FAIRFAX TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
STAFF REPORT
1 AGENDA ITEM #3.c
MEETING DATE March 5, 2025
PREPARED FOR Mayor and Town Council
PREPARED BY Christine Foster, Deputy Town Clerk
SUBJECT Receive report on Councilmembers’ assignments, committees, and activities in February 2025.
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 Blash
• Miscellaneous meetings with the town attorney and/or town manager on emergent issues. • Various informal conversations with residents about issues of concern. 02/05: Regular Town Council Meeting: appointed Town Clerk and Town Treasurer, discussed Fairfax Festival Finances, approved additional funding for design of firehouse 21 remodel. 02/07: Ross Valley Charter School. Spoke with 2nd and 3rd graders about town government. 02/10: Special closed session meeting. Discussion re: encampment lawsuit, Wall Property lawsuit 02/10: Ross Valley Paramedic Authority Special Working Group meeting. Kickoff meeting to start the process of revising some fiscal oversight measures to enhance transparency and efficiency. 02/13: Met with Chamber of Commerce Reps: Discussed potential event schedule, potential loading zone workshop, status of no-trespass letter for merchants, an employee parking pass program, support for an economic vitality initiative to boost Fairfax’s businesses and economy. 02/14: Art Reception at the Parkade to welcome Sam M. Parry’s new sculpture installation, "Cosmic Neighborhood".
02/24: Met with Marin County Fire Chief Weber to discuss questions about Ross Valley Paramedic Authority (RVPA) operations.
02/26: Town Council Strategic Planning Meeting.
02/26: Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers (MCCMC) Meeting. Monthly gathering.
Presenters: Assemblymember Damon Connolly; Jenny Silva, Chair of the Marin Environmental Housing Collaborative
02/27: Transportation Authority of Marin Board Meeting. Various appointments to Executive Committee, State Route 37 Policy Committee, various reports Vice Mayor Hellman
Weekly meetings / discussions with residents on topics including the Fairfax Festival, Cannabis, Homeless encampment, Sustainability and more. Recurring weekly meetings with Town Manager and ad-hoc touchpoints with Town Attorney,
Jan 7: Zoom Meeting with Hill Street neighbors listening to concerns related to potential of MAMM Cannabis operating nearby on Sir Francis Drake.
2 Jan 8: Ross Valley Fire Board meeting
Jan 9: Fairfax Town Council regular meeting
Jan 22: Discussion with LAFCO to learn about the organization and various governance models and efforts throughout county.
Jan 28: Congressman Jared Huffman townhall
Jan 29: MCCMC (Marin County Councilmember and Mayors Council) monthly meeting via zoom Feb 3: MCE board orientation
Feb 5: Fairfax Town Council regular meeting
Feb 10: Fairfax Town Council closed meeting
Feb 12: Ross Valley Fire Board meeting
Feb 18: Climate Action Committee meeting - absent due to family holiday Feb 24: Congressman Jared Huffman town hall
Feb 25: Attended group discussion on Ross Valley Fire Station 21 renovation. Project timeline presented.
Effort is in the prelim review of scope. Early March plans will be reviewed with town staff for approval, then more design detail, structural and engineers will begin their plans. Go out to bid in June. This project will require temporary living quarters for fire staff.
Feb 26: Fairfax Town Council retreat, a 9:30am-3pm public working session to set priorities.
Feb 26: MCCMC (Marin County Councilmember and Mayors Council) monthly meeting via zoom. Speakers: District 12 Assemblyman Connelly and Jenny Silva/Marin Environmental Housing Collaborative.
Councilmember Coler
1. February 4, 8, 25 – Met with Town Manager on various Council matters.
2. February 5 – Town Council meeting.
3. February 12 – Ross Valley Fire Board meeting – the Board approved mid-year budget revisions.
Interviews were completed and conditional offers (pending bkgd) for a Firefighter/Paramedic and for a Fire Inspector.
4. February 13 – Marin Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) meeting – The Commission approved: the Central Marin Wastewater Municipal Service Review (CMWMSR) and with it four resolutions amending the Spheres of Influence for San. Dist. 2, for RVSD, for SRSD and for LGVSD. The Commission approved: two Resolutions for parcels detaching from Sanitary District 2 and annexations into RVSD; a Reso.
Annexing three parcels into San. Dist. 2; a Reso. reorganizing a Larkspur parcel, detaching from RVSD & annexing into San. Dist. 2; a Reso. reorganizing 11 parcels & detaching from RVSD and annexing into San. Dist. 2. The Commission approved the EO entering into Agreements with: Citygate for a consolidation report on Tiburon Fire and Belvedere; Alyssa Schiffmann for bookkeeping services; and Fort Point for IT Support.
