NOVATO CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
901 SHERMAN AVENUE
NOVATO, CA 94945
June 14, 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 Mayors for a day Emma and Isabella 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, Finance Director Amy Cunningham, Public Works Director-City Engineer Chris Blunk and City Clerk Laura McDowall
B. CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT
There was no closed session.
C. CEREMONIAL MATTERS/PRESENTATIONS
C.1. Proclamation: Girl Scout Gold Awards
Girl Scout Gold Award Recipients Emily Sande and Carli Wu accepted the proclamation.
C.2. Proclamation: 2021 Citizen of the Year - Ray Dwelly Ray Dwelly was present to accept the proclamation.
D. APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA
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
AYES: ATHAS, EKLUND, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
E. REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL & 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. Paula Neese
2. Andrew Giacomini
3. Paulo Lenz
4. Stenana Hendronetto
5. Daniel Keller
G. CONSENT CALENDAR
Item G.6 was pulled from the Consent Calendar and placed first under General Business.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Athas, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Consent Calendar, with item G.6 pulled from consent and placed on General Business and with Councilmember Eklund voting no and Councilmember Milberg recused from item G.4.
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 City Council open and closed session meeting minutes of April 26, 2022
The City Council approved the open and closed session meeting minutes of April 26, 2022.
G.3. Adopt Ordinance 1686 to establish and implement a Military Equipment Use Policy pursuant to California Assembly Bill 481
The City Council adopted Ordinance 1686.
G.4. Adopt Ordinance 1687 adopting amendments to the Novato Industrial Park Master Plan and Precise Development Plan (Ordinance No. 780) to establish land use definitions, development intensity limits and standards, land use controls, and permit requirements including, but not limited to, a floor area ratio of 1.2 and a building height limit of 68-feet, for life sciences organizations and life sciences organization campuses located in the Hamilton Industrial Park and Ignacio Industrial Park (units 1, 2, and 3) areas of the Novato Industrial Park
The City Council adopted Ordinance 1687.
G.5. Adopt a resolution to submit to the California Transportation Commission a list of approved capital improvement projects that are eligible for state Roadway Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account funding for Fiscal Year 2022/23
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-062.
G.6. Authorize the City Manager to sign and execute an agreement with the Novato Chamber of Commerce for tourism related services for a term of three (3) years with two additional one (1) year extensions for a potential total of five (5) years with modified financial terms, setting the first year at $180,000 with a CPI escalator for years two and three
This item was pulled from the Consent Calendar and placed under General Business.
G.7. Adopt a resolution approving updated records retention schedules The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-061.
G.8. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to sign an administrative policy allowing the use of electronic and digital signatures for City documents
The City Council adopted Resolution No.2022-060.
G.9. Approve an updated City of Novato salary schedule
The City Council approved the updated salary schedule.
G.10. Adopt a new updated job description for the Principal Management Analyst position
The City Council adopted the updated job description.
G.11. Approve new position, with associated salary schedule, of Planning Technician within the Community and Economic Development Department The City Council approved the new position with the associated salary schedule.
H. UNFINISHED AND OTHER BUSINESS
There were no items listed for this section.
I. PUBLIC HEARINGS
There were no items for this section
J. GENERAL BUSINESS
G.6. Authorize the City Manager to sign and execute an agreement with the Novato Chamber of Commerce for tourism related services for a term of three (3) years with two additional one (1) year extensions for a potential total of five (5) years with modified financial terms, setting the first year at $180,000 with a CPI escalator for years two and three
This item was pulled from the Consent Calendar and placed under General Business by request of Councilmember Eklund. City Manager McGill gave a brief overview of the item the City Council discussed the proposed agreement.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Steve Jordan
2. Coree Cameron
3. Garett Grialou
4. Stephanie Khoeler
Suggestions were made on possible updates to the agreement, however it was generally felt that it should remain as presented, except for an edit to Section 8 to strike the words ‘if applicable’.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Athas and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Wernick, the City Council voted 4-1 via roll call to approve the agreement as-is with the edit to Section 8 to strike the words ‘if applicable’ with Councilmember Eklund voting no.
AYES: ATHAS, MILBERG, WERNICK, LUCAN
NOES: EKLUND
Motion carried.
The City Council took a brief recess between 7:28pm and 7:35pm.
I.1. Hold a budget hearing, receive public comment on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022/23 Preliminary Operating and Capital Improvement Budgets, and provide any final direction to Staff, including how to backfill the preliminary deficit. A recommendation for adoption of the Operating and Capital Budgets will be presented to the City Council on June 28, 2022 Finance Director Amy Cunningham and Public Works Director-City Engineer Chris Blunk gave a presentation and received feedback from the City Council on the creation of the budget.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Zachary Griggy
It was suggested that funds be allocated to explore technology upgrades for Commission, Committee and Board teleconference meetings through a platform such as Zoom, however it was generally felt that the item should wait until a decision was made on pending state legislation which would affect a legislative body’s ability to meet remotely.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Milberg, the City Council voted 2-3 via roll call to set $10,000 aside to explore the possibility of adding Zoom to boards and commissions.
AYES: EKLUND, MILBERG
NOES: ATHAS, WERNICK, LUCAN
Motion failed.
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 9:01pm, the City Council adjourned the meeting in memory of Gerald Scullion I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and adopted at the Novato City Council regular meeting of August 23, 2022. /Laura McDowall/
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Laura McDowall
City Clerk