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CITY MANAGER'S UPDATE

THE CITY MANAGER'S UPDATE

City Manager Jeff Kay

The City Manager's Update is a bi-weekly, digital publication, and includes current information and news, program and project updates, upcoming events, recruitment opportunities, and more!

To subscribe to receive this publication and other City information directly to your inbox, visit healdsburg gov/subscribe

To view previous issues, visit healdsburg.gov/cmupdate. Fire/Life Safety Emergencies 9-1-1

To the Healdsburg Community,

This past weekend, I was grateful to experience two amazing examples of how our community can come together in service and celebration On Friday evening, our Merry Healdsburg tree lighting event was packed with joyful attendees as we kicked off the heart of the holiday season. On Sunday, the City Council, City staff, and a host of volunteers provided about 250 attendees with an incredible feast and celebration at our annual Senior Appreciation Dinner. For some of our seniors, this event will be their only opportunity this year to experience a holiday gathering, and we made sure it was special Both events were yet another reminder that when we put on celebrations In Healdsburg, we go big.

Of course, those are just the two most recent reasons to be grateful Another year has gone by in a blur, but it is worth taking a moment to acknowledge some of our achievements and milestones

The Foley Family Community Pavilion is under construction and making great progress Residents can look forward to the grand opening of this community event space and the future home of the Farmers’ Market in 2025

Construction is nearing completion on a $7 million extension of our recycled water system – almost completely funded by a State grant This project will provide water to parks, playing fields, and the golf course, leaving more potable water available for residents when the next drought hits.

In April, we celebrated the completion of our “Scattered Site” housing project In partnership with Burbank Housing, the City purchased and renovated three apartment complexes, ensuring that 90 housing units would remain both available and affordable for our residents

In May, we gathered to mark the successful completion of the improvements at Fitch Mountain. If you haven’t been up there recently, you’ll find a vastly improved access to the trailheads and a renovated dog park Both components of the project came out great.

Today, we cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the new Fire Substation at the on Healdsburg Avenue across from the North Village I know this project has been a long time coming We are thrilled to add a new resource that will enhance our ability to respond to future wildfire threats.

As always, there is much more to look forward to in the year ahead. In particular, I’m excited to keep moving toward groundbreaking of major projects in both our street system and our parks In the meantime, to every member of the community, I wish you and your families a healthy and joyful holiday and a Happy New Year!

Jeff Kay City Manager

HEALDSBURG FIRE SUBSTATION RIBBON CUTTING

On December 13, 2024, the Healdsburg City Council conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new Fire Substation.

This state-of-the-art facility was made possible through several contributions: $1 7 million from Montage Healdsburg, $2 million from Comstock Homes, and $1 9 million from the City of Healdsburg. The new substation is equipped with a range of advanced features, including a spacious apparatus bay, conference room, offices with computer workstations, showers, restrooms, and a fully equipped kitchen To ensure reliability, the facility is also fitted with a backup generator, providing power during public safety power shutoffs or outages. Additionally, the station is fully electric, aligning with the City’s commitment to its climate mobilization goals The station’s landscaping incorporates Firewise principles, featuring fireresistant vegetation and trees, strategically spaced to minimize fire risk.

The primary purpose of the new substation is to enhance public safety, with the capability for increased staffing during red-flag warnings and high fire-risk days. This will provide stronger fire protection for North Healdsburg while ensuring the downtown core remains covered by the current station The new facility also expands the Fire Department’s capacity to meet future demands. In the event that the Police Department’s Emergency Operations Center becomes overwhelmed, the Fire Substation will serve as a backup. Additionally, the station's conference room will be available for community events, such as blood drives, meetings, and training sessions

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the partners and individuals who contributed to this important project, including Holly Construction, RRM Design Group, and Clay Thistle, the City’s Project Manager

DISTRICT ELECTIONS

public hearing december 16, 2024

Have you heard? The City of Healdsburg is transitioning to DistrictBased Elections. We invite you to attend the City Council's first Public Hearing on December 16, 2024, to discuss the proposed transition to district-based elections. At this public hearing, we will gather community feedback on the composition of voting districts.

