Good evening and welcome to the City of Novato City Council for Tuesday, December 16th, 2025.

Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge of the United States America.

I do reply.

Which stands and indivisible with liberty and for all.

Thank you.

Laura, if you'd please take roll.

Councilmember Eckland.

Present.

Councilmember Jacobs.

Present.

Councilmember Carkle.

Present.

Mayor Pertem Frack.

President and Mayor O'Connor.

Present.

Thank you.

There's no closed session this evening.

So moving on to approval of the final agenda.

I make a motion.

We approve the final agenda submitted.

And I'll second the motion.

Thanks.

And Laura, if you please take the vote.

Councilmember Eklund.

Hi.

Councilmember Jacobs.

Aye.

Councilmember Carkle.

Mayor Pro temperature.

I thank you.

And Mayor O'Connor.

I pass this by zero as well.

Thank you.

Moving on to reports in the city council and city manager.

City Manager Cunningham.

No report.

Thank you.

City Councilmember.

Eckland.

Mr.

Jacobs.

Mr.

Carkle.

Mayor Pro Tem Frack.

Nope.

Okay.

And I don't have any report either.

So we'll briefly and on to public comment.

So this is public comment for items that are not on the agenda or for items that are listed on the consent calendar.

There's a three-minute time limit.

If you'd like to speak, please fill out a yellow card and hand it to the city clerk Laura.

We have a couple of requests to speak, starting with John Hansen.

Welcome, John.

Thank you, Mary, very much, uh Mary Connor.

And this is the last time I'm going to call you that.

Um what I want to say briefly is that okay.

I get it.

There is nothing in the ENA, the exclusive negotiating agreement uh with what we have with the city that says that you must sell to the uh uh the Ren Valley Mobile Country Club to us, and there's nothing uh in there that says that we must purchase uh the um the MCC.

Uh but I feel that uh you should have told us up front that you had no intention of uh to sell before we spent thousands of dollars and thousands of man hours uh producing a um a proposal over about a year and a half, and um and that was all based on your original uh expressed desire for a win-win outcome, or if you remember that two years ago and in uh uh September of 23 when just about all of you on the board expressed that uh we have a win-win uh uh outcome.

Well, uh that apparently changed sometime along the way to a winner take all, uh sometime I think, even before your lawyer uh had completed the uh exclusive negotiating agreement or the ENA about nine months after you authorize it.

And this I feel requires uh some sort of reckoning.

So now what do we do?

Marin Valley is still here, and we still have uh uh we still face the same existential risks that we had before, the cost that exceed resources, uh the city's Ritz-Carlton maintenance approach to our motel six maintenance requirements, and um vulnerability to third party sale by your successors, or perhaps even you.

We still have nothing that uh uh that really would prevent that uh except for your word, which I take your word fine, but uh when you're not when you're no longer here and the requirements come up with a future city council, then I feel that could change.

So um now I see that the city has adopted our basic objectives of affordability, security, and sustainability, which we had expressed long ago, and I will take this as a win that the city council has it has uh adopted our objectives, and um and I at this point, I look forward to working with the city council and the city staff, uh, work together in a collaborative partnership so that we can meet those objectives.

I will leave you with a quote from C.S.

Lewis.

There is far, far better things ahead than we leave behind, but I hope that we look at what we leave behind, and uh and we uh do a reckoning with some of the things, some of the issues that uh that have been left unaddressed.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, John.

Our next speaker is Carol Joey Harrison.

Good evening and happy holidays to everybody.

Um just said some of the things I wanted to say, which is that um because of the well cancellation, effectively the refusal to extend the ENA on January 1st.

The 400 mostly low-income seniors in Marin Valley will be again vulnerable.

And I I know that all five of you are good people with good intentions.

However, many things have happened in the 20 years that I've lived in Marin Valley, past city.

I mean, things change, and as you know, things in in government can change with the stroke of a pen.

Ordinances can change, agreements can change, zoning can change, and you have the power to do that.

Um, we don't.

We being just the citizens who live in Marin Valley.

