Newspaper Articles
Five candidates vie for Fairfax council, Issues include permits, finances
(Marin Independent Journal)By Tad Whitaker, IJ reporter
Fairfax residents must choose from five candidates with a colorful mix of ideas when it comes time to fill two seats on the Town Council.
Citing late meetings, Councilman Niccolo Caldararo has decided not to seek re-election after serving one term. Councilman Lew Tremaine, who served as mayor in 2002, is running for his second term.
Clarifying the building permit process, improving fiscal responsibility and revitalizing downtown continue to be areas of concern to several candidates, while others want to tackle new issues such as revamping the Youth Center and hosting town fund-raisers for such things as free Internet access and mountain biking events.
The candidates are Larry Bragman, Laurie Hailer, Jory Prum , David Weinsoff and Tremaine.
Bragman, 49, said he wants to maintain the character of Fairfax by passing more progressive resolutions such as those that banned chain stores and pesticides. His ideas include protecting the ridgelines around town and improving the Youth Center with music and art studios and Internet access so it can be an educational hub for children.
Bragman also wants to make it easier for homeowners to get approval for routine improvements such as a water heater or a roof. One idea he suggested is to use the town Web site for permit applications and to make online payment an option.
"I think it's important to work on local residential needs," Bragman said.
Hailer, 36, also cites the building process as needing improvement, saying it is too confusing for first-time applicants. She said the town needs to find ways to balance its budget without relying on its reserve funds.
Hailer said her experience on the Planning Commission, in education and in the private sector will help build a team-like attitude on the council. "We should focus more on issues than personalities," she said.
Prum, 28, said he is frustrated with the broadband Internet service provided by Comcast and that the town could hold yearly fund-raisers that could pay for free wireless broadband access for all residents.
He also said the town should celebrate its status as the birthplace of mountain biking by holding mountain bike events and installing more bike racks to encourage residents to ride bikes instead of driving cars.
"It makes it difficult because you can't lock your bike to anything," he said.
Tremaine, 44, said he is proud of road improvements made with the $6.8 million raised through Measure K and noted the council endorsed an affordable housing program in the town's general plan.
He said the No. 1 priority should be implementing the affordable housing element by securing sites along public transit lines. He said that when the time comes to design new affordable housing, the town should consider requiring occupants to take public transit, which would save parking spaces and reduce traffic.
"We need to look at our affordable housing situation and execute the housing element that we just passed," Tremaine said.
Weinsoff, 45, said he wants to create simple permit packets to make it easier for regular people to add a bedroom or a bathroom.
He also wants the Town Council to work closely with the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce to encourage more businesses to fill the vacant storefronts downtown. The Town Council should also work with San Anselmo to develop more shared park and recreation programs and take advantage of such venues as Fairfax Pavilion, he said.
Weinsoff, a regular at Town Council meetings, said the council tends to focus on "the issue of the month" rather than quickly taking care of business and working on long-range plans that could help Fairfax avoid problems down the road.
"It would be terrific if Fairfax could get ahead of the curve," he said. "Businesses have to do it, municipalities should do it."
Campaign donations disputed in Fairfax
(Marin Independent Journal)By Tad Whitaker, IJ reporter
Campaign contributions in the race for Fairfax Town Council triggered accusations of impropriety at a debate involving five candidates for two seats.
A question from the audience regarding disclosure of campaign donors prompted two candidates to go on the defensive, another to wonder about conflicts of interest and a fourth to declare he couldn't be bought.
It was standing room only at the Women's Club on Wednesday night, when incumbent Lew Tremaine and candidates Larry Bragman, Laurie Hailer, Jory Prum and David Weinsoff squared off during a forum moderated by the League of Women Voters.
All five said they are in favor of ridgeline protection, taking stands on issues like the USA Patriot Act, and creating an open-space program similar to one in San Anselmo.
All five candidates said they favor working with Marin Town and Country Club owner Michael Mackintosh to upgrade the compound, but Bragman said Hailer and Weinsoff had taken campaign contributions from Mackintosh that could jeopardize their impartiality when a club-related issue comes to the council.
"It deserves an independent hearing in front of an independent council," Bragman said of country club issues.
