NOVATO CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
901 SHERMAN AVENUE
NOVATO, CA 94945
April 22, 2025 – 6:00 PM
A. CONVENE, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND ROLL CALL
The City Council meeting was called to order at 6:10 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, Interim Public Works Director Tim Burke, Community Development Director Clare Hartman, Associate Engineer Gosia Woodfin and City Clerk Laura McDowall
STAFF PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE: City Attorney Gary Bell 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: Ed Schulze
This item was pulled from the agenda and will return at a future meeting.
C.2. Proclamation: Community Action Marin
Erin Hawkins, Vice President of Whole Family & Community Services and Community Action Marin Board Member Jennifer McInnis accepted the proclamation
C.3. Proclamation: Downtown Beautification Project Volunteers Beautification Project volunteers and members of the Public Works Department accepted the proclamation.
C.4. Proclamation: Fair Housing Month
Marco Rodriguez-Gil, Bilingual Housing Counselor for Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California accepted the proclamation.
D. APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Milberg, 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
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. Sarah Bailey
2. Clark Moretti
3. Lauro Vazquez
4. Nick Malliaras
5. Jason Dauenhauer
6. Jana Blunt
7. George Gasparini
8. Brett Walker
9. Tiffany Porter
10. Samantha Hagner
11. Rod Crow
G. CONSENT CALENDAR
Before the vote on the Consent Calendar, Councilmember Eklund suggested that Exhibit A for item G.5 be updated from reading “The City Council should recognize that engaging with diverse perspectives is vital for effective governance and a vibrant community. To ensure full expression of such diverse perspectives, the City Council should provide that participants follow the principles of respectful and civil discourse” to read “The City Council shall recognize that engaging with diverse perspectives is vital for effective governance and a vibrant community. To ensure full expression of such diverse perspectives, the City Council shall provide that participants follow the principles of respectful and civil discourse” to which the Council agreed.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Jacobs and seconded by Councilmember Eklund the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Consent Calendar, including the changes to item G.5.
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 April 8, 2024 The City Council approved the closed and open session meeting minutes of April 8, 2024.
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) The City Council accepted the work as complete and authorized the City Manager to sign the notice of competition.
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 The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-031.
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)
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-032.
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 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
Community Development Director Clare Hartman introduced Leelee Thomas and Chris Miranda from the County of Marin who presented the item and 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 adopt the 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
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-033.
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
Interim Public Works Director Tim Burke presented the item along with Associate Engineer Gosia Woodfin and reviewed three potential options for striping on Grant Avenue which were Option A: narrower travel lanes, an added bike lane along the north side of Grant Ave, shared bikes/vehicles lane along the south side of Grant Ave and retaining the parking and center turn lane; Option B: narrower travel lanes, adding bike lanes with a buffer along both sides of Grant Ave, eliminating parking along the south side of Grant Ave and retaining the center turn lane; and Option C: narrower travel lanes, adding bike lanes with a buffer along both sides of Grant Ave, retaining parking along both sides of Grant Ave except where the road narrows near 8th street and eliminating the center turn lane.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Bryna Holland
2. Barbara Slack
3. Sara Terkaly
4. Carrie Scrimshire
5. Sean Tweedie
6. Charlotte Hodde
7. Imee Harsuvanakit
8. Jefferson Reyes Diaz
9. Dale Kline
10. Joakim Osthus
11. Casey Ward
12. Stephanie Koehler
Discussion ensued on the various striping options for Grant Ave. The Council agreed that bike lanes would be beneficial and that they were potentially willing to lose the center turn lane, but that the loss of parking should be kept to a minimum.
The Mayor suggested that Option C be modified to add parking to the left of the bike lane, but it was decided this suggestion be added as an additional option, Option D.
It was clarified that there were two separate actions requested of the Council, one to approve the striping on Grant Avenue and one to award the construction contract for the 2025 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation project. It was generally felt that the construction contact should be awarded and that there should be more time spent studying the options for the striping on Grant Ave, which would return at a future meeting.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Jacobs, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to adopt the 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.
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-034.
COUNCIL ACTION: Motion by Councilmember Eklund to ask staff to come back with some additional options, including the proposed option by Mayor O’Connor, with further elaboration on Option C.
COUNCIL ACTION: Alternative Motion made by Councilmember Milberg and seconded by Councilmember Jacobs to choose Option C, with the changes suggested by the Mayor.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon amended motion made by Mayor O’Connor and seconded by Councilmember Milberg, the City Council voted 4-1 via roll call to direct staff to come back with alternative designs for that section of Grant Avenue studying Option C, Option D, and other similar options along with any other factors that might need to be considered by Council also giving appropriate time for outreach to our key constituents, with Mayor Pro Tem Farac voting No.
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, O’CONNOR
NOES: FARAC
Motion carried.
The City Council took a recess at 8:35 pm and reconvened at 8:45 pm.
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 City Manger Amy Cunningham presented the item and responded to Council questions.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Barbara Slack
2. Stephanie Koehler
3. Dale Kline
The City Council gave feedback to staff, and it was agreed that an Economic Development Manager position should be added. The potential for a time limit was discussed was it suggested that the position have clear objectives and metrics of success.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Eklund and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Farac, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to hire an Economic Development specialist with the understanding that there are clear objectives that will be shared with the Council and we’ll discuss at some point a time limit.
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
K. COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES AND BOARDS (CCB’S) APPOINTMENTS 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
City Clerk Laura McDowall reviewed the results of the Commission, Committee and Board recruitment.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
The City Council made the following appointments:
Design Review Commission: Lia Heath
Lewis Randall
Housing and Homeless Committee: Melissa Davis
Marin County Commission on Aging: Pranav Bhanushali
Multicultural Advisory Commission: Vicky Aguila
Michelle Le
Pamela Luk
Allison Skinner
Planning Commission: Tim Roche
Heather Stuckenbroker
Police Advisory & Review Board: Travis Carroll
William Palmini
Tim Van Raam
Recreation, Cultural & Community
Services Advisory Commission:
Emily Larsen
Zachary Schmechel
Nancy Weber
Michelle Whiteside
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Jacobs, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to make the appointments.
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
L. WORK STUDY SESSION
There were no items for this section
M. ADJOURNMENT
At 9:10 pm, the City Council adjourned the meeting in memory of Ed Schulze, Jerry Currell, and the four young students who died in the car accident in San Anselmo: Olive Koren, Josalynn Osborn, Sienna Katz and Ada Kepley.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and adopted at the Novato City Council regular meeting of May 13, 2025.
/Laura McDowall/
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Laura McDowall, City Clerk