Sunday, May 20, 2012
Figure up from $9 billion projected in January.
Gov. Jerry Brown's recently revised budget numbers show that California's budget deficit is nearly $6 billion more than the governor projected in January. The New York Times reports that California now faces a $16 billion gap, up from $9 billion, in round numbers. How that'll impact cities, however, remains unclear – at least until voters weigh in at the polls in November on Brown's tax initiative. "This means that we will have to go much further, and make cuts far greater than I asked for at the beginning of the year," Brown said on Youtube, where he released his original statement. "But we can't fill a hole of this magnitude with cuts alone, without doing severe damage to our schools." "That's why I'm bypassing the gridlock, and asking …
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Installation of 972-kilowatt system should be finished by this fall, local power authority says.
By this fall, sunlight captured from the rooftop of San Rafael Airport buildings will be juicing selected homes in Marin. The Marin Energy Authority, which administers the Marin Clean Energy program, said in a release that it has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with the small county-owned airport for 972 kilowatts of rooftop solar power, the largest solar project in Marin. The power is being purchased for Marin Clean Energy customers through MEA’s feed-in tariff program and the project is expected to be installed and operational by fall 2012. Novato residents are in the process of switching over to Marin Clean Energy power or opting out and remaining with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E will deliver power to both types of …
Friday, May 18, 2012
The Larkspur City Council must decide soon if it will build a new library on the Rose Garden site, or risk losing out on a $5 million donation.
Larkspur's leaders are dreaming of a shiny new community facility to draw people toward downtown. Right now, though, the undeveloped site sits in front of a road that can challenge any car's suspension. Repairs are due to start in the Fall on Doherty Drive, named one of the worst-maintained roads in the Bay Area by the Metropolitan Transportation Agency. The Alexander Bridge and Bon Air Bridge are also in urgent need of repair, according to City officials. "In my two years here, I've heard loud and clear that people want our roads fixed," City Manager Dan Schwarz said during Wednesday's City Council meeting. "If public funds are going into the community facility project, that takes money away from the general fund, which is money used for …
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Should Larkspur build a new library on the Rose Garden site? Or should it be a community center? Or a farm? You decide. Join the conversation here.
The Larkspur City Council is holding the last of three scheduled meetings Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the Rose Garden Community Facility parcel. The meeting has been moved from City Hall to the Hall Middle School gym, so just about everyone with a thought for the plot should be able to find a seat. They'll also have a good view of the proposed construction site across Doherty Drive as they enter the gym.
The Town Council is trying to rally support from other Marin County cities to form a group that could replace ABAG and increase local control.
The Town of Corte Madera has some choices, but none of them are exactly ideal. The Corte Madera Town Council on Tuesday night laid out its position on town's relationship with the Association of Bay Area Governments. And from what Mayor Bob Ravasio said, it's going to be hard for the town to avoid the influence of ABAG no matter what happens next. "If we want to stay a small town, we should be able to. But how do we do that?" Ravasio asked. ABAG's job is to develop plans for housing needs for nine Bay Area counties. ABAG's One Bay Area Plan combines expected population growth with transporation needs in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in accordance with state law. Transporation funds, upon which Corte Madera relies, are …
Frank Egger, Mary Sylla and Marcia Johnson take their cases to the public ahead of the June election for the embattled Ross Valley Sanitary District.
Some freshly baked cookies and a refreshing drink on the patio during a warm afternoon set a comfortable scene to talk about … sewers? Ross Valley Sanitary District director Frank Egger, incumbent Marcia Johnson and attorney Mary Sylla are running for two open seats on the board in the June election. The Ross Valley Sanitary District serves Kentfield, Greenbrae, Larkspur, Fairfax, San Anselmo and Ross. Egger and Sylla were guests of honor Thursday and Friday at Modern Cookie in Larkspur during meetings with the public, which were facilitated by former Larkspur City Councilwoman Kathy Hartzell. "I'm just trying to bring a directional approach to the situation, a common sense approach about how we should go about it," said Egger. The …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The Corte Madera Town Council takes on some big topics in their Tuesday night meeting. Join the conversation here during our live coverage.
Is Corte Madera heading in the right direction with its move away from the Association of Bay Area Governments and twoard local control? Should smoking be banned in town parks? You can answer these questions and ask a few of your own with our live coverage here of Tuesday night's Corte Madera Town Council meeting.
Check here for what's on the Marin Board of Supervisors' Tuesday agenda.
- GOVERNMENT
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Tuesday, May 15
Previews & Reviews: Board Meeting Highlights The following provides a list of selected highlights from the Board agenda, and is not meant to be an exhaustive list of the entire agenda. Please check out the Cyberagenda for a copy of the complete agenda as well as copies of these reports and others. Previews - Upcoming Items The next Board meeting is May 15. Marin County to Honor Golden Gate Bridge's 75th Anniversary At the request of Supervisors Sears and Arnold, the Board will be considering the adoption of a resolution honoring the Golden Gate Bridge on the occasion of its 75th Anniversary. Need more info? See the draft Resolution. Contact: Clerk of the Board staff at BOS@marincounty.org Board to Consider Request for Additional …
The Larkspur City Council meets Wednesday evening for the third of three scheduled public hearings on the Rose Garden Community Facility parcel.
It's checkout time at the library. Residents have been very vocal so far in their support of building a new library on a piece of the former Niven Nursery expected to be donated to the City of Larkspur. The Larkspur City Council is holding the last of three scheduled meetings Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the Rose Garden Community Facility parcel. The meeting has been moved from City Hall to the Hall Middle School gym, so just about everyone with a thought for the plot should be able to find a seat. They'll also have a good view of the proposed construction site across Doherty Drive as they enter the gym. Phil Terry, who has been involved in plans for a new library for decades, lives within walking distance of the parcel from his home …
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Hall Middle School
200 Doherty Dr, Larkspur, CA
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Larkspur Library
400 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur, CA
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Monday, May 14, 2012
The Corte Madera Town Council on Tuesday will take another look at its move to leave ABAG and an ordinance to ban smoking within town parks.
Corte Madera has been hailed by many for its decision to leave the Association of Bay Area Governments. Others say it was a pointless move that, at best is only ceremonial, and at worst could backfire on the town. Well, there's still a chance for the Town to change its mind and stay with ABAG since it will take nearly another 15 months for the move to take effect. "We're using that time to try to come up with a better way to do this," Corte Madera vice-Mayor Diane Furst said in a meeting with members of the Marin Communities Coalition for Local Control. "Almost immediately after we withdrew, our One Bay Area Plan numbers came in at about half what they were bandying about, which makes it seem these numbers are random. They're not taking …
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Town of Corte Madera Town Hall Offices
300 Tamalpais Dr, Corte Madera, CA
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Rob Middleton
12:38 pm on Saturday, May 19, 2012
I attended the announcement on Thursday at the airport, and they also said the project will bring 25 new jobs to Marin. Great to see this homegrown energy approach taking root by helping locals. more ›