By OSCAR RIOS, Watsonville Mayor
Happy Holidays: The holidays are a special time of celebration, reflection and looking forward to a brighter future. In this holiday message and my last message as your 2017 mayor, I want to thank you for the support, kind words, and amazing dedication that city staff and the community have shown. We are truly blessed to live in a wonderful city that continues to move Watsonville forward. It has been an honor and privilege to serve as your mayor. I am proud to call Watsonville home and I feel fortunate to be a part of this beautiful community. I want to wish you and your family a happy holiday season and a peaceful and healthy New Year!
Watsonville Sesquicentennial Celebration: Throughout 2018 the City of Watsonville will be celebrating its 150th anniversary! We have a series of spirited sesquicentennial events planned throughout the year that will give our community an opportunity to come together to celebrate all the history and cultures that have created the fabric of our community. Information about all upcoming events, historical photos and ways to share your memories of Watsonville will be available on the Sesquicentennial website at www.watsonville150.org. The website will go live on Dec. 12. I encourage the community to attend upcoming events to celebrate the history and beauty of our city.
Watsonville Community Bike Repair Day & Ride: Join the Watsonville Bike Shack, Bike Santa Cruz County, and Bike Friendly Watsonville for a free bike repair and community bike ride. The event will be held on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 11 a.m. at the Watsonville Bike Shack located at 555 Main St. People of all ages are welcome. There will be a free raffle for kids bikes, bike lights and more! Have a flat tire? Need your brakes adjusted? Come out and get them fixed by the volunteer mechanics!
Free Curbside Pick-up of Christmas Trees in January: Starting Jan. 8-Jan. 12, you can place your Christmas trees on the curbside next to your garbage bin on your regularly scheduled pick-up day. Please make sure to remove the stand, lights, tinsel and all other ornaments. You can also drop-off your Christmas tree at the city’s Garbage and Recycling Center located at 320 Harvest Drive in Watsonville. For more information on Christmas tree pick-up/drop-off, call our Customer Service staff at 768-3133.
Seniors/Care Utility Users Tax Exemption: Seniors and PG&E Care customers living in Watsonville are eligible for tax breaks on some of their utility bills. To apply for the exemption complete the short form found on our website at: cityofwatsonville.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=244. Once the form is completed you can mail or deliver it along with a copy of your recent PG&E bill to the City Finance Department at 250 Main St., Watsonville, CA 95076. If you have questions or concerns, you can call Finance at 768-3471.
Strawberry Festival Survey: We are getting ready for the 2018 Strawberry Festival and want to hear from you. What do you want to see, what can we improve to make the festival even better? Please complete our short survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/B8MRP2Y.
Garbage & Recycling Will Not Change: Your garbage and recycling pick-up schedule will not change during the holidays. Please remember to set out carts at the end of your driveway or curb the night before your service day.
City of Watsonville Holiday Closures: City of Watsonville facilities will be closed on Dec. 25 and 26 for Christmas and Jan. 1 and 2 for New Year’s.
I love to hear from our community, so please feel free to email me directly at: os********@ci***************.org.
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Oscar Rios is the mayor of Watsonville. His opinions are his own and not necessarily those of the Pajaronian.
