FAIRFAX TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
STAFF REPORT
1 AGENDA ITEM #6.c
MEETING DATE May 7, 2025
PREPARED FOR Mayor and Town Council
PREPARED BY Christine Foster, Deputy Town Clerk
SUBJECT Receive report on Councilmembers’ assignments, committees, and activities in April 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
March 28: Met with Safe Routes to Schools rep and Town Manager about the youth e-bike situation and our potential ordinance.
April 2: Town Council Closed Session re: encampment lawsuit.
April 2: Regular Fairfax Town Council Meeting. 1) Public hearing on state-mandated ADU updates, 2) Fire Maps, 3) Facilities Condition and Needs Assessment contract. Charter Cities item continued to future agenda.
April 3: Met with constituent over her concerns about potential dispensary relocation to downtown.
April 9: Coffee with the Mayor. About 10 people including the Mayor and the Town Manager. Good conversation about local issues.
April 14: CalCities Webinar: North Bay City & Congressional Meeting. Marin and Sonoma Congressmen reviewed what was happening at the Federal and State level and how it might impact local jurisdictions.
April 18: Special Town Council Meeting on Budget Planning April 19: Town Egg Hunt
April 19: Community Vigil for our youth
April 23: Met with Fairfax Chamber representative to get a status update on various issues impacting the downtown. Also discussed the Egg Hunt and Block Party that took place on Saturday.
April 23: Met with Finance Director and reviewed the budget, opportunities, challenges.
April 24: Marin Economic Summit. Attended this summit to learn more about economic prospects for Marin businesses and local government.
April 24 TAM Board Meeting: Discussed implementing new HOV hours with the completion of the Novato narrows project; discussed the Measure AA budget allocations as part of 6-year review.
April 26: Attended the Mill Valley Evacuation Drill to get ideas for Fairfax’s annual evacuation drill.
I spent several hours talking with emergency response agencies and public safety representatives.
April 27: Youth Town Hall: Student Elections Ambassador Program. I participated in this panel presented by the Student Elections Ambassador Program. The 3rd Annual Youth Town Hall is a free event where Marin youth can meet local elected officials, ask questions, share ideas, and learn how to make a difference in their community.
April 28: Measure AA meeting for local parks and open space funding April 29: School Street Plaza Open House (tentative at the time of writing) 2 April 30: Attended Marin County Council of Mayors and Council Members (MCCMC) event in Corte Madera. Presentation from Bay Area Community Resources Youth Advocacy Committee: Local Marin teens presented their proposal for amendments to current tobacco retailer license ordinances aimed at reducing practices that target teen users.
Met with Town Manager on April 1, 8, and 15, 22, and 28 for general questions about Town business and agenda setting.
Vice Mayor Hellman
• Apr 2 Special Meeting for Closed Session on the Koontz vs. Town of Fairfax • Apr 2 Fairfax April regular town council meeting
• Apr 5 Hands Off Rally at the Marin County Civic Center • Apr 9 Ross Valley Fire Board meeting including closed session concerning labor contract negotiations
• Apr 10 Attended Fairfax Chamber of Commerce meeting
• Apr 16 Debrief with Bridget W and Jody Timms re Climate Action Committee meeting • Apr 18 Town of Fairfax Fiscal Year 25-26 Planning workshop • Apr 19 Community Vigil at Fairfax Central Field - the 4/18 tragic accident took the lives of 4 young people.
• Apr 22 Attended Congressman Jared Huffman town hall with guest Congressman Raskin • Apr 29 Attended open house hosted by Mill Creek, the School Street Plaza developers • Apr 30 - April regular MCCMC forum in person at Corte Madera *Throughout the monthly various discussions with staff and/or constituents related to Cannabis, RVF Station 21 renovation, Fairfax Festival, Homeless, and e-bikes safety.
Councilmember Coler
1. April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – Met with Town Manager on various Council matters.
2. April 1 – CMCM - met with ED of San Rafael Chamber RE: business representation on the Community Media Center of Marin Board.
3. April 2 – Town Council meeting.
4. April 9 – Ross Valley Fire Board meeting – the Board held a Closed Session on Labor Negotiations; other matters were regular business items.