That led an audience member to ask candidates to identify campaign donors, whether they accepted money from people who do business with the town and whether donors were developers.
Weinsoff recited a list of donors and said he accepted contributions from contractors but added that the money would never influence his vote. "It's unethical and unprincipled," he said. "That simply wouldn't happen."
Tremaine said he has received only a couple of donations of more than $100, but none from developers, adding, "I'm shocked" - a comment that prompted laughter from the audience.
Bragman said he received a $200 donation from his brother in New York and a few smaller contributions from people around town but nothing large that could present a conflict. He said he had not taken donations from Mackintosh and questioned those who did. "Is it ethical? I don't know," Bragman said. "Am I comfortable with it? No."
Hailer acknowledged a Mackintosh donation as well as a few from carpenters. But she said there is no way those would be a conflict of interest because they were only a couple hundred dollars. "I'm sorry. I just don't buy the argument," she said.
Prum said his friends have helped create campaign posters, but he hasn't taken a single dollar from anyone and added he returned a $200 donation from Mackintosh, his landlord at the country club property, which includes a number of rental units.
"I don't believe in campaign financing," Prum said. "You don't have to worry about people buying me."
Sun Endorsements: Fairfax Town Council
(Pacific Sun)Pacific Sun
There's no place quite like Fairfax -- and nowhere is this more evident than at Town Council meetings, where small-town politics can become downright contentious. For example, the race for two open seats on the council has many locals divided over what seem to be, essentially, non-differences among the five candidates.
Fairfax is in better financial shape than it has been in the past -- in spite of facing a deficit in the next fiscal year -- and that allows the candidates to focus on the cumbersome building permit process, traffic, maintaining small-town charm, while encouraging small businesses and preserving the environment.
Incumbent Lew Tremaine is proud of all that's been accomplished during his term: Measure K improvements, the Anti-Patriot Act resolution, pesticide neighbor notification ordinance, living wage for town employees, Safe Routes to Schools, etc. He is especially pleased that a number of small actions have had an impact well beyond the town's borders. It is, he says, an example of how the town can think globally and act locally. Part of its progressive majority, Tremaine feels he is a voice of reason on the council. In addition he has been an especially strong advocate for children.
Consumer attorney Larry Bragman hopes he'll be the councilmember who maintains the progressive majority, now that Niccolo Caldararo is stepping down. As far as issues and concerns go, his views are quite similar to the other candidates. His emphasis, though, has been less on what he'll bring to the council and more on the faults of the other candidates. His negative comments and misstated facts (which may have been an honest mistake) at candidates' night do not bode well.
Lifelong Ross Valley resident and current planning commissioner Laurie Hailer wants to get down to business and focus on issues, not personalities. In addition to her common-sense attitude, she would bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the council. A master's degree in applied economics and experience working with Bay Area municipalities give her valuable knowledge on short- and long-term planning, feasibility studies, resource allocation, etc. Accused of being pro-growth and pro-development, she insists she's not unless being pro-small business is considered pro-growth and development. Her mantra is preserve, yet improve -- a far cry from pave over and grow.
Jory Prum, relatively young and full of energy, is ready to lighten up local politics, but his candidacy is no joke. He's frustrated that the wheels of town government tend to move so slowly. He feels that town government needs to take better care of its citizens and its businesses. His views, for the most part, mirror those of the other candidates but his youthful enthusiasm and playfulness may be a bit too much for some locals, in spite of all he has to offer.
David Weinsoff, an environmental attorney, brings a lot of relevant experience and knowledge with him. As a former deputy city attorney for San Jose, he has an understanding of codes and regulations and how government works. As a former planning commissioner for Fairfax, he is familiar with the unique flavor of town politics. He states that the council can't run everything on its own; councilmembers must be willing to involve others with a broader range of expertise to work on and solve issues. He is also interested in getting the council to look ahead and keep track of trend lines instead of playing catch-up. Passionate about Fairfax and its issues, he is, nevertheless, level-headed and practical.
