Saturday September 4, 2021

David P. Donery, Town Manager

Reimagine Creek Park Project – Community Input Open House

On Saturday, September 11^th, the Reimage Creek Park Community Advisory Committee will host a Community Input Open House event between 5:00 and 7:00pm on San Anselmo Avenue adjacent to the plaza at Creek Park. At this event, the committee will share the results of the recent community survey about use of the park, and staff and the design team from RHAA Landscape Architects + Planners will be on hand to help kick off the community process that will ultimately result in a design for the new Creekside Commons public space.

This community project is being done in conjunction with the Marin County Flood Control & Water Conservation District. The Flood District will be moving into Phase 2 of the downtown flood control project which will entail the removal of the concrete abutments that currently hold up the plaza area which account for significant blockage of the creek’s flow. This work is scheduled to be carried out during the summer of 2022. The Town’s Creekside Commons project seeks to capitalize on the Flood District project by planning for and building a well thought out and desirable public space around the flood project contours that will serve the community for years to come.

The open house on the 11^th is a part of a community engagement process that will run through the fall months. Please visit the project page on the Town’s website and receive up to date information about project milestones and community meetings in this newsletter.

Register now for Fall After School Enrichment Classes!

After school classes are back this fall right on campus at Brookside, Hidden Valley, Manor, and Wade Thomas!

Deadline to Register is Thursday, September 9th
For a list of classes at each campus, click on the links below:

Brookside Hidden Valley
Manor Wade Thomas

You can also flip through our digital Fall 2021 Activity Guide here to see what other programs we are offering this fall.

COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE NEEDED

with Parking Issues at Weekend ON THE AVENUE Events

Safety at these weekend events is dependent on the Avenue remaining vehicle-free

As most of you know, the Town closes San Anselmo Avenue to vehicle traffic on Fridays at 6:00PM and Saturdays at 5:00PM for the ON THE AVENUE event series. In addition, in August the SAN ANSELMO LIVE! music series began with shows on the Town Hall lawn and the Creek Park stage each night. These events are very well attended.

Over the past several weekends, vehicles have remained in the event area, which is on San Anselmo Avenue between Tamalpais and Tunstead Avenues, after the events got underway. No Parking signage for the event is visible on both sides of the street and at each end of the closure. It creates a dangerous condition when cars remain in the closure area as adults and children are in the street with the expectation that it is free of moving vehicles.

In partnership with the Central Marin Police Authority, the Town will be addressing this issue by increasing signage and requiring that any vehicle that remains parked within the closure area will receive a parking ticket and will not be allowed to exit the closure area until the end of the event and those streets have been reopened at 10:30pm.

We appreciate the community's cooperation and collaboration in this matter!

Age Friendly San Anselmo
Post-Pandemic Opening Survey

Age Friendly San Anselmo wants to hear from you and how the
pandemic may have changed your priorities or concerns
as it relates to aging in San Anselmo.

Please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/agefriendlysananselmo to take our short 4 question survey or e-mail Kevin MacLeod at kmacleod@townofsananselmo.org with any questions.

YWCA Tech Skills and Employment Program

Are you 50+ and looking to get back into the work force?

The YWCA is offering classes geared towards helping seniors and older adults gain employment. There are classes to help you learn a wide-range of programs such as Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Zoom, along with classes to Help Your Resume Shine and Making Your Age an Asset.

To register please visit: https://tinyurl.com/ywcaclasses or e-mail GDean@yourYWCA.org

Town Council to Consider Ban on Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers on 9/14

Hours of Operation also to be discussed

At their meeting on Tuesday, September 14th, the Town Council will review a draft ordinance that would ban the use of all gas-powered leaf blowers in the town. The Council will also consider implementing a rebate program that would provide partial funds for the purchase of an electric leaf blower in exchange for a gas blower. The gas leaf blowers will be decommissioned, recycled and disposed of through a partnership with Marin Sanitary.

At this meeting, the Council will also consider the hours of allowable operation of leaf blowers.

Defensible Space Evaluations Coming

to the Sequoia Neighborhood

Uniformed Inspectors will conduct defensible space and home hardening evaluations on residential properties in the San Anselmo neighborhood of Sequoia starting the week of September 7. (see attached map). This is being conducted by the Ross Valley Fire Department in partnership with neighboring fire agencies and the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA).

A comprehensive report for your property will be available to you online 24 hours after your property’s evaluation. The report will provide steps to reduce your property’s vulnerability and improve your safety from wildfires. Some actions outlined in this report are required by law.

