Marin Voice: Recall Blash, Hellman because Fairfax deserves better

As a father raising my 2-year-old son in Fairfax, I chose this small town for its charm and safety. Now I am asking: Why must my toddler witness unsheltered individuals struggling with mental illness and addiction at Peri Park? Why are roads crumbling and finances managed carelessly, while a planned seven-story high-rise looms over our two-story downtown?

From my perspective, it’s because Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman failed to properly address these crises.

Peri Park and Contratti Field, where West Marin Little League players practice, should be a safe haven. Instead, there is a threatening encampment that exploded under a Fairfax Town Council that included Blash and Hellman.

I can’t imagine my son ever exploring this town alone as I did in my childhood. Last October, children told the council they felt unsafe, but their voices were seemingly dismissed. In December, Blash voted against a no-camping ordinance. She gave a long speech against it. She empathized with the unsheltered, but appeared to offer no plan to protect kids.

In Hellman’s recently published Marin Voice commentary (“Fairfax vice mayor responds to recall push,” April 7), she wrote, “Fairfax’s roads are in poor condition due to over a decade of neglect and years without a public works director.” It’s notable that 60% of that decade was during her six-year tenure.

Here are publicly available financial facts: The town paid $400,000 over budget to our attorney in four years, $10,000 to paint a crosswalk and authorized $36,000 for a report on buildings I don’t think we can afford to fix. It paid for two separate housing elements, each costing over $600,000. That’s far more than the expected $200,000 to $300,000 price the Association of Bay Area Governments 2020 “Planning Cost Booklet” suggests. Questionable spending erodes trust.

In yet another display of mismanagement, the town authorized (on consent) a $1.8 million contract to fix Park Road to an inexperienced contractor with less than two years experience. Apparently chosen solely for its low bid, the justification seemed to be that any licensed contractor was reasonable. That’s not oversight — it’s recklessness. I have heard estimates for an encampment cleanup could cost up to $25,000. We can hardly afford that on a $15 million annual budget.

I’ll say out loud what many think: How will we escape a fire if we add 490 new units and 1,000 more cars and people? The Marin Environmental Housing Collaborative, Blash’s former employer, is pushing a 243-unit, seven-story high-rise at School Street Plaza, with only 41 designated as affordable units. I think it’s clear that Blash’s 2023 rezoning proposal, seconded by Hellman, helped pave the way. This project dwarfs our downtown and strains infrastructure. Fairfax favors thoughtful growth, not Blash’s MEHC-inspired mindset.

Some decisions have me thinking that Hellman and Blash are in lockstep with the Marin Democratic Socialists of America and the Marin Homeless Union. These influence peddlers are in the extreme minority, yet espouse socialist ideology throughout Marin County —”dismantle capitalism,” “encampments are housing,” “rent control over property rights.” Fairfax voters are through being subjected to their failed ideologies.

Something’s wrong at Town Hall. Many feel it. It is my belief that Blash and Hellman have delivered failed rent control, crumbling infrastructure, an unsafe park and developer-friendly zoning. Two more years of this leadership could irreparably harm Fairfax.

Critics argue about the cost of the recall process, but what’s the cost of inaction? Hellman cites favorable financial audits, but those reserves have yet to fix potholes or park safety. Blash points to legal constraints on homelessness, but I don’t think she offers a workable plan to deal with it. The mindset that created these problems can’t fix them.

A recall is democracy in action, enshrined in California’s Constitution, requiring no specific grounds — just voters dissatisfied with elected officials. I stand for those intimidated, offering my voice to say: The council works for us.

We can’t wait for the next election. Children deserve safe places they can play free from fear, our streets need repair and our town must grow responsibly. I’m committed to this recall with courage and transparency. By signing the petition for a recall vote, you join a growing coalition demanding accountability and leadership that listens.

Sean Fitzgerald, of Fairfax, is treasurer for the committee to recall Stephanie Hellman and Lisel Blash from the Fairfax Town Council.