San Anselmo: 3rd Annual Story Telling Festival, PG&E Warning, Refuse and Recycling Rates, and Volunteer Opportunities

3rd Annual Storytelling Festival

The Library will hold the 3rd Annual Storytelling Festival on Saturday, January 25, 2014 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Council Chambers.  The Festival will feature acclaimed storyteller Muriel Johnson.

Library staff is seeking community members of all ages to listen to and share stories together. Beginner tellers welcome. Please call the library at 415-258-4656 to sign up to tell a story by Tuesday, January 21. All ages are welcome and no registration is required to attend the event.

PG&E Warns of Scam Emails, Calls

PG&E has learned of an email and telephone scam targeting residents across the United States. The utility has received calls from people, both within its service area and outside of it, reporting that they have received suspicious emails that appeared to be bills sent by PG&E. This is similar to email and phone scams that have been happening recently throughout the country involving several utilities.  An example of the "bill" that comes with the email scam is below.

If a customer receives one of these emails requesting information about their account, they should delete the email and take the following precautions:

§     Do not respond to request

§  Do not click on any links in the email

§  Do not open any attachments

§  Do not provide any personal information

§  Report these contacts to CorporateSecurity@pge.com

PG&E is investigating the situation and has contacted the proper authorities. There has been no security breach and the information referenced in the email message is not legitimate.

“It’s unacceptable that someone is trying to take advantage of our customers and others,” said Helen Burt, the utility’s chief customer officer and a senior vice president. “We take our customers’ security very seriously and under no circumstances would we email anyone to request that they provide personal information without first logging into My Energy or calling us.”

If you ever have questions about the legitimacy of a correspondence from PG&E, please call 1-800-743-5000.

PG&E offers the following tips to help protect customers from potential scams:

§   PG&E’s Credit Department will not ask for personal information or a credit card number over the phone.  Anyone who has received such a phone call and provided credit card or checking account information should report it immediately to the credit card company or bank and law enforcement.

§   Customers with concerns about the legitimacy of a call about a past due bill, service request or request for personal information are encouraged to call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.

§   Customers should always ask to see identification before allowing anyone claiming to be a PG&E representative inside their home. PG&E employees always carry their identification and are willing to show it to you.

§   If a person claiming to be a PG&E employee has identification and you still feel uncomfortable, call PG&E’s customer service line at 1-800-743-5000 to verify an appointment and/or PG&E’s presence in the community.  If you feel threatened in any way, notify local law enforcement immediately.

§   Customers who have an appointment with PG&E will receive an automated call back within 48 hours prior to a scheduled visit, or a personal call from a PG&E gas service representative prior to a scheduled visit.

Refuse and Recycling Rates

At the meeting of Tuesday, January 28, 2014 the Town Council will consider a rate increase of 5.52% to our refuse and recycling rates.  If the proposed increase is approved, the cost of a 32-gallon can will go from $31.95 per month to $33.71 per month, an increase of $1.76 per month.

The staff report for the rate increase will be available on the Town’s website on Friday, January 24, in the afternoon at http://www.townofsananselmo.org/index.aspx?NID=449.  The meeting will be held in the Town Council Chambers, 525 San Anselmo Avenue, beginning at 7 p.m.  The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

Volunteers Needed

The Town Council is seeking volunteers for a number of Town Boards, Commissions and Committees:

Parks & Recreation Commission - The Commission advises the Council and the Parks & Recreation staff on the planning of the recreation activities, the development of Town parks and management of public lands.  The Commission consists of seven members and meets regularly on the third Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Council Chambers.  There is one seat available.

Quality of Life Commission - The Quality of Life Commission was established to promote sustainability by enhancing opportunities for sustainable practices in San Anselmo, to secure a high quality of life for San Anselmo residents while simultaneously meeting environmental, economic and community needs.  The Commission consists of nine members and meets regularly on the third Monday in Historical Museum, located on the first floor of the Library.  There are four seats available.

Library Advisory Board – The Board is charged with considering, proposing and recommending guidelines with respect to programs and facilities to meet the library needs of the community, in conjunction with the Town Librarian.  The Board consists of seven members and meets on the third Thursday of every other month at 4:30 p.m. in the Library.  There is one seat available.

For more information on these openings or an application, go to:  http://www.townofsananselmo.org/index?nid=175 or contact Carla Kacmar at ckacmar@townofsananselmo.org or 258-4691.  Applications for these openings should be submitted by Friday, February 7, 2014.

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