Copyright (c) 2010
Winters Express
312 Railroad Avenue, Winters, CA 95694
(530) 795-4551
news@wintersexpress.com
Web site by
shawnpatrickcollins
@yahoo.com

YOUR CHANCE TO SERVE. It looks like there will be a couple of openings on the planning commission. You have until June 24 to turn in an application. Planners serve for four year terms and it is a rewarding job, at times. Years can go by when watching the Winters Planning Commission on TV is a cure for insomnia. It can get pretty boring when nothing is happening and everyone is complaining about the lack of growth or affordable housing. I doubt that the next couple of years will put anyone to sleep watching, with the freeway interchange starting to take shape.
If you want a say on what Winters might look like, step right up. You’ll need to be at least 18 and live within the city limits. The other requirement is that you be breathing.
We’ve had some pretty good planning commissions over the years, and a few that didn’t function on all cylinders. The planners serve at the pleasure of the council, which means they can be replaced at any time. The planners usually reflect the make up of the council. When the planners bump heads with councilmen, that is when it gets interesting. Usually the planners pushing their own agendas get left on the side of the road. There isn’t a lot of turnover. Terms do expire; planners get tired of meetings and lives change.
I served on the planning commission for 6 years, trying to get the city to grow and revitalize the downtown. We tried to lessen the burden on merchants and get developers to do what they promised. There were some great businessmen on the commission back then. Butch Branscum was chairmen my first term, running the meetings on time. Bill Cody gave us institutional knowledge, which meant that he had been around for a long time and could tell us what developers had tried to pull in the past. John Griffin used his humor and intellect to give the group a sense of knowing what we were doing. I took out the trash.
If you think you understand Winters, give the planning commission a chance. You might be just what Winters needs.
FIREWORKS. We are on the downhill side of getting the fireworks back in Winters. My goal was to raise enough for not only this year, about $10,000, but for next year as well. Being a year ahead would help us avoid last year’s dark sky. We have a long way to go.
There is an envelope in your water bill for fireworks donations, add a few dollars to it and drop it off with your city bill, leave it at the Express office or at First Northern Bank. If you are involved with a service club, make sure your group donates. I’ll be running an ad after the fireworks thanking everyone who helped out and a separate list for those who decided that fireworks weren’t important. Which list would you like to be on?
While I’m on the subject of thanking people. Jim Webster deserves a hand for pushing me to join the save our fireworks committee. He started the fund with $200, which was a nice gesture for someone who only lives here part time. I hope he is around to see this year’s show.
Have a good week.