Well, thank you all for coming.

Good evening.

Welcome to our state of the city for 2026.

On behalf of the Novato Chamber of Commerce and our proud partnership with the City of Novato, it is my honor to welcome you to our State of the City address.

Today, we come together as a community to celebrate our accomplishments, reflect on the challenges that we've overcome, and look forward to the exciting opportunities that lie ahead for our city.

Novato is a place where businesses thrive, families grow, and neighbors come together to make a difference.

Events like this remind us of the strength and collaborate, the strength of our collaboration and the shared vision we have for a vibrant, innovative, and inclusive community.

We continue to work hard towards the chamber's mission of striving to create a strong economy where Nevado businesses can thrive.

You know, since the last time that we were here together last year, the Novato Chamber welcomed over 100 new members to the chamber.

And I don't know about you, but that shows me that Novato is thriving and Novato is really moving up.

Another way we build together happens by events like this tonight.

Partnering with the city.

We're listening to each other.

We're learning and we're taking positive steps forward.

So we are grateful to all of you joining us today.

Your engagement, support, and dedication are what make Novato such a remarkable place to live, work, and grow.

This evening, we are joined by some of our elected officials.

We have County Supervisor Eric Lucan joining us this evening.

And our council members, we have Mayor Rachel Farrakus here.

Our mayor Pro Tem, Kevin Jacobs, and our council members, Pat Eklund, Sandeep Carkel, and also Tim O'Connor.

Welcome.

Thank you so much for joining us.

I know there's also past mayors and council members.

So we would love to welcome you.

If that's you, raise your hand if you're a past.

Thank you so much for joining us and staying engaged with the community.

I also am very lucky.

I have an incredible board of directors.

Those of you who work with boards know how how important they are.

And I have a wonderful board of directors led this year by Denise Athis.

She's here with us tonight.

And if I missed you, please holler at me.

But I have Richard De Ramone, Jeremy Hogan, Sess Charette, Mary Janice, Tom Young, and Rogan Buck, George Athis, and Patty Yu, and Leo Vicarian.

And last but not least, I do want to say hello and welcome to our premier annual sponsors.

These sponsors help us put on events like this throughout the entire year.

So thank you, Redwood Credit Union, Mayan Builder, General Contractor and Landscape Design, Poppy Bank, and Ultra Genics Pharmaceuticals.

So give them a hand tonight.

And I've heard a rumor and I believe it that the Novato Chamber is the most busy chamber in Marin County.

I believe that.

We love to fill your calendar with ways to connect with other businesses.

You know, we believe at the chamber that people like to do business with people that they know.

So we create opportunities for you to be known and to know other businesses.

So here's a couple of events coming up that I would love to see you at.

Our next mixer is on February 19th, and that is going to be at the Quest Church.

It's free to attend.

You're all welcome as my guests, and it will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

We have win every Wednesday morning on Zoom from 8 to 9.

And I know what you're thinking.

Networking on Zoom, how many people show up?

Almost 40.

So it's wonderful.

We hope to see you there.

And our next business expo is going to be March 26th at the Jonas Center.

It is free to attend, and we are still looking for sponsors and exhibitors.

So if you are interested, I would love to talk to you about that.

You can keep up to date with what's happening at the Novato Chamber by visiting our brand new website or following us on social media.

And of course, if you have any questions about chamber membership, if you want to join the over 100 that have joined uh within the past year, my amazing staff, Kim Staley is here.

She's my director of people and programs.

So if you're interested, you can talk to her.

And I also want to say thank you to the City of Novato staff for putting everything together.

What a beautiful evening.

So give it up to Sharin and Laura and everybody else who's put it together.

I think I already said that.

All right.

So at this time, I'm gonna read a bio for Amy and welcome her up to give this state of the city address.

City manager Amy Cunningham, 2022 leadership Nevada graduate, has over 30 years of experience in local government.

She began her career in high school as a recreational leader in Pacifica and worked her way up through positions of increasing responsibility in a variety of departments in the communities of Dublin, Moraga, Walnut Creek, Half Moon Bay, and Novato.

Amy was hired as the finance director in Novato in February of 2020 and focused on rebuilding operations in the finance department and strengthening the city's fiscal sustainability.

In May 2024, she was appointed as city manager of Novato.

