Outlook
Electric throttle devices: evasion of White Hill Middle School's ban on them, inaction by the police, and resulting crashes involving five students
From Bob Mittelstaedt <[email protected]>
Date Wed 4/2/2025 2:24 PM
To Fairfax Town Council <[email protected]> Last summer, a council member publicly warned that if Fairfax did not take action to get Super73s and other illegal throttle vehicles out of the schools and off the streets, there would be "blood on their hands." San Anselmo's then-mayor Eileen Burke voiced the same sentiment: "I don't want to be the mayor that holds a vigil for a child. But that's where we are headed if we don't take action." White Hill Middle School has stepped up and done its part by banning these devices.
But students have been permitted to evade the ban by parking off-campus, and the Fairfax police have not done enough to stop it.
Last December, the Council was alerted that students were evading the ban and endangering themselves by parking off-campus at 9 Glen Drive -- reporting for 50 cents a day per bike. That has continued for over three months, despite repeated calls for police intervention. According to reliable reports, as of today, some students are continuing to park at the residence on Glen Drive. Others are parking out in the open at the end of Glen Drive for all to see, including the police, and reportedly inside the back gate at 12 Ace Court.
Allowing this evasion to continue has serious consequences. Two weeks ago, four students crashed on Super73s near M&Gs, right after closing bell. It's likely that they were among the students parking on Glen Drive. And just this morning, another student crashed his throttle vehicle on Mitchell Drive right before opening bell.
The Fairfax police and fire departments responded to both crashes. That costs money -- more money than if the police helped enforce White Hill's ban on illegal devices in the first place. By failing to take sufficient enforcement action, the town ends up spending more money responding to crashes. Penny-wise pound-foolish.
It is past time to do something about this, once and for all. Our youth are now bloodied by the failure to take sufficient action.
Among other suggestions:
a. The town should confirm and publicize the crashes, consistent with appropriate privacy concerns. Here's an example of publicity that Mill Valley's police department has posted:
b. The students parking off-campus and their parents should be privately identified; the police or other town officials should visit the parents.
c. If that doesn't take care of the problem, at closing bell, the police should park a squad car on Glen Drive where the "ebikes" are parked and inform the students that they are not allowed to ride those devices to school. This is apparently what the Central Marin police did last week to stop Hall Middle School students from parking at Tamiscal High School, and it appears to have been effective. It takes only 15 minutes of two officers' time.
d. If this doesn't work, the police should impound these illegal devices either as parked or as soon as they are ridden on the street.
Fairfax has a very capable police force. Surely they can find a way to enforce the law and not be outmaneuvered by middle schoolers. Sorry to be so blunt but this has gone on for way too long. We understand that the San Francisco Chronicle is working on a story on this topic. Perhaps that's an incentive to fix this without further delay.
https://www.ebikeaccess.org
Outlook
Open flame ordinance for Peri Park. High Fire severity Zone From Kay Mahoney-Neal <[email protected]>
Date Wed 4/2/2025 8:31 AM
To Fairfax Town Council <[email protected]> Dear Fairfax council,
Tonight we adopt the new fire severity map which includes Peri Park as a high fire severity zone.
Reports of illegal open flame for years in Peri Park have been ignored by the town council. The town council is aware and has condoned the use of open flame by our unhoused neighbors. Including an attempted arson.
I have personally asked the TC to develop an ordinance to address illegal use of camp stoves and open flames occurring in Peri Park for 2 years . As you are aware the unhoused are having illegally open flame for years . Lawyer Colson had told you only place to legally have open flame is in the barbeque area to which you repeatably chose to ignore and did not address again on 12/8/2024 . Mayor Blash has even stated camp stoves are safe when I requested an open flame ordinance. I would argue any open flame in Peri Park is not safe and illegal.
I again for the fourth time request the Town Council finally address the fire severity of Peri Park and develop an ordinance to stop open flames inside Peri Park. This would include removing the barbecue.
Most public municipalities places have removed barbecues in public places.
For reference you can hear my request landing on deaf ears on 10/4/2023, 11/1/2023 and 12/8/2024 requesting the TC address illegal open flames in our very flammable park. This is a public health issue which threaten the safety of our whole town. I hold our town council personally responsible for lack of addressing this situation and all harm that will result in continuing to ignore the fire danger of open flame in our public park.
Thank you,
Kay Neal
Outlook
Public Comment for 4/2/25 Town Council Meeting
From Teliha Draheim <[email protected]>
Date Wed 4/2/2025 8:13 AM
To Barbara Coler <[email protected]>; Lisel Blash <[email protected]>; Stephanie Hellman <[email protected]>; Michael Ghiringhelli <[email protected]>; Frank Egger <[email protected]>
Cc Heather Abrams <[email protected]>; Christine Foster <[email protected]> 1 attachment (416 bytes)
favicon.ico;
Fairfax Town Council: I am writing to request the following letter be added to the meeting record of public comments for Open Time for Public Expression at the Fairfax Town Council meeting scheduled for April 2, 2025.
Christine Foster: Can you please confirm receipt of this email and acknowledge that my letter containing public comments for Open Time for Public Expression will be included in the Agenda Package for the Fairfax Town Council prior to the meeting scheduled for April 2, 2025.
Thank you,
Teliha Draheim
Council Member Coler:
On Saturday, 3/29/25, the editor of the Marinpost.org reported to me that there were 2,650 unique hits (and growing) on my contribution entitled, “Recalling Fairfax Mayor and Vice Mayor—the Unreported Story”, published on 3/15/25.
I hope you've had a chance to read the story because it features a section of an email you wrote to local residents. In this email you made disparaging remarks about your constituents who are organizing the recall of Mayor Blash and Vice Mayor Hellman, and also about your fellow Town Council members, Frank Egger and Mike Ghiringhelli. This email was apparently a call to summon your political shills, asking them to speak against the recall during "Open Time” at the March 5, 2025 Fairfax Town Council meeting. You encouraged the recipients of your email to spread the word by emailing their “listserv” groups.
Several recipients succumbed to your inappropriate political manipulation and showed up to speak.
Many who regularly attend the meetings observed that they had never seen these speakers before at prior meetings. Their involvement in Fairfax politics was questioned.
To my surprise, your toxic email along with it's chain of responders, many of whom also contributed their own disparaging comments about the recallers and council members Egger and Ghiringhelli, arrived in my inbox like a Fairfax version of “Signalgate”. It also arrived in the inbox of many other Fairfaxians, who are now aware of the voter manipulation you employed to satisfy your personal agenda, as well as the bad-mouthing by their own neighbors.
In addition, more than 2,650 readers are now aware of your toxic manipulations. Shame.
Recalling Fairfax Mayor & Vice Mayor—
The Unreported Story
marinpost.org
Teliha Draheim
Fairfax resident, 29 years