Blog #41 - Foreclosure Resources

As the reality of home foreclosures hits Marin County with increasing frequency I thought it would be a good public service to list some resources:

FORECLOSURE RESOURCES
- A list of housing counseling agencies can be found on the Department of Housing and Urban Development Web site at www.hud.gov. Click on the "Avoid Foreclosure" link.

- Home ownership Preservation Foundation at 1-888-995-HOPE (4673) or www.995hope.com

- Operation Hope at 1-877-592-HOPE or www.operationhope.org

- Consumer Credit Counseling Services of San Francisco at 1-800-777-7526 or www.housingeducation.org

- Housing Rights Inc. at 800-261-2298 or www.housingrights.org

- Marin Family Action at 444-0915 or www.marinfamilyaction.org

- Fair Housing of Marin at 457-5025 or www.fairhousingmarin.com

This information came from an Independent Journal Article published on Sunday, December 28th. For the full article go to the following: http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_11323224

Blog #40 Special Events in Fairfax

2008 New Year's Eve Enchanted Ball

The 2008 New Year's Eve Enchanted Ball will be held at the Pavilion on December 31st from 7 PM-Midnight. This is fun for the entire family! Includes a Live Theatre Performance and dancing, cabaret, games, prizes and more. There will be great music, great surprises, and great food. Dress up as your favorite character! Adults are $10 and Kids $7.50 Kids Under Five are FREE!!!


2nd Annual Ice Skating Event

The Second Annual Ice Skating Event will take place on January 3-4 at the Pavilion from 12-5 PM each day. Tickets go on sale at 11:30 AM both days so come early to reserve your half an hour on the ice. Brought to you by the Fairfax Parks and Recreation Commission. Adults are $3 and Kids are $2 each. Hot chocolate and games will be available.

Blog #39-Use of Roundup on Center Blvd. Landscape Areas

On December 4, 2008, residents passing by the Post Office on Center Boulevard noticed employees of Cohen Landscaping applying round-up in the landscaped planters. Kathy Wilkie, Public Works Director, was notified of the transgression of the Town’s Pesticide Free ordinance and immediately directed the contractor to cease and desist from any further pesticide use.

Ms. Wilkie was informed by the contractor that an unlicensed pesticide applicator of Cohen Landscaping did apply Roundup as approved under the construction contract for the Center Boulevard project. Cohen Landscaping is a subcontractor of Ghilotti Brothers, Inc, and is responsible for maintaining the newly planted landscaping for the duration of the one-year warranty period. The Town will issue, by tomorrow, a letter declaring their actions a public nuisance (the first offense penalty per Chapter 8.52.110 of the Town Code relating to Pesticides). The State of California is investigating the matter and has the authority to issue penalties, including fines to Cohen Landscaping for being unlicensed and violating safety procedures during the spraying.

How did this happen in a Town so committed to environmental sustainability? The public deserves an explanation of the circumstances and what actions will be taken to prevent this from occurring in the future.

What happened? When the plans and specifications were prepared in 2007 they included standard language for weed abatement that allows the use of herbicides. However, Fairfax has more rigid restrictions that were not included in the documents. The Town staff and Council approved the plans, and specifications believing that the documents included the Fairfax restrictions.

What will prevent this from occurring in the future? New language has been incorporated in the contract specifications to strictly prohibit the use of pesticides. The Town ordinance restricting the use of herbicides and pesticides will be attached to all contract documents and these documents will become the standard specifications for all future capital improvement projects in Fairfax.

The Town sincerely apologizes for this illegal action and will ensure this does not occur in the future.

Blog #38 Council Action from December 3, 2008 Meeting

The Town Council took the following actions at the December 3rd Meeting:

• Mayor Maggiore announced the Town Council agreed to join the Amicus Brief in opposition to the passage of Proposition 8 on the November 4, 2008 ballot.
• Brownie Scouts addressed the Council and called to action to fight the Climate Change in response to ICLEI request. Several brownies in uniform were present with two mothers as part of a “Cool the Earth” project and requested the support of the Council and the audience to participate by agreeing to update lights to “twisty bulbs,” to use cold water to wash clothes, to “Power Down” by turning off home electronics that use electricity even when they are turned off; to reduce junk mail; and to use reusable bottles.
• Resident Jory Prum reported that daily, weekly and monthly bus passes would be available early in 2009; extended congratulations to the Council for getting Creek Road Bridge open; asked when the footbridge behind Town Hall would be open; and expressed concern about the danger to pedestrians of motorists not stopping at crosswalks, especially on Sir Francis Drake; and suggested that the police department conduct a pedestrian sting operation as had been done in San Rafael, to help make pedestrians safer. Public Works Director Wilkie responded that the pedestrian bridge was on the list of FEMA projects and that it was currently planned to be completed by July of 2009. Chief Hughes responded to the suggestion of a pedestrian sting operation and stated that the Fairfax department was considering such an operation.
• Pam Meigs, Planning Commission Chair, and Mimi Newton, Open Space Committee Chair, presented Mayor Maggiore with a redwood sapling for her hard work and commitment to the Town.
• The Town Council voted unanimously to appoint Vice Mayor Weinsoff as Mayor.
• Newly appointed Mayor Weinsoff presented a gavel plaque with a quote from J. F. Kennedy to outgoing Mayor Maggiore.
• The Council appointed Michael Ardito to the Open Space Committee to complete an unexpired term to June 30, 2012.
• Council approved the purchase of electric bicycles. Police Chief Hughes presented the staff report, the company spokesman Rob Fruechtenicht answered questions from the Council regarding the electric bicycles and Officer Rodriquez demonstrated the vehicle.

The next regular Town Council Meeting has been changed to January 14, 2009.