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City Council
Agenda
901 SHERMAN AVENUE
NOVATO, CA 94945
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 - 6:00 PM
Mayor
Tim O’Connor
Mayor Pro Tempore
Rachel Farac
Councilmembers
Pat Eklund
Kevin Jacobs
Mark Milberg
City Manager
Amy Cunningham
City Attorney
Gary Bell
City Council meeting are usually held each month on the second and fourth Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at (415) 899-8986. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable accommodation to help ensure accessibility to this meeting.
The agenda is divided into three main sections and includes other categories covering routine business.
All references to “City Council” include those other agencies which may be listed at the top of the Agenda.
The City Council may discuss and/or take action on any or all of the items listed on the agenda irrespective of how the agenda items are described. The Council may establish and make appointments to a Council committee (made up of two Councilmembers) with respect to any item appearing on this agenda.
Supplemental Materials
Public Participation Options
Members of the Public may participate and provide public comments for the City Council as follows:
• Written public comments may be submitted via eComment. Written public comments received more than 3 hours before the start of the meeting will be distributed to the Council prior to the meeting.
Written public comments will not be read during the meeting. • In-person public comments may be made at the meeting, which are held in the Novato City Council Chambers located at 901 Sherman Avenue.
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The Mayor has the authority to rule any speaker out of order, including speakers during the Public Comment period, if the subject raised is not within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council, or during a public hearing or a general business item if the speaker is not presenting testimony or evidence relevant to the matter or if the speaker becomes disruptive to the proceedings and conduct of the meeting.
The Mayor also has the authority to order any person who willfully interrupts the meeting to be removed.
All persons are expected to conduct themselves with civility and courtesy at all times. All persons giving comments shall speak directly to the Council and address issues, not individuals. Personal attacks, cursing and outbursts from the audience in support or opposition to a speaker are not tolerated in order to foster an environment where everyone feels welcome to speak
A. CONVENE, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND ROLL CALL
B. CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT
C. CEREMONIAL MATTERS/PRESENTATIONS
C.1. Proclamation: Ed Schulze
Ed Schulze
C.2. Proclamation: Community Action Marin
Community Action Marin
C.3. Proclamation: Downtown Beautification Project Volunteers Downtown Beautification Project Volunteers
C.4. Proclamation: Fair Housing Month
Fair Housing Month
D. APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA
E. REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL & CITY MANAGER
F. PUBLIC COMMENT
All members of the public wishing to address the City Council are requested to submit a speaker card in advance to the City Clerk. (Please remember that all comment cards are PUBLIC RECORDS).
The Mayor will call the names of speakers from the cards. In addition to receiving comment from the public during the Public Comment period, the Mayor will recognize persons from the audience who wish to address the City Council on a particular agenda item at the time that item is considered by the City Council.
There is a three-minute time limit to speak although the Mayor may shorten the time based on the number of speakers or other factors. A speaker may not yield his or her time to another speaker. For issues raised during Public Comment that are not on the published agenda, except as otherwise provided under the Ralph M. Brown Act, no action can legally be taken. The City Council may direct that the item be referred to the City Manager for action or may schedule the item on a subsequent agenda.
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G. CONSENT CALENDAR
All matters listed on the Consent Calendar are considered to be routine and will be enacted by a single vote of the Council. There will be no separate discussion unless specific items are removed from the Consent Calendar for separate discussion and action. Any Councilmember may remove an item from the Consent Calendar and place it under General Business for discussion.
G.1. Waive reading and authorize introductions and/or adoption of ordinances by title only this is a standard procedural action so that the City Council does not have to read an ordinance aloud in its entirety.
