Blog #74 Ice Skating at Pavilion

Come join us the weekend of January 8 & 9, 2011 for family ice skating in the Pavilion hosted by Park & Rec. An 1800 foot synthetic ice rink will be set up for entertainment & fun. Skating times run from noon to 5 p.m. on both days. A flat rate of $4 buys you 30 minutes of ice skating and includes the rental of the skates. This year, we will provide a bounce house for kids under 5 who are too young to skate. A small fee will be charged. Additionally, a concession stand will offer hot dogs, chips, sodas, popcorn, cookies, hot cocoa & coffee for sale.

Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 8th for ticket sales. Don’t delay, as this event has been known to sell out! All proceeds benefit Park & Rec. For more info, call 456-5652.

Blog #73 - Year in Review for 2010 - Town Accomplishments

Another year has gone by in our great Town and you may wonder what has the Town accomplished this year? Here is a list of some of the highlights of 2010 in chronological order:

JANUARY- MARCH 2010

Ross Valley School Bond: This year started with the the Ross Valley School District holding community meetings to discuss the siting of a new K-5 school in several possible locations in Fairfax. The Deer Park residents and others came to the Town Council asking for assistance from the Town Council. The Deer Park and Town and Country Club proposed sites garnered much discussion at many community meetings, including two well organized charrettes in Fairfax. After all of these meetings the Town Council worked with the school district and the community to get a bond measure passed in November 2010 that did not include a new school site in Fairfax.

Marin Energy Authority: The Town Council unanimously chose the “Dark Green” option with the Marin Clean Energy (MCE) program. The “Dark Green” option uses 100% renewable energy. The other option with MCE was a “Light Green” option which uses about 50% renewable energy. The Town’s solar panels on the Pavilion are powering most of the Town’s energy needs thus the “dark green” option will essentially be cost neutral for the Town.

APRIL-JUNE 2010

Hazardous Fuel Reduction Grant: The Town was granted $168,831 in funding from the USDA Forest Service! Our Fire Hazardous Fuel Reduction grant proposal was one of 397 grant proposals this year requesting a total of $70 million. The grant covers environmental consultation, photo monitoring, and contract administration. One major item of the grant requires the hiring of qualified contractors to perform primarily brush clearing and tree trimming services.

Camp Fairfax: Expanded Camp Fairfax from one week to three weeks in 2010 due to the popularity of the one week offer on 2009, the first year of the Camp. The FOCUS program will consider even more Camp Fairfax weeks in 2011! Thanks to all the residents and staff in Fairfax and beyond who made this a great day camp experience for our youth.

The General Plan: In May the Council began the process of reviewing the first of many general plan elements - the Safety Element. Over the next seven months the Council reviewed all the elements of the General Plan culminating in the acceptance of the draft General Plan in December 2010. The next step is to have the environmental review of the plan started in January 2011.

SMART METERS: The Fairfax Town Council wrote a letter to the California Public Utilities Commission requesting that they investigate SMART Meters for a variety of issues related to the accuracy of the meters, possible health hazards, and privacy issues.

Ross Valley Fire JPA: The Town Council unanimously voted to amend the Ross Valley Fire Joint Powers Authority (JPA) Agreement to include Sleepy Hollow as a full voting member of the JPA at a Special Town Council meeting on Saturday, June 5, 2010

Second Unit Amnesty Program: Adopted Ordinance 751 amending the second unit amnesty program to eliminate the requirement for fire suppression sprinklers for existing second units qualifying for legalization.

JULY-SEPTEMBER 2010

FOCAS Program: Approved an Agreement with Camille Esposito to provide Youth Services as part of the FOCAS (Fairfax Open Circle Arts). The Youth Services budget ($18,000 per year) is part of the Measure I funds voters approved in November 2009.

More SMART Meter Actions: Agreed to intervene in the City and County of San Francisco motion at the California Public Utilities Commission to suspend deployment of Smart Meters and agreed to have staff bring back a draft ordinance at the next meeting banning the installation of Smart Meters in Fairfax

Town Hires New Police Chief: The Town Council, in a unanimous vote, hired Chris Morin as the new Police Chief. Ken Hughes retired after nearly 40 years of service to the Town. Chief Morin brings more than 20 years of experience to the job.

Smart Meter Moratorium: The Town Council unanimously passed an urgency ordinance on August 4, 2010 that places a one year moratorium on the deployment of smart meters in Fairfax. PG&E representatives were also present at the Council meeting and told the Council that they would voluntarily halt the deployment of the controversial smart meters in Fairfax immediately. PG&E also promised to hold several community meetings so that they could hear the concerns and questions from residents and businesses and then respond to those questions and concerns. To date there have been three Special Council meetings with PG&E to hear the concerns of the residents and to receive answers from PG&E on privacy, health and accuracy of the meters.

OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2010

Town Budget Adopted: The Town Council adopted the Fiscal Year 2010/11 Operating and Capital Budgets on October 6, 2010. The budget adoption was later than usual in part because the Council had to balance the $205,000 deficit. The General Fund Operating budget is $6.901 million down from $6.988 million the prior year. Estimated revenues for property taxes are 2% less than last year and have been flat or lower than previous years for the last three years. This loss coupled with sales tax losses amounts to a loss of about $125,000 in revenue just over last fiscal year.

To balance the FY 2010/11 several vacant positions were left unfilled for several extra months to save money. For the second straight year, employees throughout the Town did not receive any cost of living adjustments. Most employees have lost compensation as they are paying a portion of their retirement costs out of their pocket which started over a year ago. All operating budgets (materials and supplies) in the Town have been cut 4% over the last two years as another necessary measure to balance the budget.

New Master Fees Adopted: The Town Council adopted a resolution revising the Master Fee schedule on October 6, 2010. New fees will take effect on November 8, 2010. New Fees are posted at the Town’s website www.townoffairfax.org in the agenda packet for the October 6th meeting as Item 17.

New Start Time for Council Meetings: The Council adopted Ordinance 755 changing the regular time of the Town Council meetings from 7:30 PM to 7:00 PM.

Fiscal Sustainability Workshop Held: The Town Council held a Fiscal Sustainability Workshop on November 17, 2010 to discuss eliminating the structural deficit in the budget which will include further cuts to the budget through a reorganization of the Town staff. This Council Workshop included a discussion of escalating retirement and health care costs and the possibility of a further partnership with employees to share the burden with the Town to pay for these escalating costs. A discussion of new revenue sources will also factor into the five year fiscal sustainability plan. This workshop was informational only and no policy decisions were made by the Council.

Good Earth Signs Lease Agreement to move to Old Albertson's building: After many years of speculation and wishful thinking from Fairfax residents, the closed Albertson's at Fair-Anselm Plaza is finally getting a new tenant. Good Earth announced on November 30, 2010, it is signing a long-term lease with LRG Capital to occupy the 23,000 square foot space that has stood empty since Albertson's shut a number of its Northern California stores in 2006.

