Town Council · special and regular meetings, Tuesday, Sept. 1; effective Sept. 22-23
Wolff Is Out as Town Manager After a Week That Tore Open Council's Rift Over Ravasio
The week's defining story unfolded in a single marathon session on September 1, but its roots reach back to closed-session evaluations held May 20, August 11 and August 20. Dozens of residents packed both a special closed-session meeting and the regular Town Council meeting to defend Town Manager Adam Wolff, alleging he was being pushed out in retaliation for reporting a Brown Act violation by Councilmember Pat Ravasio. Resident Matthew Kaufmann pressed the point directly, asking whether Ravasio's August 5 email to Mayor Rosa Thomas \u2014 in which she said the Brown Act matter was \"why I have come around as the third vote against him\" \u2014 had been reviewed by the Town Attorney.
“For any council member to take personal revenge on our town manager for action directed by this council as a body is immoral, unfair and in my view likely against the law.”\u2014 Councilmember Beckman, the lone vote against Wolff's departure · ▶ Watch this exchange
By night's end the Council had voted 4-0-1 (Beckman abstaining) to sweeten Wolff's severance from four to nine months' pay, plus continued health benefits and a $2,500 lump sum, then voted 4-1 (Beckman opposed) to accept his resignation effective September 22 and appoint Adam Politzer as interim Town Manager effective September 23. A separate resolution to hire outside investigator A.W. Blan Workplace Legal Services, at an estimated $10,000-$12,000, to probe the closed sessions at the center of the dispute ran out of time and was pushed to a future meeting; the Town confirmed the resignation and appointment publicly on September 4.
Speakers were blunt about what they believed was really happening. \"This is not an increase in severance pay. This is a settlement agreement so that Adam Wolf does not sue Pat Ravasio and sue the town of Corte Madera for wrongful termination,\" said resident David McPherson, while resident Maureen O'Rorke called the payout \"an outrage\" and asked that Ravasio be removed from the vote for conflict of interest. Councilmember Beckman cast the lone dissenting vote on Wolff's departure; Mayor Thomas defended the Council's handling without detailing the reasoning, saying the town's foundation \"is very very strong.\"
Town Council · introduced 3-2 Tuesday, Sept. 1; second reading pending
After a Month of Wrangling, Council Narrowly Introduces a Ban on All Tobacco and Nicotine Sales
A ban on retail sale of every tobacco and nicotine product in Corte Madera \u2014 cigarettes, cigars, vapes, nicotine pouches, delivery sales included \u2014 took its next step this week after a month of back-and-forth. On August 4, Council sent staff back 4-1 to extend the transition period for existing sellers by 30 days and tweak the ordinance's language. Staff returned September 1 with two versions, and Council introduced the toughest one, Option 1B, on a 3-2 vote (Beckman, Casissa and Azio in favor; Andrews and Mayor Thomas opposed). The ban would become operative February 1, 2027, and still needs a second reading before taking effect.
“I ask you council members not only to think about us here in this room, but to think about the people who aren't here tonight, the ones that we've lost.”\u2014 Mari Silva, Redwood High School student · ▶ Watch this exchange
Public health advocates and two Redwood High School students carried the week's most pointed testimony. \"Every day I walk into the bathroom and people are smoking... kids whose brains are not fully developed enough to understand the risks,\" said student John Watson. Vice Mayor Casissa framed the vote in moral terms: \"Why should Corte Madera, a little town in Marin County, take on this giant predatory marketing system that addicts our children? Because we can.\"
Industry and some longtime residents pushed back just as hard, arguing the town's existing tobacco rules should be given a chance to work first. Councilmember Azio agreed, saying young adults \"should be able to take personal responsibility for their decision,\" and Mayor Thomas said she'd \"wrestled with this a lot\" but wasn't comfortable voting yes.
Town Council · late correspondence and public comment, week of Sept. 1
One Address, Two Fights: Neighbors Press Town Over a Locked Gate and a Cleared Hillside
A single property, 800 Corte Madera Avenue, generated two separate neighbor complaints this week. In late correspondence, the Alta Woods Preservation Group asked the Town to formally recognize a private easement recorded on the 1906 Chapman Park subdivision map along Alta Way, investigate whether a locked fence blocking that historic walking corridor was ever legally authorized, and require it be replaced with an unlocked, self-closing trail gate meeting Marin County Open Space District standards.
“There should be documentation, coordination between the fire authority and town departments and a clear process so town staff and affected residents know what has been authorized before significant work begins.”\u2014 Brenda Brown, neighbor · ▶ Watch this exchange
Separately, at the September 1 Council meeting, neighbors said a significant tree-clearing operation on the same property's steep hillside had been authorized months earlier under the town's fire-prone-tree exemption without notifying residents or coordinating between the fire authority and town departments. Resident Bonnie Brown asked whether drainage and erosion impacts were evaluated before the trees came down, and resident Lucinda Smith told the Council there was confusion about whether the matter involved an unannounced settlement agreement: \"We are concerned that this hearing was about a case that there's supposed to be some sort of settlement agreement... but we don't know what's going to be discussed.\"
Neither issue has drawn a staff recommendation or Council action yet. The Alta Woods group says it wants copies of any related agreements, permits, or studies, while residents near the hillside are waiting to see whether Council directs a formal review of how the tree removal was authorized.