NOVATO CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
901 SHERMAN AVENUE
NOVATO, CA 94945
April 8, 2025 – 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 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, Community Development Director Clare Hartman, Interim Public Works Director Tim Burke, Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Katie Gauntlett, Finance Director Carla Carvalho-DeGraff, Principal Management Analyst Jennifer Maldonado, 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. Proclamation: National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week Novato Police Department Dispatchers were present to accept.
C.2. Proclamation: Novato Police Department Response Recognition Members of the Novato Police Department accepted the proclamation and Aggie Freeman said words of appreciation on behalf of the Burkes family.
D. APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Farac, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Final Agenda.
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
E. REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL & CITY MANAGER
E.1. Councilmember Farac Proposed Agenda Item - Economic Development and Grant Funding Initiatives
Mayor Pro Tem Farac gave a brief presentation. It was generally felt that the item should return at a future meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Milberg and seconded by Councilmember Jacobs, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to add the item to a future agenda.
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
E.2. City Council and City Manager Reports
The City Council gave reports on meetings and events they had attended.
F. PUBLIC COMMENT
1. Mary-Joe Walker
2. Morgan Chang
3. Archie Held
4. Rachel Hundley
G. CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor O’Connor announced he would be pulling item G.5, which would be placed at the end of the agenda
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Farac, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Consent Calendar with item G.5 removed and placed at the end of the agenda.
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 closed and open session meeting minutes of March 25, 2025 The City Council approved the closed and open session meeting minutes of March 25, 2025.
G.3. Adopt a resolution approving an updated City Council Policy Manual adding procedures for “motions to reconsider”
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-028.
G.4. Receive and file a letter of opposition to Senate Bill 79 (Wiener) signed by the Mayor sent in response to a League of California Cities Action Alert The City Council received and filed the letter of opposition.
G.5. Adopt a resolution approving the Finance Advisory Commission’s Workplan for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2024/25
This item was removed from the Consent Calendar and placed at the end of the agenda.
G.6. Receive and file the City of Novato's third quarter payment register report for the month of January, February, and March 2025
The City Council received and filed the report.
G.7. Adopt a resolution amending and restating Resolution 2022-093 to update the responsibilities and composition of the Housing and Homeless Committee
The City Council adopted Resolution No.2025-030.
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
There were no items listed for this section.
K. COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES AND BOARDS (CCB’S) APPOINTMENTS There were no items for this section.
L. WORK STUDY SESSION
L.1. Receive information and provide recommendations on the Fiscal Year 2025/26 operating budget and capital improvement program Finance Director Carla Carvalho-DeGraff, Principal Management Analyst Jennifer Maldonado and Interim Public Works Director Tim Burke presented the item and responded to Council questions along with City Manager Amy Cunningham, Community Development Director Clare Hartman and Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Katie Gauntlett.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
The City Council gave direction to staff on the creation of the Fiscal Year 2025/26 operating budget and capital improvement program.
ITEMS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR
G.5. Adopt a resolution approving the Finance Advisory Commission’s Workplan for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2024/25
Mayor O’Connor explained that he pulled the item from the Consent Calendar to get clarification on portions of the Workplan. It was generally felt that some items overlapped with the Economic Development Advisory Commission (EDAC) and that the items related to Cannabis and Marin Valley Mobile Country Club were outside of the Commission’s scope.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Mayor O’Connor and seconded by Councilmember Jacobs, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to adopt the resolution approving the Finance Advisory Commission’s Workplan for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2024/25, removing the EDAC, cannabis and MVMCC items with the understanding that Staff will return and give them updates as they become available.
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-029.
M. ADJOURNMENT
The City Council adjourned the meeting at 7:57 p.m.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and adopted at the Novato City Council regular meeting of April 22, 2025.
/Laura McDowall/
___________________
Laura McDowall, City Clerk