The long-term lease and move to Fair-Anselm includes an expansive remodel, something Good Earth partners Mark Squire and Baylacq both say includes environmentally-friendly renovations to cut down on energy use and make the building more sustainable.

Renovations include large windows to capitalize on natural light, construction of a clerestory, a grey water system, permeable asphalt, and solar panels. Both the Good Earth partners and LRG Capital will work with design teams on the total overhaul of the building. Baylacq said they've been working on designs for the last four months, which have to be approved by the Town of Fairfax. The renovations are expected to be complete and the new store opened in October 2011.

New Mayor and Vice Mayor selected: Larry Bragman as the next Mayor and Pam Hartwell-Herrero as the next Vice Mayor. Both will serve one year terms and both were unanimous votes of the Town Council. Newly appointed Mayor Bragman commented on some major themes that the Council will have to tackle in the next year. The contracting economy continues and it is affecting the public sector more than any other. Mayor Bragman stated we need a vital public sector, and we need to continue to improve efficiencies and maintain humanity and civility as the challenge of balancing the Town budget continues. Volunteer Boards and Commissions will play a key role in assisting the Town with all of the activities it needs to accomplish.

Blog #72 - Holiday Schedule at Town Hall

Holiday Greetings to all Fairfaxians!!

Town Hall will be closed December 23, 2010- January 2, 2011. So far the rain is steady and with dry periods in between each storm. There has been thunder and lightning so please be careful outdoors.

Please be sure to remove all leaves and mud from your rain gutters so that the water may drain as normally as possible.

Have a great holiday season!!

Blog #71 - New Year's Eve Ball

Fairfax Artists in Residence Sponsor the Fifth New Year's Eve Ball. December 31, 2010 8 PM-1:00 AM at the Pavilion. $12 at the door. Seniors and Students $10 - Kids under 5 are free!!
See flyer above for more information:

Blog #69 Fairfax Volunteers Holiday Caroling and Potluck-December 12th

The annual Fairfax Volunteers Holiday Caroling and Potluck is almost upon us. See attached flyer for all the details.

Blog #70 - FOCUS PROGRAMS - Winter Newsletter

The Newsletter below was written by Camille Esposito who runs the FOCUS Programs. There is a lot of recreational activities for all ages. Please take a look at all the new programs the Town has to offer!! Great job Camille for vastly improving the FOCUS programs!

Winter Newsletter December 1st, 2010

Greetings!

A chill is in the air and we are working on lots of fun things to do inside this Winter. Come join us for some fun!

Winter Birthdays
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What do you do when the weather is cold and rainy and you need to celebrate a
Winter birthday? Come celebrate in the Pavilion! There is tons of room for fun activities - treasure hunts, sports and even a jumpy! You can rent the space and bring your own activity or you can have us set up all the play equipment from our playgroup.

We are also offering music and art parties - check our website for rates and details.

Pavilion Playgroup
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We are getting all set up for the Playgroup to start. The first day we will be open is Wednesday December 8th - your cards from last season will be good thru the end of the calendar year so come down and have some fun! We refreshed the Pavilion this Fall, the stage and benches have been painted, it looks great and is ready for a fun season of play.


Family Fun Nights at the Pavilion
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We are thrilled to announce that every Friday we are hosting Family Fun Night at the Pavilion. This is a great opportunity to get out and have some fun on a Friday night with the whole family. Adults get to play games - handball, foursquare, dodgeball and more - while the kids play on riding toys and mats! $5 per adult, kids are FREE.

Most Friday evenings 5:30-7:30pm Fairfax Pavilion
Check our online calendar for schedule or find us on Facebook Fairfax Fun Fridays


Quick Links...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.fairfaxfocas.com

Volunteer to help out at the Craft Faire
Winter Birthday Party Info


Contact Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
phone: 415.256.9207 email: fairfaxfocas@yahoo.com

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FOCAS 142 Bolinas Ave Fairfax CA 94930

Blog #68 Horse and Carriage Rides with Santa Claus in Downtown Fairfax

On December 12, 2010 the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce is offering free horse and carriage rides with Santa Claus in Downtown Fairfax. See flyer below for all the details:

Blog #67 - General Plan Accepted, New Mayor and Vice Mayor Selected

The Town Council had a busy meeting on December 1, 2010 beginning the meeting by appointing Larry Bragman as the next Mayor and Pam Hartwell-Herrero as the next Vice Mayor. Both will serve one year terms and both were unanimous votes of the Town Council. Newly appointed Mayor Bragman commented on some major themes that the Council will have to tackle in the next year. The contracting economy continues and it is affecting the public sector more than any other. Mayor Bragman stated we need a vital public sector, and we need to continue to improve efficiencies and maintain humanity and civility as the challenge of balancing the Town budget continues. Volunteer Boards and Commissions will play a key role in assisting the Town with all of the activities it needs to accomplish.

After more than ten years of drafting various elements of the General Plan the final draft was accepted by the Town Council and staff was directed to begin the environmental review process. A debt of gratitude goes out to the General Plan Advisory Committee, the Planning Commission, the Design Review Board, the Super Committee, and our indispensable consultant Larry Kennings. Our planning director Jim Moore warrants special mention as he worked for the last year and a half compiling all the comments and edits and crafted the final draft. Thank you Jim Moore for your tremendous leadership working with the grass roots committees on completing, for the first time in Town history, a fully updated final draft General Plan. Outgoing Mayor Lew Tremaine commented that bringing to fruition a final draft General Plan and serving on the Super Committee was an honor and a privilege and the major accomplishment during his tenure as Mayor.

Other actions taken at the Regular Meeting on December 1, 2010:

• Adopted a Resolution approving the negotiated Memorandum of Understanding with the Fairfax Police Officers Association for the period July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011. The MOU has no financial implications for the Town and POA employees will receive no cost of living or benefit increases of any kind.

• Adopted a Resolution in Appreciation of the contributions of Ingrid Weiss to the Town as the Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce

• Adopted an Urgency Ordinance No. 756-U adopting 2011 Building Codes

• Discussed Fire Code updates and will meet on December 15, 2010 to adopt updated Fire Codes

Other notes and announcements:

• The Town Council will hold a Special Town Council meeting on December 15, 2010 to further discuss the Fire Code Updates.

• Future regular meetings of the Town Council will begin at 7:00 p.m. starting January 12, 2011

• Sustainable Fairfax/FOCAS Holiday Craft Fair, December 11th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pavilion

• Annual Holiday Caroling, Wreath Making and Potluck sponsored by the Fairfax Volunteers on December 12th, 3 to 6 p.m. at the Women’s Club

• Ice Skating at the Pavilion January 8 and 9, sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Commission
• Vacancy on the Design Review Board for an unexpired term to January 31, 2011

• Two vacancies on the Planning Commission for full four-year terms to December 31, 2014

• Town Hall will be closed for regular business from December 23-31, 2010 due to the holiday schedule. Police services are open 24/7 every day of the year.

