As we enter the final weeks of the year, I wanted to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season! Please be mindful to take precautions to reduce the spread of COVID-19: travel safely, reduce close contact with individuals outside your household, wear masks, practice hand hygiene, and stay home when not feeling well.

Holidays are the perfect time to support our local restaurants, shops, and service providers. I’m sure you can find something for everyone on your list right here in Mill Valley! The Enjoy Mill Valley website has the latest on holiday shopping, dining, and entertainment.

Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to a few groups of people. First, to our City staff for the important work you do, and for providing excellent services to our community every day. Second, I want to thank the volunteers that serve on our City Boards, Commissions, and Committees for dedicating your time, passion, and expertise to advise the City Council on some of our most important endeavors. And finally, thank you to all our community members that contribute in many ways, big and small, to make Mill Valley such a great place to work, live, and play.

Happy holidays & warm regards,

Alan Piombo

City Manager

Seasonal Flu Prepares to Mingle with COVID-19 - Marin doctors strongly recommend influenza vaccination. Learn about how to keep yourself and your family safe this winter.

Marin Looks to Hospitalizations as Decision Metric - Vaccination success shifts criteria for future COVID-19 policies, mask mandates. Health officials will focus on COVID-19 hospitalization rates rather than daily case rates as a guide for pandemic response policies and orders. Learn about the new criteria.

Forecasters have predicted a moderately strong frontal system coming to our area this Sunday which is expected to bring moderate to heavy rain, leading to potential rapid rises of area rivers, streams, and creeks. Flooding may result in low-lying or poorly drained areas. Please take time before the storm arrives to review our Flooding and Winter Storm Resources webpage and prepare for the coming winter storm.

Thank You! The Mill Valley Police Department would like to thank our community for their generosity in donating so many gifts for the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program. There were tags at MVPD, MV City Hall and the MV Rec Center this year. All contributions will provide many gifts to those in need.

Don't Let Package Thieves Ruin Your Holidays - Check out these tips to avoid becoming the victim of a package thief.

E-Bike Rules of the Road (Part I) - E-bikes are definitely fun and useful, but come with a whole new set of challenges. Make sure your family is following these rules of the road when it comes to riding and managing faster, heavier bikes. And stay tuned for more tips in our video series on e-bike safety! Thanks to Tam Bikes for providing the e-bike!

Roadway Construction Notice - East Blithedale Ave (Camino Alto to US 101) - Friday 12/10/2021 (9 AM – 3 PM) Argonaut Constructors will be patch paving trenches on East Blithedale Avenue and Camino Alto.

Winter Weather and Preventing Flooding - Raking your leaves into green bins helps to prevent flooding in your neighborhood!

Southern Marin Fire District Assists Mill Valley School District In Emergency Response Event - On December 7, 2021 Southern Marin Fire District and Mill Valley Fire attended disaster response drills at various Mill Valley School District sites to work with students and staff, focusing on topics such as disaster medicine, triage and search and rescue. Learn more about how we are working to improve disaster resiliency.

Top Holiday Safety Tips To Keep You and Your Family Safe This Winter Holiday Season - Winter holidays are a time for families and friends to get together. But that also means a greater risk for fire. Following a few simple tips will ensure a happy and fire-safe holiday season.

Fire-Smart Landscaping – December's Tip Of The Month: Make a fire-smart landscaping plan by learning the defensible space zones around your home and designing a space that will decrease the energy and speed of a fire. Learn more about fire-smart landscaping.

Paved Road Fuel Reduction Dates For December 2021 - The Vegetation Management Program is coming to a neighborhood near you to reduce flammable vegetation and improve access for emergency vehicles, particularly on narrow, windy streets. Is your street on the list?

