In Your Town for Dec. 20, 2023

SAN RAFAEL

Council approves
garbage rate hike

Marin Sanitary Service customers in San Rafael will see their rates go up 6.22% starting in January.

The City Council voted unanimously on Monday to approve the increase. The rate adjustment will result in an overall increase of $3.12 per month for a residential 32-gallon trash bin, which is the most common size cart, for a total $53.31 monthly fee.

For a three-cubic yard bin, the most common commercial size container, there will be an increase of $39.57, for a monthly total of $658.59.

Fee increases are proposed annually based on inflation, including the processing cost of recyclables.

THE COUNTY

Crossing guard sites
at schools approved

The Transportation Authority of Marin has approved funding for the 105 top-ranked crossing guard sites in the county through the end of the school year.

In April, the Board of Commissioners approved funding for 103 top-ranked sites through December due to safety concerns voiced by parents about lower-ranking crossings that weren’t going to make the funding cutoff.

On Thursday, the board approved retaining those extra crossing guard sites, and adding two more, at least through the end of the school year.

The cost to fund 96 sites is nearly $2.2 million. The new sites will add about $300,000 in expenses this year for the program.

The board plans to take a closer look at the program this spring.

WEATHER

Mountain logs
heavy rainfall

A dynamic storm system brought more than 2 inches of rain to Marin’s mountaintop, the National Weather Service said.

In the 24-hour period ending around 9 a.m. Tuesday, Mount Tamalpais received 2.71 inches of rain; San Rafael, 1.61 inches, Mill Valley, 1.35 inches, and Novato at 0.94 inches, the weather service said.

Dalton Behringer, a meteorologist, said that the current forecast is “trending a bit drier” for the Bay Area. Showers will linger into Wednesday night before clearing out Thursday, he said.

While small rises in creeks and streams are possible, flooding is not anticipated, the weather service said.