City News
Holiday Edition
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Folsom City Council Selects New Mayor and Vice Mayor |
The Folsom City Council selected Kerri Howell as mayor and Rosario Rodriguez as vice mayor at the December 14 City Council meeting. The council chooses one of its members to preside as mayor and vice mayor on an annual basis. The one-year terms are effective immediately.
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Let’s Map Folsom’s Future Together |
The City of Folsom is transitioning to a by-district system for electing Folsom City Councilmembers and wants to hear from residents about how to split the city into five districts.
The process for establishing districts is controlled by federal and state laws, including data from the federal census. The city has hired a professional demographer to assist in the creation of proposed district boundaries based on demographics and input from Folsom residents.
As part of this process, the public is invited to submit district boundary suggestions. Proposed maps must be received on or before January 3.
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Folsom Utility Rate Increase |
On December 14, the Folsom City Council approved utility rate increases needed to support the operational and capital requirements determined for running the organic waste recycling program mandated by SB 1383. The new rates will appear on your utility bill for solid waste services beginning in January 2022. The cost for waste collection at the typical household will increase from $34.50 per month to $46.25 per month.
The rate increases are needed to comply with the unfunded state mandate under SB 1383 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The state-mandated programs significantly increase costs. Folsom’s organics recycling program includes weekly collection of all organic materials from residents and businesses, community outreach and education, procurement of products made from recycled organic material, edible food recovery, and enforcement.
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Holiday Gift Ideas that Help the Animals |
Find something for everyone on your holiday gift list and help support the amazing animals at the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary at the same time! The zoo sanctuary gift shop stocks a variety of youth and adult clothing, mugs, toys, books, puzzles, and beautiful 2022 calendars featuring many of our animal residents. You can also help provide food, treats, and toys for your favorite animals by selecting ornaments from the giving trees when you visit. You can even make someone an honorary “monkey’s uncle” when you purchase an animal “adoption.” Learn more.
Purchase a Legacy Leaf on the Giving Tree at the Barnyard Experience to honor a beloved individual, your family, or a special occasion. Proceeds benefit the Friends of the Folsom Zoo Sanctuary, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of the animals. Learn more about the Friends and purchase your Legacy Leaf online.
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Thank You, Folsom, for Another Successful Holiday Toy Drive |
The Folsom community has shown its generosity in so many ways this holiday season! Citizens Assisting Public Safety (CAPS) volunteers and the Folsom Police and Fire departments thank all who donated food, toys and gifts to Folsom families in need at the Christmas Toy Drive and Santa Sleigh.
- Thousands of toys, clothing items, and gifts collected.
- More than 3,150 pounds of non-perishable food items collected for the Twin Lakes Food Bank.
- Forty-one families and 106 children directly served by the Citizens Assisting Public Safety (CAPS) Christmas Toy Drive, and hundreds served alongside our community partners Powerhouse Ministries, California Highway Patrol, Rancho Cordova Police Activities League, and Blessings in a Backpack.
- Sixty-six bikes – plus 19 go-karts, 11 pairs of roller skates, and seven skateboards – collected and distributed.
- Dozens of neighborhoods, schools, businesses, and community organizations collected donations.
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Don’t Let Fats, Oils, And Grease (FOG) Ruin Your Holiday Cheer |
It’s the time of year for family and friends to come together and enjoy a delicious meal. After all that meal planning and prepping, the last thing anyone wants is a messy, costly sewer backup—a guaranteed way to ruin the holiday cheer.
To help prevent backups, properly dispose of FOG with these four easy steps:
• Can It - Pour solidified fats and grease into a sturdy container and place it in your garbage.
• Scrape It - Before washing, scrape out fats, oils, and grease from pots and pans into your garbage.
• Trash It - Put fatty and greasy food scraps in the garbage.
• Recycle It - Place cooled cooking oil back into the original container and make an appointment to have it picked up through the City of Folsom Door-2-Door Residential Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program.
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The annual Christmas tree recycling drop-off event returns Saturday, January 8. Trees will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rodeo Park at the end of Stafford Street. All ornaments, tinsel, lights, nails, and stands must be removed before dropping off a tree.
The trees will be recycled and converted into mulch, which adds nutrients into the soil and helps it to retain water.
In addition, community organizations will collect trees throughout the city as part of their fundraising activities. Residents may also recycle Christmas trees in the green waste bins. Trees must be cut into pieces no larger than two feet in length and four inches in diameter, and the lid must close completely to receive service.
As a reminder, the city collects garbage, green waste, and recycling on all holidays, so place cans out on your normal collection day.
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How to Dispose of Electronic Waste |
From phones and laptops to toys and gadgets, it’s out with the old and in with the new during the holiday season—and that means a lot of electronic waste. In California, it is illegal to throw away electronic waste. When batteries and electronics end up in landfills, toxics like lead, mercury, and cadmium leach into the soil and water.
