
• Use natural decorations (hay, leaves, twigs) or make paper decorations that can be composted.

Pumpkins and Halloween go hand-in-hand!

• Not carving? Remember that you can cook and eat those pumpkins once Halloween is over. (Pie anyone?)
• Carving pumpkins? Clean, salt, and roast those seeds for a tasty homemade treat!
• Remember to compost your jack-o-lanterns! PAINTED pumpkins are not compostable.

Having a party? Minimize waste by:

• Avoid disposable and single-use plates, cutlery, and cups.
• Have partygoers take home leftovers to reduce food waste.
• Make sure any food waste goes into the organic waste cart.

Trick-or-treating…

• Reuse a bucket, pillowcase, or shopping bag as your Trick-or-Treat bag. You can even decorate it!
• Pick up garbage! Keep those excess candy wrappers out of the street, storm drain, and creeks.

Here’s wishing you a BOO-tiful Halloween!

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 [email protected]. 

Join our team! Go here to apply.

Here are some public meetings and workshops we would love for you to participate in. For more information on the agenda, click on the hyperlink to the corresponding meeting of interest. You can always find more meeting information on the calendar on the Town website homepage. 

Council Meetings

The Town Council meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 6PM.

• October 18, 6PM

Planning Commission Meetings

The Planning Commission meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 5:30PM.

• October 24, 5:30PM

Parks and Recreation Commission

The Parks and Recreation Commission meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 6PM.

• TBD

Public Art Advisory Commission

The Public Art Advisory Commission meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 4:30PM.

• October 25, 4:30PM

Senior Citizen Advisory Commission

The Senior Citizen Advisory Commission meets quarterly, on the third Tuesday at 2PM. (January, April, July, October)

• October 17, 2PM

In recognition of National Teen Driver Safety Week (October 15-21), The Town of Windsor Police Department encourages teens and their parents to talk about the importance of always following the rules of the road and driving responsibly.

"Parents are the first and most influential driving instructors for their teens,” says Town of Windsor Police Chief, Michael Raasch.

Car crashes remain the leading cause of death for teens (15-18 years old) in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2021, an estimated 94,201 teen passengers were injured in car crashes and an estimated 170,083 people were injured in crashes involving teen drivers, accounting for almost 7% of all roadway injuries that year.

“During National Teen Driver Safety Week, we want to remind parents that they are key to keeping their teens safe behind the wheel. By actively engaging in conversations about safe driving and setting a positive example, parents can make a significant impact on their teenager's driving behavior," says Chief Raasch.

The Windsor Police Department offers the following tips to parents and guardians for starting conversations about safe driving with teens:

• Provisional Driver’s License: Learn about California’s provisional licensing law, which places restrictions on passengers and driving at night during the first year they have a license.
• Lead by example: Have driving sessions with your teen. Tell, but also show your teen how to drive safely.
• Set ground rules: Be firm on rules such as no phone use, eliminating distractions by friends, always following the speed limit, and always buckling up.
• Sober driving: Emphasize the importance of never driving under the influence or riding with someone who has been drinking.
• Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.