Marin Clean Energy (MCE), the public clean power provider based in San Rafael, is under fire after reporting its second straight year of huge budget overruns. This time, spending shot past the plan by more than $100 million.
MCE leaders point to wild energy markets and regulatory headaches. But several Marin County board members, including Larkspur Vice Mayor Stephanie Andre, aren’t buying it—they say those factors don’t explain why MCE’s losses dwarf those of similar agencies.
Discover hand-picked hotels and vacation homes tailored for every traveler. Skip booking fees and secure your dream stay today with real-time availability!
Browse Accommodations Now
This tension is pushing some to call for tighter financial oversight and more open governance. MCE, a regional nonprofit, just hit its 15th year serving 1.5 million people across Marin, Contra Costa, Napa, and Solano counties.
Mounting Concerns Over Financial Transparency
At the September board meeting, directors from towns like Mill Valley, Fairfax, and Novato joined Vice Mayor Andre in demanding clearer answers from MCE’s leadership. The organization spent a jaw-dropping $769 million on energy last year—94% of its total budget.
Still, directors say they don’t really know why costs blew past projections by such a wide margin. Andre compared MCE’s finances to eight peer agencies in California and didn’t see any similar patterns of overspending.
She called MCE an “outlier” in operational losses. MCE has been running in the red for multiple quarters, including a $26.9 million operating loss from April to June 2025.
The Executive Response
CEO Dawn Weisz and board vice chair Gabriel Quinto have defended MCE’s approach. They say high reserve funds exist specifically to shield against market swings.
But critics in Tiburon and San Anselmo argue that reserves aren’t a replacement for real oversight. Frustrations grew when management blocked the audit committee from sharing its findings on control issues—and then disbanded the committee completely.
Internal Struggles and Governance Challenges
Getting rid of the audit committee only fueled anger among environmental advocates and local officials in Marin County. Voices from Corte Madera, Belvedere, and Sausalito have been calling for a permanent finance committee and a new chief financial officer focused on transparency and performance oversight.
In October, MCE quietly promoted Maira Strauss to CFO without any public announcement at key board meetings. For many, the silence around such an important leadership change just made existing transparency worries worse.
Committees in Conflict
Trying to respond to pressure, MCE’s executive committee barely recommended forming a finance committee. But during the same meeting, a competing motion passed to just rename the current executive committee as the “executive and finance committee,” skipping the creation of a truly separate group with its own powers.
This move satisfied some members, but others—from San Rafael to Ross—saw it as sidestepping accountability rather than real reform.
The Bigger Picture: Marin Clean Energy at 15 Years
MCE started out championing renewables in Marin County towns like Greenbrae and Kentfield. Now it’s a billion-dollar nonprofit with a much bigger regional footprint.
But as MCE has grown, things have gotten more complicated. The stakes are higher, and the public is watching more closely than ever.
With 15 years behind it, people all over the county are asking tough questions:
- Why are MCE’s losses so much higher than those at similar agencies?
- What exactly is pushing costs beyond what was budgeted—markets, regulations, or something else?
- How will MCE actually strengthen financial oversight going forward?
- And will a dedicated finance committee really make things more transparent, or not?
Looking Ahead for Marin County Ratepayers
Residents from Bolinas to Dillon Beach are watching the situation closely. For folks paying the bills, these governance debates might shape future clean energy priorities, rates, and local programs across Marin.
If reform-minded directors manage to set up stronger financial safeguards, MCE could move forward with more public trust. But if the agency doesn’t change its oversight, some people in Marin and nearby areas will probably keep feeling skeptical.
Whether you’re up in the hills of Mill Valley or down by the Sausalito waterfront, the stakes for Marin Clean Energy feel higher than ever. With energy markets all over the place and climate policies shifting, it’s hard not to wonder what’s next.
—
If you want, I can also whip up a short **meta description** and some **SEO keywords** for this blog to help with search engines. Just let me know!
Here is the source article for this story: Friction at MCE, Part 1: Calls for financial reform, transparency
Find available hotels and vacation homes instantly. No fees, best rates guaranteed!
Check Availability Now
Cities and Towns in Marin County
Things to Do in Marin County
Places to Stay in Marin County