Most types of electronics and batteries can be recycled for free in Folsom’s Door-2-Door Residential Household Hazardous Waste Collection program. Schedule an appointment at www.folsom.ca.us/wastecollection or call 916-461-6730. You can also drop off your old, unwanted batteries at participating
Folsom retailers.
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Wild Nights and Holiday Lights at the Folsom Zoo Sanctuary |
Limited Tickets Still Available
The zoo sanctuary is transformed into a festive holiday wonderland with thousands of bright and colorful lights, sparkling ornaments and trees, lighted animal figures, and seasonal displays. Local caroling groups and musicians provide the merry sounds of the season, and the Folsom Valley Railway miniature train provides special nighttime rides.
Wild Nights and Holiday Lights is open from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. December 17-23 (weather permitting; heavy rains will cancel). All proceeds from the event benefit the zoo sanctuary animals.
Admission tickets are selling out quickly and advance online ticket purchase is recommended. Train ride tickets are already sold out for some dates. To provide an enhanced experience for guests, admission and train rides are limited each night of the event and tickets for both are date-specific. Event admission is $10/person and train tickets are $5/person; admission and train rides are free for ages under 2 years.
Purchase tickets online at webtrac.folsom.ca.us. Tickets may also be purchased at the zoo sanctuary ticket booth, open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Follow Facebook.com/FolsomParksandRec for daily event updates, ticket availability, and potential weather-related schedule changes. Call 916-461-6601 for questions.
Note: the picnic pavilion in City Lions Park is included as part of the Holiday Lights event – public access to this area is closed through the end of December. The playgrounds remain open for daily use.
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There is no change to waste collection schedules on holidays— if your regular garbage day lands on a holiday, continue to place your cans curbside by 6 a.m. To set up waste collection reminders or access your recycling pickup schedule, visit www.folsom.ca.us/wastecollection, or download the free Folsom Waste Collection app from your favorite app store.
Reduce Waste this Holiday Season
Help Folsom reduce trash going to the landfill this holiday season.
Place in your recycle can:
- Wrapping paper, tissue, cards, and envelopes
- Food and beverage containers (clean and dry)
- Cardboard boxes (flattened, clean and dry, small enough to fall freely from the can and for the lid to close completely)
Place in your trash can:
- Metallic paper (including tissue with metallic trim)
- Vinyl or mylar wrapping
- Styrofoam
- Ribbons and bows (reuse whenever possible)
Use the online Waste Wizard to find out whether a material can be reused, recycled, composted, or placed in the garbage. Learn more at www.folsom.ca.us/wastecollection.
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Library Offers New Suite of Free Skill Building and Career Development Resources |
The Folsom Public Library added a broad array of free software to help library patrons learn new vocational and educational skills, earn professional certificates, and prepare for jobs.
Thanks to a grant from the California State Library and funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), library patrons now have free access to thousands of online classes from six providers: Coursera, GetSetUp, LearningExpress, LinkedIn Learning, Northstar, and Skillshare.
These online resources expand the digital workforce platform offerings at Folsom Public Library and allow patrons to visit the website or use the library’s public internet computers to participate in online classes, take practice exams, learn new skills, and more. Access to these platforms normally comes with subscriptions and other fees, but for at least one year through ARPA funding, they are all available for free to any California library user.
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With lower temperatures and winter rains, now is the time to turn your sprinklers off. Your landscape will receive all the moisture it needs from the wet weather.
- Most landscaping goes dormant during the winter months and does not need additional water.
- Cooler temperatures and shorter days mean less plant growth and additional watering is unnecessary.
- Longer nights and cooler temperatures allow soil to stay moist for a longer period of time.
- Turn your sprinklers off until next spring.
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The City of Folsom Holiday Closures |
City administrative offices will be closed December 23-24 and December 30-31 for the holidays. For urgent city issues, call 916-461-6400. Call 9-1-1 for life-threatening emergencies.
- Garbage service will be provided as usual; please place your cans curbside by 6 a.m. on your regular day of service.
- Transit services will be available on a holiday schedule through the Folsom Stage Line operated by SacRT.
- The Folsom Public Library will be closed December 24 and 25 and December 31 and January 1.
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The Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary has special holiday hours.
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The Andy Morin Sports Complex has special holiday hours.
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The Steve Miklos Aquatic Center has special holiday hours.
- The Fun Factory and Kindergarten Readiness classrooms will be closed December 20-31.
- The CAVE Teen Centers will be closed December 20-31.
- The FIDO Field Dog Park will be open from 7 a.m. to one hour after sunset.
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The Folsom Skate and Bike Parks have special holiday hours.
- The Folsom Senior Center, Folsom Art Center, and Gallery at 48 Natoma will be closed December 20-31.
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Contact the City of Folsom Communications Director
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Get Connected, Stay Informed |
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