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Hello,
I hope you are enjoying summer and all the fun activities that come with it! I had a great time last weekend at the 70th Annual Black Point/Green Point summer potluck. Congratulations to Green Point for winning the traditional Tug-O-War, and thank you Black Point and Green Point neighbors, for great food, games, and company!
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Disability Pride Month
This week, the Marin County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution proclaiming July 2024 as Disability Pride Month. This month marks 34 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. While this was a significant milestone in our nation’s history, individuals with disabilities still face discrimination and further efforts are needed for their full inclusion. Disability Pride Month aims to redefine perceptions of disability as a natural part of human diversity, promoting pride and ending stigma.
Career Explorers Shadow Day
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of spending the day with Novato native and San Marin High School grad Ethan Fonarev. He is a rising Senior at NYU studying international relations with an interest in foreign policy. Ethan is participating in the County’s Career Explorers Program, a vocational internship opportunity for those between the ages of 15 and 22. Participants get a chance to work with various County of Marin departments and gain exclusive experience through mentoring and field work.
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I am encouraged by the progress that has been made on Binford Road since we began implementing focused efforts last August.
Our county departments continue to work together to provide essential services and environmental protection measures on Binford Road, including portable bathrooms and handwashing stations; trash pickup and debris removal; pump out services to RV’s capable of the service; and outreach services to connect individuals to services and housing.
In April the county received an additional grant from the State of California’s Encampment Resolution Funds - $3.7 million of which is devoted to Binford Road to further these efforts.
With the funding we have received from the state and the commitment from our county teams, the number of people and vehicles on Binford Road have significantly reduced.
- 29 individuals have been housed, with an additional 20 on an identified housing pathway.
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The Sheriff has made great strides in efforts to tow abandoned vehicles, and our pilot vehicle buy-back program proved to be a success, removing an additional 11 vehicles.
- To prevent new arrivals, we continue to block off vacated spaces with fencing as individuals move or abandoned vehicles are towed.
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Enhanced enforcement efforts have been effective to remove property in the right-of-way that present a risk to the environment and the public. Regular clean-up efforts are ongoing.
I continue to visit Binford Road on a regular basis and know that there is still work to be done. I am committed to continuing our collaborative efforts to implement evidence-based practices and long-term solutions to help our unhoused community.
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Wildfire season is here, and there are lots of resources available to help you prepare and stay safe. Fire Safe Marin is Marin County’s go-to resource dedicated to reducing fire hazards, promoting fire safety awareness, and helping residents prepare for wildfires in Marin. The Fire Safe Marin website is full of great tips and useful information including:
And, on the preparedness front, last month we celebrated the opening of Marin County's Emergency Command Center. This is the first time in Marin’s history that all fire and emergency medical services are dispatched from the same center. This is a significant operational improvement and reduces the chance of miscommunications and strengthens our emergency response.
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In addition to SMART achieving record ridership numbers in fiscal year 2023/2024 (a record-breaking 850,000 passengers!), there are several exciting SMART updates to share:
Added Train Service
Beginning August 12, 2024, SMART will offer additional weekday trips to enable students to utilize the train for their home-to-school commutes and enhance midday service.
NEW southbound trips: 5:34 AM and 10:54 AM
(starting from Sonoma County Airport Station)
NEW northbound trips: 7:12 AM and 12:47 PM
(starting from Larkspur Station)
Ferry Connections
The new expanded train schedule will allow SMART passengers to connect to the 7:20 AM ferry traveling to San Francisco, which is the most popular ferry with morning commuters. Additionally, SMART launched a new service called SMART Connect Larkspur Shuttle. This shuttle provides an alternative to the Central Marin Ferry Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge, linking the SMART Larkspur Station with the Golden Gate Larkspur Ferry Terminal. This service is especially convenient for passengers who find the walk challenging. The SMART Connect Larkspur Shuttle serves the SMART Larkspur station, the Golden Gate Ferry Larkspur Terminal, and the surrounding Larkspur Landing area. On weekends, SMART Connect Larkspur also serves The Village and Town Center Malls in Corte Madera.
New Train Stations
A new station in northern Petaluma will open in December 2024. The Petaluma North station will serve nearby residences, businesses, and the SRJC Petaluma Campus. The SMART Windsor station is slated to open for passenger service in the Spring of 2025 and will include a bicycle and pedestrian pathway connecting Windsor and Santa Rosa.
For Marin Transit riders, a couple updates to share:
Free Youth Rides Over Summer
Marin Transit’s free rides for youth riders (18 & under) continues through August 31, 2024! Youth aged 5 - 18 can take advantage of this promotion and ride free for the rest of the summer.
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National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships between law enforcement and community members. The goal is to enhance neighborhood camaraderie, making our neighborhoods safer and more caring places to live. Neighbors across communities from all fifty states will gather on the evening of August 6. These events are a great opportunity to see friends, neighbors, and meet some of the men and women behind the badge.
There are events planned throughout Marin County. I would like to highlight the two happening in Novato. I will be stopping by the event in Bel Marin Keys and hope to see you there!
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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.
**Please note, our email addresses have changed**
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