I have been a Fairfax Town Councilmember since May 2013 (initially appointed, then elected - as the top vote getter! in November 2013) and reelected in 2017 & 2020.  I served as Mayor in 2015, 2019 and now in 2024 (and Vice Mayor 2018/2023). I am a scientist with Bachelor's and Master's degrees in biological sciences, also with an excellent, decades long track record of commitment to environmental action.

I also serve on several Boards/Committees: Marin Clean Energy (Executive Committee prior, until 2023 and Board member since 2014), Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (since its enactment by the voters in March 2020), Marin Telecommunications Agency (former, as Chair, I led the efforts to disband MTA and transfer its responsibilities to MGSA as of 7/1/2020, for cost savings and efficiency), the nonprofit Community Media Center of Marin (PEG channels) and its Executive Committee, Countywide HUD Community Development Block Grant (aka PSC), Marin County Assessment of Fair Housing (dissolved 2020/2021 after work completed), Chair of the Marin Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo), Marin Mayors/Councilmembers (MCCMC) Legislative Committee (Vice Chair) and Town of Fairfax Committees - Affordable Housing (dissolved 2024, after Housing Element adopted), Climate Action (former, 3 years), Measures A & F/J, Open Space (former, Council liaison for 7 years), Age Friendly, Ad Hoc Pedestrian Trails (former until 2024). I also served as a Hearing Board member (alternate) for the Bay Area Air District (BAAQMD).

I have more than 30 years of public environmental agency experience, with more than 27 years serving in California. For more than two decades I was a Division Chief at the Department of Toxic Substances Control of Cal/EPA leading hazardous waste site cleanup and permitting programs statewide. For 5 years I enforced air quality laws as a Compliance & Enforcement Manager for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). For the last several years, I served as an environmental consultant, as the Administrator of a significant climate change program for the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association (a non-profit of the 35 CA air districts) and later for the BAAQMD. I have drafted and negotiated numerous types of legislation on statewide environmental matters and I testified in Congress on behalf of the then Governor and the National Governor's Association on "Superfund" legislation.

I have lived in Marin County for 35 years with 28+ years in Fairfax.  Prior to the Fairfax Town Council, I served on both the Fairfax Planning Commission and the Open Space Committee.  For several years I also volunteered as an election poll officer as the Chief Inspector for two election precincts in Fairfax.

Some of my many accomplishments on the Council (as Mayor in 2015 & 2019, and now Mayor 2024, and as Councilmember in collaboration) include:

