Who decides?
Find your issue. See who makes the decision, how to reach them, and where we found it. We list only deciders we confirmed in a source. This is an unofficial guide.
| Issue | Who decides | How to reach them | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water and sewer rates | City Council, after a mailed notice and a public hearing (Prop 218). The current rates passed as Resolution 26-01 on January 21, 2026. | Council meetings, third Wednesday, 6 PM, 810 E Street. City Clerk (530) 235-3274 | Verified1234 |
| City laws (ordinances) | City Council, by a majority of all members (3 of 5) | Speak at a council meeting. How to speak | Verified563 |
| The city budget | City Council adopts it. The City Manager drafts it. | Budget hearings at council meetings. City Manager (530) 235-3275 | Verified789 |
| Hiring or firing the City Manager and City Attorney | City Council | Council meetings, third Wednesday, 6 PM | Verified5108 |
| Choosing the police chief | City Council appoints the chief | Council meetings, third Wednesday, 6 PM | Verified103 |
| Day-to-day work of city staff | City Manager | (530) 235-3275, 810 E Street | Verified89 |
| Variances and design review | Planning Commission (5 members, picked by the mayor with council approval). Its decisions can be appealed to the City Council. | Commission meets the fourth Monday, 6 PM. Planning (530) 235-3279 | Verified1112139 |
| General Plan changes and rezoning | City Council, after the Planning Commission reports | Watch for hearing notices. Planning (530) 235-3279 | Verified111415 |
| A business license | The License Collector reviews applications | (530) 235-3279, agrajeda@cityofwilliams.org | Verified16 |
| Weeds, junk and other nuisances on private property | Code Enforcement (Police Services Division) | (530) 473-2533. Report a problem | Verified17 |
| City streets, sidewalks, street lights and parks | Public Works | (530) 473-2519, dpw@cityofwilliams.org | Verified181920 |
| County roads outside city limits | Colusa County Road Department | (530) 458-0466 or the county's online request form | Verified21 |
| Your property's assessed value | Colusa County Assessor (it does not collect taxes) | (530) 458-0450, 547 Market Street, Suite 101, Colusa | Verified22 |
| Your property tax bill | Colusa County Treasurer-Tax Collector | (530) 458-0440, 547 Market Street, Suite 111, Colusa | Verified23 |
| A new city general tax | Williams voters, by majority vote | Vote. Lesson: Art. XIII C | Verified2 |
| A new city special tax | Williams voters, by a two-thirds vote | Vote. Lesson: Art. XIII C | Verified2 |
| Overturning a new ordinance | Williams voters, by referendum petition: signatures from 10% of voters within 30 days | City Clerk (530) 235-3274. Take part | Verified244 |
| Alcohol licenses for bars and stores | California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) | ABC licensing and license lookup | Verified25 |
Want to report a problem instead? See Report a problem.
Further reading: Where the Williams code gives officials a choice over you, our close read of the places where one official decides with no written standard.
Sources cited on this page
- Resolution 26-01 (water and sewer service fee increase), signed copy Passed January 21, 2026 after a Proposition 218 hearing continued from November 19, 2025. Scanned; read with OCR. ↗
- Constitutions of California and the United States, 2025-26 edition (PDF) California Constitution as last amended November 5, 2024. ↗
- City Council page (meeting schedule, members, contact) Says regular meetings are the third Wednesday of each month at 6:00 p.m., Council Chambers, City Hall, 810 E Street; call (530) 235-3270 or (530) 473-2955. Re-read Oct 31, 2026: the page's contact box lists the City Council at (530) 235-3274 or (530) 473-2955, the same number the city directory gives the City Clerk. ↗
- City Clerk (public records requests, Form 700 filing officer) City Clerk's office, 810 E Street (P.O. Box 310). Phone (530) 235-3274, or (530) 473-2955 Ext. 111. This page has an online Public Records Request form and links a PDF request form. ↗
- Government Code §36936 (resolutions, payment orders and ordinances need a majority of the total membership) Unofficial copy of the statute, read directly. Confirm on leginfo before relying on it. ↗
- Government Code §36934 (ordinance adoption: reading and five-day rule) Unofficial copy of the statute, read directly. Confirm on leginfo before relying on it. ↗
- Williams Municipal Code ch. 3.20 (Budget system) (GoCodebook mirror) Third-party mirror (2026-10 edition). §3.20.010 requires an adopted city budget; §3.20.040 requires hearings. Check wording on Municode. ↗
- Williams Municipal Code ch. 2.06 (City administrator) (GoCodebook mirror) Third-party mirror (2026-10 edition). The code calls the office "city administrator"; the 2026 employment agreement uses the title City Manager and delegates the Chapter 2.06 powers. Check wording on Municode. ↗