So I I just want to tell you, and this will come as no surprise, I'm sure, that almost all of the residents of Marin Valley feel that we've been led down the garden path.

And the feelings go way beyond disappointment.

They're more like feelings of betrayal and in some cases extreme anger.

So I have heard that the city wants to restore the trust of the residents, and I have to tell you, there's very little to restore.

There's very little there.

So it's going to be a long tough road to do that.

I feel that this can happen.

Um, and I I look forward to it happening.

Um, maybe not in the near future, but um what the residents want is concrete solutions, not just words, because we've heard that before, and it and I'm not talking about the people here, but we heard things that did not come true.

Oh, we'll never do that, or we will do this, but didn't get it in writing, and then we suffered.

So we want concrete solutions going forward, and I'm very hopeful that that can still happen.

So, happy new year.

Thank you, Carol Joy.

Our next speaker is Bill Davis.

Welcome, Bill.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Um I retired nurse, lived in the community there for 20 years, and there's three big things that seniors have to worry about all the time.

Their health, affordability, and security.

Top priorities, always very threatening entities when they go south.

Um after two years of negotiation, it appears it was mostly talk.

Um you never budged on the price, and you had undisclosed concerns.

It was not exactly a win-win deal.

Uh it's a raw wound right now.

So let's find a better way to work together, to build this trust, to maintain affordability, security, and to protect the enterprise.

We don't have a choice, both on your side of the table and mine.

So I'm optimistic about this next year.

Let's look where we're going and not get lost in that rear view mirror.

Thank you.

Thank you, Bill.

Our next speaker is Janine Bradley.

Welcome, Janine.

Thank you.

My name is Janine Bradley.

I reside at 108 Sunrise Lane in Marin Valley Mobile Country Club.

Prior to moving here in 2012, I spoke to the acting city administrator regarding the future of the park, especially the potential for being sold to a developer.

I was reassured that the city was a good investment and I would be and would protect the park's residents.

I was assured that rent control would help stabilize my financial future.

Having spent most of my career as a civil servant, I trusted the system.

But even the strongest systems can be stressed, and the city of Navado has indeed been stressed.

Rapid growth, a weak tax basis, staff turnover, and not to forget COVID had us had a tremendous impact in the ways not predicted.

It is not inconceivable to see why the Marin Valley community felt neglected.

Is it any surprise then that we think we could do a better job?

By the city's own admission, there is much to be done now and in the future to the basic infrastructure of the park.

And yet, where are the plans for our future?

It has taken two years for the city to agree to a funded clubhouse roof replacement now scheduled for after the rainy season this spring, and it triples the price.

Park residents have spent thousands of dollars preparing required documents, policies, and procedures for self-ownership.

The park and its resident negotiating team has spent thousands of hours preparing for real negotiations under the ENA.

And yet in the past year, there were only four in-person meetings of any substance, and that only started in September.

If the city really cares about maintaining its landlord status to ensure long-term security for the park's low-income senior community, it needs to develop a concrete and lasting memorandum of understanding.

What are the city's long-term plans for already identified repairs and replacement?

Who does what and when?

Handshake agreements don't work anymore.

The city needs to demonstrate to the park and the entire city that it is serious about protecting this large and vulnerable community.

Thank you.

Thank you, Janine.

Our next speaker is Serena Fisher.

Welcome, Serena.

Good evening.

So over the past two years, we've made the best attempt we possibly could and gathered the strongest resources and support available to secure self-ownership, including Rock USA and California Center for Cooperative Development.

You've heard from our leadership and many frightened residents about our justified fears of being sold to a private developer.

By denying us the extension of the ENA, you've removed any protections afforded by the ENA and rejected the possibility of residents securing our future through self-ownership.

City claims that maintaining control of our park is the best way to secure the affordability, sustainability, and security of seniors living in our community.

So now the time is to look forward to the near future.

And what are you going to do that guarantees our long-term safety and security long after you individuals have left this council?

We know that we have some vital rent control in place, but these ordinances can be changed and challenged.

But what else are you going to do specifically to prevent future councils from selling us off to the highest bidder if at a time our expenses exceed our rents or the city needs additional cash?

