AGENDA ITEM #8
TOWN OF FAIRFAX
STAFF REPORT
March 2, 2022
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Michele Gardner, Town Clerk
SUBJECT: Receive report on Councilmembers’ assignments, committees, and activities in February
__________________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Receive Councilmember activities report.
DISCUSSION
Every month, each Councilmember provides a list of the meetings they attended in the preceding month on behalf of the Town, for inclusion in this report. Under the agenda section entitled “Council Reports and Comments” Councilmembers may choose to highlight one of those meetings.
Mayor Hellman
• Feb 7: Manor Hill neighborhood Firewise meeting
• Feb 8: Climate Action Committee subcommittee chair meeting concerning agenda planning • Feb 9: Fairfax Festival 2022 planning meeting
• Feb 9: Ross Valley Fire Dept board meeting
• Feb 10: Cal Cities Community Service policy committee meeting • Feb 10: Welcome Kit meeting – community members and councilmember Goddard planning a relaunch of a welcome packet to new residents.
• Feb 10: MCCMC water policy subcommittee meeting – met with Jared Huffman • Feb 15: Climate Action Committee meeting
• Feb 18: MCCMC economic recovery meeting
• Feb 24: New resident Welcome kit meeting
• Feb 24: MCCMC water policy subcommittee meeting
• Feb 26: Climate Action Committee strategic planning “retreat” on zoom • Feb 28: Meeting with Park and Rec program manager for youth and older adult programming • March 1: Discussion with Fairfax station 21
Vice Mayor Cutrano
• 2/2—Closed Session of the Fairfax Town Council
• 2/2—Regular Meeting of the Fairfax Town Council
• 2/3—Hub Transportation Study - Multimodal Concept Workshop hosted by the Town of San Anselmo
• 2/4—Grey water/rainwater capture system site tour with Paul Mann, CEO of Water Champions • 2/4—Strategic Plan Coordinating meeting with Mayor Hellman, Interim Town Manager Politzer, incoming Town Manager Heather Abrams, and strategic planning consultant, Greg Larson • 2/7—Fairfax Town Council agenda-setting meeting with Mayor Hellman and Town staff • 2/7—Meeting with Mayor Hellman regarding DSA Marin’s Rent Stabilization Campaign in Fairfax
2 • 2/9—Meeting regarding the proposed outdoor fitness stations in Peri Park with Parks and Recreation Commissioner (PARC) Dustin Liebman, Age-Friendly Fairfax (AFF) Task Force Chair, Jody Timms, PARC and AFF member Jackie Engstrom, and Town of Fairfax staff Maria Baird
• 2/10—MCCMC Ad Hoc Water Policy Committee meeting with Congressman Jared Huffman • 2/22—Fairfax Open Space Committee meeting
• 2/23—"Hotels to Affordable Housing: Strategies for Conversion from Across the Country” hosted by the American Planning Association Housing & Community Development Division and the Housing Crisis Research Collaborative at UC Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation.
• 2/23—Meeting with Anne Richman, Executive Director of the Transportation Authority of Marin, regarding next steps for funding and developing an updated version of the 2010 Cross Marin Bikeway study commissioned by the Town of Fairfax.
• 2/23—Marin Emergency Radio Authority (MERA) meeting
• 2/23—Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers (MCCMC) meeting • 2/24—MCCMC Ad Hoc Water Policy Committee meeting with Mimi Willard of the Coalition of Sensible Taxpayers (COST)
• 2/24—Transportation Authority of Marin meeting
• 2/25—Introductory meeting with Sean Youra, the new Climate Action Coordinator for the Towns of Fairfax and San Anselmo
2/28—MCCMC Homelessness Committee with Councilmember Renee Goddard • 2/28—Fairfax Volunteer Board meeting
• 3/1—Rent Stabilization Campaign discussion with Mayor Hellman and Marin DSA.
