FAIRFAX TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
STAFF REPORT
1 AGENDA ITEM #8.B
MEETING DATE October 15, 2025
PREPARED FOR Mayor and Town Council
PREPARED BY Christine Foster, Deputy Town Clerk
SUBJECT Receive report on Councilmembers’ assignments, committees, and activities in September 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
*Note on meetings with Town Manager: Council members meet individually with the Town Manager to discuss questions and updates. If a council member is not meeting with the Town Manager, that is by choice.
09/02: Met with Town Manager.* Discussed upcoming TC Meeting. 09/03: Town Council Meeting. Discussed La Flor cannabis dispensary application; Transitioning to a Charter City.
09/04: Ross Valley Paramedic Authority. Missed the early part of the meeting but took part in the twohour closed session re: the lease for Ross Valley Ambulance Station, which is scheduled to be rebuilt in the coming years.
09/04: Coffee Hour with the Mayor. DPW Director Kristen Arnold and I met with eight Fairfax residents to discuss various issues, including updating the Town’s Open Space Element, budget transparency, and pedestrian safety and walkability.
09/12: Ross Valley Safe Routes to School Task Force. Discussed Street Smarts program, various safety studies. Local Updates: Fairfax recently signed a funding agreement for its Safe Pathways projects. These will refresh the Town’s bike spine, improve the Sir Francis Drake/Marinda crossing, and add traffic signals at Glen Drive.
09/15: Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Meeting. Meeting entailed discussing the scope of the committee, picking a chair and secretary, and reviewing the schedule of proposed meetings and outreach activities.
09/16: Met with Town Manager.*
09/17: Meeting with Fairfax Chamber Representatives. Debrief on the Town Picnic, Fall in Love with Fairfax BBQ, Building Codes impact on businesses, Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory committee. 09/17: Lunch with Supervisor Colbert and other Marin Mayors. Informal meetup at Gott’s Road House in Greenbrae.
09/23: Coffee Hour with the Mayor. Planning Director Jeff Beiswenger, Town Manager Heather Abrams met with about eight Fairfax residents. Topics discussed included fire safety and upcoming fire code changes, state housing laws, and Halloween candy.
09/23: Met with Town Manager.*
09/24: Marin County Council of Mayors and Council Members Meeting. Mill Valley. 2 09/25: TAM Board Meeting. Allocate funding to Innovation Program Fund projects, Measure AA Expenditure Plan Review Update, Review of the Semi-Annual Project Status Report. 09/26: Spirit of Marin Awards. Fairfax’s Mas Masa received a small business award. 09/26: Fairfax Art Walk.
09/30: Met with Town Manager.*
09/30: Special Town Council Meeting on New Housing Laws.
Vice Mayor Hellman
September 2 – Weekly Station 21 upgrade project team discussion with architect, RVF Chief Mahoney, Town Manager Abrams, Public Works Director Arnold.
September 3: Fairfax town council regular meeting
September 6: Participated in Ross Valley Evacuation Drill and attended Marin Ember Stomp countywide event at Marin Civic Center
September 8: Weekly 1:1 discussion and update with Town Manager Abrams.
September 9 – Weekly Station 21 upgrade project team discussion with architect, RVF Chief Mahoney, Town Manager Abrams, Public Works Director Arnold.
September 10: Ross Valley Fire Board meeting
September 13: Town of Fairfax Annual Picnic
September 15: Weekly 1:1 discussion and update with Town Manager Abrams.
September 16 – Weekly Station 21 upgrade project team discussion with architect, RVF Chief Mahoney, Town Manager Abrams, Public Works Director Arnold.
September 16: Monthly Climate Action Committee meeting
September 25: Monthly MCCMC hosted by City of Mill Valley at the Sweetwater. Speakers September 26: Fairfax Art Walk
September 29: Weekly 1:1 discussion and update with Town Manager Abrams.
September 30th – Weekly Station 21 upgrade project team discussion with architect, RVF Chief Mahoney, Town Manager Abrams, Public Works Director Arnold.
September 30 – Special joint Fairfax Planning Commission and Town Council meeting Councilmember Coler
1. September 2, 9, 16, 23 – Met with Town Manager on various Council matters.
2. Sept 1 – MCE Clean Energy Executive Committee meeting – mtg canceled – held 8/29.
3. Sept 3 – Town Council meeting.
4. Sept 4 – Marin Wildfire Executive Committee meeting – mtg canceled in Sep. 3 5. Sept 6 – Ember Stomp – participated in the Fairfax (Ross Valley) evacuation drill and attended Ember Stomp. Preliminary numbers show that more than 6,000 people attended Ember Stomp.
6. Sept 10 – Ross Valley Fire Board meeting - The Board approved: Fire Chief’s agreement for a 3- year term; moving the time of the FB mtgs to 6pm (from 6:30pm) – mtgs will still be held the 2nd Wednesday of the month.