• Preserving Open Space: Wall Property - Acquiring/restoring 100 acres for our Town (COMPLETED - WE CLOSED ESCROW ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2024!) - the "Jewel of Fairfax," long desired by the community for open space. Key member of the Council subcommittee working on fundraising with FOSC, negotiating with the Marin Open Space Trust and Marin County Open Space, negotiating grant terms with the Coastal Conservancy, and more.  MOST will purchase and direct deed to property to Fairfax ($2.9M total - $2.3M purchase plus $500,000 for restoration & $100,000 for MOST costs). Prior - Acquiring/restoring Sky Ranch (2015) - 16 acres of open space; key member of the team that raised $1.3+M in less than one year. Connects to 100s of miles of trails stretching from the Golden Gate to Point Reyes. MOST purchased and transferred to Marin County Open Space. 
• Actions on Climate: As Mayor in 2015, I obtained a grant for a MCE Deep Green Incentive for 100 residents (credits $5/month for one year) - Fairfax now has the highest DG sign ups of any of the 38 MCE jurisdictions; member of Fairfax Climate Action Committee for 1st 3 years; adopted several PACE programs  in 2015 - funds homeowner/commercial energy efficiency and solar over 20 years; adopted mandatory recycling of construction debris ordinance; led efforts to increase water conservation for low flush toilets (ordinance 2015/2016); program approved to change out >500 Town streetlights to LED; I developed a Scorecard of Fairfax's many climate actions from the 1980s to the present. I voted with my colleagues to ban gas law equipment (and with a generous rebate program!) starting in 2023 for residents and 2024 for commercial. I also voted with them to require all-electric in new construction - unfortunately with the recent 9th Circuit Berkeley decision we cannot implement it. 
• Facilitating Affordable Housing: Successfully advocating for affordable housing and providing reasonable renter protections since I have been on the Town Council. As Mayor in 2015 and 2019, and now 2024 (and also as Councilmember in the intervening years), I have been a champion for these tools – I pushed for streamlining of JADUs and ADUs ("Junior & Second Units") with ordinance amendments over the years and for developing an amnesty program for “illegal” ADUs to bring them in from the cold (penalties are forgiven for a ten-year period and for all, fees are 50% for the ten years). As CDBG/PSC member, I secured senior housing funding through HUD and County. Another plus, during my time as Mayor in 2015, the County and the Housing Authority purchased Piper Court Apartments, to preserve existing affordable rental housing for our Town. Renter Protections - I brought three early renter protection laws to Fairfax (the 1st city/town in Marin to do so): in 2018, we adopted a Source of Income ordinance which prohibits discrimination solely on the basis of being a Section 8 (or other 3rd party voucher) holder. In 2019 as Mayor, I brought two more: Just Cause Eviction and Mandatory Mediation for Rent Increases over 5% in a one year period. During the discussions of rent stabilization (RS) and a revised just cause (JC) ordinances in 2022, my contention was most of our landlords were "mom & pops" so I attempted to insert what I viewed as reasonable compromises to the ordinances (most were not successful) and to request specific outreach to landlords which was denied. There is a ballot initiative for November 5th to largely overturn these ordinances. I had voted yes on RS (due to Costa Hawkins exemptions) and no on JC - subsequent to the November 2022 adoption of both, I worked with the Council to make some revisions to both which was adopted in September 2023.  
• Housing Elements (HE): As Mayor in 2024, I signed off on our 6th cycle 2023/2031 Housing Element (adopted March 2024, HCD certified April 2024). Key member of the HE Council Subcommittee, we led the effort, ensuring we would meet the large RHNA (with affordable housing integrated) while planning for most housing to be near downtown in the flats away from the hills. Along with the HE, we adopted an inclusionary zoning and commercial linkage fee ordinance, and three rezoning ordinances (one was a workforce housing overlay for most of our commercial properties). I was Mayor in 2015 when we adopted our prior HE which used a "home grown" infill approach to housing and also adopted and emergency shelter ordinance. 
• Revenue/Balanced Budget: Ensuring Fairfax stays lean but provides high quality services; limited use of consultants for specialized technical expertise; I led three highly successful voter campaigns for local taxes to support Fairfax (all funds stay in Fairfax); refinanced pre-2013 pension liability (saves $1M over ~20 years) - in 2020 the Council approved refinancing of all pre-July 2021 pension liabilities (will save ~$5.3M over 17 years).  The Council policy is to maintain at least a 25% reserve policy, we have done so and during my many years on the Council had a much higher reserve.  
• Senior programs: I have worked with Age Friendly Fairfax to create senior programs so we can all stay connected - added senior classes (yoga, dance, art) - all free; 1st Senior Fair held in 2015; monthly Senior topics added to Council meetings (2015/2016); recognizing Rosie the Riveters and Fairfax's Rosie, Phyllis Gould; Fairfax received Age Friendly designation by WHO in 2015; benches program; sidewalks program; I developed/update an Age Friendly Scorecard to document our many AF achievements in Fairfax.  This year we will hold our 6th annual  celebration for Fairfaxians 90 and over, which I will continue to be a part of. 
• Disaster Planning and Safety: To ensure Fairfax is prepared, in 2015 and 2019, as Mayor, I convened our Citizen's Disaster Council (the only Mayor since 2006 to do so) – we updated our Emergency Ops Plan (EOP) and emergency responder (ER) maps. In 2019, I also called for Community-Friendly Evacuation Maps, working with ERs and FireSafe Marin we began and completed these innovative maps (with evacuation tips) for all our mutual threat zones in summer 2020. They were printed and mailed to all Fairfaxians in fall 2020; all have QR codes and can be downloaded to smartphones so we can all get out quickly. We are the 1^st in Marin County to develop these maps- they are being used as a standard for other Cities/Towns in the County under Marin Wildfire. This year, I just convened the Disaster Council again this year as Mayor – our plan this year is to update our EOP again AND also to conduct a Town-wide evacuation drill (both are important to ensure our Town and all residents are prepared for a disaster). Fire - In 2019 and 2020, I was part of the campaign to develop the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority – in March 2020 the voters enacted MWPA by 70.8% of the voters. MWPA hit the ground running and our 1st Board meeting was held in May 2020 (I am honored to be Fairfax’s representative on the Board). MWPA is the 1st agency of its kind in California, comprising nearly all of the County taxing jurisdictions. 
• Infrastructure: in 2018 and later as Mayor in 2019, I pushed for reconstructing the Parkade (the Town’s main parking area) using grant and Town funds for ADA compliance repairs/replacement in addition to other improvements (e.g., 2 new bus shelters, using rainwater infiltration/catchment techniques). Reconstruction started in late February 2019  & completed mid-May. This was the largest infrastructure project completed in more than a decade by the Town. As Mayor in 2015 created successful sidewalk repair cost-share program - waive permit fee & reimburse $500 (increased to $750 in 2017, $1000 in 2018 & $2,000 in 2023 - program continuing) for residents; bridge capitol improvements program (Azalea, Creek & Meadow Way); pushed for downtown sidewalks repairs and street paving program. We have neglected our roads, starting in 2023 we began putting more funds into roads, yet to truly address our major roads we need millions in repairs - the Council has voted to put an $18M Road Bond Measure on the November 5th ballot, I plan to work hard to have this measure pass. 
• Strengthening Our Smoking Ordinance: I brought stronger amendments three times: 2015 as Mayor - restricted e-cigarettes, second-hand smoke and banning smoking/vaping in retail stores; 2018 - prohibited smoking in outdoor service areas; required a tobacco retailer license; banned product sampling and banned pharmacies from selling tobacco products; prohibited flavored tobacco products (except menthol); and established a minimum pack size for cigars; and as Mayor in 2019 - prohibited the sale of menthol-favored tobacco products, and eliminated the exemptions for pipe tobacco/chew products – effective date 9/1/2020. These efforts led to Fairfax receiving an A for its smoke free regulations in January 2018, in the American Lung Association's report “State of Tobacco Control."
• Transparency: continued televising of Council and Planning Commission meetings and providing hybrid Zoom option; Town Manager publishes Newsletter biweekly.  In 2018 a new Town user-friendly website was launched; Google Translate added in 2020 - translates website into 108 languages.

I am deeply committed to protection of the environment and public health which is demonstrated by my work, education and many years of public service. I am a longtime resident of the west end of town, and I am an avid cyclist and hiker. My education and many years of public service with state, regional and local government has given me not only a good understanding as to how government works, but also the ability to understand what doesn't work and how to get things done.  I have a strong work ethic, I am known for my hard work, integrity and practical, progressive approach - I  care deeply about Fairfax and would love to continue to serve the residents of Fairfax. I live in the west end of Town with my rescue cat Michelle.

Also see Facebook @https://www.facebook.com/Coler4FairfaxCouncil/ 

FPPC#1472250 - Paid for by Barbara Coler for Fairfax Town Council 2024

Photo by Mimi Newton