Councilmember Ackerman
• 2/1 Town Council meeting in closed session
• 2/1 Meet with Public Works regarding EV charging infrastructure options • 2/2 MCE Technical Committee attendance
• 2/2 Town Council meeting in closed session, then Regular meeting • 2/3 Meetings with Staff regarding EV charging infrastructure options • 2/14 Planning call for Flood Zone 9 Advisory Board agenda • 2/15 Regular meeting of Climate Action Committee
• 2/17 Meeting with Sean Youra, our new staff Climate Coordinator • 2/23 Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers (MCCMC) regular meeting • 2/26 Annual Retreat (special meeting) of Climate Action Committee Councilmember Coler
• Met with Interim Town Manager several times on transition and other Town matters (Feb 1, 8, 15, 22).
• MCE Clean Energy Executive Committee meeting – meeting was not held in Feb. • Attended Marin Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) meeting (Feb 10) – Approved Update to Sphere of Influence (SOI)/County Open Space lands reorg/annexation to Corte Madera and Sanitary District; approved outside sewer service agreement for Mill Valley to a specific address; approved annexation of Novato address to Nov. Sanitary District; approved SOI amendment for CSA #18 including detachment of several parcels; approved change to fee schedule. LAFCO workshop to be held July 27 on issues specific to LAFCOs only. • Attended Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA) Board meeting (Feb 17) – The LowIncome Senior Exemption application form is now on the website 3 https://www.marinwildfire.org/resident-info/senior-exemption. Approved Vegetation Management Special position description/salary – MWPA will run the Chipper Programs this year (FireSafe Marin will no longer do so); saw Adapt to Wildfire campaign (out soon); approved MWPA Style Guide for communications; presentation on Biomass Collaborative project (MWPA, OFA with $500K grant from Governor’s OPR). • Attended MCE Clean Energy Board meeting (Feb 17) –MCE rate Change was adopted at prior meeting – updated information: on 2/10/22, the CPUC approved PG&E’s requested rate increase along with a reduction in the PCIA. On March 1st, MCE will implement a 1.7 cents/kWh rate increase to cover increased power supply costs. This will be entirely offset by a PCIA reduction of about 2.5 cents/kWh. When taken with PG&E's very large (3.5 cents/kWh) increase to its generation rates, MCE service should be $13/month less for the typical household, providing a total bill discount of 7% compared to PG&E. NEWS UPDATE: MCE has approved an agreement for their largest battery-storage solar project with the Golden Fields Solar Project in Kern County, which will provide enough power for an estimated 52,000 homes each year, generating 100 MW of solar energy with a co-located 75 MW lithium-ion battery. 2/17 Board meeting: Issued the Charles McGlashen 2021 Award to Sustainable Contra Costa County; Approved Bond Debt Policy & Master Bond Indenture – necessary as MCE is a leading provider of renewable and GHG free energy and thus must have access to many tools to reach its goals of providing 85% renewable energy by 2029 and 95% GHG free energy by 2023.
MCE’s ability to issue tax-exempt debt to finance an ownership interest in a generating or storage facility is a distinct advantage over investor-owned utilities and direct access providers.
By their adoption, MCE will be able to issue bonds within a six-to-eight-week time frame which will help MCE take advantage of ownership opportunities that arise in a timely manner. SB 1029 (2016) requires that any state and local government agency that intends to issue debt must formulate and adopt a Debt Policy. The Master Bond Indenture dictates the requirements and conditions precedent for MCE to issue bonds. Coler is now a member of the 2022 Ad Hoc Contracts Committee.
• Attended Marin Council of Mayors & Councilmembers monthly meeting (Feb 23) – Presentation: Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) to provide an overview of Bay Adapt, which provides a series of recommended actions for adapting to sea level rise within the SF Bay Area; they will discuss some specific recommendations for Marin County and its 11 cities/towns.
• Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA – Taught Conservation Biology class by Zoom (Feb 24).
Invited speaker on using science at the national, state, regional and local level to achieve environmental benefits.