So, you know, we're not going to go away.

We're going to keep showing up.

And we really want to work with the city to create concrete structures that address these long-term needs for security.

So in the new year, we look forward to presenting some very positive actions to the city.

And we hope that we will have a win-win when it comes to this because we certainly didn't get a win-win on the EA and purchase.

So we look forward to meeting you, Sundeep, since you're our new representative, and we want you to get to know our community.

And just want to end by extending our best wishes to Rachel for a successful tenure as mayor.

And thank you all for your service and happy holidays.

Thank you.

Thank you, Serena.

Our next speaker is Bernie Myers.

Welcome, Bernie.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Good evening.

Good evening, Mr.

Mayor, Council members and city staff.

I'm Bernie Myers, a former mayor and council member.

Congratulations in advance on the results of this evening's ceremony.

I'm here tonight to speak about Marin Valley Mobile Home Park.

I'm not a resident.

I don't have any connection to it, financial or otherwise.

Now, as I understand the facts, in 1997, the city agreed to help park residents buy their part from the then owners.

The residents took on a 17 million dollar loan and have spent nearly 30 years paying it down.

That loan will be fully paid in 2027 if they keep paying as they have.

Now, just as they're about to cross the finish line, the city seems to say that they must buy the property again, this time from Novato for another 26 million dollars.

Here's what that feels like.

A man stops to save someone from drowning.

He hands his valuable heavy coat to a friend for safekeeping.

The rescue succeeds.

But when he comes back, the friend says, I found $30 million in gold in the pockets.

I'll return the coat if you pay me $26 million.

To me, that's what's happening here.

The city held the deed while residents paid the debt.

Now the city is holding the deed hostage.

You don't change the deal at the finish line, especially when families' homes are at stake.

Now, if I'm missing facts or misunderstanding facts, I apologize and please so inform me.

But if I'm correct, then please do the right thing.

When the loan is paid off, relinquish the deed.

Give the residents the security they have earned.

Proactively plan how the park may provide affordable housing for the city and the residents who so urgently need it.

Thank you and happy holidays.

Thank you, Bernie.

Our next speaker is Dan Klein.

Welcome, Dale.

Thank you.

Mr.

Mayor, Council members, staff.

I'm here tonight, possibly as one of the most adored men in Novato most this time of year.

But most importantly, as the current board president of the board of the Navado Chamber of Commerce and soon-to-be past president.

I wanted to take a moment to come before you and thank you.

This past year has been amazing.

I've had the opportunity to observe the working relationship between the City Council and the Chamber of Commerce and the businesses we represent, and have been encouraged by the spirit of collaboration and mutual respect that I've seen.

Building a strong business community is not easy work, especially in the challenging economic times we've been faced with.

It requires listening, compromise, and a willingness to engage with different perspectives.

From my vantage point, this council and staff has shown a genuine effort to do just that.

Working with business leaders to understand their challenges while also keeping the broader needs of the community front and center.

I appreciate the time and attention you've given to issues that affect local businesses, whether that's supporting economic development, encouraging small business growth, or fostering a climate where entrepreneurs feel welcomed and supported in Novato.

The message is Novato is open for business.

This is especially evidenced by the hirings that you've made over the last year and and not that far in the past.

I look around the room.

I see Bill and Corla.

Um my God.

And most especially the hiring of Kitty Shrooping this year.

Um she's done an amazing job trying again to connect the city to the businesses here.

Um these efforts matter, not just to business owners, but to residents who benefit from a healthy local economy and a vibrant community.

I also want to acknowledge city staff specifically, and especially city manager Amy Cunningham.

Um their professionalism and responsiveness has been stellar.

Um, it's it's it's one thing to ask a question, it's another to do the quick answer.

And we don't always get the answer that we want, but we get an answer that we're able to work with and move forward on.

Um, so huge kudos to you and your staff.

To anyone hearing my comments tonight whose experience working with the city in the past may have been challenging, and sometimes worse.

