Saturday, October 31, 2020
David P. Donery, Town Manager

Happy Halloween San Anselmo!!

The Town of San Anselmo wishes everyone a Happy Halloween. We know that this year is very different. Because of this, the Town's Library and Recreation Department have hosted a week's worth of "Halloween at Home" fun, and invite you to participate in today's Costume Contest for you and your pets. Details below:

Everyone is invited to share their Halloween costume and we want to help show off your creativity! Share your costumes by tagging @sananselmorec or e-mail your photos to kmacleod@townofsananselmo.org All costumes (and pet costumes) will be shared on the Recreation webpage and participants with our favorite costumes will receive a Halloween themed goody bag!

Treat Your Family to Drive-Thru Spooktacular

Local families can safely celebrate the spookiest of holidays by planning to visit the Halloween Fair Food Drive-Thru Spooktacular at Marin Center in San Rafael.

Through November 1, adults and kids may don their costumes and prepare to be spooked with family-friendly haunted surprises and activities while staying inside their cars as a precaution against the contagious COVID-19 coronavirus. The event is presented by the Marin County Department of Cultural Services and endorsed as a fun holiday alternative by doctors from the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Admission to the Spooktacular is $10 per car.

At the Spooktacular, festive treats will range from drive-thru Halloween-themed Fair food including pumpkin and ghost candy apples, black-and-orange cotton candy, giant corndogs, giant turkey legs, funnel cake, churros, kettle corn, caramel corn, and strawberry lemonade, to name a few items. Also added to the menu are Greek gyros, tri-tip sandwiches, ribs, and deep-fried Oreos. A selection of holiday-themed adult beverages will also be on offer.

Attendees will drive through a series of Spooktacular “lands” featuring animatronic dinosaurs, skeletons, Halloween favorites, and much more.

From 3-6 p.m. October 31, the drive-thru will also feature live entertainment by the Las Gallinas Sanitary District Non-Marching Band, aka The Sewer Band, performing Halloween and spooky tunes at the fairgrounds. The Marin County Free Library will give out free mini activity books, bookmarks, stickers, and pencils from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
October 31 and November 1.Those events do not have a separate entry fee. Attendees can also download the Spooktacular Drive-Thru Tunes playlist on Spotify to play in their cars.

Operated by the same team that presents the Marin County Fair each year, the Spooktacular will prioritize the safety of its guests and vendors. All event personnel will wear face coverings and gloves and will sanitize surfaces frequently as they deliver properly packaged food.

Elections Department Open this Weekend

The Marin County Elections Department will be ready to assist residents with registering and voting on Saturday and Sunday, October 31 and November 1, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If a voter decides not to mail a ballot, there are other return options:

Return a filled-out ballot in the signed envelope to the Elections Department drop box available weekdays during regular business hours, available this coming weekend, or on Election Day between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Return a filled-out ballot in the signed envelope to any polling location in Marin during the early voting days starting October 31 or before 8 p.m. on Election Day. Locations and hours of operation are posted on the Elections Department website.
Use one of the convenient and secure drop boxes found throughout the county by 8 p.m. Election Day.

Voters can track their ballot by signing up for Where’s My Ballot on the Secretary of State’s website.

The Elections Department is in Suite 121, Marin County Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael. For more information, call the Elections Department at 415-473-6441.

Vote by Ballot Box

Election Day is fast approaching and the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we are voting in the November election. Marin County voters may drop their ballots off at one of several drop boxes located throughout the county. San Anselmo is hosting a secure ballot drop box in the Town Plaza in front of Town Hall and the Police Station. Voters can also drop their ballots off at any polling place starting on October 31 or you can still mail in your ballot. A list of drop boxes is printed in the voter information guide, which is included with the ballot packet and is posted at www.marinvotes.org. Ballots returned at a secure ballot box must be deposited by 8pm on Tuesday, November 3.

Abutments at 632-634 San Anselmo Avenue

Reimagine Creek Park
Conceptual Design Presentation

Monday, November 9^th at 6:30pm

At the November 9th Reimagine Creek Park Community Advisory Committee meeting, the committee will review the updated design concepts for the Creekside Commons project. This is the project that includes the removal of the abutments located in the creek at 632-634 San Anselmo Avenue. The first phase of this project has been completed, and included the removal of the buildings at that location, and the creation of a temporary downtown park.

