Saturday, December 5, 2020
David P. Donery, Town Manager

Bay Area Health Officers Move to Implement State’s New Regional Stay Home Order, Not Waiting Until Local Hospitals Are Near Crisis to Act

The following is a joint statement from the counties of Marin, Contra Costa, Alameda, San Francisco, and Santa Clara, plus the City of Berkeley. This statement was issued on Friday, December 4, 2020.

Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that all sectors other than retail and essential operations would be closed in regions of California where less than 15% of ICU beds are available under a new Regional Stay-Home Order. Although health officials throughout the Bay Area are glad to see the State take action in light of the rapidly escalating surge in hospitalizations statewide, many believe even more aggressive action is necessary in the Bay Area to slow the surge and prevent our local hospitals from being overwhelmed.

Rather than waiting until intensive care unit (ICU) bed availability reaches critical levels and delaying closures that are inevitable, the health officers for the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and Santa Clara as well as the City of Berkeley jointly announced that they will implement the State’s Regional Stay-Home Order right away.

“It takes several weeks for new restrictions to slow rising hospitalizations and waiting until only 15% of a region’s ICU beds are available is just too late,” said San Francisco Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragon. “Many heavily impacted parts of our region already have less than 15% of ICU beds available, and the time to act is now.”

“Each of us can fight the spread,” said Dr. Lisa B. Hernandez, the City of Berkeley Health Officer. “Keep your family safe by avoiding even small gatherings outside of your household and not traveling. We don’t want holiday gatherings and travel to create a spike of cases on top of the surge we’re already seeing.”

“Although Marin has fared better than some other counties in our region over the last few weeks, we know it is only a matter of time before rising case and hospitalization put pressure on our hospitals too,” said Marin County Health Officer Dr. Matthew Willis. “We must act now, and we must act together to ensure all hospitals in the Bay Area have the capacity they need to care for our residents.”

Consistent with the State framework, the six jurisdictions are working to ensure that all sectors have at least 48-hour notice of these closures. Most of the Bay Area Health Officers will implement the State’s Regional Stay-Home Order as of Sunday, December 6. In Alameda County, it is scheduled to take effect on Monday, December 7, and Marin County’s order will take effect at noon Tuesday, December 8. The new restrictions will remain in place until January 4, 2021.

The order instructs Bay Area residents to stay at home as much as possible and limit mixing with other households, which can lead to the spread of COVID-19. All sectors other than retail and essential operations must be closed. Access to (and travel for) critical services and outdoor activities to preserve physical and mental health are allowed.

Beginning at noon Tuesday, December 8, the following sectors in Marin County must close:

• Indoor and outdoor playgrounds

• Indoor recreational facilities

• Hair salons and barbershops

• Personal care services

• Museums, zoos, and aquariums

• Movie theaters

• Wineries

• Bars, breweries, and distilleries

• Family entertainment centers

• Cardrooms and satellite wagering

• Limited services

• Live audience sports

• Amusement parks

The following sectors will have additional modifications (in addition to 100% masking and physical distancing):

• Outdoor recreational facilities: Allow outdoor operation only, without any food, drink, or alcohol sales. Additionally, overnight stays at campgrounds will not be permitted.

• Retail: Allow indoor operation at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.

• Shopping centers: Allow indoor operation at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.

• Hotels, motels, short-term rentals, other lodging: Allow to open for critical infrastructure support only.

• Restaurants: Allow only for takeout, pick-up, or delivery.

• Offices: Allow remote use only, except for critical infrastructure sectors where remote working is not possible.

• Gyms: Indoor operations must close.

• Places of worship and political expression: Allow outdoor services only.

• Entertainment production including professional sports: Allow operation without live audiences. Additionally, testing protocol and “bubbles” are highly encouraged.

The following sectors are allowed to remain open when a remote option is not possible. Those that remain open must have appropriate infectious disease preventative measures in place, including 100% masking and physical distancing:

• Critical infrastructure

• Schools

• Non-urgent medical and dental care

• Child care and pre-kindergarten

“We recognize that public health is about community well-being and that includes the economic health of the community,” Willis said. “And as we take this step, we want to remind people to find ways to support their local businesses in a safe way, doing it from home as much as possible, but utilizing the online or curb-side pick-up options that our local stores may offer.”

See the sector closures and restrictions on activity under the State’s Regional Stay-Home Order. MarinRecovers.com will be updated by Tuesday, December 8, to reflect the new restrictions.

The Town of San Anselmo is accepting applications to join its newly formed Racial Equity Ad Hoc Committee.

On November 10^th, the Town Council formed the Racial Equity Ad Hoc Committee and charged it with the tasks of examining issues of racial equity, social justice, systemic racial bias, and diversity in Town and making recommendations to the Town Council on how to best advance equity in all Town departments and operationalize equitable polices, programs and procedures within Town government.

The purpose of the committee is to ensure that Town policies, programs, procedures and laws are not racist, are free of implicit biases, and that laws are fair and equitably enforced. The committee will also explore additional opportunities to build awareness, solutions and leadership around racial equity, social justice, and diversity for Town staff and the wider community.