• Attended Community Media Center of Marin (CMCM) Board meeting (Feb 24). New Board member representing Marin Managers, Chris Zapata was introduced. • Countywide CDBG HUD Priority Setting Committee (Feb 24) – Workshop was held for potential grant applicants.
• Attended Community Media Center of Marin (CMCM) Board meeting (Feb 24). • Attended Fairfax Age Friendly Task Force meeting (Feb 25). • Marin County Mayors & Councilmembers Legislative Committee (Feb 28) – mtg held after report was submitted. MCCMC LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE SCOPE OF ADVOCACY: Fiscal Protection: protect city revenues from state Local Control: support legislation that enhances local control of resources to provide services while supporting regional co-operation. Oppose unfunded mandates and preemption of local authority and control of land use Transportation Investment: promote stable transportation finance structure for state and local government.
Multimodal, enhancing livable communities Housing/Land use: protect local government land use authority. Oppose punitive housing legislation, and legislation that restricts or reduces local 4 discretion on land use decisions. Other legislation can be recommended to MCCMC at a regular meeting.
Councilmember Goddard
• 2/1- Town Council closed Session
• 2/2- Regular Town Council Meeting
• 2/3- Attended a community ‘study session’ hosted by Parisi Associates regarding infrastructure design scenarios for multi-modal transportation at the Hub in San Anselmo • 2/7- Attended the Park and Rec meeting -co-presented with resident Mark Solomons, a proposal for seasonal multi-cultural celebration/ observance events. • The goal is to form a sub-committee to conduct outreach and invite members of different cultures, religions and affiliations to host and share their traditions and rituals. These will be inclusive community wide events aimed at celebrating and appreciating our differences and discovering our points in common
• 2/8- Plastic Free Marin meeting -Presentation by ‘Dispatch Goods’ a company that delivers, collects and washes reusable take-out food-ware. Dispatch is providing service to multiple Marin County restaurants at a cost savings, and greatly reducing the volume of single-use foodware • 2/9- Ross Valley Fire Board meeting
• 2/10- Met with Cascade Canyon neighbors, David Smadbeck, Chamber of Commerce ED, and Mayor Hellman to discuss a ‘Welcome Basket’ and informational letter to distribute to new residents.
• 2/11- Met with Vice- Mayor Cutrano and Patrick Seidler (co-owner and President of Wilderness Trail Bikes (WTB) to observe and discuss transportation options and bicycle safety along the corridor between San Rafael and the Western border of Fairfax (Cross Marin Trail) • 2/15- Attended the Board of Supervisors (BOS) hearing regarding the acceptance or denial of state grant funding for Project Homekey at 1251 S. Eliseo. • The BOS voted unanimously to accept the state grant and move forward with the project • 2/15- Met with Miranda Miller the newly hired Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the Ross Valley Fire Department
• 2/15- Ross Valley Paramedic Authority Meeting
• 2/17- Participated in the National Point In time (PIT) count with Vice-Mayor Cutrano -The PIT takes place every 2 years. Teams are assigned to a census tract, to count un-housed individuals and families who may be living on the street or in tents, boats or vehicles • 2/18- MCCMC Economic Recovery Committee meeting
• 2/23- MCCMC Regular monthly business meeting
• 2/24- Follow up meeting with Cascade Canyon neighbors, David Smadbeck, Chamber of Commerce ED, and Mayor Hellman to discuss a ‘Welcome Basket’. • 2/26- Attended and provided assistance for the ‘Adult Dodgeball night’ sponsored by Park & Rec
• 2/28- Met with Anne Mannes and Mayor Hellman to work on scheduling teen events and programs for Spring 2022
• 2/28- MCCMC Homeless Committee -discussion regarding use of the Community Homeless Fund (CHF) which all of Marin Cities and Towns contribute to. The funds have supported the Downtown Streets Team’s Mobile Shower/Mobile Care program • 2/28- Fairfax Festival Committee Meeting - “It’s happening!”