Blog #66 - Good Earth Signs Lease to move to old Alberstson's site

Parts of the article below were excerpted from an article that appeared in Patch News as written by Kelly Dunleavy on November 30, 2010:


After many years of speculation and wishful thinking from Fairfax residents, the closed Albertson's at Fair-Anselm Plaza is finally getting a new tenant.

Good Earth announced on November 30, 2010, it is signing a long-term lease with LRG Capital to occupy the 23,000 square foot space that has stood empty since Albertson's shut a number of its Northern California stores in 2006.

"It's the perfect fit for that building," said Town Manager Michael Rock. "It'll be good for the town in the long run, good for Good Earth, and good for the community."

The natural food store, at its current location since 2000, has been looking to expand, even considering a move to the Home Depot/Yard Birds location in San Rafael or the Delano's Market at various points in the past few years. The possibility of expanding to two or three stores in Marin is also still on the table, said Good Earth partner Al Baylacq.

"We know there's a lot riding on this," said Baylacq, pointing out that it'll help enhance the business community, revamp the entrance to town, and provide more opportunities to residents. "It's a win-win-win-win."

The long-term lease and move to Fair-Anselm includes an expansive remodel, something Good Earth partners Mark Squire and Baylacq both say includes environmentally-friendly renovations to cut down on energy use and make the building more sustainable.

"Our products have always been the greenest so our building will naturally be the greenest as well," said Squire in a statement.

Renovations include large windows to capitalize on natural light, construction of a clerestory, a grey water system, permeable asphalt, and solar panels. Both the Good Earth partners and LRG Capital will work with design teams on the total overhaul of the building. Baylacq said they've been working on designs for the last four months, which have to be approved by the Town of Fairfax.

The renovations are expected to be complete and the new store opened in October 2011.

For a grocery store that started in a tiny space on Bolinas Avenue in 1969, the growing demand for natural and organic products has meant the need for a bigger location. The new site will also include an expanded prepared foods, deli, and bakery section – a favorite among many locals.

"The Good Earth lease is an important step to revitalizing the Fairfax property," said Geoffrey Koblick, one of the managers of the LRG Capital Real Estate Fund, in a prepared statement.

Though the revitalization of one of the town's biggest empty storefronts is a boon for Fairfax, Good Earth still must go through the permitting process, needing to address traffic flow and submit to an environmental review. The parking lot is heavily used on weekends by cyclists who park and meet for rides in the hills above Fairfax or into West Marin. Those spaces will likely no longer to available with the lot in use by Fair-Anselm and Good Earth customers, an issue that will be addressed over the next year.

Hopefully, said Rock, those are the same people that enjoy shopping at Good Earth and will stick around town.

"I don't think a deal like this comes around very often in a small town," said Baylacq.

And though the move fills one empty storefront, it does leave another in its wake for residents to begin a new wishing game: what will go in the current Good Earth space on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard?

Baylacq said there are currently negotiations between the town and Chase Bank for the bank to move into the parking lot property. The Good Earth building, though, will remain under Squire's ownership and be leased out — with the possibility that Good Earth may move its lunch program's kitchen from Novato to the back of the building.

Blog # 65 The Spirit of Thanksgiving: Donate a Turkey to Ritter Center

What is the Ritter Center?

The Ritter Center was established in 1980 to respond to the needs of Marin County’s low-income residents. All agency programs focus on providing highly professional services with respect and compassion. The agency employs a comprehensive case management model to assess each client’s immediate and long-term needs. A case plan is then developed to help stabilize clients and lead them back towards self-sufficiency. Ritter Center’s main outcomes are transitioning people into housing, employment, and health, mental health and substance abuse treatment as well as improving people’s day to day living conditions.

Donate a Turkey to a needy family for Thanksgiving

The Ritter Center holds an annual “Thanksgiving Turkey Drive”. This year is particularly difficult with the economy and number of jobless and homeless families. Currently there are 191 families down on their luck hoping for a Thanksgiving Turkey, but The Ritter Center has only received 22 turkeys to fill the need so far. Turkeys normally run $8.00 - $10.00 each depending upon the size of the bird at Safeway.

Your gift of a turkey or gift cards from grocery stores and department stores will help make this program a success. Please bring your donations to Ritter Center between November 11 and November 22, 2010; Ritter Center is open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm to accept these donations at:

16 Ritter St, PO Box 3517, San Rafael 94912 - 415.457.8182

Many thanks for all your support!

The Ritter Center has done some great work for the needy here in Marin County for many years, providing food, clothing and shelter for literally thousands of people. I think our holiday meal may taste just a little bit better knowing we were generous and compassionate with our less fortunate families here in Marin.

Blog # 64 - Fiscal Sustainability Workshop-Special Council Meeting on Wednesday, November 17th

The Town Council will meet this Wednesday, November 17th to discuss the long term fiscal sustainability of the Town. With the slowdown in the economy and a very slow recovery period expected, the Town will have to continue to reduce expenditures and look for new revenues to tackle the structural deficit that has developed over the last several years. See the agenda below and to read all the agenda items click this link: http://town-of-fairfax.org/html/council_packet.html

Blog #63 Council Actions from November 3, 2010 Meeting

The Town Council after interviewing four applicants for one position appointed Morgan Hall (Architect, President of the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce and Chair of the Design Review Board) to the Planning Commission. After more than one hour of interviewing the four applicants the Council collectively agreed it was a difficult decision based on the high caliber of applicants. One of the applicants for the Planning Commission, Roxanne Ezzet-Lofstrom, was appointed to the Affordable Housing Committee. She had applied for both positions. The other candidates were Ryan O’Neil and Barbara Coler.

Other actions taken at the Regular Meeting on November 3, 2010:

• Accepted the Quarterly Report from the Town Treasurer, Barbara Petty.

• Adopted a Resolution creating a Town Theater Director and appointing Sam Parry to the position.

• Approved changing the regular Town Council meeting date to January 12, 2011.

• Adopted a Resolution to allocate funds ($100,000) for the Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) Program for 2010-11.

• Agreed to an amendment to the contract between the County of Marin and the Marin Human Society to forgo the scheduled four percent increase to the contract for the 2010-11 fiscal year and to extend the current contract to June 30, 2012 and to provide a two percent contract increase in fiscal year 2011-12.

• Adopted Ordinance 755 changing the regular time of the Town Council meetings from 7:30 PM to 7:00 PM.

• Directed staff to work with Marin Community Food Bank and the San Geronimo Community Center on locating a food pantry in Fairfax.

• Approved a resolution to send a letter to the five major banks in the United States requesting mortgage lenders to amend their home loan modification programs to better serve Fairfax homeowners

The Town Council will be holding a Fiscal Sustainability Workshop on November 17, 2010 to discuss eliminating the structural deficit in the budget which will include further cuts to the budget through a reorganization of the Town staff. This Council Workshop will include a discussion of escalating retirement and health care costs and the possibility of a further partnership with employees to share the burden with the Town to pay for these escalating costs. A discussion of new revenue sources will also factor into the five year fiscal sustainability plan.

