August 31, 2021 Update from Supervisor Connolly
County of Marin, California sent this bulletin at 08/31/2021 05:24 PM PDT
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Dear Friends,
We have reached yet another milestone in addressing COVID. The Pfizer vaccine has received Food and Drug Administration approval.
Third doses of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are available now for immunocompromised people at least 28 days after their last dose.
A broader conversation for booster shots for Moderna and Pfizer vaccine recipients is underway. The booster could be available as early as September 20 and would be available to people 8 months after their second dose.
State vaccination orders will require that by September 30, 2021, all staff in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities must be vaccinated, unless religious or medically exempted. All staff in congregate care settings and healthcare settings must be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. In the aforementioned settings, staff vaccination status must be verified and documented by the employer. Visitors to acute care settings must show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID 19 test in the last 48 hours.
Our Public Health team is contributing to our national knowledge base on how COVID interacts in school settings. On August 27, CDC released a new MMWR report outlining how easily the Delta variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread in indoor settings in populations without protection from vaccines, such as school classrooms. This is a fluid situation, so things can change. Always check for the latest information on the County's COVID website at coronavirus.marinhhs.org.
Our current new daily case rate is 16.4 per 100,000 residents, with the unvaccinated case rate at 35.3 and the vaccinated case rate at 10.3.
We are proud of our high vaccination rates. In Marin, 96.0% of residents age 12 and over have received at least one dose of vaccination, and 88.9% have received a full series of vaccines. Latinx and Older Adults are among the highest groups vaccinated in Marin, each at 98%.
We all need to stay vigilant, informed, and continue to abide by public health advisories. Thank you for wearing your masks in appropriate settings.
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VACCINE FINDER |
VACCINE DATA |
VACCINE INFORMATION |
We can all conserve water. Marin residents in the Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) service area are conserving about 30% of the average water used and making progress towards MMWD's goal to conserve 40%. MMWD has a series of rebates available including a new offer to pay $3 per square foot to replace grass in landscapes. The maximum rebate is $5,000 for residential sites, $20,000 for commercial sites. I encourage you to visit the Marin Water Cash for Grass website for additional information.
Due to the ongoing drought, many agriculture operations are hauling water from North Marin Water District and MMWD hydrants. Among those importing water are 10 dairy operators, 4 beef cattle operators, and 2-row crop producers. Numerous other operators are bringing water in from other sources like the City of Petaluma.
The drought has caused many agriculture producers to think long-term and put in storage tanks to be more drought resilient and redevelop wells and springs. Several are considering rain capture systems. The Board of Supervisors is working with the County's Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures, and our agriculture industry partners to identify water sources and ensure the viability of our local agriculture production.
I would recommend taking a look at a recent Marin Voice from MMWD Board members Cynthia Koehler and Monty Schmitt outlining their thoughts on strategies to approach the current drought.
MarinWater is distributing recycled water in the County's Jury Parking Lot Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, marinwater.org/recycledwater has more information about the program.
The smoky skies in the Bay Area are a clear reminder of wildfires. I encourage community members to organize and coordinate with the FireWise program to address home hardening and firescaping. Community Chipper Days are a great way to partner to remove fire hazardous plants.
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Marin County Fire Chief Jason Weber speaking to a FireWise community in San Rafael. |
FireSafe Marin, with funding from the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority, released Wildfire Watch! This new show will stream its first episode on-demand on September 16. Tune in for resources, tips, and tools to better understand and prepare yourself for wildfires.
The City of San Rafael has posted emergency evacuation maps with evacuation checklists available for residents. I encourage you to find and familiarize yourself with your neighborhood's evacuation maps.
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| Drought Resources | Wildfire Resources |
Marin County is starting the process to update its Housing and Safety Elements as required by state law for the upcoming 2023-2031 cycle. These documents will guide the development of housing, affordable housing, climate adaptation, and resiliency strategies for the next 8-year cycle.
Join in the process and get involved. Subscribe for Housing and Safety Element updates and stay informed when new information is shared on the Marin County Housing and Safety Element website.
Community engagement kicks off on Wednesday, September 22 at 6:00 pm via zoom in the first of five workshops throughout the planning process. Visit the Marin County Housing and Safety Element website for more information as it becomes available.
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| SUSTAINABLE HOUSING WEBINARS |
The Marin County Sustainability Team is hosting a series of webinars starting on September 18 designed to take residents through the start-to-finish process of making their homes more energy-efficient, resilient, and carbon-neutral. Each topic will feature industry professionals and experts, and attendees will be able to ask questions.
| Home Energy Audits: | September 18, at 6:00 pm | September 22, at 6:00 pm |
| Energy Efficiency and Electrification Projects: | September 29, at 6:00 pm | October 2, at 10:00 am |
| Solar and Battery Storage: | October 13, at 6:00 pm | October 16, at 10:00 am |
| Electric Vehicles: | October 23, at 10:00 am | October 27, at 6:00 pm |
I'm proud to share that the Board of Supervisors approved a $1 million allocation of one-time federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars for the Gallinas Levee Upgrade Project. In March 2021, Measure A sought voter approval to help fund the approximately $1 million gap in the $6 million Gallinas Levee project to upgrade an aging Timber Reinforced Berm. The measure received 66.29% approval but failed to meet the 2/3 requirement by 3 votes.
