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Health & Fitness

Town Council News, Volunteer Opportunities, Election, U-Turns, and Car Washing

Town Council News

At the meeting of Tuesday, July 23, 2013, the Town Council will discuss the possibility of putting a ½ cent sales tax measure (transaction and use tax) on the November 5, 2013 ballot.  The funds generated by the measure are anticipated to be used for general Town purposes, such as road resurfacing, drainage improvements, planting and maintenance of street medians, deferred maintenance on the Isabel Cook Community Center and Robson House, as well as pothole repair.

The Council is interested in hearing your views on the subject.  The meeting will start at 7 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers and the public is invited to attend.

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Volunteers Needed

The Town Council is seeking volunteers to serve on the Flood Committee.  The charge of the Flood Committee is to serve as the Town’s expert representatives on flooding and storm water management issues, to become informed on the hydrologic conditions that affect flooding in San Anselmo, to evaluate possible solutions and to make recommendations to the Town Council.

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The purpose of the committee is to ensure that the issue of flooding in San Anselmo continues to be addressed through awareness, education and action.  The goals of the Committee are to:

·               Work closely with the larger Ross Valley Watershed effort to ensure that San Anselmo’s flooding problems are addressed.

·               Evaluate solutions presented by the Ross Valley Watershed effort and make recommendations to the Town Council.

·               Recommend and facilitate local solutions that can reduce risk of flooding and flood damage, such as flood gates, home elevations, creek cleaning, and principles of low impact development, and other effective strategies.

·               Recommend best practices for storm water management, such as low-impact development, requirements for permeable surfaces, and other effective strategies.

·               Provide a forum for discussion of all issues that are flood-related, including but not limited to FEMA flood mapping, grant possibilities, and other effective strategies.

Applicants are recruited from professionals in the fields of engineering, hydrology, flood control and other areas of expertise that relate to the control of storm water.  The committee meets on an as needed basis.  There are two seats available.

For more information or an application, go to: http://www.townofsananselmo.org/index.aspx?nid=175 or contact Carla Kacmar at ckacmar@townofsananselmo.org or 258-4691.  Applications for these openings should be submitted by Friday, August 9, 2013.

Town Council Election

The nomination period for filing for the open seats on the Town Council opened on Monday, July 15.  The nomination period will remain open through Friday, August 9.  The nomination period is extended to Wednesday, August 14, if all incumbents do not reapply.  There are three terms of four years available, as well as one term of two years.  Nomination papers must be taken out in person at Town Hall.  Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.  Contact Joanne Kessel at jkessel@townofsananselmo.org or (415) 258-4626 for more information.

U-Turns on San Anselmo Avenue

Town staff continues to receive a number of complaints from residents about illegal U-turns being made on San Anselmo Avenue, particularly in the center of the downtown area.   Since I have a birds-eye view of this part of San Anselmo Avenue from my office, I can attest to this problem.  I see people travelling southbound on San Anselmo Avenue who spot a parking space on the northbound side of the street, and make a quick U-turn into the parking spot.  The Police Department advises that this is a dangerous practice and is also against the law!  Please pass the word.

Car Washing - the Fish-Friendly Way!

Is there a problem with residential car washing?  There’s no problem with washing a car, IF you take into consideration HOW and WHERE you do it! Soap, even the biodegradable type, is lethal to fish and other aquatic life in relatively small doses.

When you wash your car on the street or driveway, the soap, together with dirt and oil washed from your car, flows into nearby storm drains. These storm drains flow directly into local creeks, wetlands, the bay or ocean.

So How CAN you wash your car?

  • Take it to a commercial car wash where the water is “cleaned” before being discharged to the environment. Most commercial car washes use 60% less water for the entire process than a homeowner uses just to rinse the car!
  • If you must wash your car exterior at home, use soap sparingly in a bucket of water.  Toss the dirty water onto a landscaped area or down an indoor drain that is linked to a sanitary sewer. If you need to clean your engine, take your car to a commercial car wash or auto detailing business.
  • When washing your car, use a “trigger” nozzle to save water.
  • Wash your vehicle on a grassy or dirt area where the soil can filter some of the pollutants.

If you plan to hold a car wash fundraiser:  Borrow a Fish-Friendly Car Wash kit from the Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (MCSTOPPP)! The kit contains everything you need to hold a car wash without hurting the fish or our creeks! Call MCSTOPPP and reserve a kit for your next car wash fundraiser—or find out how to make your own kit at (415) 473-3202 or Email: mcstoppp@marincounty.org or check out the website at www.mcstoppp.org.

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. 

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