NOVATO CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
901 SHERMAN AVENUE
NOVATO, CA 94945
February 11, 2025 – 6:00 PM
A. CONVENE, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND ROLL CALL
The City Council meeting was called to order at 6:02 p.m., with Mayor O’Connor leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
COUNCIL PRESENT: Mayor Tim O’Connor, Mayor Pro Tempore Rachel Farac, Councilmember Pat Eklund, Councilmember Kevin Jacobs, and Councilmember Mark Milberg
STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Amy Cunningham, Police Chief Jim Naugle, Community Development Director Clare Hartman, Sustainability Coordinator II Gretchen Schubeck, City Attorney Gary Bell and City Clerk Laura McDowall B. CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT
The City Council met in Closed Session prior to the open session; there was nothing to report out.
C. CEREMONIAL MATTERS/PRESENTATIONS
C.1. Sustainability Dashboard Presentation
Sustainability Coordinator II Gretchen Schubeck gave the presentation.
D. APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA
Mayor O’Connor suggested moving City Manager and Council reports to the end of the meeting and removing item J.2 from the agenda to return at a future date.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Mayor O’Connor and seconded by Councilmember Eklund, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Final Agenda, with City Manager and Council reports moved to the end of the agenda and item J.2 removed..
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
E. REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL & CITY MANAGER
This item was moved to the end of the agenda.
F. PUBLIC COMMENT
1. Dean Moser
2. Bill Davis
3. Helen Fauss
4. Lauren Vreeland-Long
5. Jeremy Hogan
6. Jason Sarris
7. David Fariello
8. Will Meecham
9. Robbie Powelson
10. Mike Little
11. Lovely Wine
G. CONSENT CALENDAR
Councilmember Eklund requested item G.6 be pulled from the agenda and brought back at the next meeting, to which the Council agreed.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Jacobs, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Consent Calendar with item G.6 removed.
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
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. Approve the City Council closed session, workshop and open session meeting minutes of January 14, 2025
The City Council approved the closed session, workshop and open session meeting minutes of January 14, 2025.
G.3. Approve the City Council Special Meeting Minutes of January 22, 2025 The City Council approved the special meeting minutes of January 22, 2025.
G.4. Adopt a resolution approving an amendment to the agreement with Municipal Resource Group, LLC (MRG) in the amount of $15,000 for continued ad hoc assistance with the Human Resources Division (HR), for a total contract amount not to exceed $109,500
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-011.
G.5. Adopt a resolution approving plans and specifications and authorizing bid advertisement for the roof replacement projects at the Margaret Todd Senior Center (CIP #19-006) and Downtown Recreation Center/Gymnastics Center (CIP #24-004) and finding that the projects are exempt from the requirements of CEQA pursuant to section 15302, replacement or construction The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-012.
G.6. Approve the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/26 budget calendar listing public meeting dates for the upcoming budget development process
This item was removed from the agenda to return at the next meeting.
G.7. Receive and file the Investment Report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024/25 Quarter 2 The City Council received and filed the report.
H. UNFINISHED AND OTHER BUSINESS
There were no items listed for this section.
I. PUBLIC HEARINGS
There were no items listed for this section.
J. GENERAL BUSINESS
J.1. Consider adopting a resolution approving the permanent closure of the Temporary Camp in Lee Gerner Park previously required by the terms of a 2022 Settlement Agreement between the Marin County Homeless Union and the City of Novato; and consider adopting a resolution authorizing the City Manager or their designee to execute an agreement with Integrity Construction Maintenance Inc. in the amount of $83,942.16 for construction services at Lee Gerner Park and find that the approval thereof is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to CEQA guidelines sections 15269(b) and 15301-15304 City Manager Amy Cunningham presented the item and responded to Council questions along with Police Chief Jim Naugle.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Lovely Wine
2. Bambie Klyse
3. Addie
4. Arthur Bruce
5. Jason Sarris
6. Dhalma Suarez
7. Jim Current
8. Sara McEvoy
9. Dalyla Harris
10. Robbie Powelson
11. Tara Evans
12. Pat Langley
13. Jason Clymer
14. Lucie Hollingsworth
15. Heidi
16. John Fitzgerald
17. Jenn Mallow
18. Geno Meyer
19. Joyce Rhodes
20. Paula Neese
21. Craig McCurdy
22. Cheri Graham
23. David Tillotson
24. Mike Little
25. James Styles
26. Regina Bianucci-Rus
27. Michael Williams
28. Jessica Paige-Schneider
29. Martina Koeckritz
The City Council took a recess at 8:20 pm and returned at 8:32pm.
It was decided to take action on the resolution authorizing the City Manager or their designee to execute an agreement with Integrity Construction Maintenance, Inc first.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Farac, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to adopt the resolution authorizing the City Manager or their designee to execute an agreement with Integrity Construction Maintenance Inc. in the amount of $83,942.16 for construction services at Lee Gerner Park and find that the approval thereof is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to CEQA guidelines sections 15269(b) and 15301-15304
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-014.
City Council discussion ensued regarding the closure of the park. The City Council gave direction to Staff to revise the resolution approving the permanent closure of the Temporary Camp in Lee Gerner Park before it was executed to give the campers sixty (60) days, with an additional thirty (30) days of delayed enforcement if needed in the discretion of the Chief of Police; that the delayed enforcement would be limited to the residents of the Temporary Camp who were admitted following all procedures as of July 30, 2024; and that Staff work closely with Marin County and other service providers to connect current residents with appropriate services and to expedite an intake process where appropriate. Staff confirmed they would make the revisions as directed before the resolution was executed.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Mayor O’Connor, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to adopt the resolution approving the permanent closure of the Temporary Camp in Lee Gerner Park previously required by the terms of a 2022 Settlement Agreement between the Marin County Homeless Union and the City of Novato, with the revision to give the campers 60 days, with an additional 30 days discretion given to the Police Department to help people work with their service providers; that City Staff is directed to work as closely as possible with the County to try to accelerate the intake process; and that this would be limited to former authorized residents, those that were admitted into Camp Compassion using the authorization process that existed with the City.
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-013.
J.2. Consider providing direction to staff regarding “motions to reconsider” and whether to amend the Council Policy Manual or use existing procedures to suspend the rules
This item was removed from the agenda.
K. COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES AND BOARDS (CCB’S) APPOINTMENTS There were no items for this section.
L. WORK STUDY SESSION
L.1. Receive a presentation, conduct a study session on Commercial Cannabis Retail Storefronts and consider providing direction to staff to further Goal #20 in the Novato City Council Strategic Plan for July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025, which states “Consider allowing licenses for Commercial Cannabis Storefront Retail”
Community Development Director Clare Hartman presented the item and responded to Council questions.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Brandon Levine
2. Dale Klein
3. Martina Koeckritz
4. Devon Wardlow
5. Mike Clarkson
It was generally felt that the City should pursue storefront retail commercial cannabis, and Council gave feedback to Staff with the understanding that specific items would return to Council at a future date.
E. REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL & CITY MANAGER
This item was moved to the end of the agenda. There were no reports given.
M. ADJOURNMENT
The City Council adjourned the meeting at 10:20 p.m.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and adopted at the Novato City Council regular meeting of February 25, 2025. /Laura McDowall/
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Laura McDowall, City Clerk