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Happy 4th of July!
There are many wonderful community festivities happening this week to commemorate the holiday. I want to highlight two events I will be attending: the Marin County Fair and the Novato 4th of July Parade.
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Marin County Fair
As someone who grew up in Novato, the Marin County Fair has always been a favorite summer activity and it is just around the corner: July 1 through 5, 2026. Attendees will enjoy food, exhibits, an awesome concert line-up, carnival rides, spectacular nightly fireworks, and much more. Buy your tickets early for discounted prices and check out the new Five-Day Fun Pass (available through today) for extra savings and five times the fun. I hope to see you there!
Novato 4th of July Parade
Another great summer tradition is the annual Novato 4th of July Parade. I will be riding in the parade this year with my wife, Kiley, and my children, Noah and Selah. The parade starts at 10:00 AM at the intersection of Grant and Reichert Avenue and runs down Grant to 7th Street. I recommend kicking off your morning at the Buckaroo Breakfast hosted by the Presbyterian Church of Novato, benefitting North Marin Community Services.
While the parades, fairs, and fireworks are traditions we all enjoy, it is also a time to reflect on the ideals of freedom, democracy, and service that unite us as a community. It is a chance to reflect on our nation’s history while celebrating the stories, cultures, and traditions that shape Marin County today. Wishing you a great holiday week!
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 The County of Marin allocated $2.5 million to Participatory Budgeting, giving community members the opportunity to help decide how these funds are invested.
Now through September 2026, we are inviting residents and organizations to share project ideas that will strengthen our communities and advance racial equity. Ideas can focus on a wide range of topics, including youth programs, affordable housing, mental health resources, arts and culture, transportation, environmental projects, and more.
Anyone 14 years or older who lives, works, or attends school in Marin County is encouraged to participate. Community members know best what their communities need. Your ideas will help shape future investments and ensure these funds reflect the priorities of the communities they are intended to serve.
Learn more about Participatory Budgeting and submit your ideas: Marin County Participatory Budgeting.
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This month, the Marin County Board of Supervisors adopted proclamations recognizing two important observances that reflect our community's values of equity, inclusion, and respect for all. These proclamations honor our shared history while reaffirming our commitment to fostering a welcoming community.
Juneteenth
Earlier this month the Marin County Board of Supervisors adopted a proclamation recognizing June 19, 2026, as Juneteenth Independence Day in Marin County. Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. It specifically commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed enslaved African Americans that they were free, over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued.
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Pride Month
I was proud to kick off the month with fellow community members at a Pride Flag Raising Ceremony at Novato City Hall. What a tremendous showing of support. We wrapped up the month with the Marin County Board of Supervisors proclaiming June as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month. At a time when LGBTQIA+ rights are being questioned and challenged, we affirm our unwavering commitment to being inclusive and encourage celebrating diversity, not only in June, but year-round.
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Last week, the Board of Supervisors authorized the County of Marin to join an amicus brief opposing a proposed federal immigration detention facility near Gilroy. The brief, led by the Public Rights Project, supports litigation brought by the California Attorney General and Santa Clara County challenging the project on the grounds that it moved forward without required local review and permitting.
The amicus brief will be in support of a motion for preliminary injunction that the plaintiffs are likely to file later this week and will focus on the various laws that have been violated in the development of this facility and the various harms that local communities will experience if an ICE detention facility is constructed in the Bay Area.
Joining the lawsuit builds on the County of Marin's ongoing commitment to support immigrant communities and protect residents' access to legal rights education, emergency assistance, and coordinated services.
In the past two years, our Board has invested $1.5 million to expand legal services, emergency assistance, and rapid response resources for immigrant families. These investments helped create an emergency assistance fund for immigrant families impacted by detention, expanded legal services for immigrants, and deepened the capacity of the Marin Rapid Response Network to make residents aware of their legal rights. The 24-hour rapid response hotline is 415-991-4545. The County maintains a webpage that summarizes local assistance and resources for immigrants.
Our Board remains firmly committed to opposing unlawful removals, federal overreach, and actions that undermine due process, community trust, and the rule of law. Immigrants have long been, and continue to be, an essential part of Marin’s community, economy, culture, and shared future, and the County will continue to stand with immigrant residents and families through advocacy, legal action, and direct support.
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As a parent of two young children, I know there’s nothing quite like watching a child light up when a new book arrives. That’s why I am thrilled that Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is now available to every child in Marin County from birth to age five. Through this incredible partnership between First 5 Marin, the Marin County Free Library, Friends of the Marin County Free Library, and community partners, children can receive a free, high-quality, age-appropriate book delivered to their home every month, at no cost.
Early literacy is one of the strongest investments we can make in a child’s future. As a First 5 Marin Commissioner, I am proud to support programs that help children build language skills, spark imagination, and foster a lifelong love of reading. By making this program available countywide, more than 11,000 Marin children will have access to free, high-quality books.
Ready to enroll? Visit our Dolly Parton Imagination Library webpage to register your child. Eligibility is open to all Marin County children from birth through age 5. Once enrolled, children will receive a personalized book in the mail each month until their fifth birthday. Families can even choose bilingual English-Spanish books during registration.
I encourage families to sign up and start building your own home library!
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I previously shared that the county is working to update our Local Agency Management Program (LAMP) for the management and regulation of onsite wastewater treatment systems (more commonly referred to as septic systems).
As a follow-up to the community outreach meetings the county hosted over the past few months, our LAMP Team has scheduled a virtual Community Feedback Meeting on Tuesday, July 7 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM.
The purpose of the meeting is to:
- Report back on feedback gathered from residents during our community outreach meetings.
- Share information on the direction of the draft recommendations being carried forward and provide the opportunity for community members to make additional recommendations and/or suggestions.
- Learn more about next steps.
- Provide an opportunity for community members to ask questions about the process.
For more information and the link to join the virtual meeting on July 7, visit the County’s Septic Regulations Update webpage.
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It was an honor to participate in the dedication ceremony at the former Hamilton Transit Center honoring the Journey of Survival and Hope of more than 180,000 Southeast Asian refugees.
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Thanks to a partnership with PG&E, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is stationed at Gnoss Airport. Equipped with a 1,100-gallon water tank, it is ready to assist our local fire agencies.
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An inspiring visit out in the field with the Conservation Corps North Bay team and corpsmembers.
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A farewell send-off with the County Team for former County Counsel Brian Washington.
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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 will not be received by my office. |
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