Blog #62 - How to Design and Build a Rain Garden

SPAWN and MMWD in collaboration with Sustainable Fairfax are hosting a hands-on workshop on November 7, 2010 exploring the principles of harvesting and storing rainwater to disconnect from the storm drains and protect precious water resources! See detailed information below:

Blog #61 - Smart Meter Meeting #3 - November 30, 2010

The Town and PG&E are holding a third community meeting on November 30, 2010 to address the questions and concerns raised by residents at the first meeting on September 15th and the second meeting held on September 29th. At this third meeting PG&E will provide information on the following topics:

a. Security Issues
b. Billing Accuracy
c. Other Issues raised at prior meetings (RF/Health Concerns)

A full agenda will be provided in a future Blog.

Blog #60 - Halloween Parade - October 31st

The Annual Downtown Fairfax Halloween Parade sponsored by the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce is on Halloween, Sunday, October 31st starting at 5 PM. This is an event more than worth seeing as there are some really fantastic costumes worn by children and adults.

There are costume prizes. See the detailed information below:

Blog #59 - Pavilion Clean-Up Day - Sunday, October 17, 2010

Please join us in cleaning up the Pavilion on Sunday, October 17, 2010. The Town Council and staff appreciates and values the volunteers in Town and is asking for help from contractors and painters.

Blog #58 - Biketoberfest, Saturday October 16, 2010

The Biketoberfest is coming this Saturday, October 16th at FairAnselm Plaza, 765 Center Blvd. in Fairfax!!! Click on the image for all the details!

Blog #57 Town Council Adopts FY 2010/11 Budget

The Town Council adopted the Fiscal Year 2010/11 Operating and Capital Budgets on October 6, 2010. The budget adoption was later than usual in part because the Council had to balance the $205,000 deficit. The General Fund Operating budget is $6.901 million down from $6.988 million the prior year. Estimated revenues for property taxes are 2% less than last year and have been flat or lower than previous years for the last three years. This loss coupled with sales tax losses amounts to a loss of about $125,000 in revenue just over last fiscal year.

To balance the FY 2010/11 several vacant positions were left unfilled for several extra months to save money. For the second straight year, employees throughout the Town did not receive any cost of living adjustments. Most employees have lost compensation as they are paying a portion of their retirement costs out of their pocket which started over a year ago. All operating budgets (materials and supplies) in the Town have been cut 4% over the last two years as another necessary measure to balance the budget.

The Council will be holding a Fiscal Sustainability Workshop on November 17, 2010 to discuss eliminating the structural deficit in the budget which will include further cuts to the budget through a reorganization of the Town staff. This Council Workshop will include a discussion of escalating retirement and health care costs and the possibility of a further partnership with employees to share the burden with the Town to pay for these escalating costs. A discussion of new revenue sources will also factor into the five year fiscal sustainability plan.

Other actions taken at the Regular Meeting on October 6, 2010:

• Accepted the audit of the FY 2008/09 financial statements.

• Heard a presentation from Rachel DeMicco of Sustainable Fairfax on the concept of installing a rain garden for Town Hall. Council directed staff to work with Sustainable Fairfax on creating a rain garden next to Town Hall.

• Received an update on the Marin County 680 Trail from Chris Bramham, Superintendent Capital Projects, Parks and Open Space Department of Marin County. The project is in environmental review.

• Appointed Jacob Feickert and Jolie Egert to the Open Space Committee.

• Appointed Megan Cohen to the Volunteer Board.

• Adopted resolutions supporting Measure A (Local Quality Education School Measure), Measure B (Ten Dollar Vehicle Registration Fee for Transportation Improvements), Measure D (Continuation of the Paramedic Authority Special Tax), and Proposition 19 (Regulate, Control and Tax Cannibas Act of 2010).

• Adopted a resolution supporting funding for preliminary engineering study for the East-West (Cross Marin) Bicycle Corridor.

• Adopted a resolution revising the Master Fee schedule. New fees will take effect on November 8, 2010. New Fees are posted at the Town’s website www.townoffairfax.org in the agenda packet for the October 6th meeting as Item 17.

• Adopted an ordinance implementing a temporary moratorium on the establishment of marijuana dispensaries within the Town of Fairfax. This ordinance is in effect for 45 days and will return to the Council at the November 3, 2010 meeting for consideration to extend the moratorium. The Town Council directed staff to develop proper criteria for evaluating proposed dispensaries and bring this newly developed criteria to Council for consideration.

• Conducted a first reading of Ordinance 755, changing the regular Council meeting time from 7:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A second reading and adoption of the ordinance will be considered on November 3, 2010.

Blog #56 - Town Council Meeting October 6, 2010

The Town Council will meet to discuss adopting the FY 2010/11 Town operating and capital budgets and to conduct a second reading of an ordinance to adopt an interim moratorium on the siting of any new marijuana dispensaries. Other items include resolutions supporting local Measures A, B, D and state Proposition 19. See full agenda below:

Blog #55 - Body and Soul Festival, Saturday, September 25, 2010

Fairfax Body and Soul is a festival for the whole person, whole family and whole community. Nourish your Body & Soul, under the shade of the redwoods in beautiful downtown Peri Park, with experiences, flavors, workshops and demonstrations representing the leading edge of health, wellness, organics & sustainability.

* Live Music * Health & Healing * Kidville Fun * Free Outdoor Classes * Speakers * Culinary Demos * Organic Food * Holistic Products *

Don't miss:

Sacred Music & Yoga taught under the redwoods at mainstage by Sienna Smith of Yoga Mountain accompanied by Todd Boston (As seen at Earthdance & Wanderlust festivals & heard on NPR)

Solstice: A female vocal ensemble, the national top three award-winning acapella sensation on center stage

Fairfax All-Stars including members of Tom Finch Group and Big Brother and the Holding Company will close the day with an outdoor dance party!

Jim Talley of Tres Mojo as seen with Vinyl, Franti and Kimock

Liz Stires (Jerry Garcia Band, Huey Lewis) & a Kettle of Fish

AND internationally-known comedian Swami Beyondananda & Steve Bhaerman
co-author (with Bruce Lipton) of Spontaneous Evolution: Our Positive Future
(and a Way to Get There from Here)


For more information visit the official website for the Body and Soul Festival at: http://www.fairfaxbodyandsoul.com/

Blog #54 - Smart Meter Community Meeting #2 - September 29, 2010

The Town and PG&E are holding a second community meeting on September 29th to address the questions and concerns raised by residents at the first meeting on September 15th. This second meeting will address the following topics:

Installation Process and procedure

RF/Health Concerns

A third meeting tentatively scheduled for October 13th will address security, billing accuracy, and other issues. Please see agenda below for the second meeting on September 29th.

Blog #53 - The 3/50 Project - Save Your Local Economy

The 3/50 Project is designed to save the bricks and mortars our nation is built on through purchasing goods and services locally.