G.2. Approve the closed and open session meeting minutes of April 8, 2024 Staff contact: Laura McDowall, City Clerk, 899-8986
Minutes - April 8, 2025
G.3. Accept the work as complete and authorize the City Manager, or her designee, to sign the Notice of Completion for the Grant Avenue Bridge Rehabilitation Project, CIP Project No. 09-003, Federal-Aid Project No. BHLS5361(023) Staff contact: Gosia Woodfin, Associate Engineer, 899-8246 Staff Report - Grant Ave Bridge Notice of Completion
Attachment 1 - Notice of Completion
Attachment 2 - Location Map
G.4. Adopt a resolution approving the request to apply for – and accept if awarded – the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (Byrne SCIP) grant to further fund unique crisis response, prevention, and intervention programs; and if approved and awarded, authorize the City Manager or designee to execute the grant agreement and related operating budget adjustments Staff contact: Jim Naugle, Chief of Police, 897-4361
Staff Report - Byrne SCIP Grant
Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
G.5. Adopt a resolution regarding procedures for holding public hearings and reporting on the City of Novato’s workforce vacancies, recruitment, and retention efforts in compliance with Assembly Bill (“AB”) 2561 (Gov. Code § 3502.3)
Staff contact: Eva Hilliard, Chief People Officer, 899-8900 Staff Report - AB 2561 Public Hearing Procedures
Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
Attachment 2 - Procedures for AB 2561 Public Hearings
Attachment 3 - Full text of AB 2561
H. UNFINISHED AND OTHER BUSINESS
There are no agenda items.
I. PUBLIC HEARINGS
There are no agenda items.
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J. GENERAL BUSINESS
These items include significant and administrative actions of special interest and will usually include a staff presentation and discussion by the Council. They will be acted upon by a separate vote.
J.1. Consider adopting a resolution recommending Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) project funding for Fiscal Year 2025-26 to the Countywide Priority Setting Committee and Marin County Board of Supervisors for the Novato Planning Area
Staff contact: Clare Hartman, Community Development & Economic Development Director, 899-8900
Staff Report - CDBG Funding Recommendations
Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
Attachment 2 - Exhibit A - 2025-26 Project Allocations
Attachment 3 - Project Descriptions
Attachment 4 - 2025-26 PSC Roster
Attachment 5 - 2025-26 CDBC All Funding Requests Received Presentation
J.2. Consider adopting a resolution approving the striping plan for Grant Avenue and adopting a resolution awarding the construction contract for the 2025 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation project (CIP 25-001) for the base bid plus bid alternates A1, A2, A3, A4, and A6 in the total amount of $1,674,346 to Rapid Grading Services as the lowest responsible bidder and authorize the City Manager to execute the construction contract
Staff contact: Gosia Woodfin, Associate Engineer, 899-8900 Staff Report - Grant Ave Striping & Annual Pavement Rehab Attachment 1 - Bid Abstract
Attachment 2 - Location Map
Attachment 3 - Draft Resolution - Grant Ave Striping
Attachment 4 - Draft Resolution - Construction Contract Presentation
J.3. Consider new economic development and grant initiatives and provide direction on any funding needed to accomplish these new initiatives, including the addition of an Economic Development Manager Staff contact: Amy Cunningham, City Manager, 899-8900
Staff Report - Economic Development & Grant Initiatives Attachment 1 - Farac Proposed Agenda Item
Attachment 2 - 2023-2025 Adopted Strategic Plan
K. COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES AND BOARDS (CCB’S) APPOINTMENTS This section is used by the City Council to make appointments to fill vacancy/vacancies on their Commissions, Committees and Boards.
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K.1. Consider reviewing, discussing, and possibly making appointments for the following Commission Committee and Board seats: 4 regular seats and 1 alternate seat on the Design Review Commission, 1 regular seat on the Housing & Homeless Committee, 6 regular seats on the Multicultural Advisory Commission, 3 regular seats on the Planning Commission, 3 regular seats on the Police Advisory and Review Board, 4 regular seats on the Recreation, Cultural & Community Services Advisory Commission, and 1 regular seat on Marin County Commission on Aging
Staff contact: Laura McDowall, City Clerk, 899-8900
Staff Reports - CCB Appointments
Presentation
L. WORK STUDY SESSION
There are no agenda items.
M. ADJOURNMENT
Materials that are submitted to members of the City Council after the distribution of the agenda packet will be made available to the public at the time it is provided to the City Council.
AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING
I, Laura McDowall, certify that on the Thursday before the Council meeting of April 22, 2025, the agenda was posted on the City Community Service Board at 922 Machin Ave in Novato, California and on the City’s website at novato.org.
/Laura McDowall/
Laura McDowall, City Clerk