With the passage of Measure M in November 2024, she has led the effort to stabilize the organization, improve service delivery to the community, and strengthen relationships within the community.

Amy has been actively involved in a number of local governmental government professional organizations, including the Municipal Management Association of Northern California, Cal ICMA, preparing the Next Generation Initiative, the League of California Cities and International Cities and Community County Managers Association.

She's passionate about coaching, mentoring, training future local government leaders, and bringing new talent to public service pipeline.

In addition, she has taught ethics workshops and public sector professionals.

Amy earned a BA from Cal State Hayward in political science and a master's in public administration from Cal State Hayward, now Cal State East Bay.

She was also awarded the advanced an advanced certificate in human resources from Cal State East Bay Extension and a certificate in conflict resolution from UC Davis Extension program focusing on consensus building and collaboration.

We are so lucky to have our city manager Amy Cunningham.

Welcome.

Thanks, Christina.

Hey, can everybody hear me?

Okay.

We're in a good spot.

I see a thumbs up back there.

Good afternoon, everybody.

I'm honored to be here for my third state of the city address.

Actually, can't believe it's my third already.

Today we're here to celebrate Novato, a community deeply rooted in shared values, rich history, and meaningful connections.

I'm going to do a little bit of what Christina did, but I do want to welcome a few people.

I want to welcome our city council members, our commissioners who are here, our other elected officials, city staff, mostly in the back row, of course.

Community members, chamber members, downtown business association, and our valued community partners.

I know I saw Cheryl from North Brandon Community Services here.

Yeah.

Hi.

So I appreciate everybody being here today.

And a special thank you to Christina and the Nevado Chamber of Commerce for co-hosting this event with us.

We appreciate our partnership in supporting Novato's business community across our entire city.

Your organization is a true champion of economic vitality and an incredible community partner.

You consistently add value, connection, and opportunity to businesses of all sizes.

Thank you for that.

And as I look around the room, each of you here play a vital role in our community and have contributed to many of the projects and programs I'll be highlighting this afternoon.

And thank you all for being here and for being part of Novato's story.

Gotta turn it on.

Laura told me to turn it on.

We ended 2025 with our annual City Council reorganization, appointing new mayor, Rachel Farack, new Mayor Pro Tem Kevin Jacobs, and also welcoming newly appointed Councilmember Sandy Carkle while serving alongside Council members Pat Eklund and Tim O'Connor.

And this evening, I'll get through this.

I dedicate the state of the city address to our dear friend, former council member Mark Bilberg, who passed away unexpectedly this past October.

Mark led with heart, humility, and an unwavering commitment to the betterment of our community.

Those qualities didn't lead with him, though.

They remain embedded in the work we, your city staff do for you every day.

Guided by those values, this past year has been one of momentum and meaningful progress.

This afternoon I want to share a snapshot of a year defined by connection, steady advancement, and shared purpose.

It's been a year of stability, change, and momentum, and one of our biggest milestones was the adoption of our first balanced budget in more than five years.

And we're just getting started.

We're building a strong foundation to embrace opportunities and shape what's next, guided by the voices and ideas of our community.

This is momentum, this is progress, and this is Novato moving forward.

Speaking of Measure M, funding's important, but dollars alone don't move a city forward.

It's the people who do.

Our greatest asset is Team Novato.

The work that our city staff do is what makes progress possible.

Day in and day out, they carry our city forward with professionalism, integrity, and with countless behind-the-scenes efforts that rarely receive the spotlight.

Our staff help you with your permits, provide after school programs for your children, keep our parks and facilities clean and beautiful, clean out storm drains, fill those pesky potholes, plan for a more sustainable Nevado for future generations, and are the first to respond to your calls for service.

And they're the ones who get the financial audits caught up.

Very special thank you to our finance team led by finance director Carla Carballo de Graff for this important accomplishment.

Couldn't have happened without you.

It was hard to believe we could get here, but here we are.

And this is a clear sign that if we work together, we're a team and we carry on, we can really get it done.

So thank you.

And thank you to our entire city team.

They turn community values into action, turn vision into reality, and they do it with pride and dedication to you.

And the year certainly hasn't been without its challenges.

For years, staff has been asked to do more with less, balancing reduced resources and staffing with maintaining the services important to you.

Supporting our employees strengthens not only our workforce but our entire community.