Climate Action Plan Task Force Meeting Dec. 15th. The Task Force will host its fourth meeting on December 15 via zoom from 6:00-8:00pm. Register to attend the meeting - your input is important! The meeting will focus on sustainability programs for built environment and provide an introduction to transportation. See the project website for details

Go on a low-carbon diet this winter with Resilient Neighborhoods. Free Workshop Series! Have fun calculating your carbon footprint and taking steps to reduce it. Make your household resilient to droughts, wildfires, and power outages. In just five meetings you and your team will achieve measurable results through impactful actions that can save money too. Sign up for the free workshops, starting on Jan. 13 or Jan 18.

What’s under your roof? Nearly a third of greenhouse gas emissions come from natural gas used in homes and buildings. Learn actions you can take at home to transition to clean energy, decrease your utility bill, and make your home more resilient during power outages at The Switch is On and Electrify Now. Rebates are also available.

Give the Gift of Great Memories! - This holiday season, Zero Waste Marin is encouraging County residents to consider giving “Gifts of Great Memories” rather than “stuff” that eventually will end up in the landfill. Check out this great Zero-Waste shopping guide for everyone on your list!

At their meeting on December 6, 2021, Council received an update on the City’s DEI Work Plan, which included a review of the work of the past 18 months and a list of tangible actions that the City has accomplished. Council gave direction on recommendations on next steps, which includes continuing to prioritize racial equity and transitioning from a work plan to a new way of operating as a City.

Interested in more DEI news and events? Check out the DEI webpage and please join our email list.

2022 Aquatics & Fitness Passes On Sale Now - Get Healthy and Stay Healthy with a Mill Valley Recreation Aquatics & Fitness Pass! Visit our website for more info or call us at (415) 383-1370 to purchase your pass.

Mill Valley Recreation IS HIRING - We have a variety of positions available including Fitness & Swim Instructors, Kidzwatch staff, Teen Zone Aides, Personal Trainers, Facility Attendants and more. Enjoy perks of the job while working with an amazing team. Check out our available positions!

Calling All Wedding Fair Vendors! Get your business noticed by excited soon-to-be-married couples at The Marin Wedding Fair: Sunday, February 27th at the Mill Valley Community Center. Vendor application deadline: Friday, December 17th. Apply today!

Winter Wellness Camp - Keep your kids active and engaged while on Winter Break. This day camp will include socially distanced activities such as: arts and crafts, low touch interactive games, water activities, sing-a-longs and more. Register your kids today!

My First Preschool & Ballet - Our Winter session of My First Preschool and our NEW Ballet for Preschoolers class both begin the first week of January. Start your Preschooler's New Year off with Mill Valley Recreation! Register for programs & classes today.

Call for Artwork: Deadline Extended - The City of Mill Valley and the Mill Valley Arts Commission are seeking artists to showcase their art as part of a pilot project by creating Public Art to be placed throughout the City of Mill Valley. Deadline extended to Jan. 11th, 2022. Find out more about this amazing opportunity!

Want to get great gifts without spending a fortune? For book sales around the clock with easy pickup at the Library, visit the Friends of the Mill Valley Library online storefront. The only thing better than giving a book is to give a whole pile of books. With the Friends Book Sale low prices, you can easily do just that. And you don’t have to worry about inflation or supply chain issues. Shop locally, support the Library, and and take care of your holiday shopping without stress!

Wednesdays | 10:15am | Old Mill Amphitheatre

In-person storytime is back with Librarian Lauren! Designed for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers with their caregivers. Feel free to bring a blanket to sit on. Weather permitting.

Vacancy Announced on the Southern Marin Disaster Council - Applications are now being accepted for a position on the Marin Disaster Council for a resident that lives in Supervisorial District 3 in southern Marin (Mill Valley, Strawberry, Tiburon, Belvedere, Marin City, Tam Valley, Sausalito).  The Council reviews matters pertaining to disaster preparedness progress in the public and private sectors and promotes disaster preparedness through communication and education. Interested? Learn more here.

Thank you to the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce for hosting this year's fun-filled Winterfest!