3 Think about which three independently owned businesses you would miss most if they were gone. Stop in and say hello. Pick up a little something that will make someone smile. Your contribution is what keeps those businesses around.

50 If just half the employed U.S. population spent $50 each month in independently owned businesses, their purchases would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue.* Imagine the positive impact if 3/4 of the employed population did that.

68 For every $100 spent in independently owned stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain, only $43 stays here. Spend it online and nothing comes home.

1 The number of people it takes to start a trend...you

Pick 3. Spend 50. Save your local economy.

Visit the 350project.net

*Employment statistics courtesy of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from February 2009

Blog #52 - Moratorium on Deployment of Smart Meters and a No Smart Meter Zone

On August 4, 2010, the Town Council passed an urgency ordinance placing a one year moratorium on the deployment of smart meters in Fairfax. Town residents and businesses should not be receiving any smart meters during the moratorium as PG&E pledged at the August 4th Town Council meeting to honor the moratorium.

However, some residents have informed the Town that PG&E has installed smart meters or is planning to stay on their deployment schedule for this area. Old meters that no longer are operable will be replaced by a digital meter that at a future date with the proper wireless device attached to the meter and wireless antennas on utility poles activated can then become an operating smart meter.

At the current time PG&E is replacing very old copper gas lines with new plastic gas lines throughout Fairfax. PG&E workers are replacing the gas lines.

If you are a resident in Fairfax who does not want a smart meter installed for any reason you can get information about the smart meter and a sign you can post on your house from the following website:

http://www.turn.org/downloads/NO-SMART-METER-WINDOW-SIGN.pdf

You can also get information about smart meters and utility companies from the following site:

www.turn.org, for a utility reform group’s point of view.


The fist of two community meetings with PG&E will begin this Wednesday, September 15th at 7 PM at the Women's Club. The first meeting will be a listening session. See agenda below:

Blog #51 - TOP 20 SALES TAX GENERATORS IN FAIRFAX

Congratulations to all of the top 20 sales tax generators for the first quarter of 2010!!

The Top 10 in alphabetical order are:

Deer Park Villa
Delano IGA Market
Fairfax Lumber
Ferraro Service Stations
Good Earth Natural Foods
The Graphic Source
Iron Springs Pub and Brewery
Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana
7-11 Food Stores
Sunshine Bicycle Center

11-20 Sales Tax Generators

Don's Market
Fairfax Cyclery
Fradelizio's Ristorante
Ghringhelli's Pizzeria
Grilly's
Jennifer Robin Interiors
M&G Burgers and Beverages
19 Broadway
Pancho Villas
Peri's Silver Dollar Bar

The exact order is confidential information and thus they are presented in alphabetical order.

Congratulations to all 20 businesses for making Fairfax the great place to live, shop, dine, recreate and be entertained. The Town receives about 14% of all sales tax revenue collected in Fairfax.

Please support local businesses and the Town by shopping locally!!!

Blog #50 - Smart Meter Community Meeting -September 15, 2010

The Town of Fairfax, in cooperation with PG&E officials will be holding a “Listening Session” on September 15, 2010. The purpose of the “Listening Session” is for PG&E officials to hear from the public any questions or concerns regarding the Smart Meter program. This meeting will be a “Listening Session” only.

A second meeting will be held in late September. Questions or concerns from the “Listening Session” will be answered by PG&E officials. Any requested information from the public that can be provided will be available at the second meeting.

Members of the community will have three minutes to speak and five minutes if representing a group.

The “Listening Session” meeting will be held at 7:00 PM at the Women’s Club on 46 Park Road in Fairfax.

The "Listening Session" is being held to address concerns from residents about the possible negative health effects of EMF exposure, the inaccuracies of some of the smart meters, and issues surrounding the sharing of data with other businesses, and the concern over the security of the data and making sure that it does not get into the wrong hands.

Mayor Lew Tremaine commented “I am looking forward to the “Listening Session” as a way to lay out all the possible questions and concerns the community may have regarding the Smart Meter program".

Blog #49 - Town Council Actions from September 1, 2010 meeting

Fairfax Town Council Conducts First Reading for a Moratorium on Marijuana Dispensaries

After considerable discussion and public testimony the Town Council heard a first reading on an ordinance that places a moratorium on any new applications for a marijuana dispensary in the Town of Fairfax for a minimum of forty-five days. The Town Council can extend the moratorium for a period of no more than 24 months in total. Mayor Lew Tremaine explained the reason for the moratorium, “If the ballot measure legalizing and taxing marijuana passes statewide, the entire terrain is going to shift. We are going to have a whole lot to deal with in terms of how the new law is implemented in town and how it impacts the existing medical marijuana facility. So it doesn’t make sense to me to be entertaining any more of them until we know what things will look like if it comes to pass.”

Other actions taken at the Regular Meeting on September 1, 2010:

• Heard a presentation from Ross Valley Superintendent Eileen Rohan who introduced herself to the Town Council and spoke about the upcoming Ross Valley school bond initiative.

• Heard a presentation from Dave Cort, Executive Director of the San Geronimo Valley Community Center on the Marin Food Bank program.

• Heard a presentation from Mimi Newton on the Fairfax Open Space Committee annual report.

• Appointed Linda Novy to the Fairfax Open Space Committee for a four year term.

• Appointed Merrell Maschino to the Volunteer Board for a

• Awarded the low bid to Maggiora & Ghilotti for the Tennis Court Bank Stabilization Project and Peri Park Pedestrian Bridge Replacement Project in the amount of $477,774.

• Adopted a Proclamation declaring September 2010 as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

• Authorized temporary closure to Glen Drive for a bike race fund raiser on October 16, 2010.

• Discussed the Master Fee Schedule. This item will return to the Council on October 6th for adoption of the new fees. New fee schedule begins 30 days after the adoption.

• Introduced an ordinance amending the Town’s smoking ordinance to provide clean indoor air and health protection including the regulation of the exposure to smoke in multi-unit apartment buildings. After some discussion and public input the Council agreed that the Mayor and Vice Mayor will review the ordinance with a fine tooth comb and return at the October 6th meeting with a revised
version for the first reading of the ordinance.

• Reviewed and discussed the draft conservation and housing elements of the general plan

The Council will hold a Special Meeting on September 11, 2010 from 9 AM -12 NOON to discuss the FY 2010/11 Town Budget and the Town Strategic Plan

Blog #48 - Draft Housing Element-Public Meeting August 26, 2010

The Town of Fairfax is holding a public meeting on Thursday, August 26, 2010 from 7:00 PM-9:00 PM at the Women's Club to discuss the draft Housing Element of the General Plan. The joint meeting of the Planning Commission, General Plan Advisory Committee and the Affordable Housing Committee will “roll out” the draft 2010 Housing Element.

The agenda for this meeting is up on the Town’s web page. Town staff & its consultant will be presenting the draft 2010 Housing Element document; i.e., how it is organized - along with the major opportunity sites and the strategy for meeting the Town’s fair share of 108 affordable housing units over the next five years. In addition, we will be presenting the recommendations for which zones in Town should allow emergency homeless shelters “by-right” (per SB 2).

