Carpool, Walk, Bike or Bus to School and Help Us All Win Big!
Did you know that 21% of Marin’s morning traffic is school related? Now you can do something about it by signing up at www.schoolpoolmarin.org . SchoolPool Marin is a web-based trip matching service that connects interested families to carpool, walk, bike or take the bus to school together. SchoolPool Marin is part of Green Ways to School, a campaign from the Transportation Authority of Marin’s Safe Routes to Schools’ camp program. The Campaign focuses on reducing automobile trips to Marin County schools and the related traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.
The Campaign also includes incentives to families to register on the website, contests between classrooms and a Challenge among all Marin schools to win up to $2000 for the most increase in green trips. Fairfax encourages all families to look into the many benefits of SchoolPooling at www.schoolpoolmarin.org.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Blog #20 - Special Town Council Meeting on Saturday
The Fairfax Town Council is holding a Special Meeting on Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 9:00 AM in the Women's Club to continue discussing the Strategic Plan and Goals and the Five Year Strategic Financial Plan. All residents are welcomed. The Agenda Packet for this meeting is at: http://town-of-fairfax.org/html/council_packet.html
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Blog #19 - School District to Wait Until November to Place Bond on Ballot
Please see the email below from the Interim Superintendent:
Dear Ross Valley School District staff, parents, and communities of San Anselmo and Fairfax:
After much discussion at last Thursday’s regular RSVD Board meeting, the Trustees agreed to forgo placing a facilities bond resolution on this June’s ballot. We are aiming to place a resolution on the November 2010 ballot. The November ballot is a critical deadline in order for us to address our overcrowding and to prevent increased student-teacher ratios in our classrooms.
This decision is in response to community input the Board has received over the last few months identifying two important criteria for a bond: (1) to ensure an agreed upon and executable facilities plan is adopted first; and (2) to communicate this plan to the San Anselmo and Fairfax communities as part of a bond.
Over the next few months, the District will continue to research and analyze options, including the recently proposed “Small Deer Park” and “Two Middle School Plan:”
• “Small Deer Park” - A small K-5 school at Deer Park, modernizing the existing classrooms and buildings; the addition of six new classrooms on existing K-5 campuses; and replacement of portables at White Hill with permanent classroom structures plus new classrooms to accommodate enrollment growth.
• “Two Middle School Plan” - A new option to redevelop and reopen Red Hill creating two middle schools of equal size (one at White Hill and one at Red Hill); and to reconfigure White Hill to include a new elementary school.
The Board plans to discuss how we can research these options in depth and receive input from representatives from the District and towns, parents, teachers and other stakeholders affected by the District’s facilities plans. An outline and timeline is being developed for the facilities plan process and will be discussed at a School Board meeting this month.
Options will be discussed at the District’s upcoming Town Meetings on Monday, March 8th at Manor School and Tuesday, March 9th at Lower Brookside. Please join us on Monday and Tuesday to learn more about this news and the next steps the District is taking to solve our classroom shortage.
Sincerely,
Catalina Nocon
Interim Superintendent
Ross Valley School District
(415) 451-4060
Dear Ross Valley School District staff, parents, and communities of San Anselmo and Fairfax:
After much discussion at last Thursday’s regular RSVD Board meeting, the Trustees agreed to forgo placing a facilities bond resolution on this June’s ballot. We are aiming to place a resolution on the November 2010 ballot. The November ballot is a critical deadline in order for us to address our overcrowding and to prevent increased student-teacher ratios in our classrooms.
This decision is in response to community input the Board has received over the last few months identifying two important criteria for a bond: (1) to ensure an agreed upon and executable facilities plan is adopted first; and (2) to communicate this plan to the San Anselmo and Fairfax communities as part of a bond.
Over the next few months, the District will continue to research and analyze options, including the recently proposed “Small Deer Park” and “Two Middle School Plan:”
• “Small Deer Park” - A small K-5 school at Deer Park, modernizing the existing classrooms and buildings; the addition of six new classrooms on existing K-5 campuses; and replacement of portables at White Hill with permanent classroom structures plus new classrooms to accommodate enrollment growth.
• “Two Middle School Plan” - A new option to redevelop and reopen Red Hill creating two middle schools of equal size (one at White Hill and one at Red Hill); and to reconfigure White Hill to include a new elementary school.
The Board plans to discuss how we can research these options in depth and receive input from representatives from the District and towns, parents, teachers and other stakeholders affected by the District’s facilities plans. An outline and timeline is being developed for the facilities plan process and will be discussed at a School Board meeting this month.
Options will be discussed at the District’s upcoming Town Meetings on Monday, March 8th at Manor School and Tuesday, March 9th at Lower Brookside. Please join us on Monday and Tuesday to learn more about this news and the next steps the District is taking to solve our classroom shortage.
