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City Council
Agenda
901 SHERMAN AVENUE
NOVATO, CA 94945
Tuesday, May 12, 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. Proclamation: Public Works Week
Public Works Week
C.2. Proclamation: Police Week
National Police Week
C.3. Proclamation: May Water Safety Month
Water Safety 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.
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.
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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 City Council Meeting Minutes of April 28, 2026
Staff contact: Laura McDowall, City Clerk, 899-8986
Minutes - April 28, 2026
G.3. Adopt a resolution authorizing Public Works staff to apply for, and accept if approved, Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 8 grant funding for the Redwood Boulevard Sidewalk Gap Closures project and reimburse the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) for ATP application development services in an amount not to exceed $10,000
Staff contact: Chris Benigni, Public Works Director, 899-8900 Staff Report - Active Transportation Grant Program
Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
G.4. Authorize the City Manager to execute a Consultant Services Agreement with Ghirardelli Associates, for Construction Management, Inspections and Material Testing Services in the amount of $2,214,000 for the Novato Boulevard Improvements, CIP Project No. 01-004, and approve an amendment to the FY 2025/26 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budget amendment (Reso 2025-055)
Staff contact: Elisa Sarlatte, Sr. Civil Engineer Public Works, 899-8900 Staff Report - Novato Blvd Construction Management Agreement Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
Attachment 2 - Ghirardelli response to RFP
Attachment 3 - Draft Agreement
G.5. Adopt a resolution authorizing staff to submit to the California Transportation Commission a list of approved capital improvement projects that are eligible for state Roadway Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) funding for Fiscal Year 2026/27
Staff contact: Chris Benigni, Public Works Director, 899-8900 Staff Report - RMRA Funding List
Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
G.6. Adopt a resolution approving the reclassification of the Police Technical Services Supervisor to Police Technical Services Manager; approve the job description; and approve the associated salary schedule Staff contact: Eva Hilliard, Chief People Officer, 899-8900 Staff Report - Technical Services Supervisor Reclassification Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
Attachment 2 - Technical Services Manager Job Description Attachment 3 - Updated Salary Schedule
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G.7. Adopt a resolution approving a 4.68% salary adjustment for the Chief of Police to increase the monthly salary from $20,935 to $21,915, effective the next full pay period; the proposed increase addresses salary compression and supports retention of the Chief of Police
Staff contact: Eva Hilliard, Chief People Officer, 899-8900 Staff Report - Chief of Police Salary Adjustment
Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
Attachment 2 - Chief of Police Compensation Analysis
Attachment 3 - Updated Salary Schedule
G.8. Per CalPERS request, approve an update to Resolution 2020-03 to include the mayor’s signature on Resolution 2020-03 in conformance with CalPERS format requirements
Staff contact: Eva Hilliard, Chief People Officer, 899-8900 Staff Report - Resolution 2020-03 Update
Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
Attachment 2 - Resolution 2020-03 & January 28, 2020 Staff Report Attachment 3 - Resolution 140-78
G.9. Consider adopting a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an amendment to an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) by and between the City of Novato and The Sherman Group for City-Owned Properties at 900 Sherman Avenue (APN: 153-063-14) and 908 Sherman Avenue (APN: 153- 063-15), granting an additional twelve (12) month extension to the ENA to allow commencement of required environmental studies, entitlements, and the advancement of lease structure negotiations
Staff contact: Katie Skjerping, Economic Development Manager, 899-8900 Staff Report - The Sherman Group ENA Amendment
Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
Attachment 2 - Draft Amendment to Executed ENA
Attachment 3 - Executed ENA
G.10. Adopt a resolution declaring 1663 Novato Boulevard (Assessor Parcel Number (“APN”) 140-041-44) as exempt surplus land and 1523 S. Novato Boulevard (APN 140-291-29) as surplus land under the Surplus Land Act (Government Code sections 54220 et seq)
Staff contact: Bill Rose, Assistant City Manager, 899-8900 Staff Report - Surplus Land Act
Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
Attachment 2 - 1523 S. Novato Boulevard Property Map
Attachment 3 - 1663 Novato Boulevard Property Map
H. UNFINISHED AND OTHER BUSINESS
There are no agenda items.
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I. PUBLIC HEARINGS
Public Hearings are announced and advertised in advance to allow interested persons to make comments for, against, or otherwise, regarding a proposed project or decision. Anyone who challenges any hearing matter in court may be limited to only those issues raised at the public hearing described therein, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council at, or prior to, the public hearing.
I.1. Conduct a public hearing and consider adopting a resolution approving the Novato Police Department’s 2025-2026 Military Equipment Use Annual Report and list of equipment and renewing Ordinance No. 1703 approving Military Equipment Use Policy 710 pursuant to California Assembly Bill 481 Staff contact: Jim Naugle, Chief of Police, 897-4361
Staff Report - Military Equipment
Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
Attachment 2 - Ordinance 1703
Attachment 3 - Policy 710 - Military Equipment
Attachment 4 - Military Equipment Use Annual Report
Attachment 5 - Inventory List
Attachment 6 - Presentation
I.2. Hold a public hearing and adopt a resolution for the ordering of prohibition of excavation in the traveled way of listed streets to support the upcoming 2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation project, CIP No. 26-001 (Redwood Blvd) and Olive Ave. Widening and Utility Undergrounding Project (CIP No. 97-001) pursuant to Chapter 15-2.54 of the City of Novato Municipal Code Staff contact: Ali Iqbal, Senior Civil Engineer Public Works, 899-8900 Staff Report - Prohibition of Excavation
Attachment 1 - Draft Resolution
Attachment 2 - Notice of Public Hearing
Presentation
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 a presentation and conduct a study session on the Economic Development Strategic Plan (EDSP) process currently underway in alignment with Goal #5 in the Novato City Council Strategic Plan for 2023- 2025, which states “Assess economic development needs and develop a strategy toward building a comprehensive, long-term economic development plan”
Staff contact: Katie Skjerping, Economic Development Manager, 899-8900 Staff Report - Economic Development Strategic Plan Study Session Presentation
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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. There are no agenda items.
L. WORK STUDY SESSION
L.1. Receive the presentation on the preliminary FY26/27 Operating Budget and Capital Budget and provide any additional budget development direction desired
Staff contact: Jennifer Maldonado, Principal Analyst, 899-8900 Staff Report - Budget Workshop
Attachment 1 - Draft Budget Document
Attachment 2 - CIP - Five Year Plan
Attachment 3 - CIP - Funding Source Summary
Attachment 4 - CIP - Closed Projects
Presentation
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 May 12, 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