Although both Bragman and Tremaine, as well as Hailer and Weinsoff, have run as slates, we advocate splitting those slates for more balanced representation. While Laurie Hailer would bring competency and sound judgment to the council, David Weinsoff's background as an environmental attorney makes him a more palatable choice for those worried about the town going in the wrong direction.
The Sun endorses Lew Tremaine and David Weinsoff for Fairfax Town Council.
10/21/2003
Good turnout for Candidates Night
(Ross Valley Reporter)Olga Azar, Editor, Ross Valley Reporter
The candidate's night Oct. 15 at the Fairfax Women's Club in Fairfax was a fairly placid event,with citizens' questions read to a largely affable stable of candidates, including incumbent Lew Tremaine and newcomers David Weinsoff, Larry Bragman, Laurie Hailer and Jory Prum.
There are two seats available on the council, one to be vacated by Niccolo Caldararo and the other held by incumbent Tremaine. The even, at least in its first hour, was standing-room only, with citizens busily talking. There were a number of parents with toddlers, and dogs took an interest as well; one was tied up outside and at least two made it into the club.
The comments that generated the most audience response (toned down at one point by a stern warning from the League of Women Voters mediator) included clarifying the planning process, independent candidates, and humorous admissions such as campaign funding (Bragman received $200 from his brother and Hailer got $500 from her mother), while Prum had none at all. "I have completely and absolutely zero support from anybody," he said. "I don't believe in campaign financing."
The issue of campaign contributions turned out to be a contentious note in an otherwise friendly session among the candidates.
After candidate Weinsoff said that he would never accept funding from anyone with a matter before the Council, candidate Bragman immediately pointed out that Weinsoff -- and Hailer -- had accepted contributions from Michael Mackintosh, owner of the Town and Country Club. Redevelopment of the site has encountered difficulties, but Hailer said that the amount of money was "not enough to influence me."
Bragman's assertion that candidates Weinsoff and Hailer accepted legal but still questionable funding elicited a mixed reaction. One audience member gasped and whispered that it was a "brave" move. After the vent, another audience member deemed the allegation, and other Bragman comments as "mean-spirited."
Nevertheless, the general feeling after the event was one of respect for all of the candidates. "The bar has been raised. The level of the candidates is really good, and I liked the discussion," said one audience member.
Questions ranged from revitalizing the downtown, preserving the ridgeline and home sizes, affordable housing, the Town and Country Club, open space, fire and ambulance service, opinion on the Patriot Act and the role of Fairfax in a global and local context. Other questions that could not be included due to time constraints included candidates' views on marijuana, the town budget, term limits and the meaning of "public trust."
On downtown
Incumbent Tremaine said that local businesses haven't been very hard hit because Fairfax has a locally focused economy. Weinsoff said that Fairfax is no longer a transition hub between San Anselmo and West Marin, and needs to actively recruit Fairfax-friendly businesses. He also said that because Fairfax is a gateway to West Marin, "we don't do an effective job of capturing [the people that pass through]. Instead of having a cup of coffee, they should stay for the end of the day, have dinner, and buy some stuff."
Bragman said, "I love Fairfax the way that it is. Merchants should be supported." He added that improved signage might direct people downtown and that the town needs to partner with building owners (as opposed to renters) to improve business. Hailer said that she hates to get on the freeway to go shopping, and that Fairfax's downtown "is small but spread out, and doesn't encourage natural walking patterns." She believe that Fair Anselm is a "hugely underutilized" part of town.
Affordable housing
Weinsoff said that he wants to see housing for teachers, police officers and other public servants moored in Fairfax, and noted that his wife is a teacher locally. "Teachers shouldn't have to be married to a lawyer -- even an environmental lawyer," to live here, he said in an unappreciated attempt at humor.
Bragman launched into an assault of the federal government, saying that the "current administration has abandoned any pretense [of supporting affordable housing]. A regime change would loosen money in Washington to get the money back into communities, where it belongs." He also said the partnerships between public and private charitable entities might be a solution.
Hailer asserted that Fairfax is "one of the most affordable towns to live in Marin County," noting that she is a teacher who doesn't have to be married to a lawyer to afford a home in Fairfax, with her husband, a nurse.