These designs represent a partnership between the Town of San Anselmo and the Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District with the goal of creating a unique public space in addition to much needed flood control. This effort is a part of the Flood Control District’s San Anselmo Flood Risk Reduction project, or SAFRR. More information about the SAFFR project can be found at this link: https://www.marinwatersheds.org/resources/projects/san-anselmo-flood-risk-reduction-safrr-project.

Following this meeting, the designs will be presented at the San Anselmo Town Council at their meeting on November 24^th, 2020.

Topic: Reimagine Creek Park Community Advisory Committee Meeting

When: Nov 9, 2020 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Zoom Webinar:

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82416647857
Or iPhone one-tap :
    US: +16699006833,,82416647857# or +13462487799,,82416647857#
Or Telephone:
    Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
        US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 929 436 2866 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Webinar ID: 824 1664 7857
    International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdbfzk11LL

Marin Graduates to Tier 3 COVID-19 Status

With improving COVID-19 figures, Marin County has been moved to Tier 3 on the State's Blueprint for a Safer Economy monitoring list, allowing some businesses to reopen for the first time, while others can expand their operating capacity.

Fewer daily cases, a reduction in the proportion of positive tests among those who are tested, and progress in addressing the County’s lowest-income communities are factors in the state’s determination. Marin’s high rate of testing combined with a measured approach to reopening has contributed to the orange status achievement.

The primary changes allowed under Tier 3:

Allowed indoors at full capacity: retail establishments, indoor malls, libraries, office space (although continued telework is encouraged)
Allowed indoors at 50% capacity or 200 people (whichever is fewer): restaurants, museums, places of worship, movie theaters
Allowed indoors at 25% capacity or 100 people (whichever is fewer): gyms and fitness centers (and can utilize indoor pools), family entertainment centers, wineries, card rooms
Allowed outdoors only: bars and breweries

A full list of changes to business sector guidelines will be updated to the Marin Recovers website. All open businesses must complete a COVID-19 Site-Specific Protection Plan prior to reopening under Tier 3 restrictions.

With the transition to Tier 3 status, Marin Public Health issued a new risk reduction order, which replaces the shelter-in-place order of May 15. The new order aligns Marin’s restrictions with current State of California public health orders and guidelines.

REVISED Emergency Order Affecting Use of Memorial Park Playing Fields

On Tuesday, October 27th the Town Council revised this Order to say the following:

The use of the playing fields at Memorial Park by groups engaged in organized sports is limited to organizations and persons in possession of a valid permit issued by the San Anselmo Recreation Department.

The previous order had limited all use of the field to permit holders only.
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The current County Public Health Orders require that people not in the same household maintain physical distance of at least six feet from one another and that they wear facial coverings whenever feasible. These rules are implemented through industry and activity- specific protocols. Outdoor recreational activities are permitted under the public health orders, subject to compliance with Social Distancing Requirements and Health Officer Order on Face Coverings. The County Order includes the following requirements for outdoor recreational activities:

… [E]ach person engaged in such activity must comply with Social Distancing Requirements including maintaining at least six feet of separation from all other people to the greatest extent possible. Additionally, it is recommended that each person engaged in such activity bring a Face Covering and wear that Face Covering in circumstances where it is difficult to maintain compliance with Social Distancing Requirements, and that they carry the Face Covering in a readily accessible location, such as around the person’s neck, or in a pocket, for such use.

Although outdoor recreation is permitted with proper distancing and masks, there is no allowance in these orders for groups of non-family members to play soccer or other sports, which could result in close contact between players. For these reasons, the Town of San Anselmo has issued the revised Emergency Order 20-03 (details below). In addition, the City of Larkspur and the Town of Corte Madera have enacted similar orders for their local playing fields. The Tamalpais Union High School District has implemented similar rules for the use of Redwood High School, High School 1327/Drake and Red Hill Field facilities.

