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Retirement 'protest' flyer for Winters city employees sparks controversy

The flyer invited people to protest the retirement of three long-time Winters city officials including City Manager John Donlevy.

WINTERS, Calif. — At least one person with ties to Winters is upset by a recently-circulated, city flyer that appears to make light of recent Black Lives Matter protests and the coronavirus pandemic.

The flyer invited people to "protest" the retirement of three long-time Winters city officials, including city manager John Donlevy, economic development and housing manager Dan Maguire, and environmental services manager Carol Scianna. The flyer states the retiring employees have a combined 51-years-experience working with the city. 

The "protest," which was originally scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 1, has been canceled on the advice of the Yolo County Attorney, said Tracy Jensen, Winters city clerk. 

It is still unclear who created the flyer, although it did ask people who planned to attend to "socially distance, bring a mask and sanitizer, and to stay home if they are feeling sick."

“We live in unbelievable times. The rampant abuse by some people taking personal liberties to dedicate time to family, life and career simply must end,” the flyer reads. “At this protest we will calling for defunding, equity and the revocation of certain liberties which are clearly not in the interest of our community." 

   

Joie Rodolfa, a Winters native who now lives in Folsom, contends that the posting makes light of the Black Lives Matter movement and the COVID-19 pandemic all in one. 

“When concerns were brought to their attention about the moratorium on public gatherings, they simply re-branded it as a 'protest' to protest the retirement of their three employees,” Rodolfa said. “They clearly have zero regard for the 200% increase in COVID cases in Yolo County this month.” 

Winters City Manager John Donlevy said in an e-mail the flyer went out to a small group of people and was not anything official. 

“The 'protest' was a joke to have folks come by and recognize some retirements,” Donlevy said.

Yolo County officials were notified of the event and communicated with Donlevy Tuesday, Yolo County spokesperson Jenny Tran said in an email. In recent weeks, Yolo County officials have increased enforcement measures of the health orders meant to slow the spread of coronavirus. As of Tuesday, July 28, Yolo County has had just under 1,500 confirmed cases of coronavirus

“Gatherings are still a cause of increasing COVID-19 cases in our community and it’s essential that we are all responsible and accountable for our actions in helping to lower the spread,” Tran said.

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