With the goal of building an inclusive, vibrant and equitable community the committee will:

Conduct an audit of the Town’s policies, programs, procedures and laws to be sure that they are fair, equitable and free of biases of any kind.
Explore options and implement anti-bias, racial equity and other appropriate training for staff.
Explore additional opportunities to improve Town government policies, practices and programs to address racial equity, social justice, systemic racial bias, and diversity issues.

The committee will be comprised of up to seven (7) volunteer community members. Membership qualifications include being at least 16 years of age and residing or working in, or owning a business or property in San Anselmo. All applications shall be submitted online. Applications will be accepted until 5 pm December 31, 2020

To view the Council Resolution establishing the committee, CLICK HERE

To apply, CLICK HERE

Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

Greetings from the San Anselmo Recreation Department! We are thrilled to bring you a small little community event from the comfort of your own homes. Santa…yes Santa…will be traveling through the flats of San Anselmo this month in hope of spreading joy throughout town. Santa will be on his chair waving to everyone on a flatbed truck and will be escorted by our very own Central Marin Police Authority and Ross Valley Fire Department.

Dates and times are as follows (all subject to change):

December 8^th from 3:30-5:00pm – Zone 1
December 9^th from 3:30-5:00pm – Zone 2
December 15^th from 3:30-5:00pm – Zone 3
December 16^th from 3:30-5:00pm – Zone 4

Zones locations are published online at: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1N2tNuI75BDB3-6E9yLk_zISdxl8eOHq1&usp=sharing

Please make sure you do not gather in groups outside of your household, and if you do come outside to wave to Santa you must wear a mask and remain socially distanced.

Questions? Please call the Recreation Department at 415-258-4640 or email Mattie O’Grady at mogrady@townofsananselmo.org

Secret Elves and Fairies Holiday Community Outreach Program

A joint project of Good Fairy Marin
and Age-Friendly San Anselmo

Age Friendly San Anselmo is excited to announce we are partnering with Good Fairy Marin to help spread holiday cheer all throughout San Anselmo and Marin County!! Receiving gifts during the holidays is always fun but what is more special than giving a gift during the holidays and letting someone know they are in your thoughts. Age Friendly will be donating holiday stockings and gift bags, partially filled with cards, stamps and a mask to help any San Anselmo resident who wants to spread holiday cheer. Secret elves and fairies can fill the stocking or bag with items of their choice. Good Fairy will offer the same giving opportunity to residents outside of San Anselmo.

Visit the San Anselmo Recreation Department for more details and online forms to volunteer be a Secret Elf or Fairy or to nominate someone who needs a Secret Elf or Fairy visit. Volunteers can deliver your secret gifts if you can’t take them. Brighten the 2020 holiday season for a neighbor, friend, or family member. All visitors will be at the door wearing masks and social distancing.

This holiday season is not normal, and people of all ages need social connection and cheer, so feel free to nominate anyone who you want to bring extra joy to!

If you know residents in other towns who want to participate in the Secret Elf and Fairy program they may sign up at the Good Fairy site. Look at the Good Fairy website for other holiday activities and programs like zoom caroling and Project Love Bug.

Please e-mail Kevin MacLeod at kmacleod@townofsananselmo.org with any questions.

Holiday Parking

The Town of San Anselmo is providing FREE four-hour parking to holiday shoppers. The free four-hour holiday shopping period begins on Thursday, November 26 and will continue through January 1, 2021. During this period, the parking meters will not be operating. There will be enforcement for parking over the four hour limit. And, as always, the disabled, red zone and other safety related parking violations will be enforced.

In addition, this year the Town will be forgiving overnight parking in residential neighborhoods from Thursday, November 26 and will continue through January 1, 2021.

Shop Locally Everyday

The Town would like to encourage community members to make a special effort this year to support our local restaurants, shops and service providers during this holiday season. This year has been incredibly difficult for our local merchants, making it critical that we all do our part.

When you eat, shop or use a local service, you are investing in our local economy.

Thank you for supporting our local businesses, and from all of us at the Town of San Anselmo, we wish you and your family a happy and safe holiday season!

Work During the Holiday Season

No work will be allowed in the public right of way during Thanksgiving weekend from November 26th--November 29th, and from December 24th--January 1st, unless there is an emergency.

Marin County Hosts Youth Sports Webinar

This week, the County and Marin Recovers held a special webinar for youth sports organizations, clubs or providers to discuss ways to reduce COVID-19 infections among youth athletes and supporters.

Watch the recorded webinar on the County’s YouTube Channel to learn about the growing trend of COVID transmission amongst youth athletes in organized sports.

Jim Lammers, Lucky Service

ART ON THE AVENUE

Art on the Avenue is excited to exhibit the works of local artist Jim Lammers for the Month of December.

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

Organic Waste Program for 2020

DEADLINE FOR REGISTERING FOR A THIRD FREE GREEN WASTE CART IS DECEMBER 31, 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, December 5, 2020 David P. Donery, Town Manager