|
|
Happy Halloween!
Fall is here - the days are feeling shorter, the weather is turning cooler, and signs of the holidays are popping up everywhere.
With two little ones at home, Halloween has been all the buzz this month at my house. Novato’s Downtown Business Association did an amazing job putting together a Safe Trick-or-Treat Day this past Saturday, and my family really enjoyed the magic show hosted by the City of Novato. Tonight, our entire family is dressing up to enjoy trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. Yes, that includes me!
How ever you spend it, I hope you and your family have a safe and fun Halloween.
|
|
|
Our efforts on Binford Road are progressing and we continue to address concerns from multiple angles, balancing the desire to house and help people, while working to reduce impacts.
Our outreach teams have been hard at work connecting with people living on Binford to assess individual needs, sign people up for benefits they are eligible for, and get individuals waitlisted for housing opportunities. In the last two months, we have housed nine people who were previously living on Binford Road, and an additional nine people are on a strong, identified pathway to housing.
The Sheriff’s office has taken steps to reduce the number of abandoned vehicles and belongings in the public right-of-way. The required 30-day pre noticing has been completed and 15-day action notices have and continue to be distributed. Removal of personal property stored in the public right-of-way has begun. In the coming months, we should continue to see progress on this front.
To further enhance safety along the roadway, we are working to reduce the speed limit on Binford Road to 35 mph. A first reading of the ordinance is scheduled for the November 7 Board of Supervisors meeting, with the final reading and adoption scheduled for the November 28 meeting.
Physical barriers continue to be installed in the vacant spaces on Binford, limiting the capacity of total vehicles. If you have travelled down Binford recently, you will notice fencing is now being installed (in lieu of the dirt barriers). As individuals are housed or move on, additional fencing will be installed to further reduce and limit the number of vehicles.
|
|
 |
|
A highlight of my October was the opportunity to meet Novato resident Althea Jones, who celebrated her 105th Birthday on October 10. It was an absolute pleasure visiting with Althea and her family. Wishing you all the best, Althea, on this milestone birthday!
Do you know any District 5 residents turning 100 (or better!)? Let me know so we can recognize them:
ELucan@marincounty.org.
|
|
|
|
Make it Home is an organization making a big impact in the lives of local families and the environment. I had the opportunity to tour their warehouse in San Rafael and meet with several members of their team – and I am truly impressed and inspired by the behind-the-scenes work they accomplish.
Launched in 2020 by interior designer Carolyn Rebuffel Flannery, Make it Home recycles, repurposes, and curates gently used, donated furniture and household goods to newly housed foster kids and formerly homeless families and individuals who would otherwise move into an empty apartment. For these people, many of these items are unaffordable, and Make it Home was created to solve this problem. As I toured their warehouse it occurred to me that not only does Make it Home make an impact with a donation of physical things, but in doing so they also instill confidence, security, and a sense of belonging for these individuals.
At the same time, Make it Home is diverting tons of furnishings out of landfills – 1,582 tons as of the last count! They are a Certified California Green Business and environmental protection is woven into their mission and vision.
With warehouses in San Rafael and Walnut Creek, Make it Home partners with local agencies who identify specific clients in need. They regularly serve seven Bay Area counties including Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, Solano, and Sonoma.
To learn more about Make it Home, visit their website. You’ll also find many opportunities to get involved with their work: you can donate money, furniture, or your time!
|
|
|
To provide barrier-free access to library resources to students in Marin, the Marin County Free Library has partnered with the Novato Unified School District to launch Student MyCard.
This new program provides access to all Novato public school students, ensuring they have free and easy access to public library resources at home and on school campuses. These students can access all library resources with their student ID number just as they would with a library card number. Resources available include virtual one-on-one tutoring sessions in English and Spanish, reference databases, books that support the district’s curriculum, audiobooks, eBooks, magazines, and district-supported databases.
Teachers and students can utilize these resources together in the classroom to enrich and support curriculum, while also allowing students to enjoy library resources during the school day.
The Marin County Free Library hopes to expand this program to other school districts in the future, but I am thrilled that we were able to initiate the program in Novato. I have always found the library to be a special place – available to our youth year-round, whether that be through story-time, teen book clubs, tutoring and homework helpers, internet access, or computer usage. Expanding these resources and connections with our schools is invaluable.
For more information about the program, visit the Marin County Free Library website.
|
|
|
Please join me congratulating longtime Novato resident, Jason Weber, for receiving the 2023 Ronny J Coleman Fire Chief of the Year Award from the California Fire Chiefs Association.
This award recognizes an outstanding member of the state’s fire service leadership community who is seen as a role model and management collaborator for local, regional, and statewide fire protection programs. Coleman, who died in September, was the retired state fire marshal who was seen as one of the most influential fire service leaders in modern U.S. history.
Jason Weber has been Chief of the Marin County Fire Department since 2012 and a Marin County Firefighter since 1995. Among his leadership roles, Chief Weber spent 15 years as a board member of the nonprofit California Fire Exploring Association, has been a point person for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), and served with more than a dozen firefighting and fire training associations.
In addition, he played an instrumental role in launching the Marin Wildfire Protection Authority, leading the County’s COVID-19 response, and creating the FIRE Foundry program that encourages young recruits from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds to get involved in fire protection services.
Marin County is lucky to have Chief Weber, and we are thrilled that he has received this well-deserved recognition.
|
|
|
As your Supervisor, I welcome and encourage you to connect, share your concerns, and your ideas. We want to hear from you! Please use the contact information below to reach out to the District 5 Team. A reply to this email doesn’t come directly to my office, and I’d like to respond to you in a timely manner.
Supervisor Eric Lucan
(415) 473-7339
ELucan@marincounty.org
District Staff: Tanya Albert
(415) 473-7371
TAlbert@marincounty.org
District Staff: Leslie Weber
(415) 473-7395
LWeber@marincounty.org
|
|
|
|
|