The Gallinas Levee project is vital to the community. Upgrading and raising the perimeter levee system will help keep the community safe from tidal flooding. Additionally, the project will reduce future maintenance costs by acquiring easements along the Timber Reinforced Berm. Once completed, the rebuilt levee is projected to last until at least 2050.
To fund the needed levee upgrades, the Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District obtained $3 million in time-limited grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Marin County pledged $840,000 toward the project. About $1.2 million from Flood Zone 7’s fund balance will contribute to the overall cost.
I successfully advocated and secured $1 million to fund the completion of the project. On August 24, the Gallinas Levee project became the first shovel-ready project approved by the Board of Supervisors to receive funding from $5 million set aside through the County's new budget for climate change and sea-level rise initiatives. A special thanks to community members for supporting the Gallinas Levee project, as reflected by the close election result. I'm happy to see federal funds being quickly disbursed to protect community members and their homes.
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A new section of the upgraded Timber Reinforced Berm between Vendola Dr. and Gallinas Creek.
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The San Rafael Rock Quarry submitted an application to Marin County Public Works to amend its approved Reclamation Plan from 2010. The Amendment seeks to extend the date to complete mine reclamation activities from December 31, 2024, to December 31, 2044.
The document is being circulated to allow additional time for review before a public hearing that will come to the Board of Supervisors later this fall. The public comment period closes on September 8 and comments can be emailed to BDavidson@marincounty.org. Additional noticing will be provided when this item is scheduled to be heard before the Board. You can learn more about this issue in this MarinIJ article or on the Marin County project page. For questions regarding Environmental Planning, please email envplanning@marincounty.org.
Every 10 years, local governments use new data from the Census to redraw their district lines to reflect how local populations have changed. It’s a key part of our democratic process in giving people a say on how they are represented. This year there are new tools available to help inform the process.
Recently, I joined community members as we were introduced to new online mapping tools for residents to propose their own supervisorial district maps and their own “communities of interest.” Thanks to the CAO’s office and Dan Eilerman for leading the community forum.
This new online mapping tool is available on RedistrictMarin.org. Community members are encouraged to submit their own map electronically, by mail, or in person. You can submit your map by email at Redistricting@MarinCounty.org.
 
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| SCHOOLS ARE BACK IN SESSION |
I’m glad to see students back on their bikes and riding to school. I am incredibly proud and thankful for our teachers for supporting our students throughout the pandemic and back into classrooms this summer.
I recently had the opportunity to meet with Venetia Valley Principal Paul Quezada and discussed how COVID had impacted school operations and students. A highlight of the meeting was touring the newly built classrooms and multipurpose room.
Terra Linda High School is also donning a new look this year with a freshly painted façade, new buildings, and a new courtyard. Similarly, San Rafael High School is undergoing a major transformation. The improvements to our schools are notable and help bring a sense of pride and enthusiasm to the classroom. Thank you to the voters who supported bond measures A and B in 2015.
I've just signed up for my third Dipsea Race! The Dipsea holds a special place in the hearts of Marin runners and athletes of all types. It's a cultural phenomenon that adds to our local history and folklore, including the Dipsea Demon, Jack Kirk, and other larger-than-life characters. The race began in 1905 and starts with the famous Dipsea stairs, totaling approximately 680 steps, and stretches from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach. At the end of the 7.5-mile course, runners will have climbed 2,200 feet in elevation. I will be training over the next 67 days leading up to race day, November 7, and I invite you to join me for a run or hike. If you're not familiar with the Dipsea Race, I invite you to watch this course preview video by Myles Smythe for USL.TV.
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| Damon Connolly after completing the Dipsea Race. Dennis Rodoni (Left) and Max Perrey (Right). |
In this D1 Survey, we take a deeper dive into our workforce and economy. As I continue to work with the Marin Economic Vitality Strategic Plan's Steering Committee, I will keep your thoughts and comments in mind. Please take 2-minutes to complete this survey. Let us know your experience in the local workforce and economy.
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Let's keep talking,
Marin County Board of Supervisors, District 1
3501 Civic Center Drive, Suite 329, San Rafael, CA 94903
Direct Tel: (415) 473-7331
Email: dconnolly@marincounty.org
District Aide: Mary Sackett
Direct Tel: (415) 473-7354
Email: msackett@marincounty.org
District Aide: Gustavo Goncalves
Direct Tel: (415) 473-7342
Email: ggoncalves@marincounty.org
Newsletter: https://www.marincounty.org/depts/bs/district-1/newsletters
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SupConnolly
Twitter: https://twitter.com/damon_connolly
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Not all events are sponsored by the County of Marin. County of Marin sponsored events are required to be accessible. If you are an individual with a disability and require an accommodation to participate in a County sponsored event, please call (415) 473-7342 (voice), ggoncalves@marincounty.org (email), (415) 473-3232 (TTY), or dial 711 for CRS or email Disability Access at least six work days in advance. Documents in alternative formats are available upon request. | |||
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