The Mayor’s Week in Review (July 29 – August 4)

This week’s Review is dedicated to the memories of Jerry Garcia and Mill Valley barber James “Russ” Kerr.

National Owner’s Manual Week:

My friend Linn Walsh told me that the first week of August is "National Simplify your Life Week?”  That struck me as somewhat funny, since my life has so many variables to manage that it’s hard for me to simplify it: husband, father, GM, Mayor, occasional runner and wanna be yogi.  Then I saw the attached “How to focus in the age of distraction” maze – and it seemed spot on too (you really should take a gander at it).   I was wondering if it’s really easy to “simplify” (and frankly, I’m not quite sure I’m ready to yet – neither Sabra nor I are racing to get to a place with nothing to do but think about what book to read or movie to see, and the chaos I have is mostly of the really good type and keeps me engaged). 

But I do admit there’s real value in finding time in this busy world to cultivate the relationship that I can never get away from – the one with myself.  My yoga instructor, Marizta, aptly put it this way today – we need to be the authors of our personal Owner’s Manuals.  Now that made a lot of sense to me, because it recognizes that there are always going to be many parts and functions and mechanisms we have to deal with in life, but taking time to understand (and master) them, so that there’s still time for Numero Uno, is a big part of today’s journey.

This week is really National Owner’s Manual Week.  Start writing yours.  Your Council is writing the City’s.

What else?

Young leaders:  Last week my colleagues (Jim McCann, Angel Bernal, and Linn Walsh) and I went to The Rotary to present a “State of the City.”  What was wonderful about the event, however, was meeting three young leaders who also attended:  Marina Adrianzen, who received a $2,000 scholarship from the Rotary Club and has been accepted to Brown University where she plans to major in Biology & Biomedical Engineering, Nestor Teodoro, who also received a $2,000 scholarship from the Club and is attending UC Merced where he will major in Civil Engineering, and Ryan Stolp, who also received $2,000 and will be attending the College of Marin this Fall.  In all, the Club presented eight $2,000 scholarships this year to graduating students in need, a program I am told will be continued in the years ahead.  Hooray! for all these students.  

Zucchini racing:  By the way, what does farming and The Rotary have in common this September?  Zucchini!  Get your Zucchini Racer ready for the Rotary’s big event at the Golf Clubhouse on Sept. 8th!  Check out the details here: Zucchini on Wheels! 

S-Elect-ion 2013:  Last week I shared that three more men had pulled papers to run for Council this fall and that I knew of at least one woman thinking of doing so. See  Elect-ricity.  What a difference a week makes:  one of the men who pulled has actually returned the papers, declining to run, but Jessica Jackson came forward to pull a set.   So that leaves John McCauley, George Gordon, Dan Kelly and Jessica Jackson in the running – assuming they actually file their papers.  Once again, time will tell.

Don’t forget to stop:  When you think about it, it’s pathetic that we have to name this week “National Stop on Red Week,” but that’s what this week is.  From August 4 to 10 communities across the country will bring national visibility to this deadly traffic problem and step up enforcement efforts.  While Mill Valley has more stop signs than stop lights, the concept is exactly the same:  stop on red!  For more information, please go to: Please stop!   By the way:  Marin County has a program called Street Smarts that sponsors education directed at changing driver behavior so as to safely travel with other vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists.  One of Street Smart’s banner slogans ties into this week’s program:  Stopping is Part of Driving!  For more information on Street Smarts and to take the Safe Driver Pledge, please go to Street Smarts. 

August is also National Water Quality Month: You can protect water quality just by limiting your water use -- conservation puts less stress on our drinking water supplies and diverts less water for municipal use – which all helps preserve stream flow and maintain healthy aquatic environments.  Efficient outdoor water use also reduces the amounts of pollutants reaching groundwater supplies and running off into storm drains.   Follow the basics:  don’t over-water your yard, take shorter showers (my wife times mine - *&^%$$#  (‘nuff said – but she’s right; in fact, showering two minutes less saves 35 gallons of water / week), don't leave water running, run only “full loads” in your dishwasher and clothes washer, and compost instead of using a garbage disposal. 

CARmageddon in the Marin?  Plan ahead for any BART strike because the traffic’s going to be brutal if there is one. Telecommute, seek flexible work schedules, and consider alternative modes of transportation, such as biking and carpooling. 

Important items at Monday’s Council meeting:  Two things I’m getting asked a LOT of questions about are Item 9 (single use plastic bags at point of sale) and Item 10 (field use fees).  