Prum alluded to the fact that the state government might revisit Proposition 13, and that the community can only grow older unless younger people with incomes of at least $130,000 move in. Part of the population, he said, is made up of people that said "Wow, this is an amazing place, I want to live here," but that the possibility of home ownership has become remote.
Tremaine emphasized the work the Council has done so far and that economic diversity is key to Town life.
Open space and defending the pesticide ordinance
All of the candidates agreed on Bragman's earlier comments about forming an open space committee, either independently or as part of San Anselmo's. "It's long, long overdue," said Tremaine.
All of the candidates agreed that the pesticide ordinance was ground-breaking. "The pesticide ordinance is one of the best things the town has done," said Prum. "It annoys the hell out of the state and pesticide lobbies." Weinsoff added that the town should address the harm of lead paint.
Bragman said that it is important that the council follow through with environmental concerns, and that only two candidates -- himself and Tremaine -- have been endorsed by the Sierra Club. He said that the Council needs members that will defend the pesticide ban. "It's important that we have a town council that is willing to defend the ordinance. I think Lew and I are prepared to do that," he said to applause.
Hailer said that there was unanimous support from the candidates, not just form the two endorsed by the Sierra Club, and added that she hopes to see more education about alternatives to pesticides.
Patriot Act vote and fairfax's role, locally and globally
Most of the candidates praised the vote against the Patriot Act. Weinsoff said it was an "inspiring evening" and that Fairfax can play a central role in spreading ideas from town to town across the nation and be an "incubator of ideas." Bragman said that votes like that are part of Fairfax's tradition and that the town can further spark ideas about energy conservation.
Hailer, though confirming she would have voted against the Patriot Act, also said that she considered national security issues to be of importance. She said it was important that the council "choose its battles so as not to be perceived as a town that is constantly focused on global issues."
Prum said that allowing the public a place to come together and share feelings was part of town life. Tremaine added that it was crucial to stand up for constitutional rights.
In their closing statements, the candidates struggled to stay within their time limit. Prum tried, with some success, to answer all the leftover questions and said that his goal is reliability. "I hope you guys will vote for me," he said.
Tremaine complimented Prum for trying to address the questions, then said that Fairfax is a very special place that needs stewardship. "I want another four years, if you'll have me, to continue to protect and restore this community."
Weinsoff spoke of how rewarding it is to live in Fairfax, and thanked everyone present, including his fellow candidates. "No matter how the election turns out, we are very well served," he observed.
Bragman talked of the public trust and the huge responsibility the citizens of Fairfax confer on their local elected officials, and referred to the "fragile majority" and how he would be open to all sides until his time ran out.
Hailer mentioned how she has been in Marin her whole life, attended Drake High and is on the Planning Commission. She said that the current council has "lost its focus and is ready for strong leadership and some common sense."
As the audience slowly dispersed, people lingered to discuss the evening. "I'm impressed with all of them," said one man. "I would want to sit up there and get grilled like that. They did an admirable job."
One woman said that she came in sure about one candidate and that the event made her mind up about the other. I'm impressed by the whole thing. I liked the discussion.
10/21/2003
Fairfax council candidates cover wide spectrum
(Ross Valley Reporter)Olga Azar, Editor, Ross Valley Reporter
The following five people are running for Fairfax Town Council in the upcoming election on Nov. 4.
Jory Prum
Jory Prum, not yet 30 years old, decided to run for council because of his love for Fairfax and a desire to get other young people involved in politics. His candidate statement, which calls for interns providing foot massages for distressed audience members and councilmembers responding to open session in Pig Latin only, is offputting to many, but Prum is committed.
Prum moved to Marin in late 1998, and to Fairfax in the summer of 1999, with the admitted need to escape from Southern California, from behind the "Orange Curtain" (Orange County) where he grew up and never felt any sense of belonging.
When he first arrived in Marin and sought advice about where to live, people said, "You're young, go to Fairfax," he recalls. Although he didn't find any rental listings, he drove to Fairfax anyway. "I just knew I had to be here."
Later, not knowing anyone locally just yet, he asked around about fun places to go and received the same response: "You're young, go to Fairfax. There are three clubs. Choose one." He did. "The entire weekend was so much fun. The people are really amazing. It felt like home. There's no leaving."
