Fairfax Council Delays Executive Pay Policy After On-the-Fly Rewrites
Town Council • FairfaxOctober 21, 2026
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At its Oct. 21, 2026, special meeting, the Fairfax Town Council stopped a pension-compliance policy for the town's top five executives after staff corrected the document line by line from the dais. Councilmembers voted 5-0 to continue the item, hoping to bring it back Nov. 4. The same meeting gave a warm send-off to departing Town Manager Heather Abrams, who is leaving to manage Yountville.
- CalPERS executive pay policy continued 5-0 after errors, a missing exhibit and missing effective dates surfaced
- Public commenters objected to live edits, the lack of a redline and unclear fiscal impact
- Council honors Town Manager Heather Abrams as she departs for Yountville, leaving Fairfax with an interim manager
- Ross Valley Seniors marks 20 years as the council receives a 60-plus-page Age-Friendly scorecard
Executive Pay Policy Sent Back for Repairs
The basics: CalPERS, the state pension system, can decline to count "special compensation" such as longevity or bilingual pay unless it is documented in a written labor policy that applies to a group and is approved by the governing body. Resolution 2026-58 would create that document for five unrepresented positions: town manager, police chief, finance director, planning and building director, and public works director.
Why it matters: If the policy is missing, retirees' pension calculations could exclude pay they already receive. Councilmember Barbara Coler pressed for a quick return because related compensation agreements are expiring.
Where things stand: Town Attorney Janet Coleson opened by announcing corrections, including to the merit salary adjustment language and the effective adoption date. Isabel Safay, a CalPERS specialist attorney with Best Best & Krieger, laid out the legal driver: "That requirement that this policy addresses is the written labor policy or agreement," she said.
The fixes kept coming. Staff said effective dates for longevity and bilingual pay still had to be researched. Coler caught a missing Exhibit A, a stray reference to SEIU and "confidential employees," and an outdated sentence on part-time work. The SEIU sentence was replaced and the part-time sentence struck.
"Is there any calculation about how much more this costs us?" asked Vice Mayor Frank Egger, who also raised longevity pay, holidays and administrative leave. Staff answered that the items are already paid and the policy adds no cost.
Coler flagged that longevity pay may not match the police officers' contract: "We need to have a special section that relates specifically to the police chief and check the police officer's MOU," she said. She argued separate agreements for each group would be cleaner. "I would agree that each separate group should have its own policy," Safay said.
Mayor Stephanie Hellman had seen enough. "I have concerns that there's like way too many changes that we're making on the fly," she said, adding, "If we have any more changes, I'm not comfortable." Coleson countered, "This is a policy that needs to be enacted in order to come into compliance with PERS."
The other side: Three public commenters urged delay. Todd Greenberg, a public commenter, asked for a formal continuance and alleged problems under the Brown Act and Government Code 7507, the state law on disclosing pension-benefit costs. He also cited a fiscal emergency and deficit figures. Mark Bell, a public commenter, asked for a redline and doubted the no-cost claim, saying he saw raises such as new bilingual pay. Michael McIntosh, a public commenter, sought short- and long-term fiscal impacts, argued interim assignments should stay covered and criticized last-minute changes.
Councilmember Lisel Blash explained why no redline exists: "This is an amalgamation of items from different contracts into 1 document." She said she did not believe a fiscal emergency had been declared. Councilmember Michael Ghiringhelli asked for a side-by-side check: "I have a request that we get to review the actual agreements we already have," he said.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Coler moved to continue; Hellman seconded. The motion passed (For: 5, Blash, Ghiringhelli, Coler, Egger, Hellman; Against: 0; Absent: 0). The five department heads' CalPERS treatment of special pay stays pending. Residents and watchdogs get a cleaner document to review before adoption.
What's next: Staff agreed to return with Exhibit A and the existing agreements attached, with Coler hoping for Nov. 4. Watch whether staff splits the policy by employee group and produces a fiscal analysis, as commenters requested.
Abrams Exits With Praise and a Transparency Jab
Why it matters: Abrams' nearly five-year tenure spanned housing element certification, a voter-approved sales tax, rent stabilization and infrastructure emergencies. Her exit leaves Fairfax with an interim manager.
Where things stand: Hellman read a lengthy proclamation crediting Abrams with balanced budgets and reserves above 25%. It also cited a short-term rental program, the sales tax measure that passed with 63.71% in June 2026, labor agreements, 2025 housing element certification, rent stabilization and the Wall property acquisition.
"Fairfax has really been fortunate in having someone of Heather Abrams' caliber as town manager," Blash said. Egger noted disagreements over the housing element consultants and rezoning, "but I will be voting for the resolution," he said.
Police Chief Rico Tabaranza thanked Abrams for backing him and the department through difficult years. The spouse of the elected town clerk read her statement praising Abrams' calm service. "I feel so honored and proud of everything that we've done together over the last 5 years," Abrams said.
The other side: Greenberg wished Abrams well but asked why the proclamation was not public in advance. He alleged a possible Brown Act violation and a pattern of last-minute supplements. Staff did not respond during the meeting.
What's next: An interim manager takes over while the council weighs a permanent hire.
Seniors Group Turns 20; Access Gaps Persist
Where things stand: Coler presented the 60-plus-page Age-Friendly Fairfax scorecard, which follows the town's old strategic plan. "Age Friendly is about making our town age-friendly for everyone, not just older adults," she said.
Her proclamation honored Ross Valley Seniors, formed in 2006 by the Fairfax and San Anselmo recreation departments. The group averages 40 to 55 attendees monthly. Karen, a steering committee member, thanked the council and highlighted volunteerism and the group's monthly Women's Club meetings. Jody, an Age Friendly Fairfax founder, thanked the town for supporting older adults and disabled residents.
Why it matters: Cindy Ross, a public commenter, said multiple chemical sensitivity keeps her from events where people wear scents. She also asked for safer sidewalks and better lighting. Blash pointed to curb cuts and smoother sidewalks as progress.
What's next: San Anselmo requested a copy of the proclamation. Egger also corrected Coler's account of the Elliott Nature Preserve's history.
- Storm prep: Hellman urged early preparation for forecast king tides and El Niño storms, including Alert Marin signup.
- Sandbag volunteers: A volunteer sandbag-loading event is planned; the mayor asked residents not to wait.
- Agenda approved: Four yes votes were captured; Blash's vote was not audible. Coler flagged that the clerk initially skipped movers' votes.
- In memoriam: The meeting adjourned in memory of Chris Newton, Larry Kennings and Lawrence McFadden.
Looking ahead: The executive pay policy may return as soon as Nov. 4, with source agreements attached for public comparison.