We encourage residents to accompany the inspectors for a socially distanced tour of their property to find areas that could be improved for defensible space and home-hardening. If nobody is home, that’s OK! Inspectors will evaluate the property from the road/driveway and leave instructions to retrieve your online report.

Please contact dspace@marinwildfire.org or (415) 275-1185 with any questions.

Town Seeks Applicants for Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee

At the July 27, 2021 meeting, the Town Council decided to establish a Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. The charge of the BPAC is to encourage and promote safe bicycle and pedestrian use within the Town for daily transportation and recreational purposes; support and implement the goals and objectives set forth in the San Anselmo Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan; and provide conceptual input on public bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects.

The BPAC will consist of seven (7) members to be appointed by the Town Council, who shall serve without compensation. Members will serve four (4) year terms.
Meetings will be held on a bi-annual basis on a consistent day of the month, to be established by the BPAC.

If you are interested in serving on this committee, please apply here:

https://www.townofsananselmo.org/175/Boards-Commissions

Town Council Adopts Urgency Ordinance Requiring Businesses with 25 or Fewer Employees to Provide Paid Sick Leave to Employees for COVID 19 Related Reasons Through September 30, 2021

The costs for this leave are reimbursable through Federal tax credits

At a special Town Council meeting on Monday, August 16, 2021, the Town Council adopted an urgency ordinance that applies to businesses with 25 or fewer employees within San Anselmo.

The ordinance requires these businesses to provide paid sick leave at a maximum rate of $511/day or $5110 in aggregate for employees who cannot telework. (Ord. §5-1(e)). These rates are consistent with the tax credits available to employers under the American Rescue Plan.

APPLICABLE USES

Under the ordinance, paid sick leave is available for any of the following reasons:

The Employee has been advised by a health care provider to isolate or self-quarantine to prevent the spread of COVID-19;
The Employee is subject to a federal, state, or local quarantine or isolation order due to COVID-19;
The Employee is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and is seeking a medical diagnosis;
The Employee needs to care for an Individual who is subject to a federal, state, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19, or has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine related to COVID-19, or is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and is seeking a medical diagnosis;
The Employee needs to provide care for an Individual whose senior care provider or whose school or childcare provider is closed or unavailable in response to a public health or other public official’s recommendation;
The Employee is attending an appointment to receive a COVID-19 vaccine; or
The Employee is experiencing symptoms related to a COVID-19 vaccine that prevent the Employee from being able to work or telework. (Ord. §5-1(d)).

EMPLOYER COSTS ARE REIMBURSED THROUGH FEDERAL TAX CREDITS

Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was signed into law and mandated paid sick leave for certain employees unable to work or telecommute due to COVID-19. The FFCRA included a tax credit to reimburse employers for the cost of the paid sick leave.

This ordinance is set to expire on September 30, 2021.

Your San Anselmo Public Library is excited to announce its participation in September 11, 2001: The Day That Changed the World, an educational exhibition that presents the history of 9/11, its origins, and its ongoing implications through the personal stories of those who witnessed and survived the attacks. Told across 14 posters, this exhibition includes archival photographs and images of artifacts from the 9/11 Memorial and Museum’s permanent collection. It explores the consequences of terrorism on individual lives and communities at the local, national, and international levels, and encourages critical thinking about the legacies of 9/11.

Twenty years after the attacks, with terrorism still a threat today, the events of 9/11 and its aftermath remind us that we may never be able to prevent all the actions of people intent on harming others, but we do have control over how we respond to such events.
The exhibition will be on view September 1-September 24 at the
San Anselmo Public Library on Wednesdays and Fridays, 10am-4pm.

The poster exhibition was developed by the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy Demands Wisdom. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the National endowment for Humanities.

Climate Action Commission

The San Anselmo Sustainability Commission recently changed its name to the San Anselmo Climate Action Commission to better reflect the focus of the Commission’s activities to secure a liveable climate for current and future generations.
The Commission’s primary goal is to work with the Town Council and residents to achieve the goals and implement the actions in the adopted Climate Action Plan.
Our goals for the coming year include:

Sharing information about individual climate actions via our website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and Community Education Events.
Creating a resiliency hub with solar panels and battery storage on or near town hall;
Proposing an ordinance to replace gas-powered landscape equipment with clean landscape equipment;
Championing E-bikes and electric vehicle use
Advocating for electrification of home appliances;
Reducing plastic waste with the implementation of the town’s ban of single use plastic.

And more!

To learn more about the commission please join us on the fourth Monday of the month from 7-9 PM. Meeting links and agendas can be found here. We hope to see you soon.