After a trying round of labor negotiations, I'm looking at Gene Cray.

It was a meaningful accomplishment for everyone involved to reach labor agreements that are fair, competitive, and aligned with the city's commitment for long-term financial stability.

Today we're in a much stronger position.

The City Council's ongoing support of our workforce, including restoring essential staff positions, has improved the services we're providing to you.

This year, staff turnover has decreased.

We're seeing a record number of applicants for open positions, and we're building the talent and resources needed to address your community priorities.

This is a turning point, one where we build on hard lessons, renew our momentum, and continuing serving Novato with momentum with commitment and care.

Continued connection and collaboration is critical for our progress.

Novato is a place where we can all build, celebrate, and enjoy life together.

This past year we've seen that spirit in action.

We've come together at events like Dia de los Muertos, honoring the richness and diversity of our community, and the Spectrum Safety Event, ensuring residents of all abilities feel included and can enjoy the Nevado fun experience with friends and family.

You've joined us for concerts, camps, and classes, farmers markets, ribbon cuttings, meetings and workshops, and so much more.

We know you love these moments of connection and collaboration because you keep showing up and getting involved.

And the best part, we get to do it all again this year.

And we can do even better thanks to Measure M.

We're looking forward to creating more opportunities to connect and collaborate and strengthen the bonds that make our city thrive.

Measure M is the perfect example of the power of partnership.

Your support for this sales tax initiative has provided the resources that allow us to invest in what matters most to you: your roads, parks, public safety, and other community-identified priorities like supporting our business community.

The City Council intentionally allocated Measure M to not only address the city's ongoing systemic deficit, but to build long-term stability by investing in deferred maintenance, reducing long-term liabilities, supporting innovation, and replenishing emergency reserves.

These decisions are more than just numbers in a budget.

They're stepping stones toward a more sustainable Novato, not only for this year but for years to come.

And we're not stopping there.

We'll continue to review and explore additional opportunities to strengthen our fiscal foundation.

Over the next few months, we'll be asking for your feedback on our annual budget process and other upcoming projects and initiatives.

Your voices shape Novato's future, and we want to hear from you.

So please take our surveys, attend a meeting, or join us at a workshop.

Your input, your input guides us and the city council and ensures our work reflects the needs of our community.

We'll also be hosting more community pop-ups throughout Novato.

I've really enjoyed these events over the past few years.

This is where we can have casual conversations, discuss ideas, and tackle important topics outside of City Hall and in your neighborhoods.

We're partners in shaping a brighter, stronger, and more connected Novato, and yes, we can absolutely sprinkle in some Novato fun too.

Thank you, Parks and Recreation.

Public safety and emergency response remain one of our top community priorities.

Staffing in our police department is at its strongest in years, with a dedicated and highly skilled team ready to serve, respond to your calls, and connect with you at events like Coffee with the Cop and National Night Out.

And they've also launched outreach to seek your input on their upcoming departmental strategic plan.

Leading up to the holidays, Novado Police collaborated with Parks and Recreation, our communications team, and Nevado Fire to raise awareness about e-bike safety through an informative PSA video.

The video helps to educate our community about new laws that went into effect last year and the do's and don'ts to consider when thinking about purchasing an e-bike for your child.

It's a mess watch, so if you haven't seen it, please seek it out.

It's on our website.

It's a great example of what we can accomplish when we work across city departments and partner organizations for the benefit and safety of our entire community.

And during the recent storms that impacted residents throughout Morin County, with power outages, down trees, and record flooding.

Our Novato police dispatch team expertly handled an increase of 911 calls from Marin County and other Marin police agencies when their dispatch services went down.

During this time, our dispatchers' professionalism and teamwork clearly demonstrated their dedication to community safety across the county.

We're incredibly lucky to have our police department employees answer and responding to your calls for service all day, every day.

And the popular Novato Police Youth Academy is currently underway.

The Academy is an opportunity for teenagers to explore the rewarding field of law enforcement, and just last month they received a presentation from our dispatch center about police codes and listening to a 911 call recording.

Academy participants also learned about our new SAFE team.

Last year we proudly launched a partnership with Petaluma People Services Center to bring the SAFE program to Novato.

SAFE, specialized assistance for everyone, is an alternative response pilot program that provides a compassionate and specialized approach to crisis prevention, response, and intervention.

