NOVATO CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
901 SHERMAN AVENUE
NOVATO, CA 94945
April 12, 2022 – 6:00 PM
A. CONVENE, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND ROLL CALL
The City Council meeting was called to order at 6:00 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, Community and Economic Development Director Vicki Parker, Assistant City Attorney Gary Bell and City Clerk Laura McDowall
B. CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT
A closed session was scheduled upon adjournment of open session.
C. CEREMONIAL MATTERS/PRESENTATIONS
C.1. Proclamation: North Marin Community Services 50 Year Anniversary North Marin Community Services CEO Cheryl Paddack, Board President Rick van Adelsberg, past board president Charlotte Shell and other founders, staff and board members were present to accept the proclamation.
C.2. Proclamation: Public Safety Telecommunicators Week Interim Police Chief Hank Schreeder and Dispatcher Supervisor Liz Greiner accepted the proclamation.
D. APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Athas and seconded by Councilmember Eklund, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Final Agenda.
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
E. REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL & CITY MANAGER
E.1. Proposed Agenda Item from Councilmember Eklund and Mayor Lucan:
Discuss requiring all electric vehicle charging stations funded by City of Novato be installed by a contractor with at least one electrician on each crew who holds an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) certification
Councilmember Eklund and Mayor Lucan gave an overview of the proposed item.
It was suggested that the item be brought back after the budget was adopted.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Chris Carpiniello
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Milberg, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve an agenda item to discuss requiring all electric vehicle charging stations funded by City of Novato be installed by a contractor with at least one electrician on each crew who holds an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) certification, to return to Council after the budget was adopted.
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
E.2. Reports from the City Council and the City Manager City Manager McGill reported on various City matters and the City Council gave reports on meetings and events they had attended.
F. PUBLIC COMMENT
1. Theodora Scarato
2. Paula Neese
3. Steve Glanz
4. Piper Perreault
5. Phillip Wyatt
6. Marielle Sablan
7. Caralyn Lenert
8. Dan Maher
9. Jeannie Jarnot
10.Chris Carpiniello
11.Paul G
12.Robert Cameron
G. CONSENT CALENDAR
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Athas 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 an ordinance in its entirety
G.2. Approve the closed session meeting minutes of March 8, 2022 The City Council approved the closed session meeting minutes of March 8, 2022.
G.3. Adopt three (3) resolutions approving Commercial Cannabis Conditional Certificate(s) to:
1. Marin Haven, LLC. for a non-storefront retail cannabis business located at 4 Commercial Boulevard; and
2. CB Labs, Inc. for a cannabis testing laboratory located at 1615 Hill Road, #9-10; and
3. Velvet Fog Cannabis Co., Inc., for a cannabis microbusiness with manufacturing, distribution and non-storefront retail located at 11 Digital Drive, Suite D
The City Council adopted Resolutions 2022-039, 2022-042 and 2022-043.
G.4. Adopt a resolution of the City Council of the City of Novato authorizing the update of the City of Novato salary schedule including a 1.5% increase in base wages for Units A, B, & H
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-041.
G.5. Adopt a resolution increasing the Parks, Recreation and Community Services (PRCS) department staffing allocation from 15.2 to 16.2 to include an additional 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) Senior Office Assistant, and moving the existing part-time Senior Office Assistant hours currently in the Community Development Department to PRCS to improve customer service at city administrative offices in the FY2021-22 budget
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-040.
G.6. Approve a letter to the Novato Sanitary District (NSD) regarding the solid waste franchise and areas of mutual interest where the City would like to strengthen its partnership with NSD, many of which align with its strategic plan goal of Environmental Stewardship
The City Council approved the letter.
G.7. Authorize the Mayor to sign a letter of support for Assembly Bill 1814 (Grayson) Transportation electrification: community choice aggregators The City Council authorized the Mayor to sign the letter of support for AB 1814.
G.8. Authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to support Homeward Bound’s application for Community Project Funding for the Workforce and Veteran’s Housing Project on the HUD Parcel located at 1385 North Hamilton Parkway, APN 157-970-07
The City Council authorized the Mayor to sign the letter of support for Homeward Bound’s application for Community Project Funding.
H. UNFINISHED AND OTHER BUSINESS
There were no items listed for this section.
I. PUBLIC HEARINGS
I.1. Consider and possibly take action to introduce an ordinance amending sections of Chapter XXI of the Novato Municipal Code related to the Novato Political Fairness Campaign Act
Assistant City Attorney Gary Bell presented the item and responded to Council questions. Councilmember Athas, Mayor Pro Tem Wernick and Mayor Lucan disclosed that they have met with former Councilmember Bernie Meyers regarding this item.
