The Town Council at its regular meeting on March 2, 2011 terminated the agreement with Muni Services for the processing of the business licenses. The agreement calls for a 60-day termination period. Many business owners objected to a large company handling the businesses license and requiring the license payments be sent to Alabama where Muni has a large processing center to handle business licenses from many jurisdictions in California and elsewhere. The Council will discuss how to handle the business license program, particularly for how to collect next year’s fees, in the ensuing months.
Other actions taken at the Regular Meeting on March 2, 2011:
• Heard a presentation from Marva Sheehan from HF&H, a consulting firm that conducts rate studies for many solid waste and recycling companies including Marin Sanitary Service. Marva presented to the Council the need for a 25.96% rate increase to cover higher operating and capital costs and to pay for the food waste composting program started last year throughout the entire Town. The Council will take up the matter of a rate increase for solid waste and recycling services at the next Council meeting on April 6, 2011. There was considerable public comment and questions from the Council about the garbage and recycling collection service currently provided by Marin Sanitary and a discussion from the Zero Waste Committee (Mayor Bragman and Vice Mayor Hartwell-Herrero) about ongoing efforts to adopt a new franchise agreement. It is expected that a final draft agreement will be before the town Council in July of this year.
• The Council approved resolutions approving an overall financial policy and a reserve policy for the Town.
• Adopted a resolution approving the job description and salary schedule for the Chief Building Official/Public Works Manager position.
• Adopted a resolution declaring April 2011 as Fair Housing Month in Fairfax.
• Adopted a resolution authorizing the temporary closure of certain streets for the Little League Opening Day Parade on Saturday, March 12, 2011.
• Adopted a resolution honoring Gail Wiemann, Fairfax Library Branch Manager, on the occasion of her retirement.
• Adopted a resolution in support of Wisconsin Public Workers Union.
• Discussed the draft ordinance regulating the location, number and operation of medical marijuana dispensaries. After much discussion it was decided by the Town Council (with Mayor Bragman recused) not to hold the first reading of the ordinance but to have the Town Attorney make some changes to the ordinance based on Council Member comments and bring it back to Council on April 6, 2011.
• Held a discussion updating the community on the Town of Fairfax v Berg matter. The Council also announced that the Town will be appealing a judge’s decision in this property access case that ruled the Town did not have the right to an easement across the Berg’s property. More information on this can be found at: http://sananselmofairfax.patch.com/articles/fairfax-will-appeal-berg-decision-wont-use-town-money
Other notes and announcements:
• Free classical Indian Dance Performance at the Women’s Club, Thursday, March 10, 2011 from 7:00-8:30 PM sponsored by the Park and Recreation Commission and the Marin County Free Library.
• Little League Opening Day Parade is March 12, 2011 at 10:00 am.
• Annual Brewfest sponsored by the Park and Recreation Commission and the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce is Saturday, March 19, 2011 from 1:00-5:00 pm.
• Teen Youth Night at the Youth Center is on Friday March 25, from 7:00-9:00 pm.
• The Annual Fairfax Documentary Film Festival will be held at the Fairfax Theater April 1-3.
• There will be a special Council Meeting on March 16, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the long awaited re-opening of the Fairfax Creek Pedestrian Bridge that fell down during the floods of 2005-06.