With District Elections, voters will elect a Councilmember who lives in and represents their specific district, replacing the current at-large voting system where all voters select every Councilmember.

Language interpretation services will be provided. We look forward to hearing your feedback!

For additional information on District Elections, visit: www.healdsburg.gov/districtelections.

HOUSING FORUM

know your rights as tenants and landlords

On December 5, 2024, the City of Healdsburg hosted a “Know Your Rights as Tenants and Landlords” forum at the Healdsburg Community Center. The event featured an informative panel discussion on tenant and landlord rights, fair housing practices, and available resources.

The forum, conducted in both English and Spanish, provided an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and gain insights into their rights and responsibilities.

Special thanks to our panelists for sharing their expertise:

Claire Morel Seytoux, Attorney, Sonoma County Legal Aid

Danyel Higgins, Regional Manager, Aperto Property Management, Inc. Luke Lindenbusch, Supervising Planner, Advance Planning and Housing, 4LEAF, Inc.

For more information on housing resources, including our new interactive affordable housing directory, please visit the City’s Housing Department’s website here.

HOME ENERGY LOAD MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Healdsburg Home Energy Load Management Program will help customers automatically shift their electric vehicle charging and cooling/heating away from periods of high energy demand and towards periods of abundant renewables.

CITY OF HEALDSBURG HOLIDAY CLOSURE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2024 -

MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2025

City Offices will be closed in observance of the holiday season.

City Hall will reopen on Monday, January 6, 2025 at 7:30 a.m.

CIUDAD DE HEALDSBURG

CIERRE POR VACACIONES

MARTES, 24 DE DICIEMBRE DE 2024LUNES, 6 DE ENERO DE 2025

Las oficinas de la ciudad estarán cerradas en observancia de la temporada navideña.

El Ayuntamiento volverá a abrir el lunes 6 de enero de 2025 a las 7:30 a.m.

healdsburg.gov

The State has recently launched its new Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEEHRA) program!

Single family homes can now receive even more incentives for efficient heat pump HVAC systems:

Up to $4,000 (if 150% of Area Median Income**) or $8,000 (if 80% of AMI**) from HEEHRA*

Up to $1,500 from TECH Clean California*

Up to $2,000 from Healdsburg Electric

Up to $2,000 Federal Tax Credit

*Must use a participating contractor for the state-wide programs

**Check to see if your income qualifies on the HEEHRA website below

Multi-family HEERHA rebates up to $14,000 per apartment include:

heat pump HVAC

heat pump water heaters

electric cooktops, ranges, ovens

heat pump clothes dryers

Get started today by finding a participating contractor at www SwitchIsOn org!

¡El Estado ha lanzado recientemente su nuevo programa de Reembolsos para Electrodomésticos y Electrificación del Hogar (HEEHRA)!

Las viviendas unifamiliares ahora pueden recibir aún más incentivos para sistemas de HVAC eficientes con bomba de calor:

Hasta $4,000 (si es 150% del ingreso medio del área**) o $8,000 (si es 80 % del ingreso medio del área**) de HEERHA*

Hasta $1,500 de TECH Clean California*

Hasta $2,000 de Healdsburg Electric

Hasta $2,000 de crédito fiscal federal

*Debe utilizar un contratista registrado para los programas estatales

**Verifique si sus ingresos califican en el sitio web de HEEHRA abajo

Los reembolsos de HEERHA para viviendas multifamiliares de hasta $14,000 por apartamento incluyen: sistemas de HVAC con bomba de calor calentadores de agua con bomba de calor cocinas, estufas, o hornos eléctricos secadoras de ropa con bomba de calor

¡Empiece hoy buscando un contratista registrado en www.SwitchIsOn.org!

WATER SAVINGS fiscalyear2023/2024

City of Healdsburg offers various water rebates. With the help of our water programs, the community was able to save 92.4 million gallons of water during the most recent fiscal year (2023/2024), with 91.6 million gallons offset by recycled water use and approx. 800,000 gallons saved through rebate programs.

Find out more about water efficiency programs offered regionally by viewing the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership’s annual report: www.savingwaterpartnership.org/about/ annual-reports/