NOVATO CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
901 SHERMAN AVENUE
NOVATO, CA 94945
June 10, 2025 – 6:00 PM
A. CONVENE, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND ROLL CALL
The City Council meeting was called to order at 6.09 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, Assistant City Manager Carla Hansen, Finance Director Carvalho-DeGraff, Deputy Community Development Director Steve Marshall, Supervising Code Enforcement Officer Gary Beretta, Principal Management Analyst Jennifer Maldonado, City Attorney Gary Bell and City Clerk Laura McDowall
OUTSIDE COUNSEL PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE: Rick Jarvis, Jarvis Fay LLP
B. CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT
The City Council met in Closed Session prior to, and upon adjournment of, the open session; there was nothing to report out.
C. CEREMONIAL MATTERS/PRESENTATIONS
C.1. Pride Month Proclamation
Multicultural Advisory Commission Chair Pam Luk accepted the proclamation.
C.2. Pet Inclusive Novato Presentation
Brian Cooley and Nancy McKenney from Marin Humane gave the presentation.
C.3. Receive a presentation from the Age + Disability Friendly Novato Steering Committee on the 2025-2028 Age + Disability Friendly Novato Action Plan Katie Gauntlett opened the item and Collen Arnold and Lisa Swanson gave the presentation.
D. APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Milberg and seconded by Councilmember Jacobs, 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. Susan Kim
2. Meryka Dirks
3. Kelsey Lombardi
4. Alex Muller
5. Stephen Nelson
6. Laura Houser
7. Mike Madios
8. Perry Siu
9. Jamay Dauenhauer
10. Jason Dauenhauer
11. Nick Malliaras
12. Brett Walker
13. George Gasparini
14. Tiffany Porter
15. David Ayala
16. Mike Little
17. Jana Blunt
18. Lauro Vasquez
19. Samantha Hagner
20. Sarah Bailey
The City Council took a brief recess at 7:39 p.m. and reconvened at 7:46 p.m.
G. CONSENT CALENDAR
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Jacobs and seconded by Councilmember Milberg, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Consent Calendar.
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 open and closed session meeting minutes of May 13, 2025 The City Council approved the open and closed session meeting minutes of May 13, 2025.
G.3. Approve the City Council meeting minutes May 20, 2025 The City Council approved the meeting minutes of May 20, 2025.
G.4. Receive and file the list of upcoming and to be determined City Council agenda items for the second quarter of 2025
The City Council received and filed the list.
G.5. Consider accepting the work as complete and authorizing the City Manager to sign the Notice of Completion to Replace Wooden Streetlight Poles, CIP Project No. 23-003
The City Council accepted the work as complete and authorized the City Manager to sign the Notice of Completion.
G.6. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to approve the annual renewal of the contract for the Microsoft subscription for a 3-year contract for Microsoft Office 365 with a cost $80,000 per year, plus a 15% contingency in each subsequent year for additional licenses and future Microsoft technology initiatives
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-042.
G.7. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to approve the Second Amendment to Agreement No. 4907 with Hinderliter De Llamas & Associates (HdL), consolidating short-term rental (STR) management services into the existing agreement for business license and transient occupancy tax (TOT) administration
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-043.
G.8. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a professional services agreement with Schaaf and Wheeler to develop plans, specifications and estimate for the large trash capture device at Olive Avenue in the amount of $288,583
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-044.
G.9. Receive and file the progress report on the first quarter 2025 of the Council adopted Strategic Plan
The City Council received and filed the report.
G.10. Adopt a resolution accepting the work as complete and authorizing the City Manager or her designee to sign the Notice of Completion for the Replacement of the Play Area at Josef Hoog Park as part of the Hoog Park Playground and Accessibility Enhancements Project CIP No. 17 004 The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-045.
H. UNFINISHED AND OTHER BUSINESS
There were no items listed for this section.
I. PUBLIC HEARINGS
I.1. Appeal of Declaration of a Public Nuisance
Paolo Franzi; 500 Canyon Road (APN 146-200-40)
Code Enforcement Case: CE-C23-0182
Conduct a public hearing to consider an appeal of the Housing, Zoning, and Building Codes Appeals Board’s decision to find certain conditions at 500 Canyon Road to be in violation of the California Building Code and Novato Municipal Code and declaring such violations to be a public nuisance, and possibly adopt a resolution approving the Board’s decision City Attorney Gary Bell announced that Rick Jarvis from Jarvis Fay, LLP was joining the meeting via teleconference and would be the Attorney representing the City Council. Deputy Director of Community Development Steve Marshall gave the presentation along with Supervising Code Enforcement Officer Gary Beretta.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Aaron Brinkerhoft
The City Council agreed to Councilmember Eklund’s suggestion to revise the resolution to change ‘Section 5. Abatement Order’ from reading:
“The City Council hereby orders the Owners to abate the violations occurring at the Property as follows within thirty (30) days of the date of this hearing:
1. All commercial activity is to cease and desist immediately up to the removal of all construction materials including tools, machinery, vehicles, and building supplies and materials, except for those of a reasonable number which are commonly found at a residence that are to be used for normal maintenance of the home and/or property.”
To read:
“The City Council hereby orders the Owners to abate the violations occurring at the Property as follows:
1. All commercial activity is to cease and desist as of June 11, 2025 including the removal of all construction materials including tools, machinery, vehicles, and building supplies and materials.”
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Mayor Pro Tem Farac and seconded by Councilmember Eklund, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to adopt the revised resolution approving the Housing, Zoning, and Building Codes Appeals Board’s decision to find certain conditions at 500 Canyon Road to be in violation of the California Building Code and Novato Municipal Code and declaring such violations to be a public nuisance
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-046.
I.2. Hold a budget hearing, receive public comment on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/26 Preliminary Operating and Capital Improvement Budgets, and provide any final direction to Staff. A resolution for adoption of the Operating and Capital Budgets will be presented to the City Council on June 24, 2025
City Manager Amy Cunningham opened the item. Finance Director CarvalhoDeGraff and Principal Management Analyst Jennifer Maldonado gave the presentation and responded to Council questions.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None.
J. GENERAL BUSINESS
There were no items for this section.
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
The City Council adjourned the meeting at 9:09 p.m.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and adopted at the Novato City Council regular meeting of July 8, 2025.
/Laura McDowall/
___________________
Laura McDowall, City Clerk