Insider Edition 90 | May 16, 2025 | | | | |
Hello Windsor!
Soon, Memorial Day will be here, and we pause to honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. Their courage and dedication will never be forgotten, and we extend our deepest gratitude to them and their families.
Memorial Day also marks the unofficial start of summer, a season filled with community gatherings, outdoor activities, and time with family and friends. The Town is excited to offer a variety of events and programs throughout the coming months, and we invite everyone to participate in what makes our community so strong. Click on the link for Special Events https://www.townofwindsor.ca.gov/338/Special-Events
I encourage everyone to attend a Memorial Day event, head to a local park, and enjoy time outdoors as we all look forward to a wonderful summer.
In this edition of the Insider:
- Streets Division - Did You Know
- Proposed Rate Increases
- National Wastewater Surveillance System
- Wilson Ranch Soccer Fields
- Family Movie Night
- Save the Date - June 13
- Streets to Creeks
| | STREETS DIVISION - DID YOU KNOW | | |
The Town’s five-member Streets division is small but mighty. Here in Windsor, they’re often the Town’s first set of eyes and ears in emergencies such as the flooding experienced earlier this year. They work 24/7, 365 days a year to ensure that our 87 miles of streets, 15 signalized intersections, and other infrastructure – such as our storm sewer system, waterways, and signalized intersections, are in good working condition.
For example, as the recurring storm cycles that battered our area a couple of months ago, they’re out there, often in the dead of night, monitoring creek flooding and closing and re-opening roads when needed. They also take care of downed trees and remove debris that builds up in our waterways when we get a lot of heavy rain.
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“I consider them the forgotten first responders,” says Public Works Director Shannon Cotulla. “When the police department needs to close the road, they call us. Our uniforms are not as fancy as fire or police, but our crews are there behind the scenes to help make things happen and keep the community safe.”
Deputy Operations Director Mike Cave agrees, saying, “It can be all-hands on deck -they pride themselves on their quick and effective response to emergency situations.”
In the fall and winter, the Streets division prepares for the rainy season in part by vacuuming debris from the drop inlets and catch basins in our streets. And they walk every foot of the 10 miles of creeks in Windsor to ensure they flow freely into the Russian River and other tributaries.
That’s not all: They’re also responsible for cutting back vegetation by streets and in the public right of way (but not within parks – our Parks & Recreation Department handles that), removing graffiti from the right of way (an ongoing task), fixing potholes, and keeping the Town’s vehicle fleet operational.
And did you know that they’re also responsible for fabricating all the street signs in Windsor? Not just “name” signs like “Windsor Road”, but also stop signs, “share the road” signs, recycled water signs, park signage, and much more. They replace about 150 to 200 signs a year on average.
“Our residents and businesses should be proud of this dedicated, high-quality, knowledgeable, and experienced crew and how effective they are at resolving issues,” said Mr. Cotulla. “They are all about ensuring and improving the safety of our community.”
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The Town of Windsor is proposing new water and wastewater utility rates for the next five years, scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2025. Under the proposed structure, the average residential customer would see a combined monthly increase of $12.06 for water and wastewater services during the first year (fiscal year 2025–26). This rate adjustment is designed to support critical infrastructure improvements, including: directly
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Enhancing drought resiliency by developing a second water source, installing two groundwater wells, and strengthening emergency preparedness.
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Replacing aging infrastructure is necessary to for the Town to continue to operate the wastewater treatment plant effectively and efficiently.
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Reducing long-term costs and stabilizing future rates by eliminating the need for outside contractors and processing Class A biosolids in-house.
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Advancing Windsor’s NetZero goals, including 100% sustainable wastewater treatment through clean energy, full recycled water use, and complete biosolids reuse.
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The public hearing will consider the adoption of the new rates, originally scheduled for May 7, has been extended until May 21 at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers. Community members may submit a written protest regarding the proposed rates by that date. For more information on the proposed rates and how to submit a protest, please visit:
www.townofwindsor.ca.gov/1575/Water-and-Wastewater-Finance.
| | NATIONAL WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM | | The Town of Windsor's wastewater treatment plant has recently rejoined the CDC National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS). As part of this program, wastewater samples are collected bi-weekly and submitted to the CDC for analysis. These samples are tested for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Monkeypox virus, and Influenza A and B viruses. | | | | |
Wastewater surveillance serves as an early warning system, enabling public health departments to implement timely interventions to mitigate the spread of these viruses within the community.
Due to the challenges in quantifying precise viral loads in wastewater, public health officials monitor trends over time to identify increases in pathogen prevalence.
| | WILSON RANCH SOCCER FIELDS | | | | |
Wilson Ranch Soccer Fields Closed through June 30
Thank you for your cooperation while we give our fields some TLC. We look forward to reopening the fields and welcoming all the players back in July! ️
For more information, call the Parks & Recreation Department at (707) 838-1260.
The Town of Windsor is excited to announce the lineup for the 2025 Family Movies on the Green! We hope to see you there!
For more event information, please go to https://www.townofwindsor.ca.gov/787/Family-Movies-on-the-Green
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There's a train coming to town! A SMART Train!
Join us on Friday, June 13, 2025, at 1:45 p.m. at the Windsor SMART station to celebrate the opening of this exciting new connection into the heart of Windsor.
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Located just steps from the Windsor Town Green, the new station enhances access to one of Sonoma County’s most beloved community gathering places, making it easier than ever to enjoy Windsor’s shops, restaurants, and events by train.
This latest addition to the SMART rail and pathway network strengthens local and regional connections while advancing sustainable transportation. We look forward to celebrating this milestone with the Windsor community and marking a significant step forward for Sonoma and Marin counties. Learn more and RSVP at sonomamarintrain.org/windsor.
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A huge "THANK YOU" to everyone who helped the Streets to Creeks litter critters pick up trash on Earth Day, April 22nd! Over 50 volunteers picked up approximately 500 lbs of trash in the downtown area and along Hembree Ln near the Shiloh shopping center.
Many more volunteers joined similar cleanups in neighboring cities across our watershed. Your efforts are so important to help protect water quality and wildlife habitat in Windsor's creeks and the Russian River. Couldn't make it?
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You can join our next cleanup day in September for Creek Week or organize your cleanup by borrowing gear from the Public Works Department.
Contact us at stormwater@townofwindsor.com or call 707-838-5385. To learn more about simple things we can all do to protect our watershed, visit www.streetstocreeks.org
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Come Join Us!
The Town of Windsor is active with events year-round.
The following Town links will provide you with dates and event details to "mark your calendar".
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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.
| | Here are some public meetings and workshops we would love for you to participate in. For more information on the agenda, view the meeting, or the recording click on the meeting link. | | As always, if you'd like to get the Insider sent directly to your email inbox, go to our Notify Me page to sign up. Please let us know what you think -- we welcome your feedback. | | Follow us on social media! | | |
Town of Windsor
9291 Old Redwood Highway
Windsor, CA 95492
(707) 838-1000
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