NOVATO CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
901 SHERMAN AVENUE
NOVATO, CA 94945
September 10, 2024 – 6:00 PM
A. CONVENE, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND ROLL CALL
The City Council meeting was called to order at 6:03 p.m., with Mayor Milberg leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
COUNCIL PRESENT: Mayor Mark Milberg, Mayor Pro Tempore Tim O’Connor Councilmember Pat Eklund, Councilmember Rachel Farac, and Councilmember Susan Wernick
STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Amy Cunningham, Assistant City Manager Jessica Deakyne, Public Works Director Nick Nguyen, Finance Director Carla Carvalho-Degraff, Principal Management Analyst Sullina Smith, Accountant II Natalie Moline and City Clerk Laura McDowall
STAFF ATTENDING REMOTE: City Attorney Gary Bell
B. CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT
There was no closed session.
C. CEREMONIAL MATTERS/PRESENTATIONS
C.1. Proclamation - Lt. Chris Jacob Retirement
Lt. Chris Jacob accepted the proclamation, and the City Council thanked him for his years of service.
C.2 Presentation from the Transportation Authority of Marin regarding the progress of the Marin-Sonoma Bike Share Program
Anne Richman and Scott McDonald from Transportation Authority of Marin gave the presentation.
D. APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA
Councilmember Eklund announced that she would be pulling items G.3 and G.4 from the Consent Calendar, which would be placed at the end of General Business.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem O’Connor, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Final Agenda with items G.3 and G.4 pulled from the Consent Calendar and placed under General Business.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, WERNICK, O’CONNOR, MILBERG
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
E. REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL & CITY MANAGER
E.1. Farac Proposed Agenda Item - Proposal for Staff to Draft and Implement a Construction Management Plan Process
Councilmember Farac presented the item and responded to Council questions. It was generally felt that the item should be added to a future meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Wernick, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to add the item to a future agenda.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, WERNICK, O’CONNOR, MILBERG
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
E.2 Reports from City Council and City Manager
City Manager Cunningham reported on various City matters and the City Council gave reports on meetings and events they had attended.
F. PUBLIC COMMENT
1. Bernie Meyers
G. CONSENT CALENDAR
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Mayor Pro Tem O’Connor and seconded by Councilmember Farac, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Consent Calendar, with items G.3 and G.4 pulled from the Consent Calendar and placed under General Business.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, WERNICK, O’CONNOR, MILBERG
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 aloud in their entirety.
G.2. Adopt ordinance 1718 approving amendments to Novato Municipal Code Chapter V (Development Standards) regarding certain requirements for conversions of rental apartments to condominiums and Chapter XIX (Zoning) addressing affordable housing and density bonus unit calculations, low barrier navigation centers (LBNC) and supportive housing, farmworker housing, and single-room occupancy (SRO) facilities, and finding the amendments to be exempt from additional California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 and Section 15061(b)(3) The City Council adopted Ordinance 1718.
G.3. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute agreements for oncall as-needed municipal engineering, design and construction management services with BKF Engineers, Coastland DCCM, CSW-ST2, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., Pavement Engineering Inc., Schaaf and Wheeler Consulting Engineers, Sidell Pakravan Architects, Verde Design, Inc., and W-Trans for a period not-to-exceed three years in an amount not-to-exceed $1,000,000 per consultant
This item was pulled from the Consent Calendar and placed under General Business.
G.4. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute agreements for oncall as-needed maintenance services with the following contractors: ACCO Engineered Systems, DC Construction, Inc., DC Electric Group Inc., Land Revision, Natalini Industries LLC, SkyView Tree Experts Inc., Valentine Corporation, and West Coast Arborists Inc. for a period not-to-exceed three years in an amount not-to-exceed $300,000 per contractor per agreement This item was pulled from the Consent Calendar and placed under General Business.
G.5. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager or their designee to execute an Agreement with the County of Marin, to be implemented through the Marin County Office of Emergency Management (OEM), for emergency services coordination, prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery mitigation efforts of the Marin Operational Area and Political Subdivisions at an annual cost of $15,000
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-079.
