Town Council Meeting Notes, Winter Storms and Holiday Events

Town Council Meeting Notes

At the meeting of Tuesday, November 27, the Town Council took the following actions:

• Presented the Quality of Life Silver Award to Sue McDowell for caring for the area in front of the San Anselmo Post Office.
• Received an update report on the Central Marin Food to Energy program from Central Marin Sanitation Agency (CMSA) and Marin Sanitary Service.  The Food to Energy program takes solid food waste from participating restaurants and receives and processes it in Marin Sanitary Service's Solid Waste Transfer Station.  Next, at CMSA, the processed food waste is  anaerobically digested producing soil amendment/fertilizer and methane gas. The methane gas is used as a fuel in a cogeneration engine that produces electricity for CMSA operations.  The construction of the facility is complete and it is expected that it will go on line in 2013.  The Food to Energy program will reduce the carbon footprint of CMSA, reduce the land filling of food waste, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and allow CMSA to be more energy self-sufficient.  The power point presentation is located on the Town’s website at http://www.townofsananselmo.org/archives/61/TC121127_RN3060.pdf.
• Appointed Councilmember Lopin to serve as the Town’s representative to the Marin Emergency Radio Authority (MERA) Board of Directors, with Vice-Mayor Coleman serving as the first alternate and Councilmember Jeff Kroot serving as the second alternate.
• Received an update on the consolidation of Police Services with the Twin Cities Police Authority.  The approval of the Joint Powers Agreement with Twin Cities is scheduled for the Town Council agenda of December 11, 2012.

Winter Storms

With winter storms upon us, it is important to be prepared.  The Town has storm resource information available on the website at:  http://www.townofsananselmo.org/index.aspx?nid=297.  Information includes links to the flood gauge that measures creek depth, flood gate design information, flood protection tips, weather information, winter preparedness tips and sand bag information.

As is always the case during heavy winter rains, sand and sand bags are available for San Anselmo residents and merchants on Sunny Hills Drive in the parking lot adjacent to the tennis courts, across the street from Swirl, the yogurt shop in the Red Hill Shopping Center.

Fall Leaves

With winter rains here, the Public Works Department would like to remind all residents to keep curb areas free of leaves and other debris.  It’s easy to get rid of once it’s picked up – our garbage company provides pickup of yard waste in cans or boxes for all customers.

Please don’t just rake leaves into your curb area, hoping that the street sweeper will come by and pick them up.  The sweeper can’t cover the entire town, and leaves left in curb areas will clog drains quickly when winter rains arrive.  And, as a reminder, the Town has an ordinance that limits the use of motorized leafblowers to Monday, Thursday and Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Residents who pick up their leaves, keep an eye on neighborhood drains and clear clogs during storms will help to keep winter storm water flowing where it’s supposed to be.

Marin Clean Energy

Marin Clean Energy offers a certified 100% renewable “Deep Green” electricity option to all San Anselmo customers. Deep Green renewable energy comes from non-polluting sources like wind and solar from the Western U.S.

Voluntarily signing up for Deep Green is an action anyone in San Anselmo can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It also helps the Town reach its Climate Action Plan goal of having 10% of San Anselmo ratepayers being powered by Deep Green electricity by 2020.

The additional cost of Deep Green is one cent more per kilowatt-hour than MCE’s Light Green rates. To participate in the Deep Green program, go to www.marincleanenergy.info/deepgreen-signup or call 1-888-632-3674 (have your PG&E bill handy). 

Ross Valley Toy Donation Drive

Each year many children who reside in the Ross Valley will have a less-than-merry holiday season because their families have fallen upon hard times.   If you would like to help a Ross Valley child, please bring an unwrapped gift to one of the two Ross Valley fire stations in San Anselmo, Station 19 at 777 San Anselmo Avenue or Station 20 at 150 Butterfield Road.

Downtown Holiday Open House 

Come downtown to shop and socialize on Friday, December 7, from 5 to 8 p.m.  Enjoy complimentary treats at your favorite shops.  View the participating shops and treats at www.townofsananselmo.org/DocumentCenter/View/2127.

Free Photos with Santa 

The Red Hill Shopping center is offering free photos with Santa on Saturday, December 8 and Sunday, December 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Everyone is welcome!  Help those in need by donating canned food for the Marin Food Bank.

San Anselmo News, published weekly on Fridays, is available at the San Anselmo Town Hall, Library, on the Public Notice Bulletin Board. It is also available on the Town’s website, www.townofsananselmo.org, and by email subscription.