New Town Manager Appreciates Fairfax’s 'Small-Town Atmosphere'

It’s been barely a month since he was hired as Fairfax’s newest Town Manager, but Garrett Toy already has a sense of what’s important to the residents: keeping the town green and keeping it out of the red.

“I haven’t had the chance to meet with the Town Council [about specifics], but the budget—keeping track of expenses and revenue—will be important,” said Toy. “And waste management. Fairfax is progressive and green.”

Toy, a San Rafael resident, left his post as administrative services manager for the County of Marin's Community Development Agency after eight months to take on the leadership role in Fairfax.

He replaces . Toy previously held positions in the cities of Morgan Hill, Stockton and Fairfield.

The application process was fairly swift; Toy applied for the job in November, was approved in January and started on Feb. 4.

He will make an annual salary of $120,000.

Toy said Fairfax Town Council meetings are a bit different from what he’s experienced in other municipalities. “The citizens like to participate in the process and the council is active,” he said.

“I’ve always been interested in town management types of positions,” Toy said. “Fairfax is a smaller city, so I figured I’d give it a shot. It has a small-town atmosphere and I think it’s a good fit for me.”

When announced to the public at a January meeting Toy said, “It’s a great community and I’m looking forward to working with everyone as we move forward to try to achieve different goals. Thank you.”

Toy lives in San Rafael with his wife and two daughters.

For 13 years, Toy was part of the senior management team in Morgan Hill, a town south of San Jose with a population of more than 38,000. He served as the director of business assistance and housing services, overseeing Morgan Hill’s redevelopment, economic development and affordable housing activities. He has also served as the deputy director of housing and redevelopment for the city of Stockton and worked for Fairfield’s Department of Planning and Development.

He has more than 23 years of experience in municipal government managing projects and programs from creation to completion, according to Fairfax town staff.

What does he think of his new job?

“I’m still here and still smiling,” he said.

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