The IJ editorial board recommends Holli Thier (left) and Isaac Nikfar for seats on the Tiburon Town Council in the election Nov. 5, 2024. (Alan Dep – Marin Independent Journal)
In Tiburon, on the Nov. 5 ballot, two incumbents are facing two challengers, including a long-retired mayor.
Councilmembers Holli Thier and Isaac Nikfar are the incumbents. Thier is seeking her third term. Nikfar was elected last year to fill the unexpired term of Noah Griffin, who stepped down early.
Thier has proven to be a strong leader and Nikfar, a former town Parks, Open Space and Trails commissioner, is still learning his new job.
There’s no big controversy or pressing reason for change.
Thier, who has branched out from her council role to be one of Marin’s representatives on the Golden Gate Bridge board, has been a strong advocate for protecting Tiburon’s environment, from protecting open space to banning the use of herbicides in town parks. She’s also chair of the town’s Inclusionary Task Force, an initiative started in the wake of the 2020 police run-in with two Black storeowners that led to an outcry of racial profiling against the predominantly White and wealthy town.
Nikfar has been a local volunteer, including coaching youth sports. That connection provides a valuable lens as the town shapes its projects and programs for local youth, as well as the town’s older population, where nearly half of the residents are 50 or older – not unlike many of Marin’s towns.
If he has a shortcoming, he needs to do better at detailing his own opinions.
Nikfar, however, is more focused regarding the state’s housing quota of building 639 new residences, most of them affordable housing, by 2031, is more growth than the mostly built-out town can accommodate. Thier says the new housing should be targeting the needs of Tiburon’s local workforce.
Chuck Hornbrook, a member of the town’s Parks, Open Space and Trails Commission, has been involved in many local volunteer initiatives, among them the campaign to buy and save the ridgetop Martha Co. property as public open space.
Andrew Thompson served three terms on the council, during times when town politics were a lot more tumultuous. He’s deservedly proud of his accomplishments, including helping get a new, long-debated town hall built in 1997. He says the current council lacks the institutional memory he could bring to town decisions.
Thompson is worried about the growth’s impact on worsening traffic congestion on Tiburon Boulevard. He says he favors building housing for local public workers, but says they may prefer living in larger homes out of town.
Hornbrook says the town missed a chance to coordinate with Belvedere, which has a state quota of 160 new units. He also said the town should have approached local churches to assess the potential use of their land.
Thier says one of her priorities is the construction of a public pool. She identifies the Richardson Bay shoreline park as a good site.
“The community will decide where we have a public pool,” she said.
Citing the capital and maintenance costs, Hornbrook suggests developing a partnership with the Strawberry Recreation District or the owners of the Tiburon Lodge to provide Tiburon residents with a public pool.
Thompson also suggests the town could meet locals’ desire for a pool by lifting the restriction on memberships at the Tiburon Peninsula Club, which has four pools.
Nikfar says the town still has a lot of work to do to engage local residents to determine if building a public pool is the right civic investment and where it should be located.
All the candidates were complimentary of the work that’s been done to promote diversity and awareness in town.
Each of the candidates has the know-how and experience to serve on the council.
Thompson has done a lot for Tiburon and continues to work on community issues. But he has had his turn on the council.
Hornbrook is ready and well-prepared for his chance.
Thier is a forceful leader on the council. Nikfar just got started and deserves more of a chance to prove himself.
Town voters can’t go wrong. The IJ editorial board’s recommendation is incumbents Holli Thier and Isaac Nikfar for Tiburon Town Council.
Originally Published: September 19, 2024 at 10:30 a.m.
Holli In The News
Holli Thier best for Tiburon Town Council
I support Holli Thier’s campaign for reelection to Tiburon Town Council. I lived in Tiburon from 1987 to 2000. My apartment’s landscaping there had regular herbicide applications. My mom was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2000.
I have always felt that our regular exposure to herbicides could have increased the likelihood of her developing cancer. Since we lived there, as a council member, Thier has worked to stop the use of herbicides. We need Marin leaders like Thier to keep our environment healthy and safe for all.
— Pamela A. Kahn, Sausalito
https://www.marinij.com/2024/09/05/marin-ij-readers-forum-for-sept-6-2024/
Holli Thier for Tiburon Town Council
I am writing to express my enthusiastic support for Vice Mayor Holli Thier in her bid for a second elected term on the Tiburon City Council. I had the privilege of working alongside her on Tiburon’s Diversity Inclusion Task Force for the past four years, where she served as chairperson as well as past mayor of Tiburon.
Thier’s leadership and dedication were instrumental in integrating diversity and inclusion into Tiburon’s 20-year plan, a milestone for any Marin community.
Under her guidance, we successfully brought in a welcoming new police chief and organized numerous cultural celebrations for our Marin brothers and sisters. These celebrations included several Juneteenth events, Nowruz celebrations and Asian American, as well as Diwali, festivals. Each of these events fostered a sense of community, pride and inclusivity that has made Tiburon a more welcoming place for all.
Thier’s commitment to representing all residents and her ability to turn vision into action is unmatched. She has proven time and time again that she is dedicated to making Tiburon a thriving, inclusive and forward-thinking town.