Um, I'm here to tell you that things are changing and continuing to change, and I'm especially encouraged with your appointment of Sandeep Carkel to fill the vacancy created by the loss of our friend Mark.

Um, I am very encouraged as I step back from my role with the chamber for the future of Novato and what we've built together.

So with that, I wanted to say thank you.

Thank you, Dale.

Okay, that concludes public comments.

So moving on to general business, uh reorganize the city council to appoint a new mayor and may pro tem.

Um I'll open the item and we're gonna do it a little out of order.

We're gonna start by calling for public comments.

If you have any public comment on this item, please fill out a card, the old card handed to the city clerk Laura.

Laura, I don't have any requests to speak to you.

Okay, that concludes public comment on this item.

So I'd like to make a motion to appoint Mayor Pro Tem as Mayor of Novato.

Second the motion.

And I'll second the motion.

Thank you.

Laura, if you please call the vote.

Councilmember Eklund?

Aye.

Councilmember Jacobs.

Aye.

Councilmember Carkle?

Aye, Mayor Pertem Farak.

Uh, and Mayor O'Connor.

Hi, motion passes five-zero.

Congratulations, Mayor Farrella.

You get to air.

Thank you all.

Uh, we have one more motion we need to do.

Um, so for mayor pro tem, I'd like to make the motion for councilman member Jacobs to be mayor pro tem to have a second, and I'll second the motion.

Laura, can you call vote?

Councilmember Eklund.

Aye.

Councilmember O'Connor.

Hi.

Councilmember Carkle.

I, Councilmember Jacobs, and Mayor Farak.

Aye.

That motion passes.

So I want to take a moment to recognize council member now, Tim O'Connor, for his exceptional service as mayor of Novato this past year.

Tim has led the steadiness, humility, and a deep commitment to our community, all while balancing the demands of work, public service, and being a dedicated parent.

His ability to show up fully for both his family and our city speaks to his character, and Novato is a better because of his leadership.

Working with closely with him this past year as mayor pro tem was a privilege.

We made a strong team, supported each other through challenges, and always kept Novato's best interest at the center of our work.

I'm grateful for his partnership and for the chance to serve alongside him.

And I look forward to continuing alongside him.

Thank you for being a great mayor, Tim.

Would you like to say a few words?

I would.

Thank you.

And that was incredibly kind.

And I want to start off by just saying a bunch of thank yous to my colleagues on council first and foremost.

Thank you for all of your commitment, your hard work, your dedication to our city.

It was not an easy year.

But thanks to your hard work, we made significant amount of progress throughout 2025, and we're really in a great position to take steps forward in 2026 after many years of looking over our shoulders, worrying about what was coming next.

To city staff led by a wonderful city manager, Amy Cunningham, thank you for all that you guys do.

As a council, our role is in many ways to set the direction.

It's your job to bring it to life.

And you and your team do it better than anyone I could, I think we could ever hope to have.

So thank you to all of you very, very much for just everything you've done this year.

And I'd like to thank City Attorney Bell, who is the empty chair to this evening.

He's at home with his family.

I just want to thank him for all of his hard work, his help, his wisdom, guidance, and most importantly his good humor.

And we all benefit from it, and we're very lucky to be able to work with them.

And finally, to our wonderful city clerk Laura, thank you.

Thank you for sitting through all of our meetings.

And thank you for your many, many hours of support and for all you do to help Novato thrive.

It makes just such a wonderful difference.

Finally, I have to give my biggest thanks to my family.

The time we give to council and to the city is time we take away from our families.

It requires a considerable amount of partnership and commitment.

And without that support, this job simply isn't possible.

So to my daughters Caroline and Avine, thank you for all of your ideas, love and support.

Caroline, your very, very, very incredibly honest feedback helped keep me grounded at all times.

And Aving, you were exemplary in your role as senior advisor on ribbon cutting to the city of Nevada.

And finally, that brings me to my wife, Amy.

None of this is possible without your love and support.

Frust to school runs and maybe putting up with one or two grumblings from me on occasion.

I couldn't do any of it without you, and I couldn't imagine it happening any other way.

Thank you.