The mobile response team, made up of civilian first responders, have already made a positive impact in the community.

This team works alongside our police, fire, and medical providers to deliver services to those experiencing mental health, substance, and homelessness challenges.

We're fortunate to have them as a new resource in our community.

Well, as you heard, I got my start in local government and parks and recreation.

So I love sharing the many exciting projects and events our Novato Fund team brings to you.

On the heels of opening the new Pioneer Park playground last year, this last December, we celebrated a ribbon cutting at Joseph Hogue Community Park, another incredible new playground for Nevada.

Complete with newly paved pathways, parking lot improvements, and restroom and fountain upgrades.

This adorable, fully fenced playground with cute little mushrooms, was designed to inspire happiness and foster connection.

Your feedback helped shape the more inclusive playground for families of all abilities to enjoy.

And continuing with the plans outlined in our recently adopted Parks Master Plan this year, we're ready to take on improvements at Hamilton Amphitheater Park.

So more to come.

And if you've applied for a building permit recently, I think you'll agree our community development team has made significant strides to simplify the permitting process.

With the launch of our new online permit portal, which is the perfect compliment to our Express Permit Services and our all-agency permit advice center.

We're creating a customer-centered, customer-centered permitting experience, one that's informed, accessible, efficient, and easier than ever before.

Feedback's been overwhelmingly positive, and we're excited to continue building on these changes for you.

And thanks to Measure M, this past year we welcomed a new full-time economic development manager.

I'm sure she's here somewhere, Katie Shirking.

Katie's here to advance the City Council's economic vitality goals.

The council also brought back the tenant improvement grant program to support our downtown business and property owners.

This matching grant program is focused on assisting businesses with needed property improvements.

We've also renewed focus on our business visits, creating opportunities to meet with local business owners and discuss your business goals and challenges, and better understand how the city can support your success.

Next step is the development of our economic development strategic plan.

This is an exciting roadmap for fostering a thriving business environment, a vibrant downtown, and a healthy local economy.

One that solidifies Novato as a place to shop, dine, live, play, and work.

Engagement opportunities are rolling out soon, so please keep an eye out because we would really love your input.

We're also continuing to support our business community through our partnerships with the Novato Chamber, the Downtown Business Association, and the Marin Small Business Development Center.

Thanks to Measure M, we're able to support the downtown business association by taking on funding for beautification of Grant Avenue, including the tree lights and planters, signature features that right in our streets right here in the heart of our downtown.

The Chamber's Tourism Committee is actively marketing our town as a destination where vibrant shopping and dining, craft beer and wine, museums, and world-class hiking come together in a setting that's rich in history, surrounded by nature, and offers residents an unforgettable blend of outdoor adventure and small town charm.

We also refreshed our shop local Novato initiatives, highlighting the small businesses that bring heart and character to our city.

New banners along Grant Avenue now proudly feature more than 50 Novato businesses and enhance and our enhanced social media campaigns continue to spotlight the entrepreneurs who fuel our local economy.

Shopping locally keeps sales tax dollars right here in Novato, funding our parks, roads, public safety, and other essential services that you value.

There's also new business activity happening across the city.

Over at Hamilton Marketplace, Rustic Bakeries opened its second Novato location, and we've also welcomed a new eatery teriyaki madness.

On the other side of 101 at the Ignacio Center, a new Vietnamese restaurant, Lucky Cat Bistro, has recently opened its doors, and downtown we've seen several new additions and transitions.

Some of those are the new made local marketplace relocation of green fireplace solutions.

Soda Pop, formerly Village Child, has a new owner, new name, and new space, Adorable Clothes, too.

And Cag Stand Brewing, formerly Indian Valley Brewing, continues at the same location under new ownership with a new name.

It's exciting to see so many fresh beginnings taking shape here in Novato.

So please continue to support all of our local businesses by choosing to shop first, shop local first.

I don't know why I can't ever get that one out.

Currently in the works, in fact, last night, Dutch Brothers Coffee is pursuing a new location at the downtown Novato Center.

Their proposal includes construction of a new building with a drive-thru on the vacant parcel behind CDS.

And it received unanimous unanimous approval last night by the Design Review Commission.

Wine Down is a new wine bar on Redwood near Beercraft.