5. February 14 - Community Media Center of Marin (CMCM) Building Subcommittee mtg – as CMCM now owns our building, this group continues on to discuss/approve building management matters. Feb 17 – Coler met with EO Eisenmenger to finalize draft Designated Access Provider Agreement.
6. February 20 – Marin Wildfire (MWPA) Board meeting – The Board approved issuance of an RFP for contractors for Chipper Days; adopted a Resolution Approving Special District Risk Management Authority as Marin Wildfire’s Insurance Provider for Property and Liability Coverage; received a report on the 2024 Chipper Days (highlights: $1,355,546 spent, run for 30 weeks & used Fire Aside software -15,021.5 cubic yards of vegetation removed; 4,694 completed pickups county-wide; average of 3.21 cubic yards per pickup -a 4.9% increase from last season; tighter service window - new two day pickup window well received by residents; and more chipping opportunities added – total 6 rounds); Other updates: The Home Hardening and Defensible Space grant program successfully allocated its full budget of $532,000 to qualifying applicants in 2024. The Pilot Direct Assistance Program launched this fall -the program is on track to spend its full allocation of $266,000 this FY.
The Board received two presentations RE: San Rafael and Novato PD Ranger Programs & Novato Fire District and North Marin Community Services on actions taken based on the Risk Perception Survey. 3 7. February 20 – MCE Clean Energy Board – meeting was held in person at MCE’s Concord office. The Board re-elected Shanelle Scales Preston Chair and Gabe Quinto Vice Chair. The Board approved: a resolution to accept $5M from CEC - MCE will receive $5,000,000 between FY 2025/26 and FY 2030/31 to fund the MCE Virtual Power Plant (VPP, match is $5M). Instead of being sited in one place like a physical power plant, a VPP harnesses energy resources that are distributed across a participating community. By coordinating these devices – like rooftop solar, heat pump water heaters, smart thermostats, smart plugs, electric vehicles, and batteries - VPPs can quickly supply power to the grid, take power from the grid, or lower energy consumption during critical times to reduce grid-strain. MCE’s proposal won a score of 95.98/100 for CEC’s VPP Flex Award. The Board received a presentation on MCEs 2025 priorities: Affordability - Keeping clean energy affordable through financial and procurement strategies, customer discounts, and customer programs that prioritize those most in need; Power Resources – Strengthening procurement strategies, mitigating renewable curtailment, and ensuring resource adequacy to support reliability; Legislative & Regulatory Advocacy – Protecting CCA autonomy, securing fair policies, and navigating evolving regulatory challenges to maintain flexibility and innovation; Financial Strength – Maintaining reserves, leveraging prepayment transactions, and securing external funding to buffer against market volatility; Customer Programs – Expanding Virtual Power Plant, EV, energy efficiency, and building electrification programs; Service Area Expansion – Launching Hercules service in April 2025. Preview of budget for FY 25/26 – Total power supply costs have gone up $77M ($765M) and Personnel costs may go up to $30.4M (proposing adding 16 staff, total would be 122 staff).
8. February 24 – Marin County Council of Mayors & Councilmembers (MCCMC) Legislative Committee – The Committee heard updates – Feb 21 was the bill introduction deadline, 2350 bills intro., many are spot bills.
The first hearings likely in April. Two housing bonds to provide funding for affordable multifamily ($10B each, same bill) – if successful will be on June 2026 ballot. Fire hazard severity maps for Local Responsibility Areas (LRAs) released Feb 24 for public comment – Mill Valley, Novato & Larkspur have some Very High Fire Severity Areas. Several bills added to watch list, 2 of note – AB346 will require STRs company to report addresses and TOT & AB 846 – wildfire prevention – allows streamlining clearing of brush . Governor’s January budget was released 2 days before LA fires, because of this his May budget will be considered the “real Gov’s budget.” 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. Coler requested and was approved to follow all wildfire bills as they fit within land use/housing and local control.
9. February 26 – Town Council Retreat.
10. February 26 – Marin County Council of Mayors & Councilmembers (MCCMC) monthly meeting – By Zoom - Presenters: Legislative update from Assemblymember Damon Connolly, followed by a presentation Jenny Silva, Board Chair, Marin Environmental Housing Collaborative (MEHC), provided an overview of the MEHC, the programs and services provided, and updates on current and upcoming projects.
11. February 27 – Community Media Center of Marin (CMCM) Board meeting – Mtg held after report submittal deadline.
February 28 – Age Friendly Fairfax showing of the film “Do I need this?” – Karen Arnold and Jackie Engstrom led this effort for Age Friendly – Coler volunteered for the event and attended as did some others in our group.
Councilmember Egger
Not received in time for publication.
Councilmember Ghiringhelli
Not received in time for publication.