Council Approves Independent Investigation Into Council Member Ravasio

The council voted 3-1 with one abstention to hire AW Bland Workplace Legal Services for an independent investigation into alleged Brown Act violations and misuse of public resources by Council Member Ravasio, with a budget not to exceed $15,000. The scope covers closed sessions from March 3 to September 1, 2026, and was expanded to include the August 20 meeting and Government Code section 8314, which bars using public resources for campaign purposes.

“I am aware of actions by Council Member Revasio that I believe violated at least two sections of the California Government Code... section 54963, the Brown Act... and section 8314 for improper use of public resources.”— Council Member Beckman · ▶ Watch this exchange

Council Member Beckman laid out the accusation directly: "I am aware of actions by Council Member Revasio that I believe violated at least two sections of the California Government Code... section 54963, the Brown Act... and section 8314 for improper use of public resources." Ravasio, who recused herself from the vote, said she welcomed the review but questioned its value: "I welcome a full and complete investigation into this matter. I am concerned that it's not a good expenditure of either our time or money because we've already heard unofficially from the district attorney that she's not pursuing this."

Public comment ran hot. Attorney Todd Williams argued Ravasio "cannot simultaneously be the subject of the investigation and an adjudicator of whether the council should investigate that conduct" and should recuse herself, which she ultimately did. Resident David McFerson said he hoped "this report is completed and distributed well before the election." Beckman, Casissa and Mayor Thomas voted yes; Andrews abstained.

Council Bans All Tobacco and Nicotine Sales, 3-2

Corte Madera will phase out the sale of all tobacco and nicotine products under Ordinance 1060, adopted 3-2 with Beckman, Ravasio and Casissa in favor and Andrews and Thomas opposed. The ban takes effect February 1, 2027, building on Ordinance 1059, which banned vapes, e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches with minimum floor pricing starting September 1, 2026. Staff offered no explicit recommendation, leaving the call to the council.

Opposition centered on small businesses. Council Member Andrews said he believes in "individual responsibility" and warned the ban would be "harmful to small businesses in this town," with a "disparate impact on ones that are owned by migrants." Mayor Thomas, who supported the earlier vape ban unanimously, called the new measure "draconian" and hoped it would be reconsidered. A retailer representative from Total Wine and More argued the ban "casts too wide of a net," saying premium cigars are "fundamentally different" from cigarettes.

Supporters pointed to public health. A Redwood High School student on the tobacco-prevention team said she sees "the reality of youth addiction every day inside of my friends, many of whom don't even realize that they're addicted." Council Member Beckman said ending sale of "these toxic and addictive products is best for Corte Madera," and Ravasio invoked federal rulings that the tobacco industry has "deliberately cultivated children as replacement customers for the people who had died."

Residents Press Town Over Locked Gate, Cameras at Disputed Alta Woods Access

No formal item was on the agenda, but a string of residents used public comment to demand the town act on a long-simmering access dispute at the Alta Woods paper street, where the owner of 800 Corte Madera Avenue recently installed new locks, signage and cameras at the contested entrance.

“Allowing one resident to put up locks, signs, and cameras and exercise control over disputed land is not neutrality.”— Judy Cesy, resident · ▶ Watch this exchange

Judy Cesy told the council bluntly: "Allowing one resident to put up locks, signs, and cameras and exercise control over disputed land is not neutrality." Brenda Brown asked the town to formally confirm that 800 Corte Madera Avenue does not own the underlying fee or have authority to restrict a private easement. Karen Lawrenson disputed the property owner's account of the site's history, saying "there has never been a lock, ever been a lock on that fence... there's been a chainlink fence."

Todd Williams, attorney for the 800 Corte Madera Property Trust, pushed back, saying the gate and lock have been in place "since 1988 roughly," and that cameras went up about a month ago only after someone "cut the lock, opened the gate, tore up survey markers." No council action was taken; the dispute remains unresolved.