They're in the building permit process, and the environmental impact report for Costco Fuel is in progress with planning commission reviews scheduled for next month.

This economic growth is tied to tied to another area where we've made great strides and still have more to do, providing housing in our community.

When we speak with local business owners about what they need to thrive, two of the top concerns we hear are the need for more foot traffic and the need for housing for employees.

And when we talk with residents about economic growth they'd like to see, we hear exciting ideas about restaurants, retail, and experiences they want.

Ultimately, we hear a desire for more buzz and vitality, the kinds of businesses, shopping centers, and downtown areas that create a space for residents to gather and enjoy being in our community.

This vitality requires the volume of people to support having more businesses open for more hours of the day.

To realize these goals, businesses need foot traffic, a strong workforce, and a vital sense of place.

All of these are generated through housing.

And like all cities across California, Novato is navigating a period of significant change around housing law.

State law places clear limits on our ability to have input on things like where, how dense, how high, housing can be, and how much parking is provided.

The city's role is to guide housing development to create a balanced community where young families can put down roots, where seniors can age in place, and where people at every stage in life can afford to live in the community.

There are a number of proposed mixed-use development projects that would bring about 400 plus new housing units with ground floor commercial space to our downtown.

There's also interest in redevelopment of the former Nevado Theater site into a new three-story building with residential units and ground floor retail.

Then further downtown, we have the lodge on Nevado Creek, a senior-assisted living facility with 55 units and 31 memory care beds.

And housing isn't just focused downtown, it's happening across our city.

In September, demolition began over at the former Fireman's Fund site where an estimated 1,000 to 1300 new homes are planned.

And last year, council approved an additional $1 million in grant funding for the Habitat for Humanity project at Redwood Boulevard.

This is an 80-unit affordable housing project expanding homeownership opportunities in Novato.

It's the largest project of its kind in California.

We're proud to be able to partner with Habitat and our commitment to providing safe affordable housing.

And in addition to these projects, we have about 800 additional housing units in the pipeline, a mix of single family dwellings and apartments that are either already approved, currently under review, or pending approvals.

So if you want to learn more about these projects, it's all up there on our website in great detail, and I welcome you to take a look.

As we do each year, our annual street paving program rolled out over the summer with roadway improvements to Roland Boulevard, Grant Avenue, right out here on Sherman, and several other streets throughout town.

And we also completed the long-anticipated 15 years in the making, Grant Avenue Bridge Project, another step forward in maintaining and improving Nevado's infrastructure.

Looking ahead, we'll kick off kick off another round of street improvements this summer to enhance roadway conditions and upgrade pedestrian accessibility and bicycle safety.

And over on Nevado Boulevard.

It's gonna get is it gonna get quieter or louder?

We appreciate your patience.

PGE is continuing their utility undergrounding efforts.

Their work is critical to achieving a safer improved three-lane layout with sidewalks and bike lanes in both directions.

This project will make a huge difference for neighbors and commuters alike.

And while there's still much more work ahead on this project, once PGE completes their phase, the city, water district, and sanitary district can begin the next phases of improvements.

This project was initially anticipated to be complete in spring of 2026.

There is a little bit of a delay, so PGE is having some challenges with the undergrounding portion, so not quite sure when it will be done, what the new estimate is, but we should have that soon.

And yes, roadway improvements are coming to all of Avenue soon, too.

And finally, with two new maintenance workers, thanks again to Measure M.

Our public works team has been able to provide extra attention to road pothole and park maintenance along with lots and lots of weed abatement.

We do still have a ways to go, but you'll continue to see more Measure M funded projects around town as the year progresses.

Reflecting the council's dedication to environmental stewardship and community resilience, we adopted our Climate Action Plan 2030 and safety element update this last year as well.

These are key steps in planning for a more sustainable and prepared Novato.

The climate action plan sets a roadmap for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency, and preparing our community for the impacts of climate change.

And the general plan safety element outlines strategies to protect our community from natural hazards like flooding, wildfires, and sea level rise, including evacuation planning.

Public works team has also cleaned up our downtown kiosk, allowing us to establish a new partnership with the DMBA and Chamber to reactivate these spaces and celebrate all things Nevado.

Each organization manages one side of each of the six kiosk salon grant, and the city is proud to currently feature artwork by the talented artists at Alchemia, a nonprofit organization that supports local artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities by giving them a platform to share their voices through visual performing and creative arts.