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An Emergency Order has been issued by the Emergency Operations Manager for the Town of San Anselmo, and revised on October 27, 2020:

Text of Revised Order:
TOWN OF SAN ANSELMO
REVISED EMERGENCY ORDER No. 20-3
RESTRICTING THE USE OF PLAYING FIELDS
Effective October 27, 2020

In order to protect public health and safety and to ensure compliance with current Public Health Orders concerning COVID-19, it is hereby ordered that the use of the playing fields at Memorial Park by groups engaged in organized sports is limited to organizations and persons in possession of a valid permit issued by the San Anselmo Recreation Department.

Use of these facilities for organized sports without a permit is a violation of this Order and an infraction subject to citation. (San Anselmo Municipal Code § 11-1.02)

David P. Donery
Town Manager
Director of Emergency Services

Reporting Shelter-in-Place Violations

To expedite the process for resolving business violations of the Shelter-in-Place (SIP) Public Health Orders, each jurisdiction has set-up a way to report these violations, instead of being triaged by the County. This will allow cities and towns to respond faster to the complaints.

To report a business violation in San Anselmo, please email SIPviolations@townofsananselmo.org and include the following information:

Business name
Address
As much detail as possible regarding the perceived health order violation

Robson Aftercare Now Enrolling!

Two enrollment options now available!

Cohort A: Tuesday & Wednesday
Cohort B: Thursday & Friday

Spaces are available for both cohorts!
Hours: 12:00pm-6:00pm (Following the Ross Valley School District Calendar)
Fee: $288 (3 week session)
Following county guidelines, groups will be in stable cohorts and will be limited to a maximum of 14, with typical programming including:

Individual based arts and crafts
Developmentally age appropriate activities (while maintaining physical distance)
Outdoor physically distant free play

Staff members and children are required to wear masks/facial coverings during program hours and physically distance.

REGISTER HERE

Community Message: Safe storage of firearms

Every year in the U.S. nearly 350 children under the age of 17 gain access to a gun and unintentionally kill or injure themselves or someone else. Children are naturally curious and love to explore and look in hiding places. With the pandemic disrupting school schedules and causing boredom and isolation for kids, they may be at an increased risk of finding unsecured firearms in their homes.

California is one of several states that requires every gun owner to safely store their firearms and the owner is criminally liable if they store a loaded gun where a child is likely to gain access to it.

All firearms in your home should be unloaded and locked, with ammunition stored and locked up separately. Make sure children and teens cannot access the keys or combinations to lock boxes or gun safes. And do not keep loaded, unlocked guns in the car, either.

We offer free Project Child Safe gun safety kits so you can securely store your firearm. Each kit contains safety information and a cable-style gun lock. The locks fit on most types of handguns, rifles, and shotguns. The goal is to prevent a child or other unauthorized person from accessing a firearm in your home.

The gun locks are available at both of our stations, 250 Doherty Drive in Larkspur or 525 San Anselmo Avenue in San Anselmo.

Organic Waste Program for 2020

Residents of incorporated San Anselmo can opt to receive a second or third green waste cart as part of their basic bundled service package with Marin Sanitary Service (MSS). Customers who want the third green waste cart must make the request by December 31, 2020 to be able to have the third cart as part of their basic bundled service. After that date, customers will be entitled to two green waste carts as part of the bundled service, and will be able to rent additional carts (up to 4).

In summary, customers who have secured up to three (3) total green waste carts before December 31, 2020, will keep this secured level of service at no additional cost until the customer terminates service with the Marin Sanitary Service. This change is part of the new program for the collection of organic waste (food and yard waste). Beginning in 2020, Marin Sanitary will no longer collect organic waste from customer-owned cans. You will be receiving more information from MSS and the Town throughout 2020 on this program change.

It is important to note that these changes are for customers in the incorporated town of San Anselmo. This does not apply to customers who may have a San Anselmo address but reside in unincorporated Marin County, such as residents of Sleepy Hollow.

For additional information, click here.

Town Hall Office Hours

Town Hall is open for in-person services. Permits, Planning and Business Licenses are available from 8:30 am - 12 pm Mondays and Wednesdays. Social distancing and masks will be required while in the building.

Saturday, October 31, 2020 David P. Donery, Town Manager