San Anselmo: Town Council Meeting Notes, Volunteer Opportunities, Staff Bicycles, Town Hall Tower Project, and Saturday Lectures

Town Council Meeting Notes

At the meeting of Tuesday, June 24, the Town Council took the following actions:

• Introduced newly hired Central Marin Police Authority officers, Ronald Flores, Jared Boss and Benjamin Axthelm.
• Recognized members of the Library Tax committee for their dedication and hard work for the Library:  Judy Anderson, Scott Fletcher, Ted Freeman, Doug Holm, Steve Lee, and Eli Welber.
• Re-appointed members to the Library Advisory Board, Scott Fletcher and Eli Welber, and appointed Judy Anderson.  Congratulations all! 
• Conducted a public hearing on Underground Utility District No. 5, and approved a resolution designating an area to be removed along Luna Lane, to clear up a past error.
• Directed staff to enroll the Town in the Deep Green program for Marin Clean Energy, thereby purchasing energy from only renewable sources, at an additional annual cost of approximately $6,200.
• Authorized the award of the Town Hall Tower Project to the low bidder, Wedge Roofing, in the amount of $128,424.  More on this project below.

The complete packet for the meeting can be found at http://www.townofsananselmo.org/index.aspx?NID=449.

Volunteers Needed

The Town Council is looking for volunteers on the Parks & Recreation Commission.  The Commission advises the Council and the Parks & Recreation staff on the planning of the recreation activities, the development of Town parks and management of public lands. The Commission has a membership of seven (7) and meets regularly on the third Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Council Chambers. There is one seat available.

For more information or an application, go to: http://www.townofsananselmo.org/index.aspx?nid=175 or contact Carla Kacmar at ckacmar@townofsananselmo.org or 258-4691.  Applications for these openings should be submitted by Friday, July 18, 2014.

Staff Bicycles

Members of the Town staff have been using a new method of transportation in and around Town; electric assist bicycles. Thanks to a $6,000 grant from the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, San Anselmo was able to purchase two of these bikes, which can be pedaled like a normal bike, accelerated using an electric motor, or a combination of both. Staff members, from librarians to planners to engineers, have been electing to run Town errands on the bikes, which in turn provide economic and environmental benefits to the community.

Town Hall Tower Project

The Town Hall Tower was constructed in 1911 along with the original fire station.  The peak of the tower was leveled in the 1930’s for installation of an emergency radio communications tower.  The current construction project includes removal of damaged framing and finish materials, repair and replacement of framing and finish materials, and restoration of the roof peak.  At the same time the entire Town Hall complex will be repainted.

Some of the damage to the tower has been caused by nesting birds, including owls, for which netting was installed around the tower, in preparation for this work.  Staff has coordinated with the Hungry Owl Project for installation of a custom owl nesting box with provisions for future installation of a live video streaming camera to monitor nesting birds.

The work will be completed this summer.

Saturday Lectures

Saturday Morning Lectures, sponsored by the Library, are held once a month from 11 a.m. to 12 noon in the Town Council Chambers at 525 San Anselmo Ave.  All are welcome to come and enjoy!

Saturday, July 12, 11 a.m. to 12 noon, Council Chambers:  Travel to Cuba Legally.

Unfortunately, this lecture has been cancelled due to illness.

Saturday, August 2, 11 a.m. to 12 noon, Council Chambers:  About Photography.

Award winning travel photographer Robert Holmes has been a professional photographer for over 30 years. Ansel Adams invited him to California in 1977 and he moved to Marin in 1979.  Bob’s first major assignment in 1980 was in Northern Pakistan for National Geographic magazine and he has since traveled the world on assignment for dozens of magazines.  In his presentation, Bob will share methods that he considers fundamental to becoming a better photographer, whether you use an iPhone or a $5,000 DSLR.

If you have any questions, please contact the Library at 258-4656.

San Anselmo News, published weekly on Fridays, is available at the San Anselmo Town Hall, Library, and on the Public Notice Bulletin Board. It is also available on the Town’s website, www.townofsananselmo.org, and by email subscription.