Fairfax Town Council Minutes
Regular Meeting
Fairfax Women’s Club, 46 Park Road, Fairfax, CA
and via teleconference Monday, January 12, 2026
Call to Order/Roll Call:
Mayor Hellman called the Regular Meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Stephanie Hellman, Mayor
Frank Egger, Vice Mayor
Barbara Coler
Michael Ghiringhelli
Lisel Blash
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Heather Abrams, Town Manager
Christine Foster, Assistant to the Town Manager/Deputy Town Clerk
Janet Coleson, Town Attorney, Public Agency Law
Janabai Owens Deputy Town Clerk
Regular Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
Hybrid meeting at the Fairfax Women’s Club and via Zoom Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Hellman led in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Approval of Agenda
M/S: Coler/ Ghiringhelli
AYES: Blash, Ghiringhelli, Coler, Egger, Hellman
NOES: None
Announcements
Mayor Hellman made an opening statement.
Council Member Blash announced the upcoming closure of Hummingbird Café.
Town Manager’s Report
Town Manager Abrams reported on several matters, including:
• The successful launch of the online business license registration system • Planning Commission's upcoming review of the formula business ordinance update • Confirmation that all parklet payments are up-to-date except for two • A Citizens Disaster Council meeting scheduled for January 28th • Ongoing projects by Ross Valley Sanitary District on Sherman and Bolinas Roads • Planned Marin Water project on Bolinas Road starting in April • Recognition of Maria Baird for 20 years of service in town recreation programs • The upcoming strategic planning retreat on February 13th • Information about the town's participation in animal services through MGSA • Progress on the annual financial audit and upcoming midyear budget report Future Agenda Items
Council members discussed potential future agenda items including:
• Formula business ordinance update
• Cannabis ordinance adjustments
• Dark sky policy
• Naming of the Wall property
• Fee study including permit fee waiver reduction for home hardening • Ad-hoc subcommittee to explore the Former Fairfax French Laundry and Cleaners site • Consideration of downtown speed limits
Open Time for Public Expression
• Todd Greenberg spoke about the town's legal costs and management of PRAs. • Jody Timms congratulated the town on its age-friendly ranking in AARP's 2025 livability rankings and announced an electrification fair event.
• Mark Bell questioned municipal salaries and the management of the School Street Plaza approval process.
• Ric Hamer suggested increasing council member stipends, noting that San Anselmo had recently increased theirs.
Regular Agenda
1. Public Hearing: Introduction of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 8.44 (Clean Indoor and Outdoor Air and Health Protection - Smoking Regulations) Anita Rinzetti from the Marin Tobacco Prevention Program presented on tobacco and nicotine health impacts. She emphasized that nicotine is highly addictive, particularly dangerous for developing brains, and described the alarming nicotine content in vapes and pouches. She outlined the proposed ordinance's key elements: minimum pricing of $12 per item, ending discounts/coupons, banning vapes and heated smoking systems, banning nicotine pouches, and an automatic price increase of $1 every two years.
Mayor Hellman opened the public hearing.
• Saya Gucci (Terra Linda High School student) supported the tobacco and nicotine policy and spoke about their peers’ nicotine use at school.
• Brett Crowlett (Redwood High School senior) supported the tobacco and nicotine policy and spoke about their peers’ nicotine use and shared nicotine use statistics. • An unnamed speaker provided clarifying data explaining nicotine content in oral nicotine pouches vs cigarettes.
• Jeff noted evidence suggesting vaping is less harmful than cigarette smoking and questioned why cigarettes are not being targeted first. • Todd Greenberg supported public well-being but expressed concern about the risk of the ordinance leading to legal challenges.
• Pamela Granger (Co-chair, Smoke Free Marin) addressed legal precedent for minimum price and pack regulations in other municipalities, and highlighted health and environmental harms.
• Dr. Jeremiah Mock (UCSF Professor) shared insights debunking vaping safety claims and explained recent trends in youth smoking following vaping, and affirmed legal precedent exists for local bans and minimum price policies.
• Minna supported evidence-based public health policies and expressed concern about lack of direct local retailer outreach for this ordinance.
• John Ma (San Francisco Marin Medical Society) endorsed the tobacco control ordinance and spoke about tobacco-related health impacts and importance of proactive measures. • Bob Curry (Co-chair, Smoke Free Marin Coalition) acknowledged decades of fighting industry tactics and urged council to pass the ordinance for youth protection.
Mayor Hellman closed the public hearing.
Motion to approve the first reading of the ordinance.
M/S: Coler/Blash
AYES: Blash, Coler, Egger, Hellman
NOES: Ghiringhelli
2. Establish a Town Council Subcommittee to Collaborate with the Fairfax Open Space Committee on Name Recommendations for the Wall Property The Fairfax Open Space Committee (FOSC) created a subcommittee focused on naming recommendations for the Wall property and its trails. Council discussion included the importance of involving the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria in the naming process and the need for signage indicating property rules.
Mayor Hellman opened public comment.
Todd Greenberg spoke about financial transactions between Marin Open Space Trust, the Fairfax Open Space Committee, and the Fairfax Town Council, and made requests for written reports.
Mayor Hellman closed public comment.
Motion to appoint Vice Mayor Egger and Mayor Hellman to the Wall property naming subcommittee.
M/S: Coler/Blash
AYES: Blash, Ghiringhelli, Coler, Egger, Hellman
NOES: None
3. Discuss and Consider Town Council Boards and Committee Assignments for 2026 The Council reviewed their current committee assignments and discussed modifications. The following changes were agreed upon:
• Renaming "Marin Clean Energy" to "MCE Clean Energy"
• Renaming "Community Development Block Grant Committee" to "Countywide Priority Setting Committee"
• Council Member Coler stepping down from the Pedestrian Trails Ad Hoc Subcommittee with Vice Mayor Egger taking on that role
• Confirming Council Member Blash as the BPAC committee member • Mayor Hellman and Vice Mayor Egger serving on the Wall property naming subcommittee Mayor Hellman opened public comment.
Todd Greenberg commented on the need for a council rotation policy and gave an example in San Anselmo.
A speaker commented about Flood Zone 9 and suggested alternative representation for transportation committees noting the bus line through Fairfax and emergency evacuation situations.
Mayor Hellman closed public comment.
Motion to approve committee assignments with the changes discussed.
M/S: Coler/Ghiringhelli
AYES: Blash, Ghiringhelli, Coler, Egger, Hellman
NOES: None
4. CONSENT CALENDAR
a) Receive Financial Statement and Disbursement Reports for November 2025 b) Receive report on Councilmembers’ assignments, committees, and activities in December 2025
c) Approve Minutes from the November 5, 2025 Town Council Meeting d) Receive Report on Gas Tax Audit Findings
Mayor Hellman opened public comment.
Todd Greenberg requested certain items be pulled for discussion and spoke specifically about the financial reports.
Mayor Hellman closed public comment.
Motion to approve the consent calendar.
M/S: Blash/Coler
AYES: Blash, Ghiringhelli, Coler, Egger, Hellman
NOES: None
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 8:59 p.m. in memory of Ernest (Ernie) Carlson, Robert Guelfi, Jerry Gayle, Barbara Mary (Davis) Nann, and Jon Elam.