2020 Bret Harte Candidate Forum

Bret Harte residents have always been well represented in local politics, and this year is no different. We have three members of the community this year running for city- and county-wide office, one for San Rafael City Council, and two running for the same position on the Marin Municipal Water District's Board of Directors. Please take a moment to get to know your local candidates before the November vote!

Maika Llorens Gulati
Candidate for: San Rafael City Council, District 1
Website: maikaforsanrafael.com
Lives On: Du Bois St.

Maika Llorens Gulati has served as the first elected Hispanic school board trustee at the San Rafael Board of Education since 2015, currently as President of the Board.

Passionate about education, equity and the environment, Maika is the Executive Director of Slide Ranch, a nonprofit in West Marin connecting children to nature. Prior to that, she served as the Executive Director for HeadsUp – San Rafael Public Education Foundation for six years.

Maika is a former local business co-owner in downtown San Rafael, where she was involved with the San Rafael Downtown Business Improvement District and the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce. She has over 20 years of international marketing experience working with Fortune 500, midsize and entrepreneurial companies in both technology and services sectors.

​Bicultural and bilingual, Maika is a proud mother of two children who attended San Rafael public schools, and they are now in college. She has lived with her husband Ashwin in Bret Harte since 1998.


Mark Lubamersky
Candidate for: MMWD Board of Directors (Division II)
Website: www.lubamersky4mmwd.com
Lives On: Du Bois St.

Key issues important to me in my campaign for Marin Municipal Water District Board Division II are as follows:

• The primary mission of the MMWD is to ensure we have quality, clean drinking water while keeping water rates as low as possible. Budget priorities must provide for replacement of aging pipes and stepped-up work with other land management agencies to protect against wildfires and address climate change.
• Preservation of the watershed for our families and future generations. The public should have access with science-based safeguards to protect against damage to water safety and the environment. My experience in local government, including co-chairing the City of San Rafael 2020 General Plan and as a member of the Measure E Critical Facilities Committee demonstrates my ability to successfully serve the San Rafael community. I know how local governance works and how to get things done.
• MMWD does good work, but it operates in a rather “closed” environment. The Board, staff, consultants, and advocates know what it does, but few others do. I will use my many community contacts to bring a clearer understanding of the District to the ratepayers. My years on the San Rafael Planning Commission, service as president of San Rafael Little League, St. Raphael’s CYO Basketball, and other community organizations, have prepared me for expanding community outreach.

I love Bret Harte and San Rafael. I was President of our Neighborhood Association for many years and was a block captain for Du Bois for over 20 years. I began my service to BHCA when I jackhammered a dangerous old concrete slide on the hill in the park. When I was a Park and Recreation commissioner I helped secure funding for park improvements including our new restroom. I am the leader that MMWD needs now!


Monty Schmitt
Candidate for: MMWD Board of Directors (Division II)
Website: www.montyh2o.com
Lives On: Glenaire Dr.

Hello Bret Harte! I am running for MMWD Board Division II representing our neighborhood and much of southern San Rafael. I am running for the Water Board because this is my community where my wife Hilary and I are raising our two sons and I am concerned about our future.

Marin is facing an increasing risk to the reliability of our water supplies, and the health of our environment from climate change, drought, and wildfire. We urgently need experienced members on the Water Board who understand these issues and can work effectively with diverse stakeholders to find solutions that meet the water needs of our communities and protect the precious natural areas of the Water District’s 22,000 acres of land.

I have 25 years of experience as a senior environmental leader in California, working collaboratively with water districts, farmers, local communities, state and federal agencies and conservation groups to restore rivers and fish populations, promote cost-effective water management policies and address the impacts of climate change on our water resources.

I am currently Senior Project Director in The Nature Conservancy’s* California Water Program. My unique background and experience in water supply and resource management is needed on the Water Board today, so that we can move as quickly as possible to advance science-based solutions and achieve MMWD’s primary mission—to ensure our communities have safe, reliable, and affordable water supplies today and into the future.

My campaign is supported by a growing number of community members who believe I have the skills and expertise that are needed on the Water Board. I am endorsed by among others, Congressman Huffman, Supervisors Katie Rice, Damon Connolly, the Sierra Club, Water Board Members Larry Bragman, Cynthia Koehler, Larry Russell, and Bret Harte’s former Water District Board representative and new California State Park Director, Armando Quintero.

I humbly request your support and your vote by mail or by ballot on November 3.

*Organization/employer stated for identification purposes only.