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City Council
Agenda
901 SHERMAN AVENUE
NOVATO, CA 94945
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 - 6:00 PM
Mayor
Rachel Farac
Mayor Pro Tempore
Kevin Jacobs
Councilmembers
Pat Eklund
Sandeep Karkal
Tim O’Connor
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. Presentation: Gymnastics Boosters Donation
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.
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 City Council meeting minutes of January 13, 2026 Laura McDowall, City Clerk, 899-8986
Minutes - January 13, 2026
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G.3. Adopt a resolution authorizing Police Department staff to apply for, and accept if approved, a Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for up to $178,500 in grant funds
Staff contact: Jim Naugle, Chief of Police, 897-4361
Staff Report - OTS STEP Grant
Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
Attachment 2 - Grant Funding Overview Flyer
G.4. Adopt a resolution authorizing Police Department staff to apply for, and accept if approved, the California Highway Patrol’s FY 2026/27 Cannabis Tax Fund Grant (CTFG) Program for up to $130,000 in grant funds Staff contact: Jim Naugle, Chief of Police, 897-4361
Staff Report - Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program
Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
Attachment 2 - Notice of Funding Opportunity
G.5. Adopt a resolution accepting the work as complete and authorizing the City Manager or her designee to sign the Notice of Completion for the Margaret Todd Senior Center Roof Replacement and the Downtown Recreation Center/Novato Gymnastics Center Roof Replacement (DRC) projects, Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) 19-006 and 24-004
Staff contact: Elisa Sarlatte, Senior Engineer, 899-8246 Staff Report - MTSC and DRC Roof Replacement NOC
Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
Attachment 2 - Notice of Completion
G.6. Receive and file the progress report on the fourth quarter 2025 of the Council adopted Strategic Plan
Staff contact: Amy Cunningham, City Manager, 899-8900
Staff Report - Strategic Plan Progress Report
Attachment 1 - Updates through December 31, 2025
Attachment 2 - 2023-2025 Strategic Plan
G.7. Adopt a resolution authorizing Good City Company and Strategic Economics, Inc. to examine confidential sales, use, and transaction tax records maintained by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) for the City, solely for purposes related to preparation of the City’s Economic Development Strategic Plan, and approve an amendment to the existing agreement with Good City Company to add Strategic Economics, Inc. as a party to the agreement and apply required contractual provisions to Strategic Economics, Inc Staff contact: Katie Skjerping, Economic Development Manager, 899-8900 Staff Report - Good City Company Agreement Amendment
Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
Attachment 2 - Draft Agreement Amendment
H. UNFINISHED AND OTHER BUSINESS
There are no agenda items.
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I. PUBLIC HEARINGS
There are no agenda items.
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. Receive and file the City of Novato Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024/2025 and adopt a resolution authorizing a transfer of Emergency and Disaster Response Reserve Funds (EDRF – Fund 116) to the general fund to replenish the negative unassigned fund balance in the general fund in the amount of $94,121
Staff contact: Carla Carvalho-DeGraff, Finance Director, 899-8900 Staff Report - Annual Comprehensive Financial Report
Attachment 1 - ACFR
Attachment 2 - Single Audit and Related Reports
Attachment 3 - Management Letter
Attachment 4 - Audit Conclusion Letter
Attachment 5 - GAAN Letter
Attachment 6 - Draft Resolution
Attachment 7 - Reserve Policy
Summary of Audit Results Presentation
Novato Annual Comprehensive Financial Report Presentation 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.
L. WORK STUDY SESSION
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 January 27, 2026, 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.gov.
/Laura McDowall/
Laura McDowall, City Clerk
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novato.gov Fax No. (415) 899-8213