5. April 10 – Marin Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) meeting – the Board approved:
Annexation of State of CA Former Firing Range into the Ross Valley Sanitary District to provide RVSD for the Education Partner’s Development for 250 units; Detachment of 9, 146 acres in West Marin (the Inverness Public Utility District(IPUD), a few parcels adjacent to IPUD, and the Marshall Service Area) from the North Marin Water District (they do not service these areas); Annexation of a property in San Rafael into the SR Sanitary District (and a delayed annexation agreement for the City of SR). The Board accepted the 100% Clean Audit for FY 23/24 (and authorized the EO to enter into a FY 24/25 Audit agreement with Davis Farr) & adopted the Proposed FY 25/26 Budget (Final Budget will be heard at the June mtg). Also approved the updated Salary Schedule. The Board received an update on CalLAFCO’s process to significantly reform the organization and responses to Marin LAFCO’s letter of concerns – Marin LAFCO decided to remain a member to ensure the reforms meet our needs, there are several pros to staying in – also our DEO Seibel is now the Coastal Rep on their Legislative Committee. April 21 – Meeting with LAFCO EO Fried and Commissioner Eric Lucan RE: LAFCO EO performance evaluation discussion.
3 6. April 17 – Marin Wildfire (MWPA) Board meeting – no Board meeting held this month.
7. April 17– MCE Clean Energy Board –The Board approved: an Update to the Voting Shares; Governance recommendations for the Executive & Technical committees. The Board presented the 2024 Charles McGlashen Awards to: the Concord Chamber of Commerce; RCF Connects; and Andrew Bradley, Program Manager, City of St. Helena. The Board authorized a Resolution for four Clean Energy Purchase Contracts and issuance of prepayment bonds by the CCA Financing Authority – this is the 3rd such prepayment – this one will save about $6M/year for the initial 6-10 years, future years depend on market conditions (bonds not to exceed $1.3B principal).
8. April 14 – Attended PARC meeting re: MOST’s application for a memorial bench for the Wall family.
9. April 18 – Town Council Budget Workshop.
10. April 19 – Community Vigil.
11. April 24 – Community Media Center of Marin (CMCM) Board meeting – Property management Marshall firm hired. CMCM filmed the Jared Huffman/Jamie Raskin event at COM; is filming the Youth Symphony this weekend and many more events – will be filming most public high school graduations in June. Coler sent final MGSA/CMCM Designated Access Provider Agreement (DAP) to MGSA ED McGill for MGSA May 8 meeting.
12. April 25 – Fairfax Age Friendly group – Planning for events coming up, met at Bennett House.
13. April 27 – Margie Burke Speech Contest at Ross School – served as a judge, have done so for several years.
14. April 28 – Marin County Council of Mayors & Councilmembers (MCCMC) Legislative Committee – Data released the week of April 21st by the International Monetary Fund and the U.S.
Bureau of Economic Analysis moved California into the position of the 4th largest economy in the World. California’s GDP moved ahead of Japan, and sits behind only the United States, China, and Germany in global rankings. CA has long been an economic powerhouse in many sectors including real estate, finance, agriculture, technology and entertainment yet is now encountering challenges stemming from the program cuts and tariff policies implemented by the Trump Administration which could significantly impact the economy (stay tuned for the Governor’s May Revise – May 14 - of the Budget). The Committee voted to take positions on the following bills (Chair Fredericks to send letters): Oppose – SB 79 (Weiner, makes transit agency lead agency for housing along transit) – this would be the second oppose letter yet this time will be sent to the Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire; Support – AB 888 (Calderon – grant program for wildfire work on homes) & AB 1143 (Bennet – has the State Fire Marshall convene a group for home hardening certifications development); Oppose unless Amended – AB 306 (Rivas, Schultz – prohibits state bldg. stds. development for 6 years, etc. – amendments to limit to LA and also allow REACH codes); Neutral – SB 445 (Weiner, he has gutted this bill which we previously took an Oppose position on). Several others bill were put on the Watch list for the next meeting. 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 4 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.
15. April 28 – Measure A (Parks/Open Space) Committee meeting.
16. April 29 – Attended School Street Plaza Open House.
17. April 30 – Marin County Council of Mayors & Councilmembers (MCCMC) monthly meeting – In-person meeting held in Corte Madera. Presentation: Marin Healthy Youth Partnership’s Youth Advocacy Committee - local Marin teens will present their proposal for amendments to current tobacco laws and tobacco retailer license ordinances aimed at reducing practices that target teen users.
MCCMC Business meeting also was held.
Councilmember Egger
Arrived late for the Fairfax Open Space Committee meeting as I was working in Sonoma County all day.
The FOSC recommended that they be advised when a proposal before a Town agency impacts Fairfax Open Space property. That would be the proposed mountain bike trail coming down from Camp Tamarancho adjacent to Iron Springs Road.
The signs for three open space properties have to be installed before the dedications take place.
I never get an agenda for the RVPA meetings where I'm an alternate.
Councilmember Ghiringhelli
Not received in time for publication.