The Mayor’s Week in Review (June 24-30)

Finding a common ground . . .

Indulge me on this one, because it’s from the heart:

I’m physically quite far from Mill Valley this week and next – but mentally Mill Valley for me is like family and work: I never let it go completely.  You did not elect me to act otherwise.  That said, and as I have written many times, it’s amazing to see the juxtaposition between Mill Valley and any current location.  They often are worlds apart – and this week’s truly is – in terms of lifestyle, and daily concerns and issues.  

This week I see Mill Valley concerned about – among other things - the impacts of proposed zoning changes on garages and basements, local fall elections (who will run, why are they running, what is important to potential candidates, etc.), traffic (always an issue), housing (too much for some, not enough of the right kind for others), and dissatisfaction with our public process.  All real issues, all important to our community, each invoking strong passion. 

All communities have important local issues they are addressing.  Each one is consuming, critical, and real.  No one community’s concerns are more important than another’s.  Then there are the concerns we share regionally, nationally, and globally.  The difficulty in finding a common ground on which to begin addressing our concerns often lies in our ability to communicate effectively – even at the local level - in our world of high demand, local focus, self preservation, and the desire for instant satisfaction.  But I also see that what binds us all -- regardless of location -- are those great treasures we share as human beings:  compassion, forgiveness, courage, love, and hope.  Through these we can all speak the same language.  This is comforting to me.  I hope it is to you. 

I really do believe we can cut through our differences and find our common ground if we keep these treasures at heart.

What else?

Business Disaster Resilience:  We all spend a great deal of time preparing for a disaster; yet we also know that many businesses, no matter how much they prepare, simply won’t recover from a disaster.  This is why our Fire Department has been working for a year on our “Essential Businesses for Disaster Resilience (“EBDR”) Task Force” which was established as part of our 2012-2014 budget process.  Our specific goal is to work with the Emergency Preparedness Commission and the Marin County Operation Area Disaster & Citizen Corps Council to develop a pilot program designed to help essential businesses become disaster resilient.  We have been working with approximately 20 businesses to assess their level of preparedness and ability to remain open (or to re-open quickly) following a disaster.  Stay tuned here . . . . we have more work to do but this is a great start.

Our Electric Vehicle Charging Station:  We’re installing our first electric vehicle charging station this week in the Hauke Park parking lot on Hamilton Drive.  The unit will have Level I & II output capability and will be powered by the City’s solar panel field, which is located directly behind the Public Safety Building. The project is funded by a grant partnership with the California Energy Commission, Association of Bay Area Governments and Transportation Authority of Marin.   Hooray!

July 4th – have fun but please be safe:  July 4th is a wonderful holiday; a true summer celebration and a lot to be proud of as an American.  Enjoy the day . . . . I know I will, but two reminders:  1)  the Library, Community Center, City Hall and other City administrative offices will be closed that day, and 2) fireworks are illegal in Mill Valley and Marin County – so it’s better to enjoy professional fireworks displays.

Another reminder -- Gas Powered Leaf blowers are Prohibited:   I just hate being a nudge, but I’ve gotten a few calls on both sides of this issue, and I simply must say that gas powered leaf blowers have been outlawed in Mill Valley since 1993 because they are noisy and polluting.  “Nuff said.   

Around town …. not a lot going on as folks enjoy the holiday, but . . . .

Monday:

·      Phil's Favorites:  Phil Sheridan, our much loved preschool and family story time reader, will share his favorites at 230 pm at the Library. 

·      Reminder that our City Council meeting on Monday is canceled (so some of us can enjoy a vacation).

Friday:

·      Do you like cartoons?  (I do.)  Come see a bunch at the Library at 230 pm.

Saturday:

·      One of my colleagues will be on the Plaza from 10 AM to Noon. If you are in town, please stop by to have a chat. 

Thanks, as always, for reading.  And thank you again for letting me serve you too; it’s added tremendous value to my life.

Enjoy the holiday. 

XO

Andy