FAIRFAX TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
STAFF REPORT
1 AGENDA ITEM #9
MEETING DATE July 17, 2024
PREPARED FOR Mayor and Town Council
PREPARED BY Christine Foster, Deputy Town Clerk
SUBJECT Receive report on Councilmembers’ assignments, committees, and activities in June.
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 Coler
1. June 3 – Met with Fairfax residents on Short Term Rentals.
2. June 4, 25 – met with Town Manager on Council matters.
3. June 6 – Wall Property Meeting – purpose: fundraising campaign– hosted by the Marin Open Space Trust (MOST) with FOSC, and others who may participate in the campaign.
4. June 8 – Fairfax Festival – opened the Parade with Chief Tabaranza & also participated in the Parade with our Town Council. Many thanks to all on the Fairfax Festival volunteers, Fairfax police and PW and other staff (and all who attended) for another great festival!
5. June 8 – Pacifics Baseball game Albert Park ball game – Mayor Coler threw out the 1st pitch!
6. June 12 – Fairfax Farmers Market – Mayor and Acting Town Manager Tabaranza (and with Bryn McKillup who discussed Home Match and ADUs) - availability 4:30-6pm.
7. June 12 – Letter drafted and sent to Board of Supervisors and Max Korten, Director MCOSD re: support for MOST’s grant application for $1M for the Wall Property acquisition.
8. June 13 – Marin Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) meeting – The Commission approved:
the final Operating Budget for FY24/25; an emergency out of service agreement (OSA) for a failed septic to the Novato San. Dist. For one year; the 1st amendment to the Executive Officer Agreement; and certain items related to the CalLAFCO annual conference and elected the Chair and Vice Chair (Coler, Rodoni, respectively). A hearing was held on the draft Multi-Regional Service Review (MSR) – covers Marin Municipal Water District, North Marin Water District, Marin County Open Space District, Marin County Service Area #31, and the Marin Healthcare District.
9. June 18 – Wall Property meeting with Acting Town Manager, Town Attorney and Councilmember Cutrano to prep for meeting with the County 6/19 on the maintenance agreement.
10. June 19 – Wall Property meeting with Supervisor Katie Rice, County Legal Counsel Kerchow, Max Korten/Carl Somers and Councilmember Cutrano, Town Attorney and Acting Town Manager Tabaranza.
Subject was County maintenance agreement for some elements for and specified trails on the property.
11. June 20 – Letter drafted and sent to Senate Judiciary Committee RE: support for AB 2149 Rolling Gate Safety.
12. June 20 – Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority Board meeting – The Board: approved a 3.5% COLA for staff based on the April 2024 Bay Area CPI of 4%; authorized the Exec. Officer to designate staff members to execute task orders (TOs) valued at less than $5,000.00 for Direct Assistance and authorized 2 the Planning and Program Manager (PPM) to execute TOs in the absence of the EO valued at less than $200,000.00 (this item was pulled from the May agenda and continued to June 20 as Coler expressed concerns of staff below the PPM level signing TOs up to $200K and was revised as my suggestions); the 3rd amendment to the Agreement with Willow Labs for Phase IV for development of a data-driven wildfire risk reduction framework which will allow MWPA to identify, quantify and prioritize opportunities for wildfire mitigation with a focus on inclusivity of community groups (e.g. Canal, Marin City, Older Adults, Disabled and others); 3 Task Orders were approved for the: Greater Ross Valley Shaded Fuel Break (GRVSFB, inc. Fairfax) for up to $660k, $600K and $400K & 3 TOs were approved for the Greater Novato Shaded Fuel Break for up to $400k, $450K and $700K – all TOs end 7/31/2025, Among other things, Fire Safe Marin reported that their Make It Downhill Alive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91hgUjhmSIE video drove the increase in YouTube viewership - seen by almost 7,000 people, for a total of 625 hours of viewing - Mark Brown shows how to evacuate downhill while a wildfire is approaching (and more). The Board received a presentation on a survey conducted on Wildfire Risk Perceptions throughout the MWPA jurisdiction solely focused on specified underserved communities.
13. June 20 – MCE Community Choice Energy Board meeting – The Board: appointed COO Kasarjian as Treasurer as an Interim appointment for 6 months; approved the Proposed Amendment to the Reserve Policy; Coler was appointed to be a member of the Technical Committee (my alternate Councilmember Ackerman will attend most meetings); approved a proposed deferral of $40M to the Operating Reserve Fund; received a presentation on MCE’s Annual Energy Efficiency Report; reviewed External Grant Funding pursuits (Build Momentum does grant writing and AmpliFund manages performance metrics and budgeting); and had a discussion/no action taken on an investment opportunity for purchasing the San Rafael, Tamalpais Ave. office.
14. June 22 – San Anselmo Open Space Committee fundraiser – speaker Obi Kaufmann; also, MOST and Wall Property fundraising were featured.
15. June 24 – Badge Pinning ceremony for Fire Chief Dan Mahoney, Battalion Chief Jake Peterson and Admin. Assistant II Samatha Stettler.
16. June 24 – Marin County Mayors & Councilmembers (MCCMC) Legislative Committee meeting –The Committee approved sending an oppose letter for: AB 2557 (Ortega) - this bill provides significant impediments to contracting out for necessary services. Report out from Chair Fredericks – a letter was not sent on AB 1778 (Connolly) re: e-bikes as it was amended and is on the Governor’s desk for signature.
