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It’s hard to believe summer is ending and kids are back in school! It was an especially exciting first day of school for my family as our youngest started TK and joined her big brother at his school. For those of you with school-aged children, sharing a couple items below that may be helpful as we start the school year.
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Safe Routes to School
Discover Safe Routes to School, a program helping over 26,500 students at nearly 60 schools in Marin choose healthier, safer ways to get to school. Through fun and educational activities like Walk and Roll Wednesdays, the Buddy Up contest, and bike and pedestrian safety lessons, families can reduce congestion, boost a sense of community, and empower kids to walk, ride, or roll with confidence. Mark your calendars: Wednesday, October 8, is International Walk and Roll to School Day.
Take Marin Transit to School
Marin Transit provides transit options for students countywide, including routes serving the College of Marin, Dominican University, and most high schools and middle schools in Marin County. Visit the Marin Transit schools page to find which route serves your school. Learn more about the different payment options available for students including cash, Youth Transit Pass, or Clipper. For the Novato Unified School District, Supplemental School Route 654 resumed on Thursday, August 21.
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Making it easier to do business with the County of Marin is a priority of mine, and I am excited to share that we have launched an effort to take a closer look at our food facility permitting program managed by the County’s Environmental Health Services (EHS).
EHS is the permitting agency for all retail food businesses in Marin County, including those within our cities and towns. The department oversees food facility permitting, routine inspections, complaint investigations, and education for operators. These efforts play a critical role in preventing foodborne illness and ensuring safe dining experiences for everyone.
Food businesses have a very complex set of permitting requirements, often involving multiple agencies: EHS, local city/town building departments, fire agencies, utility providers, State Alcohol and Beverage Control, as well as the requirements outlined by the state in the Retail Food Code. To top it off, we know that food businesses are facing challenges with workforce shortages and rising costs.
We want to find ways to streamline the process and make it more predictable, transparent, and efficient.
On August 19, the Board of Supervisors kicked off this effort with an informational workshop. At the meeting, I shared the following items that I would like us to explore:
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Better coordination across jurisdictions to make it easier to navigate multiple agencies.
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Minimize requirements for a food facility change of ownership.
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Tiered permitting that recognizes the differences between large restaurants and smaller food facilities like coffee or bagel shops.
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Reduce redundancies where possible by differentiating code compliance needs and health and safety needs.
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Encourage upgrades and improvements by giving flexibility to existing operators so improvements don’t trigger unrelated requirements that do not impact health and safety.
The August 19 workshop was just the first step. A community event is planned for October 10 (time TBD) at the San Rafael Community Center, where residents, food entrepreneurs, and anyone interested can share ideas about how to make the food permitting process smoother, more collaborative, and better understood by everyone involved. I will share more details when they are confirmed.
Most importantly, we want to hear from you! The more feedback we receive, the better the policy we can shape. In addition to joining the upcoming workshop, you can share your comments using our online web form.
With your input, we can make meaningful changes that help food businesses succeed while keeping Marin a leader in health and safety.
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It’s official: the North Bay Children’s Center (NBCC) has opened its brand-new Bright Futures Campus in Novato! This state-of-the-art facility is more than just a school, it’s a vibrant hub for children, families, teachers, and the entire community. After nearly two decades of planning and building, the dream has become a reality.
What an honor it was to join the grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting. California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom delivered a powerful keynote, and the energy and excitement from the children and families who joined truly made the day!
The Bright Futures Campus will serve 176 children onsite (doubling its previous capacity), with hundreds more supported through NBCC’s 14 schools across Marin and Sonoma counties. It features innovative classrooms, thriving gardens, and outdoor play spaces designed with both climate resilience and children’s development in mind. Perhaps most importantly, it reflects what we can accomplish when public agencies, philanthropy, the private sector, and our community come together around a shared vision.
As a First 5 Marin Children and Families Commissioner, and a father to two young children, I know how critical quality and affordable early childhood education opportunities are for our community.
I am proud to stand alongside NBCC and its partners as they continue their 37-year journey of providing high-quality, inclusive education for all children, especially those from families who need it most.
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First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and former Novato Mayor and California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday made the day extra special!
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The children enjoyed slicing cucumbers from the Garden of Eatin' for the salad they'd be enjoying at lunch.
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Susan Gilmore, founder and CEO of NBCC. Her vision, creativity, determination, and leadership are inspiring.
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Novato Mayor Tim O'Connor, along with Councilmembers Marc Milberg and Kevin Jacobs were there to support NBCC.
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It has been several months since my last update on the Binford Road encampment. While our work there is ongoing, I am encouraged to share that the current population has decreased to 48 individuals. At its peak, Binford Road was home to 135 people, and over the past two years we have made significant progress in reducing those numbers.
Our outreach and housing-based case managers have done a great job in giving people the support they need and getting them connected with social services and housing opportunities.
In light of the federal housing voucher shortage, we are working on creative solutions to keep the momentum going. I will provide details when we have more information to share in the fall.
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Marin County’s new Civilian Oversight Commission held its first meeting this month, and it was great to be there for the swearing-in of our new commissioners.
The commission was formed to initiate, build, and maintain a trusting relationship between members of the public and the Marin County Sheriff's Office through transparent, respectful, and accountable oversight. The Commission, the Marin County Sheriff's Office, and the Office of Inspector General will work in collaboration to achieve these goals.
Thank you to the community members who have generously volunteered their time to serve on this important body!
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With our District 5 Appointee, Dr. Gina Fromer |
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Help prepare for wildfire and enjoy a free, family-fun event on Saturday, September 6, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Marin Civic Center Fairgrounds. Ember Stomp will feature live burn demonstrations, a Kids Zone with games and face painting, fire-smart landscaping exhibits, emergency preparedness booths, and grazing goats that help manage vegetation and reduce wildfire fuel across Marin County. New for 2025 are interactive exhibits on climate resilience, disaster preparedness, and the latest fire suppression technology.
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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.
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