The major opportunity sites and/or zoning changes that we will be covering at Thursday night’s public meeting are as follows:

 Rezoning the Lutheran Church property at 2626 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard from Upland Residential 7 du/acre (UR -7) to Planned District Development (PDD) and thereby making it possible to accommodate forty (40) units of “senior housing”;

 Rezoning the “Olema/Mandarin Garden” property at 2170 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard from Light Commercial (CL) to Planning District Development and thereby making it possible to accommodate twenty (20) units of “work-force” housing;

 Rezoning School Street Plaza from Light Commercial (CL) to Planned District Development (PDD); thereby making it possible to accommodate a mix of uses including housing and/or a new school at this site;

 Rezoning all Highway Commercial (CH) to Central Commercial (CC), which will allow housing on second floors “by right” instead of requiring “conditional use permits” thereby making it possible to accommodating at least twenty one (21) units of affordable housing spread out over multiple properties and acres – and within a mixed-income range of housing;

 Rolling over the Second Unit Amnesty Ordinance without the requirement of fire suppression sprinkler systems, thereby incentivizing for formalization of at least twenty seven (27) second units (i.e., the 25% maximum allowable credit for second units to be counted as part of the State mandated 108 unit share of affordable housing for the Town of Fairfax); and

 Allowing Emergency Homeless Shelters within the Central Commercial (CC) zone, and on public and quasi public properties “by right”; thereby meeting the new State requirement to specifically allow shelters “by right” in at least one zone within the Town of Fairfax (per SB 2).

Please note that in addition to the “roll out” of the draft 2010 Housing Element this Thursday evening, the public will have another chance to comment on the draft 2010 Housing Element at the Council’s September 1, 2010 meeting - as part of the General Plan update report. And likewise, the public will have still another chance to comment when the “packaged” General Plan is presented to Council for adoption (pending environmental review) – after the “Super Committee” completes its final review of the entire 2010 General Plan in the fall.

Blog #47-Marin Climate and Energy Partnership

The following article appeared in the July 2010 issue of the Institute for Local Government on-line magazine:

Climate Protection Staffing: Marin’s Collaborative Approach
County: Marin
Population: 256,500

Summary

Most local governments in the Bay Area have realized that climate protection is an important new aspect of their work to develop more livable, sustainable communities. There is, however, limited staff time and other resources, especially in small jurisdictions, to launch climate protection efforts on a scale commensurate with the challenge of climate change. The cities and County of Marin have overcome some of these challenges by forming the Marin Climate and Energy Partnership (MCEP) to share resources and expertise, and jointly hire a dedicated staff person to work with jurisdictions on building their in-house climate protection capabilities.
Program Highlights

* MCEP is a public sector partnership among the 11 Marin cities, Marin County, the Transportation Authority of Marin, and the Marin Municipal Water District.
* By working collaboratively MCEP participants have been able to leverage public resources as well as attract additional private funding from the Air District and the Marin Community Foundation.
* The Marin General Services Authority, a joint powers authority, acts as the fiscal agent for the MCEP.
* To date, the MCEP has worked on construction and demolition waste recycling ordinances, green building ordinances, an electric vehicle transition plan, and energy efficiency retrofits in government buildings.

Lessons Learned

* Be patient with GHG inventory and climate action plan development, these often progress slowly, but are none-the-less important tools in keeping the momentum behind local climate protection efforts.
* Striking a balance between fast payback measures such as energy efficiency in municipal operations, and larger scale, longer payback, community wide measures is important to move climate protection efforts forward.
* Elected level leadership is essential to drive more politically challenging efforts, like PACE programs and community choice aggregation.

Resources To Learn More

* Marin GSA page (includes MCEP progress reports)
* The City of San Rafael’s Green Initiatives Page (includes green building resources)

The Rest of the Story…

With two medium-sized cities and nine small towns, Marin jurisdictions had been struggling for several years to find adequate resources to complete GHG inventories and begin writing climate action plans. The idea of establishing a collaborative network of local governments to help move local climate protection forward in Marin was first conceived in discussions between representatives of the Marin Municipal Water District, the Marin Community Foundation and a private energy/climate consultant.

In 2007 the option of joining the MCEP was presented to Marin jurisdictions and resulted in all 11 Marin cities, Marin County, the Transportation Authority of Marin, and the Marin Municipal Water District participating in the partnership. Securing the participation of the Transportation Authority was particularly significant for the group since 62% of countywide GHG emissions in Marin come from the transportation sector, and many of the big options for reducing transportation-related emissions are best served by a regional approach.

In 2008, with the help of a $75,000 grant from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, MCEP took an important step forward by establishing a new dedicated Climate Protection Director position to help assess project priorities and work with partners on an as-needed basis. During the first year of the effort, MCEP participants worked with ICLEI to conduct GHG inventories and came together to develop a set of realistic priorities.

In addition to municipal energy efficiency work, the partnership decided to pursue some countywide initiatives like developing an aggressive model green building ordinance to be adopted in each Marin Community, and establishing the development of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure as a component of Marin’s transportation planning. The group has also turned its attention to PACE financing, support of Marin Clean Energy, environmentally preferable purchasing, and construction and demolition ordinances.

The City of San Rafael led the development of the model green building ordinance for the group, and key to that work was the establishment of a high level task force, called Marin Green Building Energy Retrofit and Solar Transformation (Marin Green BERST), made up of elected and appointed officials from each of the MCEP jurisdictions. Currently three of the 11 governments have adopted the green building ordinance and the majority of the remaining jurisdictions are in the process of adopting it. The model green building ordinance is one of the most aggressive ordinances of its kind in the country, and it is significantly more comprehensive than the new statewide CALGreen building standards. Both the green building work and the EV work have led to additional funding for the MCEP from the Marin Community Foundation.

Some of the ideas that were initially discussed by the partnership, such as the electric vehicle transition plan, may have been out of reach for individual small local governments, had they not been part of a collaborative effort. Two years later however, with the multi-jurisdictional approach in place, even Marin’s small towns like Belvedere are working to install electric vehicle charging stations.

As a participant in MCEP partners agree to pay dues of $2,000 a year, and on a rotating basis provide a staff person to serve as chair of the group. The MCEP Chairperson is a 1-year position, tasked with handling logistics for the monthly meetings and other administrative tasks. Felicia Wheaton, a planner from the City of Belvedere who served as the first MCEP Chairperson, estimated that she spent on average 4-8 hours a month on these tasks in addition to her regular job duties. Ms. Wheaton further reported that participating in the partnership has helped local government staff with no previous climate protection experience gain confidence with some of the technical aspects of climate protection, like GHG accounting, making it easier to report back to council.