Prum, a sound engineer (or "sound guy," as he likes to say), spent years plotting how to escape Los Angeles and concluded that he had to get a job with Lucas Films. And he did. After a stint there, he formed enough contacts to start his own studio, and since then work has been "pretty nonstop," from Pixar's "For the Birds" (he was thanked specifically in the Oscar acceptance speech), "Adaptation," "Lost in Translation," to "about 16 'Star Wars'-related video games" and "The Sims 2.0," not yet released. And, last but not least, working on Lynette Shaw's (of the Alliance for Medical Marijuana) recent album.
Running for council, says Prum, is "a whole new adventure." He has no past experience in civic government, though he is a member of People for the American Way and has a keen interest in censorship issues.
His primary reason for running is that "I have a lot of good ideas to improve Fairfax - it's going in a good direction but it could be better."
Among his hopes are encouraging alternative transportation by installing more bike racks downtown, and "not charging $20 to people who leave their car in the Parkade who are responsible enough to leave their car there and not drive home drunk."
Prum wants to change the perception of downtown Fairfax. "When I ask people in San Anselmo what they think, they say it's a joke, a bunch of hippie shops. Yes, there are some neat hippie shops, but there are lots of other businesses, too."
He also wants the town to provide wireless Internet service, funded by events. "The Chamber of Commerce seems to be moving away from events, but they are a fantastic way to provide town revenue, bringing people in to spend money in local businesses."
His other motivation in running is a prominent factor. "A lot of young people are totally disenfranchised from the whole system. I'm not even 30 and I want to get people involved in this mess we call government."
Prum says that the duration of council meetings alienates citizens, and that he would work to change that. "I'm a rational, level-headed person who doesn't like to argue.
"Currently, meetings go so incredibly long. Some members sit and argue much longer than they need to. I'd try to make them a little shorter."
Prum admits that his is a light-hearted campaign, with the caveat that Fairfax needs to lighten up, too.
"There is too much fanatic volatility about the politics sometimes," he says. He cites a mini-fracas when a friend put up a homemade poster in a business that stated "Vote for Jory - He's a Local. Not a Lawyer." A woman called, "screaming," accusing him of targeting fellow candidate, friend and lawyer Larry Bragman, and accusing Prum of being on the side of developers. "It was the silliest thing. I don't even own property." The poster was replaced with another that said, "Fairfax, Lighten Up," says Prum. "It's my favorite story so far."
For fun, Prum says he likes to hang out in town and play music. "Everything I do, I feel relaxed. Programming my computer for 14 hours, I feel relaxed. What do I do not to relax?"
He says that the prospect of being on the council is "daunting, for sure. It's a really daunting and looming task to deal with, but I did sign up."
Larry Bragman
Larry Bragman first came to Fairfax 20 years ago, and has owned a home in town since 1995. A consumer-rights trial attorney, he was born in New Jersey and raised in Wisconsin.
After graduating from the University of San Francisco with a degree in law in 1977, he moved to Marin County, drawn by a network of resident friends and the allure of mountain biking.
"To me, Fairfax is the most vibrant, open and artistic community in Marin County, and I wanted to be part of it."
He has worked as a trial lawyer for more than 20 years and has an office in San Rafael. "I grew up as a Marin County lawyer," he says.
Over the years, he has made community service a priority. "Law has given me so much, so part of what I give back is to help the community. It lets you be sort of like a knight, trying to protect people and get justice for people."
He helps out locals and groups with discounted and pro bono work, balancing the big cases with community-related work. "I always find it really, really satisfying," he says of helping people.
Bragman was president of the Marin Trial Lawyers Association in the mid-1990s, and has aided the Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana and its patients on a number of occasions.
For the last couple of years, he has shed his legal mantle and turned actor for Walk in the Park Players, a group of local artists that has staged "A Midsummer Night's Dream" over the past two summers. The first year, he played Snug the Joiner, whoi is also a lion at the end. "I still get recognized by some kids as the lion and occasionally get to reprise my role for smaller theatre-goers."