PUBLIC COMMENT
1. Bernie Meyers
It was suggested that the ordinance be updated to modify the campaign contribution limits to $750, to be increased by the CPI on June 1 before the General Municipal Election and ninety days before a special election for contributions to candidates, candidates’ controlled committees, and to retain the requirement that candidates and a candidate’s controlled committee file a late contribution report within 24 hours, if received from any source during the 90- day period before an election, and revise the reporting threshold to include all contributions of $500 or more.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Milberg, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to introduce an ordinance amending sections of Chapter XXI of the Novato Municipal Code related to the Novato Political Fairness Campaign Act, with changes.
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council introduced the ordinance.
J. GENERAL BUSINESS
J.1. Conduct a study session regarding development of the Fiscal Year 2022/23 operating budget and provide initial budget development direction to Staff Finance Director Amy Cunningham presented the item, and the City Council gave feedback on budget direction.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Nina Zhito
2. Chris Carpiniello
The City Council took a brief recess at 9:10 pm and reconvened at 9:19 pm.
J.2. Receive and submit for filing the 2021 Annual Progress Report for the Housing Element of the City’s General Plan to the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR)
Community and Economic Development Director Vicki Parker presented the item and reviewed the report.
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 receive and submit for filing the 2021 Annual Progress Report for the Housing Element of the City’s General Plan to the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR).
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
J.3. Review and evaluate the City’s Commissions, Committees and Boards to identify efficiencies and ensure alignment with the City Council’s goals and objectives, including possibly providing direction to staff on items such as an updated CCB recruitment interview process, restricting members to serve on only one (1) Commission, Committee or Board at a time, implementing residency requirements, reviewing the terms and use of alternates, discussing the Streetscape Committee’s scope and establishing resolution and discussing the possibility of merging the Novato Citizen’s Finance/Oversight Committee with the Economic Development Advisory Commission and/or changing the Novato Citizen’s Finance/Oversight Committee’s name
City Clerk Laura McDowall opened the item and the Council discussed potential changes to their Commissions, Committees and Boards. It was decided to implement a policy to limit members to serving on only one Commission, Committee or Board at a time, to direct that Alternates receive all agenda items when they are provided to regular members, to ensure they are called when a vacancy occurs, and to assign them as Alternate 1, Alternate 2, etc. during the recruitment process to determine the order in which they are called. It was suggested that alternates be required to attend all meetings, however there was not consensus to implement this provision.
Council gave direction to remove the termination clause in the Novato Streetscape Committee and have the Committee work on updating their mission and scope and bring it back to Council at a future meeting for discussion and adoption. The Council further directed Staff to implement a 3-year term for the Housing, Zoning and Building Codes Appeals Board and add additional information to the ordinance on qualifications to serve. It was clarified that an amended ordinance would return at a future meeting for adoption.
The City Council asked Staff to do further research on the implications of creating a residency restriction requiring Commission, Committee and Board members to live within City limits and the use of alternates and bring an item back for further discussion. Additionally, Council gave direction to track attendance and bring an item updating attendance requirements, if needed.
It was suggested that the Novato Citizens Finance Oversight/Advisory Committee and the Economic Development Advisory Committee be merged, however it was generally felt that the two bodies should remain separate. It was further suggested that Staff research whether the ballot language of Measure C would allow the Novato Citizens Finance Oversight/Advisory Committee’s name to be change, and to return to Council for further discussion.
The Council discussed options to hold interviews for applicants who applied during the Spring 2022 Recruitment, and there was consensus to implement a pilot program in which the Council would review submitted application materials and reach out to candidates directly for more information, if needed, and to make their final appointments at the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Chris Carpiniello
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Mayor Lucan and seconded by Councilmember Wernick, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to try a pilot program for applicants to be considered application materials and Council can reach out to applicants for a discussion and further information, if desired.
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
J.4. Review, discuss and provide feedback on the Tentative Agenda Item list and To Be Determined Agenda Item List for the second quarter of 2022 The City Council reviewed the Tentative Agenda Item list and To Be Determined Agenda Item List for the second quarter of 2022. Council gave direction to Staff to bring back To Be Determined item number 12 regarding an ordinance related to 5G in the third quarter, and it was suggested it be brought back in September 2022.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
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 11:07 p.m., the City Council adjourned the meeting in memory of Rick Wernick.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and adopted at the Novato City Council regular meeting of May 24, 2022. /Laura McDowall/
___________________
Laura McDowall
City Clerk