Currently, MCEP participants are working to complete Climate Action Plans and the group has transitioned its staff position from Climate Protection Director to Sustainability Coordinator, a part time position, with more managerial responsibilities than the previous position. MCEP continues to evolve but ultimately having this collaborative approach in place will make it easier for Marin to fast track big regional efforts that will be necessary to adequately progress in addressing climate change.

Case Story provided by BAAQMD, July 2010

Blog #46 Marin Clean Energy Recognized by the EPA

The following press release was released by Mary Simms of the U.S. EPA:

San Francisco Bay Area Municipalities Get Thumbs Up from the
Federal Government for Fighting Climate Change
U.S. EPA recognizes Marin, Santa Cruz for nearly
50 Million hours of green power use

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced that Northern California based Marin Energy Authority will for the first time appear on EPA’s Top 20 list of the largest local government green power purchasers nationwide (ranked as No. 13). Equally impressive, the City of Santa Cruz’s Wastewater Treatment Facility will for the first time appear on EPA’s Top 20 list of partners generating and consuming the most green power on-site (ranked as No. 17).

Green power is generated from a subset of renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass and low-impact hydro. Green power sources produce electricity with an environmental profile superior to conventional power technologies and produce no human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. Purchases of green power also help accelerate the development of new renewable energy capacity nationwide.

“EPA’s announcement underscores the vital local efforts to move beyond traditional sources of electricity generation in order to fight climate change and support clean energy alternatives,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Administrator for the Pacific Southwest region. “By using and purchasing green power, these leaders are expanding America’s renewable energy portfolio while significantly benefiting the environment.”

The Marin Energy Authority is purchasing more than 42 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually from Shell Energy North America, enough to meet 25 percent of the electricity use for its communities in Marin County. This is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of nearly 6,000 passenger vehicles per year or the CO2 emissions from the electricity use of nearly 4,000 average American homes annually.

The City of Santa Cruz’s wastewater treatment facility is generating nearly 5 million kWh of green power annually from an on-site solar and biogas system, which is enough green power to meet 39 percent of the organization's electricity use. On-site green power is deployed directly on energy users’ facilities rather than at central power plants. This is equivalent to avoiding the CO2 emissions of more than 600 passenger vehicles per year or the CO2 emissions from the electricity use of more than 400 average American homes annually.

The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that encourages organizations to buy green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with conventional electricity use. The Partnership currently has more than 1,200 Partner organizations voluntarily purchasing billions of kilowatt-hours of green power annually. Partners include a wide variety of leading organizations such as Fortune 500 companies, small and medium sized businesses, local, state, and federal governments, and colleges and universities. For additional information, please visit: www.epa.gov/greenpower.

Blog #45 Council Places One Year Moratorium on Deployment of Smart Meters

The Town Council unanimously passed an urgency ordinance on August 4, 2010 that places a one year moratorium on the deployment of smart meters in Fairfax. PG&E representatives were also present at the Council meeting and told the Council that they would voluntarily halt the deployment of the controversial smart meters in Fairfax immediately. PG&E also promised to hold several community meetings so that they could hear the concerns and questions from residents and businesses and then respond to those questions and concerns. See entire text below:



Fourteen persons addressed the Council on the smart meter ordinance and all expressed concerns about the health effects of exposure to the meters and also had concerns about the privacy of the data stored in the meters. Nearly all of the speakers requested a one year moratorium on the deployment of the meters which is in the ordinance. Other issues regarding accuracy of the meters and other forms of smart grids that could be more cost effective were also discussed. The Town and PG&E will be setting up community meetings in the near future to further discuss the smart meters.

Other actions taken at the Regular Meeting on August 4, 2010:

• Received certification as the second Cittaslow town in the United States. Cittaslow means “slow city” in Italian where the Cittaslow concept originated. Cittaslow International selected Fairfax for meeting their manifesto which states: “We are looking for towns and cities animated by people eager to rediscover the best of the past, with a wealth of squares, theaters, workshops, cafes, restaurants, places of worship, unspoiled countryside and interesting artisans, where people still live in harmony with the slow, benevolent turning of the seasons, enjoying authentic products respectful of health and local flavors, and the spontaneity of ancient custom”.

• Appointed Bruce Killen to serve a three-year term on the Volunteer Board.

• Approved the release of plans and specifications for the Tennis Court Bank Stabilization Project and Peri Park Pedestrian Bridge Replacement Project

• Adopted a Resolution honoring Senior Maintenance Worker Jack Adams on the occasion of his retirement after serving 29 years in the Public Works Department with the Town of Fairfax. Jack truly is a “jack of all trades” and will be sorely missed by the staff and the community.

• Discussed the proposed changes to the Master Fee Schedule and after some discussion voted to continue the item to the September 1, 2010 Council meeting where all five members will be present.

• Discussed the proposed Town Budget for FY 2010/11 and reviewed the staff report regarding recommendations on how to balance the budget and reviewed recommendations from the Town Manager on staff reorganization. The Council took no action as they are awaiting the financial audit for FY 2008/09 which will be available before the next Council meeting.

• Accepted the Final Report of the Parkade Area Circulation Study.

• Renamed the Solid Waste Committee the Zero Waste Committee and expressed that the focus of the committee will change to achieving our zero waste goals as previously adopted by the Council.

Blog #44 Camp Fairfax

Camp Fairfax - Summer camp for your kids!

Come join us for fun in your own backyard! We are happy to announce our Summer camp -fun, affordable and local. Inspired by the success of Camp Earth last year, we are starting a new yearly tradition - Camp Fairfax. We will have a strong emphasis on sustainability and nature. Weekly field trips, recycled art projects, water fun and more!

•Camp hours: 10am - 4pm

•Three weeks - Week One: August 2-6; Week Two August 9-13; Week Three: August 16-20

•$165 per week

•Before and after care available for an additional fee

•Summer Super Saver - All three weeks including care from 8am to 6pm - $600!!!!

For more information click to:

http://activenet16.active.com/sananselmorecreation/?redir=1


The third week is full but the first two weeks have many spots still available. Sign up right away!!

Blog #43 - Participating in Town Council Meetings

The Town of Fairfax and the Town Council encourage all members of the
public to participate in Town government and attend Town Council meetings.

This guide provides information to help you participate more effectively.

Location: Women’s Club 46 Park Road, Fairfax, CA
Time: 1st Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m.

Chambers. Special meetings may occur earlier or on different days.

Here are some general tips for participation in meetings:

You may speak during the Public Comment period of the agenda for three minutes on a topic not on the agenda, so long as the subject relates to the business of the City Council.

You may speak on any item on the agenda once given recognition by
the Mayor.

Speakers must adhere to the time limits, using the time limit lights as
indicators of how much time is remaining.

Comments and statements should be addressed to the Council, not the
audience.

Applauding or other displays of approval or disapproval are
inappropriate for Council meetings.

Subscribe by email or check the website to receive agendas ahead of
time.

Copies of the agenda packet are available in the Town Clerk’s Office,
online and at the Fairfax Library.

Submit written information ahead of time. Early submission allows more
time for the Council to consider your comments.