The troupe has raised money for a number of causes, including the Ophelia fund, youth enrichment programs and the Pavilion.
As Bragman grew more aware of local issues, his interest in town policies expanded and he decided that the "very fragile majority" of "progressives" was in danger. He says he took out papers as a fallbackk measure, fully expecting someone else w ith similar beliefs to run. But nobody did.
This is the first time Bragman has sought public office. He says he wants to represent the community interested in the environment and social justice and that he wants to maintain that voice -- and ear. "I'm somebody that listens.
"I think it's very important to protect the gains we've made," he says, citing the pesticide neighbor notification ordinance.
"That law may get challenged. We need a council that is willing to actually defend that ordinance, in court possibly."
He also says that defending the ridgeline is crucial. "Even though there is an ordinance, interested parties can challenge it. We need to have a very firm majority willing to stand up."
As a homeowner who has dealt with the permits and variances necessary to improve his own home, Bragman admits that the process can be improved but that he doesn't want to "open the door to bigmoney development."
One of his goals is to create seating areas in downtown to create little public spaces, perhaps using a public/private partnership.
Bragman, a youth and elderly advocate, also wants a community center for youth and elderly. "Right now it's very basic and doesn't have any resources to attract youth." He proposes an internet café and studio space staffed by Dominican University students seeking teacher's credentials earning credit.
He is wary of any downtown development that would add to the traffic burden. "We must develop projects that are sustainable and really serve our community and don't serve as magnets to traffic. We're almost at gridlock already."
Bragman believes that his experience in law is a benefit to working in town government.
"A lot of my training has been respecting the right of people to get a fair and dignified hearing. I'm very practiced at it, and very devoted to it," he says.
"We have to make it work in Fairfax and we can. This is a small community and there's no reason why we can't make it work.
"I'm interested in building in values of the human infrastructure of diversity and tolerance in Fairfax. It's a very special asset that needs to be encouraged."
Laurie Hailer
Laurie Hailer moved to Fairfax six years ago when she and her husband found a home where "we felt we could raise our kids and retire." Hailer, who has lived in Marin most of her life, is a math teacher at San Domenico. She has a diverse background that includes an M.A. from SF State in applied economics and military experience as a Patriot Missile crewmember.
Her decision to run for Town Council stems from the encouragement she has received from others and the hope of getting more women in government.
As a member of the Planning Commission, Hailer says that she has been approached by community members asking her to run for town council. "People had asked me about running in the last election, but I wasn't really ready," she says.
But now she feels she is, and wants to see some changes. "We need some strong leadership. I don't see a vision right now. There's no direction to the town.
"The Planning Commission was a great education for me." She cites that experience as one that will allow her a less steep learning curve. "There is so much feedback, so many people telling you what they like and don't like, the good and bad parts of the process." She was unanimously selected to the Planning Commission by the current council. "It's a nice show of faith on my behalf."
Hailer also interned with a San Rafael project, where she became familiar with various stages of planning and improvement and how something such as fixing sidewalks can be a big disruption for business.
She hopes to address downtown concerns with a greater variety of stores and improved traffic patterns. She also believes that Fairfax can benefit from its location.
"We're missing opportunities. We're not harnessing the dollars [from people who pass through Fairfax]." She also thinks the downtown parking needs fixing.
Hailer met her future husband while in science class in eighth grade. Now math teacher at San Domenico, Hailer once had a student whose grandmother had been the teacher in that same science class. "It's so nice to be in the community and know people through the generations," she observes.
Her two daughters also attend San Domenico, where Hailer has taught for three years. Prior to that move they went to Manor.
Like her husband, Hailer moved to San Anselmo when she was five. At Drake High, her future husband was on the football team and she was a cheerleader. "It's an all American story, but it doesn't feel that way," observes Hailer.
In what little free time she seems to have these days, she sews, quilts, runs on Mt. Tam on tracks she has frequented since she was 14 and plays with her daughters.
Her time spent in the military was very rewarding. She spent a year in Germany after training in Texas and New Jersey. "It gave me confidence no one can ever take away," she says of the experience.