And I'm gonna give you a round of applause.

So this was a year unlike any other here in Novato.

Um I'm very proud of the work that we all did as a team, and I believe Novato is heading into 2026 in just terrific shape.

Over this year, we've had a number of significant achievements.

We finally got caught up with our annual audit, so thank you to Carla, her team, and everyone that was involved in that.

We provided over a million dollars in grant funding to Habitat for Humanities New Housing Project here in Novato.

We relaunched our downtown business improvement grant program, adopted a structure structurally balanced budget policy.

We made a number of significant improvements across our organization with a special mention to community development.

Thank you for everything you guys have done over the last year.

And we were reorganized a number of our commissions to help make them more impactful and effective.

We finished and opened the Grant Avenue Bridge, Hogue Park, and another of a number of other significant projects across the city, including using the city's new revenue for Measure M to significantly increase our investments in our roads and citywide infrastructure.

It's making a big difference already.

Looking forward to 2026, we still have work to do.

We have concluded the ENA and Brain Valley, but I do want to echo what you've said that there are questions that remain to be answered.

And I can speak for myself and from our conversations.

We remain committed to having those conversations.

We've begun the process of providing just cause protections to renters in Novato.

It's critical that we finish that work, and I'm excited to see the progress made of the Sherman Group towards redeveloping the area across from City Hall.

That's a very, very exciting proposal.

There were challenges throughout the year, most significantly the tragic loss of our friend.

Sorry.

I practice too, so I wouldn't do this.

Our friend Mark Milberg was something none of us here on council, on staff, his friends, family, or anyone that knew we were prepared to deal with.

I am incredibly proud of how we came together as a community to groove our loss together, celebrate his memory, and to bring us together as truly a tighter community.

He'll be missed by all of us.

But his work in council leaves us in a much better place.

And as we move forward, that's a legacy he would be proud of.

Serving as mayor for a wonderful city was truly a monumental honor.

Adding to that, being the first immigrant to serve in the role holds a very special meaning to me.

It's a memory I'll cherish for the rest of my life.

With this council, I believe we have the right team in place to meet the challenges ahead and continue to move Novato forward.

We recently appointed Councilmember Caracle to council, and he undoubtedly brings a breath of experience and expertise to the team and to the city of Nevada.

We're incredibly lucky to have him here.

2026 will be a very exciting year in Novato, and I cannot wait to see what we're able to achieve here in our great city.

Thank you.

Mayor Jacobs, would you like to say a couple words?

Yes, I would.

Thank you.

Um, Mayor O'Connor, not anymore.

Councilmember O'Connor.

When you stepped into this position, you promised us dedicated service, a thoughtful leadership, and you delivered on that promise every single day.

Whether it was infrastructure projects, community programs, economic development, you listened to our residents, you brought people together and got things done.

What I've appreciated most is your collaborative spirit.

You treated the council as partners, valued our input, and reminded us all we are here for the same reason to serve our community.

Beyond the policies and programs you showed up at school events, at community events, local businesses, during difficult times.

That kind of leadership makes all the difference in the world.

Your work has made a lasting impact on our community, and the examples you've set for civic leadership will benefit us for years to come.

Thank you, Mayor O'Connor, for your service, your dedication, and your friendship.

Thank you.

You've been an inspiration.

Councilmember Eklund, do you want to say a couple words?

Absolutely.

Um Mayor O'Connor, congratulations on a very successful year.

Um, you led us with um uh strong leadership and and fairness, and that really means a lot.

Uh so congratulations and look forward to uh serving with you in the future.

Thank you.

And then council member Kirkwell, do you have a few words you'd like to say?

Uh yes, yes, just very briefly.

Um, well, I'm the newbie here, so I'm gonna keep it short.

Uh congratulations, Mayor O'Connor, or now council member O'Connor, and congratulations, Mayor Farak.

Um, it's uh an honor being here with you here today, and uh I hope I can live up to all of your expectations.

I don't want to make this about me, obviously, but so I'll stop right there again.

Congratulations, Tim.

