Pickleweed advisory committee approves fee waivers for school‑year programs, including $67,966 YMCA request

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — The Pickleweed Advisory Committee on June 4 approved cosponsorship fee waivers and renewals for multiple community programs at the Albert J. Borrell Community Center and Pickleweed Park for the 2025–26 school year, including a $67,966 waiver requested by the Marin YMCA for after‑school programming.

Committee members said the decisions aim to keep the center’s classes and youth services free or low cost while balancing the committee’s annual waiver allocation. The committee noted an annual cap of $160,000 and recorded a running total of $124,037.06 in approved cosponsorships after the meeting.

The committee voted to grant full fee waivers or cosponsorships for several applicants. Highlights from the packet and motions recorded during the meeting: Vivalon requested a full waiver valued at $2,167 to provide weekly Zumba classes for older adults from Sept. 1, 2025, through Aug. 31, 2026; Drawbridge requested $1,598 for a weekly youth art group running Sept. 8, 2025, through Aug. 31, 2026; Troop 2000 requested $4,876 for Monday evening troop meetings from Sept. 8, 2025, through Aug. 31, 2026; Bordeaux Converse Music Academy requested $4,896 for Saturday programming from Sept. 6, 2025, through May 30, 2026; Canal Arts requested $2,508 for monthly family art and mural workshops from June 21, 2025, through May 20, 2026; Tamalpais Adult School requested $2,945 for English‑as‑a‑Second‑Language classes starting Sept. 15, 2025; and a youth after‑school program identified in the meeting materials with a fee waiver request valued at $11,424 (listed in the transcript as “Racist spoken out Marin Link”) requested weekday teen‑room use.

The Marin YMCA’s after‑school program request drew particular attention because of its scale: staff described the cosponsorship fiscal impact to the city as $67,966, a waiver that would cover base rental fees for multiple rooms and picnic area daily during the school year. Committee members confirmed the YMCA’s program is supported in part by the school district, which helps pay staffing costs. Committee members moved and seconded the YMCA waiver; the motion passed by the roll call recorded in the meeting.

Public comment and committee discussion noted service levels and participation estimates where provided in applications: Drawbridge estimated roughly 20–25 regular participants; Tamalpais Adult School enrollment was described as typically ranging from about 20–25 early in the year and dropping to around five or six toward the end of the year. Willie, a member of the public, drew attention to available volunteer opportunities from local Boy Scout units for community projects connected to the center.

Several motions were made and recorded on the agenda item; the minutes show each application was moved, seconded, and approved with an affirmative roll call of committee members present. The committee chair and staff confirmed that no additional school‑year cosponsorship applications are scheduled for the remainder of the current cycle but that exceptions are possible if new applications arrive.

Committee members and staff emphasized the tradeoff underlying the waivers: the fee reductions support program access but represent lost rental revenue to the city and count against the committee’s annual $160,000 waiver cap.

The committee asked staff to continue tracking program participation, to inform future allocation decisions, and to circulate invitations and logistics for upcoming summer program openings and events.

The meeting record does not indicate any formal objections recorded on the votes approving individual waivers.