7. Sept 13 – Attended Town Picnic.
8. Sept 18 – Marin Wildfire (MWPA) Board meeting – Some highlights of workplan update:
Defensible Space and Home Hardening Grant Program has awarded over 160 grants to residents for home hardening and defensible space work within Zone Zero - this year’s grant program offers up to $1,500 per residence and focuses exclusively on supporting Zone Zero work identified in home evaluations (vents, gutter guards, fence/gate, as well as vegetation); the Chipper Program is starting its fifth round of chipping - as of the beginning of September, the program has completed 3,317 successful pickups and has removed 12,703 cubic yards of vegetation from residential properties; Defensible Space Alliance - across Marin Wildfire and its 17 Member Agencies, the 2025 inspection team has completed over 26,126 inspections thus far this season. Ember Stomp: est. 6,000 attended, an increase of ~1,000 over last year; 1,000 evacuation drill participants (over 500 households) in all 5 Marin Wildfire zones; all fire agencies in Marin County participated; 10 live burn demos. The Board received an overview of the Marin County Forest Health and Fire Resilience Public Works Plan Approval (Marin PWP), received public comments and approved the Marin PWP. A PWP is a planning document drafted by a project proponent in collaboration with the California Coastal Commission and other partners, which outlines a framework for comprehensive planning, reviewing, and permitting of future activities (such as shaded fuel breaks) that would otherwise trigger the need for Coastal Development Permits. In essence, it describes a process for how to comply with the California Coastal Act for future projects that fall under the PWP.
PWPs do not identify specific project boundaries and do not, in themselves, provide permission to proceed with project activities. Instead, they allow project proponents a pathway to follow to complete CEQA review and project permitting. Public hearings are conducted by the CA Coastal Commission on specific projects. Marin Wildfire has met consistently with the California Coastal Commission and other land management agencies over the past three years to draft the PWP, refine the location and treatment boundaries established by the PWP, and refine the types of projects that would be implemented under the plan. Once the Board approves the PWP, the California Coastal Commission will hold a hearing to consider its approval. If approved by the Commission, the Marin PWP would provide for up to 10- years in which projects may be carried out consistent with the provisions of the PWP. Following CA Coastal Commission (CCC) approval and once the PWP is in place, any proposed projects still require: CEQA compliance, Notice of Impending Development (NOID -this is not housing or other structure developments, the CCC calls veg mgt and related work development), and Coastal Commission approval.
9. Sept 18 – MCE Clean Energy Board meeting – the Board had discussions on: budget results and comparisons to FY 23/24 (e.g., the costs of energy has exceeded budget projections due to increased wholesale energy costs for renewables, resource adequacy & market hedges since 2020 – in response MCE has revised its procurement strategy for more long term fixed price contracts; non-operating net revenue was 140% higher, $28.2M); FY 24/25 Audit (MCE FY ended 3/31/25) – net position was $416.9M, up 3.2% over prior FY. It was a “Clean Audit - total income ~$841M, total expenses ~828M, change in Net Position ~$13M, Operating Reserve Fund $70M;” Legislative Session recap (session ended Saturday Sep 13, last day for Governor to sign or veto bills is Oct 13) & CEO and MCE staff performance evaluation process. Fairfax News! Due to the Deep Green (100% renewable electricity) incentive sponsored by the Town, 100 resident households newly signed up to Deep Green! The incentive provides DG free (they pay the Light Green price) for a year. Fairfax is now at 13.2% DG sign-ups overall, way above all other MCE jurisdictions which average 8.2% DG.
10. Sept 19 – Fairfax Age Friendly meeting – Primarily planning for the 90+ Celebration, our 8th to be held on October 18. Jody Timms has stepped down from Age Friendly to focus on Climate actions. 4 11. Sept 22 – Marin County Council of Mayors & Councilmembers (MCCMC) Legislative Committee –No action taken on bills – ~ 2400 bills were introduced this session, ~ 800 are at the Governor’s Office.
The Governor has until October 13 to sign or veto bills. The Governor has signed three tranches of bills so far: Budget; Energy & Enviro – e.g., Cap & Invest extended until 2046 (was prior called Cap & Trade); and Immigration. Senator McGuire is stepping down as Pro Tem early on November 17 – Senator Limon is taking over as Pro Tem, her top priority is the budget, climate & environment have been her priorities, not as engaged on housing. Senator Ben Allen has entered the Insurance Commissioner race – he represents West LA area including Pacific Palisades. A stakeholders meeting was held in LA on Zone 0, was not supported, final vote will be in January. SB 79 no longer includes Marin County with the exception of ferry stations. SB 707 (open meetings act, has some good provisions, yet requiring telephonic or zoom for ALL legislative bodies only applies to cities over 30,000) – takes effect July 1, 2026 – San Rafael & Novato may request the Chair to send a letter to the Governor requesting a change (upwards) in the population trigger. 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.
12. Sept 24– Marin County Council of Mayors & Councilmembers (MCCMC) monthly meeting – did not attend due to illness.
13. Sept 25 – Community Media Center of Marin (CMCM) Board meeting.
14. Sept 26 – Attended Fairfax Art Walk.
15. Sept 29 – MCE Clean Energy Ad Hoc Contracts Subcommittee meeting.
Sept 30 – Special Town Council meeting re: Housing Laws.
Councilmember Egger
Not received in time for publication.
Councilmember Ghiringhelli
Not received in time for publication.