Hailer also wants to see more women in government, and part of her motivation in running lies in that wish. Though she doesn't believe that votes should be based on gender, she does think that there need to be more women involved in politics.
If elected, Hailer says she will be available to the community. "I do want to hear from people. They will certainly be able to tell me what they think."
Lew Tremaine
Nearing the end of his first term in the Town Council, Lew Tremaine says the he has enjoyed the past four years. After years of activism before being elected, he is still conscious of being "on the inside." "I've been an activist in town for a very long time. I was always used to trying to change things from the outside. Being an elected official inside the process has been a very good experience."
Tremaine, who was born in New York state, spent his childhood in Pennsylvania. Given the opportunity to move from Dayton, Ohio, where he was working at the local daily while a college student, and moving to Marin was, he recalls, a "no brainer." He has been in Marin for 20 years, 18 of them in Fairfax.
From the 10th grade, Tremaine knew that he wanted to work as a journalist, though he stumbled into the vocation. In high school, he was assigned to trumpet class, and he walked in protesting that he didn't play the instrument. Said trumpet was the school's newspaper, The Trumpet, and he has been working in journalism ever since. He worked for the Marin Scope publications, and later was the editor for the Ross Valley Reporter before running The Fairfax Fax from 1984 to 1989. He stopped editing that paper when he and his wife started a family, now including Ben, an eighth-grader at Whitehill, and Mark, a fifthgrader at Manor.
In the 1990s, Tremaine ran a chain of realty magazines. He now works as the managing editor for Family Works Magazine, a local publication, and as director of Community Education and Outreach for Apple Family Works.
Tremaine is involved with the Social Justice Center of Marin, where he is president of the board, and other issues relating to peace, social justice, the environment and advocacy for children and teenagers.
He worked on numerous campaigns, such as those for Steve Kinsey, Paul Chignell, Frank Eggers, Jeffrey Kroot and ballot measures, such as the one banning polystyrene, and was co-chair of the most recent school bond, before launching his own campaign. "I'd had a lot of experience doing campaigns, and in 1997 decided to run for council.
"I made all of the mistakes I never would have let my candidates make, and lost. In 1999, I listened to my own advice, and lo and behold, I got elected, and here I am running for re-election."
He believes that because of his work as a journalist, often covering local politics, he already knew about local issues, "inside and out."
"I'd been watching a long time, so it seemed natural: it was an easy transition. I didn't have a lot to learn - there weren't a lot of surprises."
Except, of course, managing the "inside." "All of a sudden there are five people and everybody has got an agenda to try and sort out. It's something not necessarily seen from the audience."
As soon as he was elected, Tremaine says, he became "one of them."
"People react differently. They don't talk to you as openly. It's a different thing."
Looking back on his term, Tremaine believes that the biggest achievements of the council include Measure K projects, such as road re-paving and storm drainage, completed "under budget and ahead of schedule."
He is also proud of the nearly $2 million budget reserve, the pesticide ordinance and the ordinance regulating chain stores.
Tremaine says that if reelected, he plans to continue the Measure K project, get the General Plan "buttoned down" and make sure that zoning regulations are consistent. He also hopes to continue to maintain and renovate town properties, and make them more energy efficient.
As for the downtown, he says that the council should get involved when it can, but that there will always be vacancies, often due to fire or property being tied up in probate court.
"I've owned a business in downtown [referring to The Fax] and I'm right there with them," says Tremaine. He founded the Chamber of Commerce in 1987, and expects it will be revitalized in the near future.
He is especially proud of Safe Routes to Schools, a program he worked on with Wendy Kallins (Safe Routes to Schools Program Director) that has become a national model.
"I've never enjoyed walking down the street without somebody stopping me," he says, from earlier days of running The Fax to his current position. "Everybody has something to say. I'm prepared for that. The kids have gotten used to it. They know that if we are walking in downtown Fairfax, we're going to stop at least once."
He says that despite the sometimes negative nature of council, "At least we debate issues. At least everybody is represented." Tremaine admits that meetings run too late, and has advocated for two meetings a month for the past four years.
But the nature of being a councilmember remains the same. "It's work. It's not supposed to be a cakewalk. I knew the job was dangerous when I took it' says Tremaine.