- Contact Us (department directory) Department phones and addresses: City Hall 810 E Street, main line (530) 473-2955; City Clerk (530) 235-3274; Building 460 8th Street (530) 235-3276; Planning & Zoning and Business Licenses 460 8th Street (530) 235-3279; Finance and water payments 464 8th Street, Finance Director (530) 235-3271; City Manager 810 E Street (530) 235-3275; Human Resources (530) 235-3273; Parks & Recreation 810 E Street (530) 235-3277; Public Works 735 7th Street (530) 235-3270 Ext. 801, dpw@cityofwilliams.org; Police (530) 473-2661; Code Enforcement 700 North Street (530) 473-2533; Fire (530) 473-2269. City Hall hours on this page: Monday to Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed Fridays (other city pages differ). ↗
- Government Code §36505 (council appoints the police chief; may appoint a city attorney) Unofficial copy of the statute, read directly. Confirm on leginfo before relying on it. ↗
- Williams Municipal Code ch. 17.05 (Zoning: administration) (GoCodebook mirror) Third-party mirror (2026-10 edition). Who decides what (Planning Commission, director, City Council), appeals (§17.05.260.4) and design review (§17.05.270). Check wording on Municode or with the City Clerk. ↗
- Williams Municipal Code ch. 2.24 (Planning commission) (GoCodebook mirror) Third-party mirror (2026-10 edition). Five members appointed by the mayor with council approval; they serve at the council's pleasure. Check wording on Municode. ↗
- Public Notices Public notices and hearing notices; also lists Planning Commission (fourth Monday, 6 p.m.) and Parks & Recreation Commission (first Thursday, 6 p.m.) meeting times. ↗
- Government Code §65101 (planning commissions report to the legislative body) Unofficial copy of the statute, read directly. Confirm on leginfo before relying on it. ↗
- General Plan, Chapter 1: Introduction (May 2012) Lists the elements (chapters 3 to 9), the 2030 horizon, the adoption steps and the four-amendments-a-year limit under Gov. Code §65358(b). ↗
- Business License page Apply online through the city's iWorQ portal; the License Collector reviews applications, (530) 235-3279, agrajeda@cityofwilliams.org; payment is taken at the Finance Department; a license is valid for a calendar year from the issue date. ↗
- Code Enforcement page (Police Services Division) Read Oct 30, 2026. Nuisances include abandoned vehicles, weeds and other fire hazards, rubbish and debris, livestock and substandard housing. To report: "you may file a complaint on-line, or call the Police Services Division at 530-473-2533, Monday through Thursday, or stop by the Williams Police Department at 700 North Street, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m." It asks for "the exact location or address, and a complete description of the violation." We found no online complaint link on the page. ↗
- Public Works Department page Read Oct 30, 2026. Public Works maintains streets, street trees, traffic systems, parks, City buildings and graffiti removal, and runs the water system, the wastewater plant, sewer and storm drainage. ↗
- Public Works FAQs Read Oct 30, 2026. Call (530) 473-2519 about potholes on City streets, broken sidewalks next to City property, a plugged sewer main (the line from the main to the home is the owner's), missing or damaged street signs, street lights and signals (Public Works contacts PG&E; give the location), storm drain flooding, water pressure or taste, construction dust, street tree trimming and park upkeep. Missing garbage or recycling cans: NorCal Waste, (530) 473-3282. Extra trash: the Colusa County transfer station in Maxwell, (530) 438-2622. ↗
- Public Works: Contact Us Read Oct 30, 2026. Public Works, 735 7th Street; phone (530) 473-2955 Ext. 801; dpw@cityofwilliams.org; the page also has a web message form. (The city directory lists (530) 235-3270 Ext. 801 for the same office.) ↗
- Road Department Read Oct 30, 2026. Maintains about 750 miles of county roads in the unincorporated areas. Report a road problem with the online Road Maintenance Request Form (Request Tracker, needs an account) or call Public Works at (530) 458-0466; call 911 for emergencies. Williams Yard: 5714 E Street, (530) 473-5301. ↗
- Assessor Read Oct 30, 2026. Values all real property and taxable personal property, applies exemptions and answers assessment questions; it does not collect taxes. (530) 458-0450, 547 Market Street, Suite 101, Colusa. ↗
- Treasurer-Tax Collector Read Oct 30, 2026. County office for property tax bills and payments; 547 Market Street, Suite 111, Colusa, (530) 458-0440 (county directory). A county news item of Oct 7, 2026 (CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=694) says the Tax Collector's Office mails the annual property tax bills in October. ↗
- Elections Code §9237 (referendum petition: 30 days, 10%) Unofficial copy of the statute, read directly (FindLaw copy was blocked to automated checks). Confirm on leginfo before relying on it. ↗
- Licensing Read Oct 30, 2026. ABC issues and renews alcohol licenses, may refuse to issue a license, and has a license lookup. ↗
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