FAIRFAX TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE October 7, 2026
PREPARED FOR Mayor and Town Council
PREPARED BY Christine Foster, Assistant to the Town Manager/Deputy Town Clerk SUBJECT Adopt a Resolution Establishing the Regular Town Council Meeting Date for January 2027 and Confirming the 2027 Regular Meeting Calendar
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the Resolution.
BACKGROUND
Under Fairfax Town Code Section 2.08.010, the Town Council holds its regular meetings on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. The Code allows the Council to change the regular meeting dates in January and July by resolution when a holiday or other scheduling consideration creates a conflict.
Each fall, staff reviews the upcoming year’s first-Wednesday meeting dates against national and religious holidays and brings forward a resolution adjusting any affected meetings. The Council’s long-standing practice is to move an affected meeting to the third Wednesday of the month. This avoids the second Wednesday, when the Ross Valley Fire Board typically meets, so that the two meetings do not fall on the same evening.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS
Staff reviewed each of the twelve first-Wednesday dates in 2027 against national holidays and major religious observances. Only January is affected.
January 20, 2027 (3rd Wednesday): The first Wednesday of January 2027 falls on January 6, just days after the New Year’s Day holiday. Because Town offices will be closed for the holiday furlough from Christmas through New Year’s Day, the agenda, staff reports, and public notice for a January 6 meeting would need to be prepared during the furlough or on a severely compressed timeline in the three business days that follow. Moving the meeting to January 20 allows the agenda packet to be published with the Town’s usual lead time, and gives the public adequate time to review materials. January 20 also avoids the Ross Valley Fire Board’s regular second-Wednesday meeting on January 13.
The remaining eleven meetings do not conflict with a national or religious holiday and will stay on the first Wednesday of the month, consistent with the Town Code.
The recommended Town Council 2027 regular meeting calendar is as follows (the adjusted date is shown in bold):
January 13, 2027
February 3, 2027
March 3, 2027
April 7, 2027
July 7, 2027
August 4, 2027
May 5, 2027
June 2, 2027
September 1, 2027
October 6, 2027
November 3, 2027
December 1, 2027
2 All regular meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m. Adopting the calendar does not limit the Council’s ability to call special meetings or to cancel or reschedule a regular meeting later in the year if an unforeseen conflict arises. Once the resolution is adopted, staff will post the 2027 calendar on the Town’s website.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution Establishing the Regular Town Council Meeting Date for January 2027 and Confirming the 2027 Regular Meeting Calendar
Town of Fairfax
Resolution No.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF FAIRFAX
ESTABLISHING ITS REGULAR MEETING DATE IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY IN CALENDAR YEAR 2027, AND CONFIRMING THE FULL 2027 REGULAR MEETING CALENDAR WHEREAS, Town Council regular meetings are held on the first Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. pursuant to Town Code Section 2.08.010; and
WHEREAS, Town Code Section 2.08.010 allows the dates of regular meetings in January and July to be modified by resolution of the Town Council due to holiday conflicts or other scheduling considerations; and
WHEREAS, it is the practice of the Town Council, when a regular meeting date conflicts with a national or religious holiday, to hold that month’s regular meeting on the third Wednesday of the month; and WHEREAS, the Town will observe a holiday furlough between the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays, during which Town offices will be closed; and WHEREAS, the first Wednesday in January 2027 falls on January 6, 2027, shortly after the New Year’s Day holiday and the holiday furlough, and would not allow sufficient time for agenda preparation and public noticing; and
WHEREAS, holding the January 2027 regular meeting on the third Wednesday, January 20, 2027, provides adequate time for preparation and noticing and avoids conflict with the regularly scheduled Ross Valley Fire Board meeting, which typically occurs on the second Wednesday of the month; and WHEREAS, no national or religious holiday conflicts with the first Wednesday of any other month in 2027, and those regular meetings will therefore be held on the first Wednesday of the month as provided in Town Code Section 2.08.010.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Fairfax as follows:
Section 1. The recitals set forth above are true and correct and are incorporated herein by reference.
Section 2. Pursuant to Town Code Section 2.08.010, the regular meeting of the Town Council for the month of January 2027 shall be held on Wednesday, January 20, 2027, at 6:30 p.m.
Section 3. The Town Council hereby confirms the following regular meeting calendar for calendar year 2027, with all meetings to begin at 6:30 p.m., as follows:
January 20, 2027 July 7, 2027
February 3, 2027 August 4, 2027
March 3, 2027 September 1, 2027
April 7, 2027 October 6, 2027
May 5, 2027 November 3, 2027
June 2, 2027 December 1, 2027
Town of Fairfax
Resolution No.
Section 4. This action is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5), as it is an organizational or administrative activity of government that will not result in a direct or indirect physical change in the environment.
Section 5. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Fairfax held in said Town on the 7th day of October 2026 by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
____________________________
STEPHANIE HELLMAN
MAYOR
ATTEST
______________________________
CHRISTINE FOSTER
DEPUTY TOWN CLERK