·      Ban on Single-Use Plastic Bags:  On January 25, 2011, the County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance banning plastic bag distribution in the unincorporated areas of the County. The ban applies to most grocery stores, pharmacies and convenience stores and requires a fee of five cents for paper bags. Litigation was filed against the County’s action, with the County prevailing in Superior Court. The case was appealed and on June 25, 2013 the California First District Court of Appeals issued an opinion upholding the Marin Superior Court decision. The court ruling paves the way for Mill Valley -  which has a long-standing commitment to sustainable initiatives - to enact a similar ban on single-use plastic bags.  Staff has worked in collaboration with other Marin County jurisdictions to develop a model ordinance based on the County’s adopted ordinance along with the appropriate environmental review. The main elements of the proposed ordinance would: 

·      Restrict the provision of plastic bags at the point of sale.  This restriction does not apply to product bags or bags provided to a customer for prescription medication. 

·      Establish a five-cent fee for the provision of paper bags.  All stores must post signage clearly indicating the charge for paper and reusable bags, and are responsible for collecting all monies associated with the bag charges. Customers may bring any type of bag they wish bring to a store or may carry away goods without a bag.  

Following Council discussion and direction, staff will present the proposed ordinance for introduction at the September 3, 2013 Council meeting.  For more information, including an outline of the draft ordinance, please click here: Ban Plastic Bags.  

·      Field use fees:  The City maintains high quality sports fields throughout the community for recreational use and organized sports play.  Each year the Parks and Recreation Commission assigns almost 14,500 hours of field use to youth leagues and groups.  The community has been extraordinarily fortunate to have an extremely capable and generous community based non-profit organization active to improve our playing fields.  This entity, Friends of Fields (FoF), has undertaken field reconstruction over the past almost 20 years.  The Parks and Recreation Commission has wrestled with the ever increasing demand for field space from organizations serving Mill Valley youth as well as children from outside of Mill Valley (the leagues serve more than 3,000 children).  Assignment of field time is an annual challenge for staff and the Parks and Recreation Commission.  What we charge and how we do it is an equally sensitive topic that we want to discuss.   

Tuesday night is “National Night Out.”   National Night Out is an annual event designed to strengthen communities by encouraging community leaders to engage in stronger relationships with each other and their local law enforcement partners.  See National Night Out.  The Police Department is joining the National Night Out program this year and will be coordinating with several local homeowner associations, the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce, and other interested parties to create a successful annual event.  To register or find out more information, please call Community Services Officer Sheryl Patton at 415-389-4100 x 4118. 

About town: 

Monday:  Guest Storyteller Anne Fretes (230 pm at the Library):  Listen to a captivating tale from Africa about a painful conflict between a young brother and sister who have a seemingly unsolvable problem. Fantasy and adventure are woven through this story of family love and its ability to overcome loss and adversity. 

Tuesday:  First Tuesday Artwalk (6 – 8 pm):  On the First Tuesday of every month, the Art Commission invites you to take a stroll through town to view exciting exhibits featuring a wide range of art by local artists. See Gallery Guide. 

Wednesday is busy; so many choices, so little time . . . . 

·      Friends Book Sale:  3 pm

·      Magical Moonshine Puppet Theatre - Puppylocks and the Three Bears (330 pm at the Outdoor Amphitheater):  What if the Three Bears were really teddy bears and Goldilocks not a girl at all, but a mischievous little dog that wreaks havoc while the bears are away? Live music and singing accompany this very funny retelling of the traditional fairytale.

·      Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting:  7 pm

·      Theater Lecture: Good People (730 pm at the Library):  To open Marin Theater Company's 2013-14 season, artistic director Jasson Minadakis talks about the company's regional premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire’s new nationwide hit – a "tough and tender play about the insurmountable class divide" (Variety).

·      And my favorite: SMEMPS!  Could be my last one . . . .  come join me at the S. Marin Fire Station in Strawberry. 

Thursday:  

·      Mad Science Crazy Chemistry (230 pm at the Outdoor Amphitheater):  A Mad Scientist will make colors change, melt a head, and coax a science genie from a bottle – all through the use of some spiffy chemical reactions. She’ll even create an extra hand to help with the more complicated experiments and surprise you with an explosion of foam – this is craziness you won’t want to miss!

·      Library Board of Trustees Meeting:  7 pm 

Friday:  Banana Slug String Band (330 pm at the Outdoor Amphitheater):  The Slugs invite you to dive in and swim on a musical odyssey into the Earth's one mysterious, marvelous – and precious – ocean. They'll showcase songs from The One and Only Ocean, their award-winning CD with music designed to help kids and families to learn about and care for the ocean. 

Saturday:  Family Fun Night (5 pm at the Aquatics Center):  Come join a host of characters for a fun night of swimming. Our Family Fun Nights are geared toward every age – and it’s only $10 for the entire family!  Costume contests, super awesome raffles with great prizes, jumpee, face painting, kids nail salon, and a kid-friendly movie for those who may not want to swim. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Thanks, as always, for reading.  And remember:  you matter! 

Andy 

PS:  Happy birthday Jerry!  We miss you.