City News: Your Weekly Update
Week of October 21, 2019

Trick or Treat with Folsom Police
Join the Folsom Police Department for their 9th annual Open House with a Halloween twist from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, October 26. Bring your little ghosts, goblins, and princesses and trick-or-treat as you tour the building (please no costumes that include weapons). Highlights of this special event include the opportunity to meet and chat with Folsom Police command staff, a chance to check out SWAT gear, learn about crime scene investigations, and meet the K-9 and mounted patrol units. Find more details at www.folsom.ca.us/police.
City of Folsom Trails Update
The City of Folsom was recently awarded grant funding from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) to develop a new Active Transportation Plan (ATP). Folsom’s Parks & Recreation and Public Works departments will work together on the city’s ATP that will guide the planning, development, and maintenance of existing and future pedestrian and bicycle networks. The ATP will also identify and prioritize improvements to the existing network of walkways, bikeways, and multi-use trails to make it easier, safer, and more convenient for residents to walk and bike in Folsom. Work on the ATP will begin in 2020 and will involve extensive public outreach with key stakeholder groups and community members.

New additions to Folsom’s trail system include:
  • Lake Natoma Trail Gap Closure
  • Blue Ravine Cycle Track
  • Oak Parkway Trail Undercrossing

Prop 218 Mailer and New FAQ Available on Proposed Utility Rate Increases
The City of Folsom has posted a Proposition 218 Notification Mailer and new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page to its website to provide helpful information and answer questions about proposed rate increases for water, wastewater, and solid waste services. The city is currently considering recommendations in an independent Rate Study to gradually increase rates for utility services in the years 2020-2024.

The Proposition 218 Mailer, which is scheduled for delivery to every property owner and customer using utility services provided by the City of Folsom, includes detailed information about:

  • Current and proposed rates for each utility.
  • Proposed schedule of phased rate increases.
  • The reason for the increased utility rates and the basis for calculating the proposed rates.
  • How Folsom’s rates compare to other neighboring communities.
  • The date, time and location of public hearing on the proposed rates.
  • How customers can provide input.
  • Where written protests may be mailed or delivered.

The FAQ provides a comprehensive list of questions with answers on items such as:

  • Why the Rate Study recommended rate increases.
  • Efforts to minimize necessary rate increases.
  • Whether proposed rate increases will fund development in the Folsom Plan Area (south of Highway 50).

Find the mailer and FAQ on the City of Folsom Utility Rates page at www.folsom.ca.us/utilityrates . 
Folsom Veterans Day Parade Entries Due Friday
The city pays tribute to the nation’s veterans at the 19 th annual Wayne Spence Folsom Veterans Day Parade Monday, November 11. The parade is held rain or shine and begins at 9 a.m. on East Bidwell Street in front of the Target/Home Goods shopping center. The parade ends at Folsom City Lions Park with a brief ceremony to honor local veterans at the Veterans Memorial.
This year’s parade theme is “Celebrating Over a Century of Service to Our Country and Going Strong,” and local Marine Corps veteran Jay Wiley serves as grand marshal. The City of Folsom is accepting parade entries through Friday, October 25; find details and entry forms on the City of Folsom website www.folsom.ca.us or call 916-461-6615 for more information.
Citizen’s Academy Applications Available
The Folsom CAPS (Citizens Assisting Public Safety) volunteers assist the Police and Fire Departments with various functions. Volunteers can be seen driving around town conducting vacation checks, patrolling parking lots as extra eyes and ears for the Police Department, helping with public education and safety fairs, working at the front counters, riding the bike trails, assisting with traffic control during parades and DUI checkpoints, and leading the city’s Neighborhood Watch and Dog Walker Watch programs.
 
The first step to becoming a CAPS volunteer is to complete the Citizens Academy. The Citizens Academy is an annual 12-week academy from January through March that provides an in-depth look at the Folsom Police and Fire departments and other city services. Applications for the 2020 Citizens Academy are available on the Folsom Police Department’s website and in the Folsom Police Department lobby. Applications must be submitted to the Folsom Police Department by November 15.
 
For more information about the CAPS program or the Citizens Academy, visit  www.folsom.ca.us/police  or call Jessica Hess, police volunteer coordinator at 916-461-6516.
Get the Dirt on Managing Soil for Healthy Plants
Learn about the components necessary for healthy garden soil at this free class Saturday, October 28. UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener and Landscape Horticulturalist Pam Bone will teach participants about how to manage soil for maximized root growth and healthy plants. The workshop begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Folsom Public Library, 411 Stafford Street. Learn more at www.folsom.ca.us/library or call 916-461-6131 for more information.

Free Halloween Spooktacular Family Fun Event Saturday
The Steve Miklos Aquatic Center hosts this free event from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, October 26. The fun for all ages includes trunk-or-treat; games, crafts, and activities; and a floating pumpkin patch. Come in costume; bring a bathing suit and towel to participate in optional pool activities. The aquatic center is located at 1200 Riley Street; call 916-461-6640 for more information.
Free Senior Workshop Tuesday
The Folsom Senior Center hosts “How Will You Spend Your Retirement Savings?” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, October 22. The workshop is presented by Bill Corley, CFP, RICP, and will focus on how to create a plan to make the most of your retirement savings and avoiding unnecessary taxes. A question and answer period is also included. The workshop is free for ages 50+; reserve your seat by calling 916-461-6601.
Upcoming City Meetings
City Council Meeting
October 22, 6:30 p.m.

Traffic Safety Committee
October 24, 4 p.m.
Contact the City of Folsom's Communication Director
Christine Brainerd · cbrainerd@folsom.ca.us · 916-461-6013 (office)

City of Folsom | 50 Natoma Street | www.folsom.ca.us