City Council
MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
6:00 PM
Teleconference via Zoom
A. CONVENE, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND ROLL CALL
The City Council meeting was called to order at 6:01 p.m., with Mayor Lucan leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
COUNCIL PRESENT: Mayor Eric Lucan, Mayor Pro Tempore Susan Wernick, Councilmember Denise Athas, Councilmember Pat Eklund, and Councilmember Mark Milberg
STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Adam McGill, Assistant City Manager Jessica Deakyne, Community and Economic Development Vicki Parker, Public Works Director-City Engineer Chris Blunk, Planning and Environmental Services Manager Steve Marshall, Sustainability Coordinator Gretchen Schubeck, Assistant City Attorney Gary Bell and City Clerk Laura McDowall B. APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA & TELECONFERENCE MEETING
AUTHORIZATION
B.1. Adopt a resolution authorizing continued remote teleconference meetings of the City Council and the City’s Commissions, Committees and Boards pursuant to government code section 54953(e)
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Athas, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Final Agenda and adopt the resolution authorizing continued remote teleconference meetings of the City Council and the City’s Commissions, Committees and Boards pursuant to government code section 54953(e).
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-011.
C. CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT
The City Council met in closed session prior to the open session.
D. CEREMONIAL MATTERS/PRESENTATIONS
None
E. REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL & CITY MANAGER
E.1. Mayor Lucan Agenda Item: Discuss Councilmember report options including what report outs Councilmembers/Community are interested in hearing; whether to move to more of an announcement format; whether everyone should be called on or just those that have a pressing matter to share; should they be kept at the beginning of the meeting or moved to the end; and keep as is, 3 minutes per councilmember to use time at their discretion, or other
Mayor Lucan opened the item, and the Council gave feedback on the format of Council Reports.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
E.2. Councilmember Eklund Agenda Item: Discuss whether to continue with Mayor for a Day program and whether there should be any changes Councilmember Eklund opened the item and explained that she felt that if the program was going to continue, it should have parameters to ensure it was equitable. It was generally felt that Councilmember Eklund and Mayor Lucan should work with the City Manager on program options, and that the item should come back to Council at a future date for further discussion.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Athas, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to have Councilmember Eklund work with Mayor Lucan and City Manager Adam McGill to put together a staff report to bring an item on a future agenda at the end of March or the first part of April.
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
E.3. City Council Subcommittee on Homelessness Report Out Public Works Director-City Engineer Chris Blunk gave a brief presentation on the temporary camp at Lee Gerner Park.
E.4. Reports from the City Council and the City Manager The City Council gave reports on meetings and events they had attended.
F. PUBLIC COMMENT
1. Jason Sarris
G. CONSENT CALENDAR
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Wernick and seconded by Councilmember Eklund, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Consent Calendar.
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
G.1. Waive reading and authorize introductions and/or adoption of ordinances by title only This was a standard procedural action so that the City Council did not have to read ordinances in their entirety
G.2. Approve the closed and open session City Council meeting minutes of January 25, 2022
The City Council approved the closed and open session meeting minutes of January 25, 2022.
G.3. Adopt Ordinance 1679 repealing and reenacting Appendix A to Section 2-
22.1 of the Novato Municipal Code relating to the Conflict of Interest Code, to add, delete or change specific employee position titles The City Council adopted Ordinance 1679.
G.4. Adopt a resolution: 1) Authorizing the City Manager to accept a grant from the Transportation Authority of Marin in the amount of $4,500 and execute a contract with Cool the Earth in the amount of $4,500 and make minor changes to form; and 2) Amending budget resolution No. 2021-054 revenues and appropriations accordingly.
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-016.
G.5. Adopt a resolution supporting the City of Novato’s participation in the Institute for Local Government’s Beacon Program
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-017.
H. UNFINISHED AND OTHER BUSINESS
There were no items listed for this section.
