NOVATO CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
901 SHERMAN AVENUE
NOVATO, CA 94945
January 24, 2023 – 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 Wernick leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
COUNCIL PRESENT: Mayor Susan Wernick, Mayor Pro Tempore Mark Milberg, Councilmember Pat Eklund, and Councilmember Rachel Farac COUNCIL ABSENT: District 3 Vacant
STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Adam McGill, Community Development Director Vicki Parker, City Attorney Gary Bell and City Clerk Laura McDowall B. CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT
The City Council met in closed session prior to open session.
C. CEREMONIAL MATTERS/PRESENTATIONS
C.1. Proclamation: Judy Arnold
Former Marin County Supervisor Judy Arnold received a proclamation from the City Council and a token of appreciation from Cheryl Paddack, Chief Executive Officer of North Marin Community Services.
D. APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Mayor Pro Tem Milberg and seconded by Councilmember Eklund, the City Council voted 4-0-1 via roll call to approve the Final Agenda, with the District 3 seat vacant.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, MILBERG, WERNICK
NOES: NONE
VACANT: DISTRICT 3
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. Sophia Osotio
G. CONSENT CALENDAR
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Farac, the City Council voted 4-0-1 via roll call to approve the Consent Calendar, with the District 3 seat vacant.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, MILBERG, WERNICK
NOES: NONE
VACANT: DISTRICT 3
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. Adopt a resolution accepting the Rowland Blvd. Improvement Project, CIP #21-005, as complete and amending Budget Resolution No. 2022-065 to add $46,508.67 of Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account funding to the project budget
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2023-006.
G.3. Introduce an ordinance repealing and reenacting Appendix A to Section 2-
22.1 of the Novato Municipal Code relating to the Conflict of Interest Code to add the Housing and Homeless Committee and update the name of the Finance Advisory Commission
The City Council introduced Ordinance 1697.
G.4. Authorize the City Manager to make minor modifications and execute a contract in an amount not to exceed $219,215.00 to Control Systems West to upgrade the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (“SCADA”) system for Hamilton Stormwater Pump Stations 1 & 2 as a part of Capital Improvement Project #23-002 and find that the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to Title 14 CCR Section 15301 Class 1- Existing Facilities
The City Council authorized the City Manager to make minor modifications and execute the agreement.
H. UNFINISHED AND OTHER BUSINESS
There were no items listed for this section.
I. PUBLIC HEARINGS
I.1. Conduct a public hearing to consider adoption of a resolution approving an Addendum to the Novato General Plan 2035 Certified EIR and adoption of findings relating thereto; and, consider adoption of a resolution amending Novato General Plan 2035 by adopting the 6th Cycle Housing Element Update covering the planning period of 2023-2031
Community Development Director Vicki Parker opened the item and introduced Katherine Green from Rincon Consulting and David Bergman and Ethan Stan from Lisa Wise Consultants who gave the presentation.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Judy Slater and John Caye
2. Laura Giacomini
3. Karen Andresen
4. Constanza
5. Jenny Silva
6. Jason Sarris
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Milberg, the City Council voted 4-0-1 via roll call, with District 3 vacant, to adopt a resolution approving a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) addendum to the Novato General Plan 2035 Certified EIR (“Certified EIR”) for the 6th Cycle Housing Element Update covering the period 2023-2031 and adopting findings relating thereto.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, MILBERG, WERNICK
NOES: NONE
VACANT: DISTRICT 3
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2023-004.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Mayor Pro Tem Milberg and seconded by Councilmember Farac, the City Council voted 4-0-1 via roll call, with District 3 vacant, to adopt a resolution amending Novato General Plan 2035 by adopting the 6th Cycle Housing Element Update covering the planning period 2023-2031.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, MILBERG, WERNICK
NOES: NONE
VACANT: DISTRICT 3
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2023-005.
The City Council took a brief recess at 7:36pm and reconvened at 7:44pm.
J. GENERAL BUSINESS
J.1. Consider and provide direction to staff regarding filling the vacant City Council seat in District 3 by either:
1) Directing staff to begin the process for the City Council to make an appointment to fill the seat for the unexpired term; or 2) Directing staff to begin the process to call for a Special Election to be held on November 7, 2023 or, if conditions are met, by all-mail ballot on August 29, 2023
City Clerk Laura McDowall gave the presentation and reviewed three potential timeline options which could be used if the Council chose to fill the vacancy through an appointment process. Option A set the application period to open on January 25, 2023 and close on February 8, 2023, with interviews and a possible appointment being scheduled for the City Council meeting of February 14, 2023.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Erin Lacey
2. Emily Larsen
3. Laura Giacomini
It was generally felt that the City Council should move forward with the appointment process using Option A. A suggestion was made to use the application included in the packet, but instead of using the published interview questions each Councilmember would submit two interview questions to the City Manager. Additionally, the candidates would be asked to wait in a separate location until it was their turn to interview so that they would not hear the interviews questions in advance.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Farac and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Milberg, the City Council voted 4-0-1 via roll call, with the District 3 seat vacant, to move forward with the appointment process using Option A.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, MILBERG, WERNICK
NOES: NONE
VACANT: DISTRICT 3
Motion carried.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Milberg, the City Council voted 4-0-1 via roll call, with the District 3 seat vacant, to use the application provided by staff and have Council come up with two questions, to work with staff to make sure they pass legal, to set a deadline to submit the questions to staff by Friday, January 27, 2023, to have Council personally asking those questions, and to request the applicants not to come in until their name is called.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, MILBERG, WERNICK
NOES: NONE
VACANT: DISTRICT 3
Motion carried.
J.2. Discussion regarding the City Council Policy Manual Subcommittee and consideration and possible appointment of two Councilmembers to a City Council Policy Manual Ad Hoc Committee to review and make recommendations to the City Council regarding amendments to the City Council Policy Manual, with a timeline for completion and the committee to be disbanded when such recommendations are made
City Attorney Gary Bell presented the item and responded to Council questions.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Milberg, the City Council voted 4-0-1 via roll call, with the District 3 seat vacant, to change the name to a Council Policy Manual AD Hoc Committee with Mayor Wernick and Councilmember Eklund to remain on it for a year at the end of which either it will be disbanded or continued depending on Council’s decision, and if continued would then be a Standing Committee.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, MILBERG, WERNICK
NOES: NONE
VACANT: DISTRICT 3
Motion carried.
K. COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES AND BOARDS (CCB’S) APPOINTMENTS K.1. Consideration and possible appointment of 7 members to the City Council’s Housing and Homeless Committee
City Clerk Laura McDowall gave the presentation, and the City Council appointed the following members to the Housing and Homeless Committee:
1. Mark Brand
2. David Fariello
3. Lucie Hollingsworth
4. Elissa Lasserre
5. Jennifer Mallow
6. Will Meecham
7. Jason Sarris
L. WORK STUDY SESSION
There were no items for this section
M. ADJOURNMENT
At 9:16pm, the City Council adjourned the meeting in memory of Paul and Bonnie Mamalakis, Phyllis Faber and Julia Wood.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and adopted at the Novato City Council regular meeting of March 14, 2023.
/Laura McDowall/
___________________
Laura McDowall
City Clerk