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Council approves committee assignments; public presses for clearer legal-cost accounting
Summary
The council approved annual board and committee assignments, renamed several liaison entries (Marin Clean Energy → MCE Clean Energy), reassigned the pedestrian-trails ad hoc, and approved the consent calendar. Public commenters and council members pressed staff for clearer reporting on legal expenses and a cumulative legal-cost breakdown.
The Fairfax Town Council approved its annual board and committee assignments and the consent calendar, and directed staff to provide clearer reporting on legal expenses.
Staff noted name changes (Marin Clean Energy is now MCE Clean Energy; the community development block grant committee is described as the countywide priority-setting committee). Council reassigned the pedestrian-trails ad hoc to Vice Mayor Ager and confirmed BPAC and other liaison updates. Council member Kohler moved and the council approved the recommended changes by roll-call vote.
During the consent calendar and financial-report discussion, multiple members and public commenters raised concern about the town's legal spending. Vice Mayor Ager asked for a cumulative accounting and a clearer separation of litigation and routine town-attorney fees; staff said a midyear financial report would be provided in spring and that staff could break out outside litigation versus day-to-day attorney charges. Todd Greenberg urged that nondepartmental legal spending (which he said exceeds $1.1 million) be sorted to allow public review and that the council adopt better legal-cost controls.
Council and staff agreed to bring back midyear numbers and to explore clearer labeling and cumulative legal-cost reporting. The consent calendar then passed by unanimous roll-call vote.