G.6. Adopt a resolution approving an updated job description of Plan Check Engineer in the Community Development Department and the associated salary schedule
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-080.
G.7. Adopt a resolution authorizing participation in the National Opioid Settlement and authorize the City Manager to execute the related participation agreements The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-081.
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
J.1. Consider adopting a resolution to approve the annual investment policy update and provide Staff with investment strategy direction Accountant II Natalie Moline opened the item and introduced Allison Kaune from PFM Asset Management who gave the presentation. Accountant Moline, Ms. Kaune and Finance Director Carla Carvalho-Degraff responded to Council questions.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Farac, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to make the changes that were recommended by Staff and the Finance Commission.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, WERNICK, O’CONNOR, MILBERG
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-082.
The City Council took a brief recess between 7:50pm and 7:58pm.
J.2. Consider adopting a resolution accepting the Novato Chamber of Commerce Annual Tourism Committee Report for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 and Tourism Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025
Garrett Grialou and Michale Vacarro from the Novato Tourism Committee and Coy Smith, CEO of the Novato Chamber of Commerce presented the report and responded to Council questions.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Mayor Pro Tem O’Connor and seconded by Councilmember Eklund, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to adopt the resolution accepting the Novato Chamber of Commerce Annual Tourism Committee Report for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 and Tourism Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, WERNICK, O’CONNOR, MILBERG
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-083.
The City Council took a recess at 9:09pm and returned at 9:16pm.
J.3 Consider adopting a resolution accepting the Novato Economic Development Advisory Commission Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Economic Development Advisory Commission member Harry Thomas presented the work plan.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Wernick the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to adopt the resolution accepting the Novato Economic Development Advisory Commission Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2024-2025.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, WERNICK, O’CONNOR, MILBERG
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-084.
J.4 Receive an update on the Community Sponsorship Program for FY 2023-2024 Principal Management Analyst Sullina Smith gave the presentation and responded to Council questions along with Assistant City Manager Jessica Deakyne.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Mayor Pro Tem O’Connor and seconded by Councilmember Eklund, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to accept the update.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, WERNICK, O’CONNOR, MILBERG
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
ITEMS PULLED FROM CONSENT
G.3. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute agreements for oncall as-needed municipal engineering, design and construction management services with BKF Engineers, Coastland DCCM, CSW-ST2, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., Pavement Engineering Inc., Schaaf and Wheeler Consulting Engineers, Sidell Pakravan Architects, Verde Design, Inc., and W-Trans for a period not-to-exceed three years in an amount not-to-exceed $1,000,000 per consultant.
G.4. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute agreements for oncall as-needed maintenance services with the following contractors: ACCO Engineered Systems, DC Construction, Inc., DC Electric Group Inc., Land Revision, Natalini Industries LLC, SkyView Tree Experts Inc., Valentine Corporation, and West Coast Arborists Inc. for a period not-to-exceed three years in an amount not-to-exceed $300,000 per contractor per agreement Councilmember Eklund explained that she pulled items G.3 and G.4 to receive clarification on the costs associated with each agreement. Public Works Director Nicholas Nguyen gave an overview of the items and clarified that there were some projects planned under the agreements that were time sensitive.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
It was agreed that the agreements with BKF Engineers, Coastland DCCM, and Sidell Pakravan Architects in a not-to-exceed amount of $500,000 per consultant, and an agreement with DC Electric Group in a not-to-exceed amount of $100,000, should move forward. The rest of the agreements would return to Council at a future date.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Mayor Milberg and seconded by Councilmember Eklund, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve agreements with BKF Engineers, Sidell Pakravan Architects and Coastland DCCM for a not-to-exceed amount of $500,000.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, WERNICK, O’CONNOR, MILBERG
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-085.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem O’Connor, the City Council voted 4-1 via roll call to approve an agreement with DC Electric Group for a not-to-exceed amount of $100,000, with Councilmember Wernick voting no.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, O’CONNOR, MILBERG
NOES: WERNICK
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-086.
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 10:19pm the City Council adjourned the meeting in memory of Dr. Dietz.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and adopted at the Novato City Council regular meeting of October 8, 2024. /Laura McDowall/
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Laura McDowall, City Clerk