I am confident that with her continued leadership, Tiburon will remain on a positive path of growth and inclusivity and serve as a beacon of hope for Marin
I encourage all Tiburon residents to vote for Holli Thier for Town Council and continue supporting the progress we have made together.
— Dr. Ruben Kalra, Belvedere
https://www.marinij.com/2024/08/30/marin-ij-readers-forum-for-aug-31-2024/
Tiburon is zeroing in on a parks and recreation master plan
The Town Council received the preliminary draft of the document at its Aug. 22 meeting. The newest draft includes feedback from public forums and focuses on what the town should prioritize over the next several years.
“I am so excited,” Vice Mayor Holli Thier said. “What I see is the vision for the future.”
The plan identifies what the community considers priority projects, where those projects could work given the landscape and the potential costs and funding options. The guiding principles include improving the overall park experience; upgrading the spaces by adding amenities; increasing recreational programs for residents; ensuring safety and accessibility; and looking for environmental and sustainable opportunities.
“It really is a skeleton right now, there’s nothing finished about it,” said Peter Winch of WRT Design, a consulting firm hired by the town. “There’s a lot of blank pages right now because that content is still being developed, but wanted the community and decision makers to be able to weigh in before it gets too developed.”
Winch said residents have identified playgrounds, a kayak launch, multiuse trails, swimming pools, pickleball and tennis courts, a community center, an off-leash dog park, picnic areas and open conservation spaces as priorities.
Thier strongly supported the idea of a public pool, and suggested an appropriate place would be where the old sanitation ponds are, a property the town recently bought. She also said teen areas need to be prioritized.
Relating to programming, the community wants to prioritize community events, cultural- and senior-focused programs, exercise classes for various ages and teen activities.
Councilmember Jon Welner said he was pleased with the draft and that it incorporated all previous feedback and is more focused in its recommendations.
“I feel much better about this report,” Welner said. “I feel really good about it. There’s still more to do but the zoning approach is very helpful.”
The process began in April 2023. So far, the feedback has been to focus on low-hanging fruit first — such as upgrades to playgrounds and bolstering the maintenance of parks and open spaces.
Council members previously advised the consultants to be cautious about being too pro-development, and asked them to zone areas for specific activities and to focus on environmentally-friendly improvements.
Welner said there is still a risk of overbuilding, and asked the consultants to refine their suggestions for joint spaces — such as Blackie’s Pasture — based on what the highest priorities are.
“This is our pride land, we should only put things here that are truly cared about,” Welner said.
At the meeting, Winch presented a zoning structure based on where projects could work based on access to the site, the slope, vegetation, noise considerations and the potential for flooding.
The draft plan includes chapters on demographics and recreational trends and how they relate to the town, a summary of community feedback, projects and improvements recommendations, and cost and funding estimates.
https://www.marinij.com/2024/08/26/tiburon-council-reviews-revised-draft-parks-plan/
Marin Voice: Build your resilient community before disaster strikes
PUBLISHED: August 15, 2024 at 3:07 p.m.
Tiburon joins environmental networking program
Tiburon has joined a statewide program that aims to support local sustainability efforts.
The Town Council unanimously adopted a resolution on June 19 that committed it to participating in the Beacon Program.
The program is an educational and peer networking support system that helps municipalities implement policies and ideas that build more resilient communities. There is no fee to join the group of more than 160 participants.
“The Beacon Program is exactly part of what we’re trying to do with the sustainability plan and the climate action plan,” Vice Mayor Holli Thier said. “So I’m happy to see this moving forward.”
The program is meant to complement other sustainability programs in the town, not develop new ones. The benefits of the program include peer networking and conferences with other participants, educational webinars and events, and showcases of achievements to people across the state.
The program also would provide technical assistance on tracking, collection and reporting data regarding sustainability best practices, energy savings and greenhouse gas emissions.
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“It’s a big network of communities, especially in California, that are working toward (climate) projects and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and community emissions,” said Grace Ledwith, climate action and sustainability coordinator for Tiburon and Mill Valley.
The program is administered through the Institute for Local Government, a nonprofit training and education affiliate of the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties and the California Special Districts Association.
“It wouldn’t be anything that we haven’t been working on already,” Ledwith said. “So all the work that we are doing toward our (climate) and our sustainability programs, we could document that and then also receive awards and recognition for that work being done.”
Ledwith said the town would have little problem achieving some of the awards, which entail reducing emissions by 5%, 10% or 20% in various categories such as electricity and natural gas.
Local jurisdictions that are part of the program include Marin County, Mill Valley and San Rafael. Ledwith said joining the program would also increase the town’s chances of obtaining grants.
Mayor Alice Fredericks asked if government collaboration on sea-level rise is part of the program. Ledwith said that while sea-level rise and greenhouse gas emissions often go hand in hand, the network is more focused on climate than shoreline adaptation.
Chuck Hornbrook of Tiburon wrote to the council in support of joining the program.
“As the primary author of the Town’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Plan that was passed a few years ago, I spent a lot of time looking at other jurisdictions and speaking with other knowledgeable stakeholders, the exact activity that the Beacon Program promotes but in a more systematic way,” Hornbrook wrote. “I would applaud the Town for taking advantage of this and bringing more best practices to Town.”
Ledwith and Thier will serve as the lead contacts for the program.
https://www.marinij.com/2024/06/27/tiburon-joins-environmental-networking-program/