Please turn off your cell phone or set it to vibrate

The next Town Council meeting will be August 4, 2010. The agenda will be posted on July 30th by 5 PM.

Blog #42 - Smart Meters to be Installed in Fairfax

SMART METERS – Did you receive a letter from PG&E about installation of a Smart Meter at your address?

Some Fairfax residents have received letters stating that meters would be installed in the next few weeks. It is possible to contact PG&E at the number provided in the notification letter, 1-866-743-0263 and to be placed on a “delayed action until further notice” list.

The Town Council discussed this issue at length at the meeting on July 7, 2010 and staff is drafting an ordinance for their consideration to address the installation of Smart Meters in Fairfax. Information about Smart Meters was provided by the Town Manager in Blog #32 posted on June 2, 2010. The staff report on Smart Meters is on the Town Web site as part of the Town Council packet for the July 7, 2010 meeting.

More information is available from PG&E at their Web site at www.pge.com/smartmeter or at www.turn.org, for a utility reform group’s point of view.

Blog #41 - Fairfax Players Presents: A Thousand and One Dreams

A Thousand And One Dreams:A Tale of the Princess Roshkilde
(A ‘Parry-D’ on Shakespeare!)

Fairfax Players presents Sam M. Parry’s original play: A Thousand And One Dreams at the New Stage, Peri Park, Fairfax, opening July 23 for ten performances—Thursdays to Sundays until August 7.

Curtain at 7:00 PM. Adults $15, seniors & students
$12, kids six and under $7.

Don’t miss the world premier of this exciting Shakespeare-esque fantasy comedy replete with witches, genies, swordplay, songs, special effects and more!

Tickets at the door or in advance at Revolution 9 in Fairfax.

Tickets may be used for any of the ten performances so come
early to bag your seat!

Blog #40 - Town Hires New Police Chief

The Fairfax Town Council, in a unanimous vote, has selected Fairfax Sergeant Christopher Morin as their new Police Chief, replacing retiring Chief Ken Hughes. He will be taking over August 1, 2010.

Sergeant Christopher Morin, a twenty-seven year police veteran has spent that past ten years working for the Fairfax Police Department after serving previously for the San Rafael and Oakland Police Departments. Throughout his career he has served in a myriad of assignments from Patrol Officer, Criminal and Internal Affairs Investigator, Recruit Training Officer and Patrol Supervisor. For the past nine years he has served as Administrative Sergeant of Police, overseeing much of the daily operations of the Fairfax Police Department.

His personal and professional roots are here in the Ross Valley. His family has resided in San Anselmo and Fairfax since the early 1930’s. Chris was raised in San Anselmo, his father was a Fairfax Police Officer in the 1960’s and his grandfather was a San Anselmo Police Reserve Officer for thirty years dating back to the 1950’s.

Town Manager Michael Rock is looking forward to working with Sgt. Morin in his new role as police chief and values his leadership skills which will benefit the Town staff and entire community.

Council Member Weinsoff commented "Chief Morin's approach to community policing complements the work of retiring Chief Hughes and ensures that the excellent public safety Fairfax residents enjoy will continue under the leadership of our new Chief."

Mayor Lew Tremaine stated, “Chief Hughes leaves some very big shoes to fill after 39 years of service to the Town. Fairfax is lucky that Chris found his way to us ten years ago. His philosophy of community policing is perfectly in synch with Fairfax's values. The Council was very excited to appoint him as our new police chief”.

Blog #39 - Council Action from the July 7, 2010 Meeting

Council Reviews Town Budget, Master Fees

The Town Council reviewed the draft 2010/11 Town Budget and first passed a resolution to continue expenditures and revenues in accordance with the 2009/10 budget and directed staff to return to the next council meeting with recommended changes to the budget to balance the $205,000 deficit.

The Town Council also reviewed all of the proposed changes to the fees the Town charges for all services. The fees are based on a fully burdened labor rate and none of the fees charged are more than the cost of providing the service. It is necessary to review fees at this time because the Town has not raised fees for more than three and a half years. Council Member Bragman expressed concern over the increases in many of the fees and wondered about the ability of the public to pay them. Mayor Tremaine commented that the Town General Fund has been subsidizing many fee for service activities for many years and there is a need to have the fees right priced to avoid further subsidization from the General Fund. The Council will review the proposed fee changes again at the August 4, 2010 Council meeting at which time the public can comment at a public hearing.

Other actions taken at the Regular Meeting on July 7th, 2010:

• Appointed Mimi Newton, Jack Judkins, and Helen Fauss to serve another four-year term on the Open Space Committee. Appointed Chelsea Donovan to a four-year term on the Open Space Committee. Also appointed Laura Kehrlein to serve another three year term on the Design Review Board. Appointed Karl Varvek to serve a three year term on the Design Review Board.

• Received a report that Pacific Slope, Tree Masters, and the Tree Man were awarded a contract under the Hazardous Fuel Elimination Grant to provide tree trimming, brush clearing and tree removal services.

• Adopted a Resolution in opposition to Proposition 23, and effort to delay the implementation of AB 32 (Global Warming Solutions Act)

• Received the Grand Jury Report “The Cost of Governance: Local Control Comes at a Price”

• Discuss and considered contracting out the business license renewal process. After some discussion the Council gave direction to staff to come back at the next Council meeting with a proposal to contract out the program in order to reduce the cost of collecting the business license fee and increase revenues through better data management and enforcement.

• Approved an Agreement with Camille Esposito to provide Youth Services as part of the FOCUS (Fairfax Open Circle Arts). The Youth Services budget ($18,000 per year) is part of the Measure I funds voters approved in November 2009.

• Discussed the progress being made on the updating of the General Plan and reviewed the draft Open Space, Land Use and Noise Elements of the General Plan. The Council will review all the elements of the draft General Plan in the ensuing months.

• Agreed to intervene in the City and County of San Francisco motion at the California Public Utilities Commission to suspend deployment of Smart Meters and agreed to have staff bring back a draft ordinance at the next meeting banning the installation of Smart Meters in Fairfax.

Blog #38 - Capital Project Updates

The advent of summer in Fairfax signals the beginning of the construction season for our Measure K and FEMA projects. Listed below are the remaining Measure K and FEMA projects to be completed this summer or next:

Seismic Retrofit of Pavilion: The Town was awarded a federal grant in the amount of $425,000 and matched $125,000 from the Pavilion Restoration Fund to seismically upgrade the Pavilion. This project is currently in architecture, engineering and environmental review. Construction to begin in October of this year.

Fairfax Library pathway project: This is a County project to flatten the pathway for easier access. This is scheduled for completion at the end of next week.

Pedestrian Bridge replacement and Bank Stabilization Projects (FEMA): The pedestrian bridge over the Fairfax Creek that fell down after the 2005/06 floods will be replaced and the creek bank by the tennis courts will be stabilized. These projects will be under construction this Fall.

Pastori Outfall Pipe: Currently under environmental review and will be under construction in the Spring of 2011