Sincerely,
Catalina Nocon
Interim Superintendent
Ross Valley School District
(415) 451-4060
Monday, March 08, 2010
Blog #18 Marin Clean Energy-Net Metering Workshop
Marin Clean Energy
Marin Clean Energy (MCE) is a renewable energy alternative to PG&E's electric supply that will soon be available to Marin customers. MCE is responsible for sourcing the power and purchasing the energy supply, while PG&E continues to deliver the energy, maintain and repair transmission lines, and provide customer service and billing.
All PG&E customers in member towns, like Fairfax, will automatically be enrolled in the Marin Clean Energy program, in accordance with State legislation. Customers who have received notification that they are in Phase 1 who do not wish to be part of Marin Clean Energy may opt out by calling (866) 743-0335 or visiting www.pge.com/cca.
Net Metering Public Workshop
The Marin Energy Authority is holding a public workshop on Net Metering. Net metering allows a customer to turn their meter backwards and receive a credit at times when their solar system generates more power than is used on site, and is taken back at times when more power is used than the system produces. The credits and use are netted out after 12 months. The California Public Utility Commission requires PG&E to treat Marin Clean Energy (MCE) generation customers the same as PG&E generation customers. MCE will provide any generation credits and PG&E will continue to provide credits for transmission, distribution and all other charges to MCE customers.
The workshop will be held on Monday, March 15, 2010, from 12 noon to 2 p.m. in the Planning Chambers, Room 328, Marin County Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael. The public is invited to join the Marin Energy Authority for a public input session for the development of the Marin Clean Energy net metering tariff.
To learn more about Marin Clean Energy and Net Metering please go to the following link: http://www.marinenergyauthority.org/
Marin Clean Energy (MCE) is a renewable energy alternative to PG&E's electric supply that will soon be available to Marin customers. MCE is responsible for sourcing the power and purchasing the energy supply, while PG&E continues to deliver the energy, maintain and repair transmission lines, and provide customer service and billing.
All PG&E customers in member towns, like Fairfax, will automatically be enrolled in the Marin Clean Energy program, in accordance with State legislation. Customers who have received notification that they are in Phase 1 who do not wish to be part of Marin Clean Energy may opt out by calling (866) 743-0335 or visiting www.pge.com/cca.
Net Metering Public Workshop
The Marin Energy Authority is holding a public workshop on Net Metering. Net metering allows a customer to turn their meter backwards and receive a credit at times when their solar system generates more power than is used on site, and is taken back at times when more power is used than the system produces. The credits and use are netted out after 12 months. The California Public Utility Commission requires PG&E to treat Marin Clean Energy (MCE) generation customers the same as PG&E generation customers. MCE will provide any generation credits and PG&E will continue to provide credits for transmission, distribution and all other charges to MCE customers.
The workshop will be held on Monday, March 15, 2010, from 12 noon to 2 p.m. in the Planning Chambers, Room 328, Marin County Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael. The public is invited to join the Marin Energy Authority for a public input session for the development of the Marin Clean Energy net metering tariff.
To learn more about Marin Clean Energy and Net Metering please go to the following link: http://www.marinenergyauthority.org/
Friday, March 05, 2010
Blog #17 - Town Council Action from March 3, 2010 Meeting
The Town Council met on March 3rd and discussed and took the following actions:
The Town Council took public testimony for 90 minutes regarding the Ross Valley School District plans to possibly house about 120 students at the existing Deer Park school site. Most of the speakers were opposed to the idea because they do not want to see the Fairfax-San Anselmo Children’s Center moved from the site. For the past 28 years the Children’s Center has been operating at the Deer Park site and currently has about 125 children in their program. After testimony ended the Town Council appointed Mayor Lew Tremaine and Councilmember John Reed to a subcommittee with two school board members to discuss a plan that will address the rising student population and how to house this increase. A plan that will work for all the students in the school district will be the primary goal of this subcommittee.
Other actions taken at the March 3, 2010 Regular Town Council Meeting:
• Adopted a Resolution approving a garbage and recycling rate increase of 3.18% beginning May 1, 2010.
• Adopted Ordinance 749 revising the Animal Control Ordinance Fee Schedule.
• Adopted Ordinance 750 amending the contract between the Town and the Board of Administration of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System to reflect the change to 2% at 55 retirement for newly hired miscellaneous members.
• Discussed web-casting and/or televising Town Council meetings and possibly other public meetings. Directed staff to trench and install a fiber optic line from the Youth Center to the Women’s Club on Park Drive. Council will consider this item again at the April 7th meeting when more specific costs will be known for the actual web-casting or televising of meetings.