The CA Supreme Court took action to remove the Taxpayer Protection Act from the ballot as it was deemed a constitutional revision rather than an amendment. Thursday June 27 is a significant deadline for budget deals (>$300B budget which resolves the $46.8B deficit) and dropping measures from the November ballot. Items of note: bonds are not polling well in polls by PPIC, looks like it is down to two bond measures for the Nov 5 ballot – School facilities and Climate/park bonds. Insurance regulations on rate modeling changes are on track by the Insurance Commissioner’s office to be completed in December. Main budget bill was AB 107 and budget “junior” bill (changes AB 107) is SB 108 – there are 17 trailer bills (these provide specifics on how funds are to be spent). Retail theft has an 11 bill package which includes “poison bill” which makes them inoperable if the ballot proposition (reforms Proposition 47) by conservative District Attorneys’ passes.
LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR:
June 15 – Last day for the budget to be passed by the Legislature.
June 30 – Last day for the Governor to sign the budget.
July 3 – Last day for policy committees to meet and report bills.
July 3 – Legislative Summer recess begins.
August 5 – Legislature reconvenes from Summer recess.
3 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 discretion on land use decisions. Other legislation can be recommended to MCCMC at a regular meeting.
17. June 25 – Housing Element Subcommittee meeting with Councilmember Cutrano, Town Manager Abrams, Planning Director Beiswinger & Bryn McKillup and D&B Andrew Hill re: Safety Element update.
18. June 26 – Marin County Mayors and Councilmembers (MCCMC) monthly meeting – Hosted by the Town of Fairfax and held at Deer Park Villa, featured speakers were: Derek Johnson, County Executive, who began his new role with the County of Marin on April 29th, introduced himself to the group and spoke about his vision and goals for the County Executive's Office; and Jonathan Logan, Managing Principal, JDL Strategies (formerly of MCF), provided an overview of his efforts to develop a land bank in Marin that will assist with producing and preserving affordable housing in Marin.
19. June 27 – Fire Safe Marin retirement event for Rich Shortall.
20. June 27– Community Media Center of Marin (CMCM) Board meeting –The Board voted to hold inperson meetings quarterly starting in September (and also provide a hybrid option). The Board also discussed updating orientation for new Board members and also may hold a retreat later in the year to discuss future vision for CMCM. CMCM staff have filmed over 58 government meetings since the last Board meeting a month ago.
21. June 28 – Age Friendly meeting held at Victory Village – planning for the 90+ celebration in October, there are 61 folks eligible based on the voter rolls (staff will also ask that a request for people/children of- in Fairfax 90 or over to notify us – Jackie Engstrom is leading this effort again). Also discussed the video Anne Manne’s husband will develop for the 10th anniversary of Age Friendly Fairfax – it will be 90 seconds, plan to have it shown at a Council meeting in the late fall and on our website. Next Age Friendly meeting will be in August. County “warm line” for senior resources questions is 415-473-INFO or 415- 473-4673 (available 8:30-4:30pm M-F, may need to leave a message for a call back). Many senior programs are held at the Fairfax Library. Victor Village is holding an evacuation drill (which will also include an emergency preparedness program) in July.
Vice Mayor Blash
06/03 – Met with Fairfax community member opposed to Peace Proclamation 06/04 - Met with Fairfax community member who does not believe the Peace Proclamation goes far enough to address the suffering of the people of Gaza
06/05 - Met with Fairfax community member supporting the Peace Proclamation 06/05 – Closed Session on Labor Negotiations followed by Regular Town Council Meeting. Regular meeting discussed letter accepting grant for Wall Property, survey results on road bond measure, putting rental ordinances on the ballot, and peace proclamation. 06/06 - Ross Valley Paramedic Authority Board Meeting. Reviewed and approved annual budget, reviewed stats on e-bike injuries and made recommendations for data collection, heard testimony from a survivor who had been saved by paramedics.
06/06 - Met with representative from e-Bike Access on e-bike regulations and safety for youth. 06/08 - Attended Fairfax Parade and Festival
06/13 - MCCMC Homeless Subcommittee Field Trip to the opening of Homeward Bound’s new veteran housing in Novato’s Hamilton Field area.
06/19 - Met with Chief Tabaranza (phone) re: homeless encampment 4 06/19 - Met with PW Director Umbertis (phone) re: homeless encampment 06/25 - Met with Town Manager Abrams re: various
06/26 - MCCMC monthly meeting: Deer Park Villa, Fairfax. Speakers on issues: - Derek Johnson, new Marin County Executive Officer on his vision and goals for the County Executive's Office, and Johnathan Logan, Managing Principal, JDL Strategies, on his efforts to develop a land bank that will assist with producing and preserving affordable housing in Marin.
Councilmember Ackerman
7/5 Town Council regular meeting, preceded by a Closed Session 7/7 MCE Technical Committee
7/8-7/9 Fairfax Festival and Parade!
7/12 Met with Loren Umbertis and design consultant re Pavilion inverter/battery 7/12 Marin/Sonoma Mosquito & Vector Control District regular meeting 7/18 Fairfax Climate Action Committee (CAC) regular meeting 7/19 Marin Conservation League Climate Action Working Group: presentation by Peninsula Clean Energy 7/26 Marin County Commission of Mayors and Councilmembers (MCCMC) meeting, hosted by Fairfax 7/28 Scale of Hope movie presented in Women's Club by Fx CAC Councilmember Hellman
Not received in time for publication.
Councilmember Cutrano
Not received in time for publication.