FAIRFAX TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
STAFF REPORT
1 AGENDA ITEM #5.a.
MEETING DATE June 4, 2025
PREPARED FOR Mayor and Town Council
PREPARED BY Christine Foster, Deputy Town Clerk
SUBJECT Receive report on Councilmembers’ assignments, committees, and activities in May 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
May 7: Regular Town Council Meeting. Discussed Fire Maps, Potential of becoming a Charter City, Potential of moving to Action Minutes. Presentations honoring FOSC Member Jack Judkins, and Fairfax’s head librarian, Margaret Miles.
May 12: met with Vice-Mayor, Town Manager, and Town Attorney re: SSP questions.
May 14: Met with community member about concerns about roads, bike usage, and pedestrian safety.
May 17: talked with CM Ghiringhelli re: town history, creating a more peaceful Fairfax.
May 21: Met with Chamber of Commerce Reps. Discussed various issues such as the proposed parking study, various businesses upcoming or closing out, Fairfax Festival, and other topics.
May 21: Special Town Council Meeting. Discussed Bike/Ped Action Committee structure, Youth E-bike Ordinance, and downtown Parking Inventory.
May 22: Happy Hour with the Mayor. Met with community members to discuss town issues and enjoy the Way Station on a Thursday afternoon. About six people total.
May 22: TAM Board Meeting. Discussed active transportation and innovation funding opportunities with applications due in June; discussed the Redwood Bike Share program.
May 26: Informal conversation with community members about interest in renovating the bocce ball area.
May 27: Fairfax Measure A Parks Funding Committee. Working on revising the budget.
May 27: Met with community members about strife and desires for a more peaceful Fairfax.
May 27: Met with community member about signage and naming ideas for the Wall Property.
May 28: Marin County Council of Mayors and Council Members. Update From Community Action Marin - Presentation on the anti-poverty work carried out by CAM. Discussion And Possible Direction to Form An Ad Hoc Committee to Coordinate Drafting Updates to Tobacco Retailer License Ordinances to Regulate Tobacco Marketing Towards Youth Countywide. Nominations For Executive Committee – MCCMC President And Vice President For 2025-26, etc.
Met with Town Manager Abrams on May 6, 20 and 27 for general questions about Town business and agenda setting.
Vice Mayor Hellman
May 3 Fire Safety Event: Lessons from Recent LA Fires. Informative presentation on how we can best prepare for wildfire season. Included a Q&A session.
2 May 7: Fairfax town council closed meeting and regular meeting May 9: Fairfax Librarian Margaret Miles retirement garden party May 14: Ross Valley Fire Department closed (regarding labor negotiations) and open meeting.
May 20: Fairfax Climate Action Committee
May 21: Fairfax Special town council meeting
May 23: Chamber of Commerce hosted 25th Anniversary of Stephanie Mohan’s of doing business in Fairfax.
May 27: Station 21 renovation project discussion with RVFD Chief Mahoney, Town Manager Abrams, and architect. July update to council anticipated.
May 28: Regular May MCCMC meeting via Zoom. Community Action Marin leaders and State Senator Pro Tem Mike McGuire presented.
*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. May 20, 27 – Met with Town Manager on various Council matters.
2. May 1 – Community Media Center of Marin (CMCM) Building Subcommittee meeting – re:
Marshall property manager issues; trade/rent for building cleaning work; material costs for work for rental units (carpet, Fire Marshall, ceiling lights, painting, HVAC belt, boiler repairs and building security).
3. May 3 – Senior Fair at the Fairfax Library.
4. May 5 – MCE Clean Energy Executive meeting – Overview of the Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA, PG&E collects this fee to cover the cost of energy that it had contracted for purchases prior to becoming an MCE customer) and discussion of the Western regionalization of energy markets (SB 540). MCE hit its 15-year anniversary mark on May 7, 2025.
5. May 7 – Town Council meeting.
6. May 8 – Countywide Priority Setting Committee (PSC) meeting - the PSC made recommendations to the BOS on HUD (and some State) funding for public services, capitol projects and housing projects (largely for nonprofits). Coler was able to secure funding for the Fairfax San Anselmo Children’s Center which was not initially recommended for funding by County staff.
