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San Geronimo Golf Course hearings should be open

The following letter has been sent to the Marin County Board of Supervisors, regarding their recent decision about the San Geronimo Golf Course.


Dear Supervisors:

I am displeased at your continued closed sessions closing out the general public, your constituents. You would garner greater support and trust if you included us in your deliberations.

Your insistence to negotiate behind closed sessions, spending public funds is not good governance. Before the board in open chambers, I requested the disposition of your closed session after it was disclosed direction to staff had been given. Please recall I cited CCP 6250 (6250-6273) and requested disclosure of the direction give to staff. As soon as direction is given to staff this becomes subject to disclosure because expenditure of public funds has been met. You will find similar rules, CCP 11120-11132.

My greatest concern is your arbitrary and capricious approach to your excluding the general public. I challenge your self-serving CEQA and EIR exemptions. Please cite under what exemptions are you hiding?

1) Located adjacent to, and in the watershed above, was a Gold Mine in Roy's Redwoods.

2) Located on the property in the lower fairways, was a Gold Mine.

3) Located adjacent to, and continuing into the upper part of the Golf Course, was a Chromite and Mariposite Mine. (Ore Sample letter attached)

Please recall California Gold is commonly found with other minerals, such as arsenopyrite. Separating Gold releases and deposits Arsenic and other byproducts in the tailings and wash. Hence this property requires a Phase 1-2, minimum.

Chromite.jpg#asset:8760

I hereby request the County follow the same laws you require of us.

If the real want here is to encourage salmon habitat, I believe if a holding pond for the sewage processing plant was extended to the back 9 of the Golf Course you would save more fish and create better habitat. By placing the holding pond in the back 9, you could expand the sewage processing throughout Lagunitas. The aging septic tanks have been leaching our antibiotics into the Lagunitas Creek for years.

Habitat restoration is compatible with the Golf Course. The Golf Course is a viable community asset, currently generating approximately $68,000.00/year in County tax. Considering our dire pension financial straits, why would you replace a tax generating asset with a greater liability with more rangers, pensions, and insurance requirements?

Please open your meetings to the public.

Sincerely,

Michael Mackintosh