Council Member John Wright Recognized for Public Service

At the Town Council meeting on Dec. 8th, outgoing Councilmember John Wright was recognized for his many years of public service. Presentations included recognition from US Congressman Jared Huffman, State Senator Mike McGuire, State Assemblyman Marc Levine, Marin County Supervisor Katie Rice, along with recognition for all of John's work on the behalf of San Anselmo from his fellow Councilmembers and from Town staff.

Prior to his seven years of service on the Town Council, John served for 12 years on the Tamalpais Union High School District's Board of Trustees. Before that role, John served for five years as a Trustee on the Ross Valley School District's Board. John is a cofounder of the Ross Valley Healthy Community Collaborative, which has grown into the Marin Healthy Youth Partnerships. The effort is led by local school administrators, parents and government officials to address underage substance use in the community. John has served in countless other capacities, all with the intention and impact of making San Anselmo, and the Ross Valley, the incredible place that it is.

A special thanks goes out to John's wife, Ruth, who has supported John throughout his 24+ years of public service. Thank you, John, for everything you've done for our community, and everything that you'll no doubt do in the future.

Marin County Public Health
COVID-19 Status Update

Dr. Matt Willis updated the Marin County Board of Supervisors about the current COVID-19 situation in the county. His update provided greater detail about surges in cases locally and nationwide, rationale for adopting the state’s Regional Stay Home Order, an overview of new local and state restrictions, new details on COVID-19 vaccine efforts in Marin County, and more. To view Dr. Willis's presentation, CLICK HERE.

• Allowed to operate, with restrictions: Industries, studios, and other related establishments such as establishments that provide content for professional broadcast can operate without live audiences.
• Must close, both indoor and outdoor operations: Museums, movie theaters, family entertainment centers, cardrooms.

• Allowed to operate, with restrictions: All construction sites and construction business office operations.

• Places of worship, cultural ceremonies and political expression is allowed in outdoor environments only.

• All office space should allow for remote-only operations except for critical infrastructure sectors where remote working is not possible.

• Allowed to operate, with restrictions: Outdoor gyms, fitness studios, and related classes (e.g., dance, yoga, etc).
• Must close: All indoor gym and fitness studio operations

• Short term lodging facilities are allowed to operate for COVID-19 mitigation and containment measures, treatment measures, provide accommodation for essential workers, or providing housing solutions, including measures to protect homeless populations.
• Hotels and lodging cannot accept or honor out-of-state reservations for non-essential travel, unless the reservation is for at least the minimum time period required for quarantine and the persons identified in the reservation will quarantine in the hotel or lodging entity until after that time period has expired. 

• Allowed to operate, with restrictions: Outdoor recreational facilities and sites may operate for the purpose of facilitating physically distanced personal health and wellness through outdoor exercise, without any food, drink or alcohol sales. Outdoor recreation facilities include parks, skate parks, sports courts (e.g., basketball, tennis), playgrounds and related facilities.
• Must close: Overnight stays at campgrounds will not be permitted.

• Allowed to operate, with restrictions: Medically prescribed massage (e.g., with referral from physician or physical therapist)
• Must close, both indoor and outdoor operations: Hair Salons, Barbershops, Nail Salons, Tattoo parlors, piercing shops, tanning salons and related businesses.

• Allowed to operate, with restrictions: Restaurants: Take-out and Delivery only
• Must close, both indoor and outdoor operations: Wineries, bars, breweries and distilleries (does not serve food) must close.

• 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. Food courts and common areas should close.

• Libraries follow retail guidelines: indoor operations may continue at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the branch locations.

• Allowed to remain open and provide on-site classroom-based instruction to students.

• Childcare programs are permitted continue.
• Youth programs are permitted to continue
• Youth sports are restricted to outdoor activities only limited to individual conditioning and training activities where physical distancing and mask wearing can be enforced.

Trees of Hope, Thanks, and Wishes

Would you like to share a word of encouragement, your hopes, a wish, or gratitude with other residents during this challenging time? Age-Friendly San Anselmo will be placing holiday trees in Imagination Park and in front of Town Hall with a supply of waterproof ornaments, markers and hangers. When you are in town shopping or picking up your meals, be sure to stop by our trees and place your messages on the tree between this December 11^th and Dec 31^st.

Age-Friendly San Anselmo is providing these trees for a simple but powerful message about the power of community connection during a challenging time.   People of ALL ages are encouraged to participate and write as much or as little as you would like. 
 
Please e-mail Kevin MacLeod at kmacleod@townofsananselmo.org with any questions.

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 is donating holiday stockings and gift bags, partially filled with cards, stamps, masks and other goodies so that any San Anselmo resident who knows someone who could use some holiday cheer and neighborly connection can give them a gift at the door. Elves and fairies can fill the stocking or bag with additional items of their choice, homemade or not.  You can deliver the gift yourself or have a volunteer deliver it for you if you cannot leave home at this time. Age-Friendly will contact those volunteering to deliver gifts on behalf of another by email to give them a name, address, number, and a gift pick up date.

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!

ART ON THE AVENUE

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

Organic Waste Program for 2020

DEADLINE FOR REGISTERING FOR A THIRD FREE GREEN WASTE CART IS DECEMBER 31, 2020

For additional information, click here.

Help Reduce Holiday Waste!

Zero Waste Marin wants to pass along a few tips to help residents and businesses reduce waste during the holiday season.

• Give Your Holiday Leftovers New Life – Turn any holiday leftovers into breakfast or lunch the following day. Any remaining food scraps, like your turkey, chicken and fish bones, eggshells, coffee grounds, vegetable peels, tea bags and used paper napkins, can be tossed into your green compost cart. Check online for more information about what goes into each cart or SavetheFood.com for more tips on food waste prevention.
• Use Alternatives to Wrapping Paper – There are many ways to creatively wrap gifts without buying shiny, foil-based wrapping paper. Create a gift basket, wrap gifts in old newspaper comics or unused maps and tie off with a bright ribbon or twine. Package gifts in reusable gift bags to give two gifts in one! Remember – all gift wrapping paper is landfill!
• Properly Dispose of Used Wrapping Paper – Recycle paper-based wrapping paper in the blue side of your recycling cart. Shiny, foil-based wrapping paper cannot be recycled and must be placed in the landfill cart. Never burn your wrapping paper – ink on the paper can release toxic fumes when burned.
• Give an Experience – Reduce overall waste this season by giving an experience that doesn’t come in a package, like tickets to a show, a relaxing spa treatment, or a gift certificate to a local restaurant – to be used sometime in 2021 hopefully.
• Give Gifts a Second Life – Shop for unique, high-quality gifts a local thrift or antique store and reduce waste created by producing new goods.
• Send an e-Card – Save paper and postage this year by sending your season’s greetings electronically. If you do send a paper card, make sure that your card is recyclable.
Zero Waste Marin works with cities and towns throughout Marin County to educate residents about reducing the amount of waste that goes into our local landfills. For more information, visit ZeroWasteMarin.org.