Marin Energy Authority Gives Fairfax Check; Money to Fund New Currency

Marin Energy Authority Interim Executive Director Dawn Weisz presented the town of Fairfax with a check for $7,300 Wednesday at the Fairfax Town Council meeting. The check was a payment for the $100,000 loan guarantee the town gave the fledgling authority last year as it brought .

Earlier this month, MEA also paid back $540,000 that was approved by the Marin County Board of Supervisors in 2008. In addition, a newly-consolidated loan relieves the county of a $950,000 loan guarantee along with the $100,000 guarantee by the town of Fairfax. 

Marin Clean Energy now supplies energy to Marin residents as an alternative to PG&E focused on a higher content of renewable energy and .

"Thank you so much for your support to get the project going," said Weisz.

Council Member Lew Tremaine, who serves on the MEA Board of Directors, said he was appreciative of everything the staff had done to get Marin Clean Energy up and running.

"I can not thank you enough for making me right," said Tremaine.

The council later voted to use $4,000 of the check to put towards the creation of a new town currency, which will be used to encourage local business within Fairfax.

will be a joint project of the town, the , and -- with each putting in $4,000 -- to mint $30,000 worth of $3 coins that cost just $1 each to mint. Those coins will be accepted at participating local businesses.

Similar to the West Marin token, as the FairBuck goes out of circulation money will be raised for a local fund. That money will go back to the town, Chamber and Sustainable Fairfax.

The council approved a resolution to support the creation of the FairBuck, with Vice Mayor Pam Hartwell-Herrero recusing herself because of her position as Executive Director of Sustainable Fairfax.

Mayor Larry Bragman said he thought it was appropriate to use the funds from the Marin Energy Authority to foster other new ideas within the community.

"It seems like it's pretty synchronistic," said Bragman.

He encouraged that the remainder of the $7,300 be set aside in a small fund to encourage other local projects that need fostering.