You've been a great friend, and we've worked well together in the past, and I hope to keep working well again with you in the future and with all of you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So I prepared just a few words, um, and then we can all get cake and some treats.

Um sitting here today as mayor of Nevada is one of the greatest honors of my life.

This city isn't just a place on a map, it's home.

It's the parks where our kids learned to ride their bikes, the small businesses that know us by name, and the neighborhoods where people still wave as they pass.

It's a community that shows up for one another again and again.

I'm here because you believed in a shared vision, a Novato that grows thoughtfully, listens carefully, and leads with heart.

I want to offer a few heartfelt thanks to thank you.

Serving on city council is a major time commitment.

Tim just said it and said it last year, and I'm repeating it because it's true, and because my family deserves the credit.

To Column, Amelia, and Ethan, who's not lucky.

Thank you for letting me slip out on Tuesdays for our meeting, coming to the event, and for embracing this journey with me.

As an Irishman, my husband's favorite event will always be the Fourth of July parade.

Even though, if you know Column, he's not someone who likes being the center of attention.

Kids, I hope I inspire you as much as you inspire me.

And I love you more.

To my parents, thank you for raising me with love, integrity, and a deep sense of responsibility to others.

Everything I bring to this role comes from the foundation you gave me, and I'm endlessly grateful for your support and the example you set.

Also, thanks for watching the kids when duty calls if we're in a bind.

Thank you to my sister Stephanie and her thank you for my sister Stephanie and her family and my brother for your support.

To my fellow council members, thank you for being thoughtful collaborators, dedicated public servants, and people who genuinely care about Novato.

Tim, I've already said a lot of good things about you, but I've truly enjoyed working with you and appreciate your steady partnership.

Pat, your years of dedication and deep institutional knowledge are invaluable, and I admire the commitment you bring to the city.

Kevin, it's been an absolute pleasure working with you this past year, and you've been a fantastic addition to the council, and you show up.

And Sandy, even though you joined us just a couple weeks ago, you've already made a strong impression.

You're sharp, you're engaged, and I'm excited for our work ahead.

To city staff, thank you for everything you do.

You are the engine that keeps the city running.

And Amy, you've been an outstanding city manager.

We are truly lucky to have you.

We've accomplished so much together already, and I'm excited for what's ahead.

More park renovations, a new strategic plan, and yes, continuing the eternal quest to make our roads better.

To everyone who came out tonight, thank you.

I wish I could name each of you individually.

Your presence means more than you know.

I'm proud to represent you, and it's an honor to celebrate this moment together.

You are what makes Novato such a special place to call home.

I also want to thank previous city council members for paving the way and current elected officials who joined us this evening.

Your partnership and commitment to public service strengthens our entire region, and I'm grateful for the work we do.

I especially want to thank Mayor Kate, Supervisor Redoni, Supervisor Colbert, Supervisor Lucan, and Patty Garburino.

Sorry if I said that wrong, Patty, for being here and being my mentors.

To our commission and committee members, thank you for your countless hours you volunteered to make Novato better.

Your dedication often happens behind the scenes, but it's a real difference in the life of this city.

And to my friends who showed up tonight, thank you for cheering me on and supporting me through every step of this journey.

It means the world to have you here.

Thank you so much.

And then lastly, want to thank the entire Pleasant Valley K and TK squad for being here.

But I know in the end I won't be known as the mayor to them, but still as Amelia and Ethan's mom, and I'm more than good with that.

Thank you all for being part of this moment and everything you contribute to our community.

Because tonight is about community and joy, I'd like to invite everyone, especially kids to join me in a fun moment.

I bought many gavels so that just for tonight, everyone gets to be mayor.

I'd love for the kids to help me conclude the meetings with an air tap gavel.

So they'll pass those around.

I'm a dude and I won't be able to sound like a lot of the is this not being recorded does everyone have a gavel let's put them up in the music you guys have yours too all right so thank you i'm absolutely honored to be your mayor we do our next city council meeting if you want to come so exciting um will be january thirteenth at six p.m at city hall so everyone with their gavels i'd like to adjourn the meeting in one two three positions