Council accepts MOST funds for Wall property restoration and agrees to mutual waiver

The Fairfax Town Council voted to accept $66,183.33 from the Marin Open Space Trust (MOST) to support restoration and stewardship work on the town-owned Wall property and to enter a mutual waiver of future claims related to the matter.

The funds were part of a multi-source fundraising and grant package assembled to stabilize and restore a steep parcel the town purchased following a bankruptcy auction last year. MOST and other partners helped secure a $500,000 Coastal Conservancy grant and fundraising to cover remediation and stewardship work. Town staff said the new contribution includes previously anticipated private gifts and that MOST had covered necessary project costs while negotiations and title work were completed.

Council members discussed the history of the parcel’s acquisition and the effort to secure funding from several partners, including the Coastal Conservancy and county sources. Councilmember Mike Kohler, who moved to accept the MOST funds, praised the nonprofit’s role in assembling grants and completing technical work; Mayor Blasch seconded the motion. Councilmember Ager voted no, citing that he wanted a full accounting before approving a waiver of future claims; other councilmembers said MOST had done most of the technical and fundraising work and that accepting the funds and entering a mutual waiver was a normal step to close out project partners’ responsibilities.

The council recorded that the town’s total project funding, once all donations and grants were tallied, approaches the amount needed for immediate stabilization. Staff said the $545,000 budget line for “Wall property rehab” reflects grant and public funds already set aside for the project; those funds will be used for engineering, slope repair and long-term stewardship. Public commenters thanked volunteers and MOST but urged transparency: speakers asked that the town publish a full accounting of all donations and the specific uses of the funds.

Councilmember Ager said he would not support a mutual waiver without having received a complete, line-item accounting of how each donation had been handled. The final vote to accept the MOST funds and adopt the waiver was recorded as: Councilmember Ager — no; Councilmember Garen Gellley — yes; Councilmember Kohler — yes; Mayor Blasch — yes. The motion carried.

Town staff said they will post project accounting and procure a schedule for engineering and restoration work; the public will be able to review project milestones as staff contracts and inspections proceed.