Please note that this will be our last newsletter for 2021. Town Hall will be closed from December 23rd until January 3rd. Our next newsletter will be published on January 3, 2022.On behalf of our entire Town Staff, we wish our community a very Happy New Year! |
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Sir Francis Drake Sinkhole Update
Crews have been working through the weekend to secure the roadway at or near 2378 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Our Interim Public Works Director, Jonathon Goldman, has provided the following update:
At end of workday Sunday we were halfway across the span of driven steel sheetpiles being installed to create new roadway support separated from the old unreinforced concrete retaining wall that we found undermined last Monday. We expect to have the sheetpile wall completely driven by the end of shift Monday or early Tuesday which will significantly protect us against any subsequent intense rainfall. The National Weather Service forecast as of 4 AM Monday is for a quarter to a half an inch of rainfall possible beginning Tuesday morning, another quarter to half an inch Tuesday night, and another quarter to half an inch possible on Wednesday.
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Highlights of the December 15th Town Council Meetings
The Town Council met this past Wednesday evening. Here are the key take-aways:
- The Council announced the selection of our new Town Manager, Heather Abrams. We were fortunate to have had a very strong candidate pool. Heather has spent the last 4 years working as General Manager of the Tamalpais Community Service District. We look forward to her to starting in March.
- Re the sinkhole at 2378 Sir Francis Drake. We adopted a resolution declaring the existence of a local emergency and authorized emergency procurement of materials and labor without competitive bidding. An observant resident reported the potential hazard and Fairfax PD responded. We are immensely grateful to this individual who is likely responsible for preventing a terrible or tragic incident from occurring.
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The Council adopted a resolution establishing maximum rates for Solid Waste Services by Marin Sanitary Service. It is a very complex methodology you are welcome to read here. Page 17 (Exhibit A) see describes new residential rates beginning January 2022 - a 1.16% increase.
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The Council discussed and offered feedback on the Safety Element. What is the Safety Element? The Safety Element identifies and addresses risks of hazards such as fires, floods, earthquakes, landslides, climate change, and other hazards through policies and programs. The update is being coordinated as part of the required General Plan’s Housing Element update . You may be interested in viewing the several geological maps and information on community preparedness. The Fairfaxspeaks.com website will host this document soon to offer community input on this current draft. In the meantime, you may see it here.
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Welcome to Our New Town Manager, Heather Abrams
On December 15, 2021, the Town Council of Fairfax appointed Heather Abrams as its new Town Manager.
Ms. Abrams is very familiar with Marin County. For the past five years, Ms. Abrams has served as the General Manager for the Tamalpais Community Services District near Mill Valley. Previously, she served as the Sustainability Manager for the City of Menlo Park, California. Ms. Abrams is the recipient of an ICMA Award of Excellence, two employee recognition awards from CH2M, four Beacon Spotlight Awards for Sustainability from the Institute for Local Government, the 2016 Silicon Valley Water Conservation Award, and won special recognition for her work on the City of Menlo Park’s General Plan update.
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Housing Element Update
Plan Fairfax Housing Tool Available until December 31st!
The Fairfax Speaks website has a new interactive mapping tool called Plan Fairfax Housing to help the community have input on the sites. We recommend using the tool after you’ve read up on the sites inventory (a list of potential sites where future housing may be considered). This deadline for submitting your idea for this first version of the tool has been extended through December 31st! Don’t forget to add your input and share the tool with family and friends during this holiday season.
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Corona Virus Update - Mask Mandate in Effect
The highly transmissible COVID Omicron variant is here. The renewal of the Public Health Order effective 12/15 maintains the prior Order’s requirement that all individuals wear face coverings when indoors in workplaces and public settings, with limited exemptions. Read the health order here.
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Upcoming Meetings & Events |
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Tree Committee Meeting
December 20 - 7pm
Climate Action Committee Meeting
December 21 - 7pm
Holiday Furlough - Town Hall Closed
December 23 - January 3
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Please note we are proceeding with all events as planned but they may
need to be cancelled due to County or State Health orders.
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"Portraits of Protest" Exhibit by Artist in Reseidence Stephanie Mohan at Fairfax Library Extended until Dec 22 |
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If you haven't seen it don't
miss out! This phenomenal photojournalistic exhibit by Stephanie Mohan, a Fairfax Artist in Residence, has been extended through December 22nd due to popular demand and overwhelmingly positive feedback. During the past couple of years, Stephanie documented protests for diversity, equity and inclusion around the bay area and the results are passionate, pithy, and inspiring. These unforgettable photos are located in the community room and around the center of the library.
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Wonderfully Wild Marin: A Calendar and Online Fundraiser for Open Space
Want to help protect local open spaces during these trying times and get some amazing artwork as part of the donation thank-you gifts? Here’s how!
The Fairfax Open Space Committee along with The San Anselmo Open Space Committee have been collaborating together to create an informationally rich and stunningly beautiful Calendar for 2022 called Wonderfully Wild Marin. The calendar notes astrological events, holidays from diverse cultures and religions, seasonal, cultural, and historical information about our natural surroundings along with outstanding vistas by talented local photographers.
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photo credit: Mt. Tam and Morning Mist by Martha E.Ture
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Other Town and County News |
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Library Fundraiser
The Fairfax Library is renovating its outside space to expand the library beyond its walls – increasing programming opportunities, expanding seating, creating a stone paver patio and providing an ADA accessible pathway through a new native plant garden to name a few enhancements.
The Friends of the Fairfax Library is currently holding a Commemorative Engraved Paver fundraiser to fund the outdoor furniture portion of the Garden project. This is a unique opportunity to permanently commemorate friends, family, businesses and others while also supporting the Fairfax Library and its Garden Project.
To learn more about the project and how to donate a paver that will be installed in the patio visit www.marinlibrary.org/fairfax-garden. It would be great to see the patio filled with engraved pavers when the project is completed – an acknowledgement of the library’s impact on the community as well as a recognition of friends, family, businesses and others.
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Want to Get Involved? Join a Board or Commission!
Do you want to make a real difference in 2021? Consider joining a board or commission for the Town of Fairfax. There are openings on several boards and commissions. Click here to see the current vacancies.
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Reservoirs are Filling Up and Conservation is Still Needed |
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Water continues to flow into the reservoirs. We are currently at 67% of total storage capacity. However, reservoirs like Soulajule are still only at 38% of storage capacity, please continue to use water wisely. Marinwater.org/water-watch
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COVID-19 Updates & Programs
If you are experiencing financial difficulties due to COVID-19, please visit our Town of Fairfax Coronavirus Resource page for rental assistance, utility bill help and more.
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Spread the Word
We want to share the Town News with our whole community. If you know someone who would like to receive this weekly update, let them know they can subscribe here.
You can also share the link on your social media which will reach your whole network. Together, we can help keep everyone informed about upcoming meetings, events and more!
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Town of Fairfax sitio web se puede traducir al español
El sitio web se puede traducir al español usando el ícono del globo que se encuentra en la barra verde de cada página.
Our website can now be translated into Spanish (and other languages) using the globe icon found on the green bar at the top of each page.
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