By LOWELL HURST, Watsonville Mayor
City’s 150th Birthday Cake Celebration: Please join us on Friday, March 30 at 5:30 p.m. in the historic City Plaza to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the incorporation of our city. This celebration will feature music, food, entertainment and a giant cake. Don’t miss it!
Join the 150 Club: Join us in supporting the 150th celebrations! Fundraising efforts are underway including the “150 Club,” which provides an opportunity for community members and families to donate $150 to help fund the festivities. The funds raised through this campaign will be used to fund the birthday celebration, the time capsule and special homecoming concert by Andy Vargas — the lead vocalist for the legendary rock band Santana. Community members who wish to participate in the “150 Club” will have their family portrait placed in a commemorative book that will be placed in the time capsule and will receive a limited edition commemorative sesquicentennial coin. For information, please call us at 768-3010 or email us at wa************@ci***************.org.
Spring Break Fun: Bring the kids and join us for live reptiles, feathered fun and Wetland Trail Adventures! All activities are free and all ages are welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
• Where: Watsonville Nature Center, 30 Harkins Slough Road
• When: April 3, 4 5 (Tuesday – Thursday), 12-3 p.m.
For information, call 768-1622.
More Traffic and Safety Improvements Underway! The City of Watsonville’s Engineering Division is excited to begin improvements on Airport Boulevard as part of a larger vision for traffic, bike and pedestrian safety. Most of the project costs will be covered by grants the city received through the Highway Safety Improvement Program and the State Transportation Improvement Program with the remaining portion paid by the city’s Gas Tax funds. Thanks to this funding, this project will help address current pedestrian and motorist safety issues from Freedom Boulevard to near Corralitos Creek. For information, please contact Natalie Diaz at 768-3116 or visit our website.
It’s Compost Time! The city now has a composting program for residents who want to compost at home. Composting is easy and beneficial to our environment; it helps save money, water and other resources. Residents can qualify for a compost bin by following a few simple steps — visit our website at www.cityofwatsonville.org for details. The city’s curbside yard waste collection is free to residents as long as it is used properly. For more information, contact Customer Service at 768-3133 or at cu*************@ci***************.org.
City Council Strategic Plan – We Want to Hear from You! The City Council is currently in the process of creating its next Strategic Plan goals for 2018-2020 and we want to hear from you. The city is committed to developing and implementing a Strategic Plan for Council and staff that reflects the community’s values and priorities. This plan will help the city determine where to spend time and resources, which will increase productivity and move the development of the city in a purposeful manner. Please take our online survey at:
• Survey in English: www.surveymonkey.com/r/18-20sp
• Survey in Spanish: www.surveymonkey.com/r/NTJGBPX
We will be accepting your responses until Wednesday, March 28. Your opinions and perceptions are important to us!
I love to hear from our community, so please feel free to email me directly at: lo**********@ci***************.org.
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Lowell Hurst is the mayor of Watsonville. His opinions are his own and not necessarily those of the Pajaronian.