I. PUBLIC HEARINGS
I.1. Conduct a public hearing and adopt an urgency ordinance pursuant to California Government Code section 36937(b) to establish permit requirements and standards implementing the provisions of California Senate Bill 9 (2021) and finding the ordinance to be statutorily exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Government Code sections 65852.21(j) and 66411.7(n) Planning Manager Steve Marshall presented the item and responded to Council questions. It was clarified that because this was an urgency ordinance, it would need the support of at least 4 out of 5 Councilmembers and would become effective immediately upon adoption.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Athas and seconded by Councilmember Milberg, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to adopt the urgency ordinance pursuant to California Government Code section 36937(b) to establish permit requirements and standards implementing the provisions of California Senate Bill 9 (2021) and finding the ordinance to be statutorily exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Government Code sections 65852.21(j) and 66411.7(n).
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1678.
J. GENERAL BUSINESS
J.1. Consider and discuss adopting a resolution establishing a Sustainability Commission; provide direction to staff regarding the proposed purpose, duties, and membership makeup of a Sustainability Commission Sustainability Coordinator Gretchen Schubeck and Public Works Director-City Engineer presented the item and responded to Council questions.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Noela De Frenza
2. Nicole Tai
3. Melissa Havel
4. Stefano Simonetto
5. Tim Blofeld
Staff explained that the item would return at a future meeting for adoption, and Council gave feedback on changes they would like to see in the establishing resolution.
At 8:37 p.m. the City Council took a brief recess and returned at 8:50 p.m.
J.2. Consider adopting a resolution authorizing the implementation of a COVID19 Pandemic Pay Program for Fiscal Year 2021-22 and Fiscal Year 2022-23, authorize transfer of American Rescue Plan Act dollars to the FY21-22 operating budget to fund the program, and direct staff to include program funding in the FY22-23 operating budget.
Assistant City Manager Jessica Deakyne presented the item and Council discussed the program as proposed.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Wes Carroll
2. Josh Wax
3. Alexandra Kambur
4. Sue Dabanian
5. Nick Frey
6. Alex Mueller
It was recognized that Police Department staffing and employee retention needed to be addressed. It was generally felt that the pandemic pay program should be adopted as presented, but that an item should be added to the next City Council Agenda regarding options for a possible market equity adjustment for the Police Department.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Athas, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to adopt the resolution authorizing the implementation of a COVID-19 Pandemic Pay Program for Fiscal Year 2021-22 and Fiscal Year 2022-23, authorize transfer of American Rescue Plan Act dollars to the FY21-22 operating budget to fund the program, and direct staff to include program funding in the FY22-23 operating budget.
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-018 COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Athas and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Wernick, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to direct staff to come back next week with some options on a possible market equity adjustment and other options for the Police Department along with information on what is currently occurring there in terms of the employee situation, possible departures, recruitment and any other information that the Council would like.
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried
J.3. Consider and possibly appoint Councilmembers to serve on the BayWave Steering Committee and the Marin County Council of Mayor’s and Councilmembers City/County Services Subcommittee.
City Clerk Laura McDowall opened the item and Council discussed their appointments. It was suggested that Councilmember Eklund serve as the regular BayWave Steering Committee representative and Denise Athas serve as the alternate, and that Mayor Lucan and Councilmember Milberg should serve on the MCCMC City/County Services Subcommittee.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Lucan and seconded by Councilmember Athas, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to appoint Councilmember Eklund as the representative to serve on the BayWave Steering Committee
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Milberg, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to appoint Councilmember Athas to serve as the Alternate on the BayWave Steering Committee
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Athas, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to appoint Mayor Lucan and Councilmember Milberg to the MCCMC City/County Services Subcommittee.
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
K. COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES AND BOARDS (CCB’S) APPOINTMENTS There were no items for this section.
L. WORK STUDY SESSION
There were no items for this section
M. ADJOURNMENT
At 9:49 p.m., the City Council adjourned the meeting in memory of Paul Ahearn, Paul Terrell, Dr. Ray Barrett, Linda Tassano and Lynn Perry.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and adopted at the Novato City Council regular meeting of March 8, 2022. ___________________
Laura McDowall
City Clerk