It's hard work, and "it ought to be, because it's important. It's not a popularity contest, it's running a town."
David Weinsoff
Shortly after moving to Fairfax in 1996, David Weinsoff was already a member of the Planning Commission. "I knew when I moved to a small town like Fairfax I was going to get deeply involved in local issues," he says.
Weinsoff, an environmental lawyer with a practice in town, brings to the table a political and cultural engagement with the town's life: beyond his participation in local government, he also founded the Fairfax Documentary Film Festival, now in its fifth year. He is also among the founders of the Fairfax Civic League, though his association with it ceased when he decided to run for town council.
"I'm part of the community, both culturally and politically," he says. A native of New York, Weinsoff received his law degree in Connecticut and worked as an environmental attorney for the state of New Jersey when he had the opportunity to house-sit in Mann. "Nobody returns to Trenton after a month in Marin," he jokes.
His wife accepted a position in the Marin public school system and the couple started driving around the county, looking for a place to settle. "We were enchanted with this town," he remembers of their first encounter with Fairfax. They have a 10-year-old son, Jake.
Weinsoff's practice focuses on plaintiff's cases in environmental disputes; a recent case was featured in the Los Angeles Times.
Since mid-August, Weinsoff has been walking through neighborhoods, seeking the issues most important to residents. "Above all are issues about clarifying the permitting process. If people want to make a modest addition to their home, it is terribly difficult in Fairfax to get a permit."
If elected, he wants to make it easier for people to get informed about the rules and get a permit in a reasonable amount of time. He also hopes to complete the General Plan "that has to get done by December of next year," he says.
He says that the budget is a source of concern, especially "getting through the next fiscal year without draining reserves." He asserts that the 2004-2005 budget threatens to have a deficit "in excess of $300,000."
"How are we going to balance the budget and maintain the high level of services and the unique character of a small town?"
Part of his answer lies in a proposed joining of forces between the council and the Chamber of Commerce. "The council and the Chamber of Commerce have to go out and recruit Fairfax-appropriate businesses, go out there and find businesses they think might be successful here and bring them here."
Weinsoff also believes that the council should be more proactive in filling downtown storefronts, calling on experts to identify what sort of merchants might survive in the "tough business environment" that is downtown Fairfax.
Weinsoff says he attends council meetings regularly, and that he wanted the experiences such as being on the Planning Commission, as well as being on the General Plan Advisory Commission (he was also city attorney for San Jose) before running for council. "I felt it was important to have that sort of experience before launching a campaign," he says.
"After many years studying the issues and seeing how they germinate, now is a good time to run."
10/28/2003
(The order of the candidates has been changed from the original article. Jory Prum appeared after Laurie Hailer in the originally-published version.)
Green Party Slate Triumphs in Fairfax
(Marin Independent Journal)Tad Whitaker
IJ reporter
The Green Party won big last night in a spirited campaign for two seats on the Fairfax Town Council.
In an election that put a progressive slate in power, incumbent Lew Tremaine won handily with 1,244 votes, and his running mate, Larry Bragman, came in second with 1,138 votes - 101 votes ahead of third place finisher David Weinsoff.
Planning Commissioner Laurie Hailer received 930 votes and Jory Prum finished with 139.
Both Tremaine and Bragman are members of the Green Party, and both drew endorsements from the Sierra Club and the Social Justice Center of Marin, as well as veteran Councilman Frank Egger.
"I think we won because people want to preserve this place as it is," said Tremaine, who along with Bragman waited for results at Egger's house.
Bragman - who replaces Niccolo Caldararo, who stepped down - said he was stunned and humbled by the win, but anxious to represent everyone in town.
"We have a big job ahead of us, including mending some fences," Bragman said.
Weinsoff - a founder of the Fairfax Civic League who was endorsed by Mayor Susan Brandborg and Councilman Mike Ghiringhelli - remained upbeat and said he has not made up his mind about running again.
Weinsoff said he had a good time getting to know people during the campaign and feels like he knows what is important to the people of Fairfax - even if the vote total didn't fall in his favor.
"Politics is funny business," Weinsoff said.
11/05/2003