Home Sustainability Webinar Series – Fall 2021

The Marin County Sustainability Team is hosting a series of webinars starting on September 18 designed to take residents through the start-to-finish process of making their homes more comfortable, energy efficient, resilient, and carbon-neutral. Residents are encouraged to attend all the sessions but are welcome to tune into the topics that are of most interest. Each topic will feature industry professionals and experts, and attendees will be able to ask questions.

Webinar Dates and Registration Links:

Home Energy Audits: September 18 @ 10am, September 22 @ 6pm.
Energy Efficiency and Electrification Projects: September 29 @ 6pm, October 2 @ 10am.
Solar and Battery Storage: October 13 @ 6pm, October 16 @ 10am.
Electric Vehicles: October 23 @ 10am, October 27 @ 6pm.

Upcoming Climate Workshops

Are you ready to take action on climate and live more sustainability? Experience the online Resilient Neighborhoods Climate Action Workshop Series with people who also care about a healthy planet. Have fun calculating your carbon footprint and taking steps to reduce it. Make your household resilient to droughts, wildfires, and power outages. In just five meetings you and your team will achieve measurable results through impactful actions big and small. Choose from the sessions starting on Sept. 15 or Sept. 23. Click here to sign-up for this popular *free* Marin workshop.

Learn about Marin Villages

Do you know about Marin Villages yet? Rather than a place, it’s an engaged, active and vibrant group of older adults who are aging in place in their homes, and who get together for programs ranging from coffees and happy hours to educational talks, cultural outings, hiking, and games. Marin Villages also supports aging in place with a host of volunteer services such as transportation, errands, companionship, and more. There are six local villages, including the Ross Valley Village that encompasses our local area. If you would like more information or are interested in joining or volunteering, please visit www.marinvillages.org or call the office, (415) 457-4633.

The Town seeks applicants for Instructor at Parkside Preschool

Parkside Preschool in San Anselmo is looking for a Preschool Teacher with a minimum of 6 ECE Units. The position is part-time (20-25 hours per week). The pay range is $17-$21 per/hour.

Qualifications

CPR Certification (Preferred)
A minimum of 6 Early Childhood Education (ECE) units
Experience working with children

Desired Skills and Abilities:

Energetic self-starter who is professional, friendly and loves children.
Background and knowledge of child development, classroom management, and parent interaction.

Please contact Dawn Jones at DJones@townofsananselmo.org for more information.

SAN ANSELMO LIVE!

Weekend entertainment in Downtown San Anselmo

The Town of San Anselmo in partnership with the San Anselmo Chamber of Commerce is excited to present SAN ANSELMO LIVE!, a live entertainment series that coincides with the On the Avenue weekend street closure program. San Anselmo Live!, which is generously sponsored by Eric Gelman of Compass Real Estate and by Jack Kammer of Fairway Mortgage, will schedule musical acts on the Creek Park stage and on the Town Hall Plaza through October, weather permitting.

For a listing of bands, please visit: https://www.townofsananselmo.org/316/Community-Events

For more information, please contact Recreation Supervisor Mattie O'Grady at mogrady@townofsananselmo.org

Stroll through San Anselmo's History

The Historical Commission is excited to resume free docent-led tours through downtown. Learn about San Anselmo’s historic Hub, the role the railroad played in the development of town and the changing character of the businesses and architecture on San Anselmo Avenue.
Tour dates are September 11 and October 9. Meet at Creek Park at 9:00 a.m. The tour ends at the Historical Museum for refreshments. No reservations are required.

If you prefer to tour downtown or the Seminary area on your own, try the Historical Commission’s new audio walking tours. They use VoiceMap, a free mobile app for iPhones and Android devices. Just download the tour, put on your headphones and you’re ready to explore. You can walk at your own pace and stop along the way. See https://wp.me/P5Vikt-Pc for details and instructions.

Age Friendly Marin County Parks Survey

Ensure that San Anselmo has the County funding to make our parks and open spaces more accessible and more Age-Friendly for older adults, by taking the short survey below.

https://www.marincountyparks.org/projectsplans/2021-community-survey

23 Elephants: Lion King Experience

Spaces are still open for the Saturday and all-new Tuesday session of 23 Elephants: The Lion King Experience!! Don’t miss out, spaces are filling fast!

REGISTER HERE

September Ross Valley Seniors

Come join the Ross Valley Senior’s in person on September 2^nd, 2021 at the Fairfax Women’s Club starting at 11:00am. Lunch will be served at 12:00pm and stay for a Mah Jongg demonstration from San Anselmo Recreation’s instructor, Caine Starelli!

E-mail Kevin MacLeod at kmacleod@townofsananselmo.org for more details or to RSVP.