NOVATO CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
901 SHERMAN AVENUE
NOVATO, CA 94945
July 28, 2026 – 6:00 PM
A. CONVENE, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND ROLL CALL
The City Council meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m., with Mayor Pro Tem Jacobs leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
COUNCIL PRESENT: Mayor Pro Tempore Kevin Jacobs, Councilmember Pat Eklund, Councilmember Sandeep Karkal and Councilmember Tim O’Connor COUNCIL ABSENT: Mayor Rachel Farac
STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Amy Cunningham, Assistant City Manager Bill Rose, Public Works Director Chris Benigni, Deputy Public Works Director Mahesh Yedluri, Principal Management Analyst Mary-Claire Katz, Senior Planner Brett Walker, Sustainability Coordinator II Gretchen Schubeck, City Attorney Gary Bell and City Clerk Laura McDowall
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
There were no items listed for this section.
D. APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA
It was agreed that City Manager and Council Reports should be moved to the end of the agenda.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Karkal, the City Council voted 4-0-1 via roll call to approve the Final Agenda with City Manager and Council reports moved to the end, with Mayor Farac being absent.
AYES: EKLUND, KARKAL, O’CONNOR, JACOBS
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: FARAC
Motion carried.
E. REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL & CITY MANAGER
This item was moved to the end of the agenda.
F. PUBLIC COMMENT
1. River L.
G. CONSENT CALENDAR
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Karkal and seconded by Councilmember O’Connor, the City Council voted 4-0-1 via roll call to approve the Consent Calendar, with Mayor Farac being absent AYES: EKLUND, KARKAL, O’CONNOR, JACOBS
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: FARAC
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 City Council meeting minutes of July 14, 2026 The City Council approved the meeting minutes of July 14, 2026.
G.3. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager or their designee to negotiate and execute an Amendment to Agreement No. 5479 with Coastland Civil Engineering, Inc. (Coastland) to extend the agreement for one additional year through June 30, 2027, with a total contract amount not to exceed $450,000
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2026-077.
G.4. Adopt a resolution approving the specifications and authorizing bid advertisement for the Wooden Streetlight Replacement Project, Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Project No. 23-003, Phase II, and finding the project exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15302, Replacement or Reconstruction
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2026-078.
G.5. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement for recreation services with Buzzer Beater Events (BBE), not to exceed $200,000 per fiscal year, beginning in Fiscal Year 2026/2027, with two, one-year options to extend
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2026-079.
G.6. Adopt a resolution awarding a construction contract for the 2026 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Project (CIP 26-001) to Team Ghilotti, Inc. in the amount of $1,389,483 as the lowest responsive, responsible bidder; authorizing a 20-percent construction contingency in the amount of $277,897; and authorizing the City Manager to execute the construction agreement and approve change orders within the authorized contingency The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2026-080.
H. UNFINISHED AND OTHER BUSINESS
There were no items listed for this section.
1. PUBLIC HEARINGS
There were no items listed for this section.
J. GENERAL BUSINESS
J.1. Receive a presentation on staff’s review of the Marin County Open Space District (MCOSD) Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (Draft IS/MND) for the Buck Gulch Falls Creek Restoration and Trail Improvement Project; review and provide additional comments on staff’s draft comment letter; and authorize the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem to finalize and transmit the City’s comments to MCOSD incorporating City Council direction Public Works Director Chris Benigni gave the presentation and responded to Council questions along with Deputy Public Works Director Mahesh Yedluri.
The City Council took a brief recess from 7:18 p.m. to 7:27 p.m.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Leonard Shaw
2. Gabrielle Campbell
3. Mark Scardina
4. Marc Sebastian
5. Gary Jones
6. Gael Perrin
7. Colleen Arnold
8. Cara Brown
9. Lauren Vreeland-Long
10. Alicia Ncho-Oguie
11. Jeremy Hogan
12. Judy Shaw
13. Bridget McDonald
Edits to the draft letter were suggested by Councilmember Eklund, however it was generally felt that the letter should be transmitted to the Marin County Open Space District as proposed.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember O’Connor and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Jacobs, the City Council voted 3-1-1 via roll call to limit debate and call the question, with Councilmember Eklund voting No and Mayor Farac being absent.
AYES: KARKAL, O’CONNOR, JACOBS
NOES: EKLUND
ABSENT: FARAC
Motion carried.
COUNCIL ACTION: Motion made by Councilmember O’Connor and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Jacobs to submit the letter as written.
A friendly amendment was made by Councilmember Eklund to include the items that she had identified so far, however the maker of the motion did not agree.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Councilmember Eklund made a substitute motion to add the items that she had already identified.
Motion failed for lack of a second.
COUNCIL ACTION ON MAIN MOTION: Upon motion made by
Councilmember O’Connor and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Jacobs, the City Council voted 3-1-1 via roll call vote to submit the letter as written, with Councilmember Eklund voting No and Mayor Farac being absent.
AYES: KARKAL, O’CONNOR, JACOBS
NOES: EKLUND
ABSENT: FARAC
Motion carried.
J.2. Receive an informational update on the City of Novato’s Fleet Electrification Plan and regional efforts to transition public agency fleets to zero-emission vehicles
Public Works Director Benigni opened the item and Sustainability Coordinator II Gretchen Schubeck gave the presentation.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None.
J.3. Consider adopting a resolution authorizing the City of Novato to participate in a multi-jurisdictional grant application to be submitted by the County of Marin to the California Ocean Protection Council’s Senate Bill 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant Program to fund preparation of a Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP)
Sustainability Coordinator Schubeck and Senior Planner Brett Walker presented the item.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Karkal and seconded by Councilmember O’Connor, the City Council voted 4-0-1 via roll call to adopt the resolution authorizing the City of Novato to participate in a multijurisdictional grant application to be submitted by the County of Marin to the California Ocean Protection Council’s Senate Bill 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant Program to fund preparation of a Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan, with Mayor Farac being absent.
AYES: EKLUND, KARKAL, O’CONNOR, JACOBS
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: FARAC
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2026-081.
The City Council took a recess at 8:29 p.m. and returned at 8:34 p.m.
J.4. Discuss and possibly establish a City Council ad hoc committee consisting of two Councilmembers to engage the community on issues related to homelessness. Ad hoc committee activities may include, but are not limited to, outreach and collaboration with those providing services to the unhoused, building relationships with community agencies and service partners, engaging with community members, and partnering with regional jurisdictions
Assistant City Manager Bill Rose presented the item along with Principal Management Analyst Mary-Claire Katz.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Sara M
2. Jason Sarris
Councilmember Eklund, Councilmember O’Connor and Councilmember Karkal expressed interest in serving on the Ad Hoc Committee, and it was generally felt that Councilmember O’Connor and Councilmember Karkal should serve.
COUNCIL ACTION: Motion by Councilmember Eklund to create the Ad Hoc Committee with her as a member
Motion failed for lack of a second.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember O’Connor and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Jacobs, the City Council voted 4-0-1 via roll call vote to create the Ad Hoc Committee with Councilmember O’Connor and Councilmember Karkal as members, with Mayor Farac being absent.
AYES: EKLUND, KARKAL, O’CONNOR, JACOBS
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: FARAC
Motion carried.
E. REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL & CITY MANAGER (moved to end) The City Council gave reports on meetings and events they had attended. There was no report from the City Manager.
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 8:52 p.m.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and adopted at the Novato City Council regular meeting of August 25, 2026. /Laura McDowall/
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Laura McDowall, City Clerk