• Discussed considering an MOU with the Marin Energy Authority (MEA) for a $100,000 loan guarantee. After some discussion the Town Council voted to support, in concept, a guarantee to the MEA and directed staff to return at the April 7th meeting with a final draft of the MOU. The Town only has to guarantee the $100,000. There is no actual loan to the MEA and the MEA would only receive the guarantee if MEA defaulted on its loan. The Town will receive $7,368 per year for guaranteeing the money for a maximum of five years. Should MEA pay off their loan before the five years the guarantee from Fairfax will terminate.
The Town Council took public testimony for 90 minutes regarding the Ross Valley School District plans to possibly house about 120 students at the existing Deer Park school site. Most of the speakers were opposed to the idea because they do not want to see the Fairfax-San Anselmo Children’s Center moved from the site. For the past 28 years the Children’s Center has been operating at the Deer Park site and currently has about 125 children in their program. After testimony ended the Town Council appointed Mayor Lew Tremaine and Councilmember John Reed to a subcommittee with two school board members to discuss a plan that will address the rising student population and how to house this increase. A plan that will work for all the students in the school district will be the primary goal of this subcommittee.
Other actions taken at the March 3, 2010 Regular Town Council Meeting:
• Adopted a Resolution approving a garbage and recycling rate increase of 3.18% beginning May 1, 2010.
• Adopted Ordinance 749 revising the Animal Control Ordinance Fee Schedule.
• Adopted Ordinance 750 amending the contract between the Town and the Board of Administration of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System to reflect the change to 2% at 55 retirement for newly hired miscellaneous members.
• Discussed web-casting and/or televising Town Council meetings and possibly other public meetings. Directed staff to trench and install a fiber optic line from the Youth Center to the Women’s Club on Park Drive. Council will consider this item again at the April 7th meeting when more specific costs will be known for the actual web-casting or televising of meetings.
• Discussed considering an MOU with the Marin Energy Authority (MEA) for a $100,000 loan guarantee. After some discussion the Town Council voted to support, in concept, a guarantee to the MEA and directed staff to return at the April 7th meeting with a final draft of the MOU. The Town only has to guarantee the $100,000. There is no actual loan to the MEA and the MEA would only receive the guarantee if MEA defaulted on its loan. The Town will receive $7,368 per year for guaranteeing the money for a maximum of five years. Should MEA pay off their loan before the five years the guarantee from Fairfax will terminate.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Blog #16 - More Town Hall Meetings Scheduled by School District
The Ross Valley School District has scheduled more meetings to discuss the recently discussed preferred option of using Deer Park School to house about 120 students.
The School Board is currently focusing on an option to modernize and upgrade Deer Park School for a smaller K-5 school using the existing facilities. This option would create a neighborhood school that would draw students from less than a mile radius. This option also includes the addition of a few permanent classrooms to existing K-5 campuses, and includes facilities to accommodate the upcoming enrollment growth at White Hill including replacing the 20 portables at White Hill plus building additional classrooms and facilities.
Please see the attached document from the Ross Valley School District with the meeting dates and times.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Blog #15 - Town Hall Meeting on School Facilities March 4, 2010
The Ross Valley School District is hosting another Town Hall meeting on March 4th from 3:15-4:00 PM at the Manor School Library in Fairfax. See attachment below for more details:
Monday, March 01, 2010
Blog #14 - Small Business Development Center
Are you a small business owner in Fairfax? If so, you may be very intersted in the Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
Since 1991 the SBDC has helped small business owners in Marin and Sonoma counties improve performance and enjoy greater success. Funded by the United States Small Business Administration the SBDC provides no-cost professional business counseling and low-cost training. Areas of support include: capital sourcing; business plans; legal structure; new product development; product pricing; restaurant operations; accounting and loan documentation; manufacturing; marketing and advertising; human resources; patents; trademarks; and copyrights; and much more!
You may contact the SBDC at their website: www.sbdcsantarosa.org for valuable information and current schedule of programs. SBDC is located at 606 Healdsburg Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95401. Phone 707-524-1770 or toll free at 888-346-7232. You may email them at sbdc@santarosa.org.
Since 1991 the SBDC has helped small business owners in Marin and Sonoma counties improve performance and enjoy greater success. Funded by the United States Small Business Administration the SBDC provides no-cost professional business counseling and low-cost training. Areas of support include: capital sourcing; business plans; legal structure; new product development; product pricing; restaurant operations; accounting and loan documentation; manufacturing; marketing and advertising; human resources; patents; trademarks; and copyrights; and much more!
You may contact the SBDC at their website: www.sbdcsantarosa.org for valuable information and current schedule of programs. SBDC is located at 606 Healdsburg Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95401. Phone 707-524-1770 or toll free at 888-346-7232. You may email them at sbdc@santarosa.org.
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