7. May 14 – Ross Valley Fire Board meeting – The Board: authorized the President to sign an professional agreement with San Anselmo for finance and HR support; reviewed the FY 25/26 Budget with a 5 year financial forecast; Approved a side letter with the FF Local 1775 to increase staffing for minimum ER response force (Stations 20 & 21 - 3FF ea & ST 19 – 3FF & 1 Bat. Chief); had a closed session on labor negotiations.
8. May 15 – Marin Wildfire (MWPA) Board meeting – The Board approved on Consent:
amendments to Climate Equity Sol. & Green Info Network (GIS work); appointment of Scott Pinsky to the Community Oversight Committee (COC) rep. Fire Prev. Groups; changing Restricted Reserves to 15% of the CORE Budget rather than the Full MWPA Budget. The Board approved Action Items: COC FY23/24 Annual Report; FY 25/26 Workplan; the FY 25/26 Budget conditioned on completion of environmental compliance. FY 2025-2026 Work Plan: the Operations Committee added guidance on Zone Zero. This updated approach includes: • Continue the “House Out” approach • Continue to reduce wildfire risk to communities by providing resources directly to residents for home hardening and defensible space activities • Prioritize shaded fuel breaks directly adjacent to communities and explore the potential for strategically placed landscape area treatments (SPLATs) informed by pathways 3 modeling • Expand the use of prescribed fire and public education and involvement around beneficial fire • Continue to prioritize evacuation planning and projects to improve safe and efficient evacuations • Partner with insurance companies and the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) to help avoid insurance cancellations and control costs for homeowners • Increase public education, particularly to new audiences. Support activities that fire agencies and Marin residents can take, such as home hardening and defensible space (particularly Zone 0); safe evacuations; and reducing human caused ignitions • Provide input to the State regarding Zone Zero and Local Responsibility Area hazard maps as needed and provide guidance for local ordinance updates on Zone Zero and other home hardening and defensible space requirements to provide greater consistency across jurisdictions. Budget: The Core Program consists of 60% of the MWPA’s total revenue minus 10% for administrative costs. The Defensible Space Program consists of 20% of total revenue with 2% set aside for funding an abatement program. The Local Wildfire Mitigation Program consists of 20% of total revenue. The Defensible Space and Local Wildfire Mitigation Programs are passed through to MWPA’s local member agencies. Tax revenue for Fiscal Year 2024/25 is estimated to be $22,043,203. With a 2.7% Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustment - the projected revenue for FY 2025/26 is $22,638,025. Information: The Chipper Day Program- started in early April, is on its 5th week of chipping events. As of May 7, the program has completed 849 successful pickups and removed 3,546 cubic yards of vegetation from residential properties. The program will continue with a similar schedule as in 2024, providing 6 rounds of chipping for residents.
9. May 15 – MCE Clean Energy Board meeting –The Board was provided a presentation on MCE’s Strategic Initiatives, including among others, green hydrogen, funding thru grants, Virtual Power Plant (VPP). Discussion/presentation items on Customer Programs, Public Affairs and Regulatory updates.
10. May 21 – Town Council Special Meeting.
11. May 22 – Community Media Center of Marin (CMCM) Board meeting – MGSA approved the MGSA/CMCM Designated Access Provider Agreement and the CMCM Annual Report on May 8 (MGSA is the oversight agency for CMCM). Updates on the building & property management matters. Letters sent to nearly 500 inactive members by the Outreach Committee to consider rejoining.
12. May 22 – Attended Chamber of Commerce mixer for Stephanie Mohan 25th anniversary.
13. May 23 – Fairfax Age Friendly group – no meeting held in May.
14. May 26 – Marin County Council of Mayors & Councilmembers (MCCMC) Legislative Committee – Meeting canceled due to Memorial Day holiday. 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 cooperation. 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.
15. May 27 – Measure A workplan committee meeting.
16. Marin 28 – Marin County Council of Mayors & Councilmembers (MCCMC) monthly meeting – held by Zoom, presentation from Community Action Marin, featuring Gina Guillemette, Chief Strategy 4 Officer, and Erin Hawkins, Vice President, Whole Family & Community Services, introducing their organization and speaking about their current anti-poverty work.
May 31 – San Anselmo Open Space Committee fundraiser.
Councilmember Egger
Not received in time for publication.
Councilmember Ghiringhelli
Not received in time for publication.