Marinwood Fire Department Report from our new Fire Chief Gray

Marinwood contracted for a part time fire chief with San Rafael.  Chief Gray brings many years experience  and is a welcome addition to our community.  Does Marinwood still need a separate fire department?

Marinwood CSD Q1 Budget 2018-2019 report without a clue

Marinwood CSD manager presents the current quarter budget but compares it to the entire 2018-2019 budget instead of a YTD or comparing quarter by quarter for 2017-2018.  As a result, there is no way to understand the current financial performance of the district. Only outgoing CSD director, Irv Schwartz questions this.  The rest of the board approves the budget without comment.  Also, a new secretary has been hired for Eric Dreikosen, making him the only CSD manager with a full time assistant in the CSD's 55 year history.

Marinwood is paying down pension debt despite inevitable pension insolvency

Marinwood is paying down pension debt in addition to making the minimum contributions under pension rules. Our pension obligations will inevitably overtake our revenues without fundamental change to pension rules.  Despite this the CSD continues to "work the plan" 

Non Profit Developer Attacks Transit Oriented Development

Mary Murtagh, Non Profit Housing executive challenges the myth of transit oriented development lowering costs for working professionals. "You profit developers will be buying up all the transit sites and we are going to have to develop in West Jesus"

Housing Advocate Realizes that MTC CASA is about Profits not People.

Housing Advocate from Urban Habitat speaks during public time at the  November 14, 2018 meeting of CASA technical committee.  Despite her years long advocacy of housing issues as an observer, she realizes that CASA committee members are more concerned with profit and political power than helping the people

Pension Funds demand HIGHER RENTS from Bay Area Residents

At the November 14, 2018 CASA Technical Committee, Developer Covarrubias. TMG Partners michael.c@tmgpartners.com tells the  Committee that Government Pension Funds are driving the demand for high returns on real estate investments.  CASA is a committee of industry insiders that has crafted a plan to collect $4 BILLION DOLLARS annually in taxes and fee to fund affordable housing.  Developers stand to make billions.

CASA Contract On the BAY AREA for BILLIONS OF NEW TAXES and fees for Housing

It a proposal to raise up to 4 BILLION dollars annually from new taxes and fees and state grants.  CASA is a committee of developers, labor, affordable housing advocates etc.  Kinda like a pack of wolves deciding on how many sheep they want for dinner.

It is an aggressive, radical attack on private individuals and businesses.  Almost no one talks about the unintended consequences to the Bay Area Economy or why people will agree to paying outrageous taxes only to see it end up in international business capital markets.  I call this a coup against the foundations of democracy and we need to push back hard.

The Legend of Stan Lee (Free Speech)

China’s Bike Sharing Disaster

THE DOGS AND THE HIDES

THE DOGS AND THE HIDES

      SOME hungry Dogs saw a number of hides at the bottom of a stream where the Tanner had put them to soak. A fine hide makes an excellent meal for a hungry Dog, but the water was deep and the Dogs could not reach the hides from the bank. So they held a council and decided that the very best thing to do was to drink up the river.

All fell to lapping up the water as fast as they could. But though they drank and drank until, one after another, all of them had burst with drinking, still, for all their effort, the water in the river remained as high as ever.

Do not try to do impossible things.

Ponti Fire Trail Conversion to Mountain Bike track and multiuse trail. Wil

Marinwood CSD is giving an easement to Marin County Open Space to remove/replace the Ponti Fire Trail that runs on Marinwood CSD land above Blackstone Drive in the North East section of Marinwood. A vital fire break may be removed in the process. We urge the Marinwood CSD to grant access under the provision that the Firebreak will be maintained by Marin County . Also, since the trail will be narrowed from 15' to 5' , residents are concerned about collisions with speeding cyclists. We urge that pedestrian bypass trails are built at blind corners and jumps for safety. Unfortunately, none of the Marinwood CSD directors seemed to be concerned and voted to grant full easement without any conditions. Eric Dreikosen is charged with negotiating the final details.

We note the irony of the Marinwood CSD in the deference to the 10 mountain bike enthusiasts who attended. Their voice is significant while the 200 residents who petitioned the board for a hearing on Bill Hansells "Maintenence Facility Compound" have been attacked as "irrelevant".

Legitimate concerns about fire safety and trail safety are ignored. The Marinwood CSD should be ashamed.

Hansell Meltdown lecture with the full Public Response

Marinwood CSD Architect and former board member Bill Hansell berates the public for presenting a petition and implores the Marinwood CSD to ignore the public.  This is a clear violation of the Brown Act and the public civil rights.  Here is the uninterrupted  exchange