The collaboration builds on the success of last year's Voices and Visions Art Walk.

Where's Kim?

Kim's over there.

A leadership Voices and Visions Art Walk was a leadership Nevado project through the Chamber of Commerce.

And speaking of inclusivity, continuing to create a welcoming community for everyone and supporting important community partners.

We've contracted with people with disabilities succeeding, PDS, to enhance our public works team's downtown beautification efforts.

PDS is a Marin-based nonprofit that supports people with developmental disabilities in becoming contributing and valued members of the community, including creating appropriate job placements for their clients.

The PDS team assists in litter cleanup and other maintenance tasks in the downtown and city hall areas, taking over responsibilities from the downtown streets team, which unfortunately closed a few months ago.

This work is an expansion of the service PDS already provides out at our parks.

So an exciting project.

We love seeing them out and about contributing in a meaningful way.

Another successful partnership with the Chamber's Leadership Novato class of 2025 was bringing more public art to our downtown with the utility box art project.

We're continuing to build on this collaboration this year.

So if you're a local artist, any artists out there, no, okay.

Interested in bringing art and vibrancy to our utility boxes.

I encourage you to apply for the next round.

Applications closed February 22nd.

And as you shop and dine downtown, I hope I do hope you take a moment to appreciate the public art that brightens our streets and showcases the talent and stories of our local artists.

And with all that, you're probably asking what's next.

And by the way, I just scratched the surface of what we've got going on.

We're looking forward to the Ames Institute to breathe new life into the iconic Birkenstock campus.

This project will bring dynamic art and design programming, educational opportunities, and immersive experiences to Novato.

We're hoping that they will be ready soon to come and present at an upcoming council meeting and share their vision.

I recently had the pleasure of touring their current location just over the bridge in Richmond.

And I can tell you firsthand that this world class museum will be an incredible addition to Novato's creative landscape and economic development of this community.

More exciting projects.

So we ask that you come participate, give your input so that we can remain focused on the things that are important to you.

Please stay engaged, connect with us.

We have lots of social media.

You can take a look at our website, full of all kinds of information, and of course, sign up for our monthly newsletter.

All of that can be found at novato.org backslash connect with us.

And if you prefer to connect in person, we'd absolutely love that too.

As I mentioned, there'll be workshops, meetings, and community pop-ups rolling out over the next few months.

We're here to listen, learn, and work alongside you.

So please engage where and when you can.

It's important to hear your voices.

Our families, our local businesses, community partners, civic leaders, and dedicated public servants.

And while we proudly celebrate our roots, we're equally focused on the future.

Novato's stepping into a new era.

Thank you, Measure M.

An era guided by the council's vision and strategic direction.

We're no longer focused at the obstacles at our feet.

We're looking to the horizon and imagining what's possible.

So that includes a renewed financial strength, a connected community, and bold steps towards economic vitality.

We're shaping a future that reflects our highest aspirations, and we ask that you join us in building a Nevado that inspires a city where community thrives and where generations live and flourish.

And finally, I just want to thank our communications team, Sharin and Monica, led by our assistant city manager Carla Hansen for creating this amazing presentation and framing my remarks.

I'd also like to recognize as Christina did.

It does take a lot of work to put one of these things on.

So I'd like to thank Laura McDowell, Terry Brown, Stacy and Addison and the city manager's office, all for helping coordinate the event, arranging the food, and making sure our technology works, which we all know that if the technology doesn't work, it's not a good event.

And of course, thank you to Christina and the chamber board for the opportunity to speak today.

So I appreciate your time.

Yeah.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm super excited about this upcoming year.

And I mean, if you didn't leave inspired a little bit, I'm wondering what you're listening to because our future is bright, Novato.

Thank you so much, Amy, and all the staff.

Um, we're gonna open it up for some question answer.

So you're not off the hook just yet.

Um, and I'm gonna start with um, let me just say this before I we do any questions.

If you if you do want to ask a question, myself and Monica are here to will come to you, so you could just raise your hand, we'll come to you.

We did get all of your submitted questions.

If we don't ask them here, it's because we felt like they were already covered in the program.

But if you want some more clarification on a question that you submitted, you can go ahead and ask that again.

Sound fair?

So I'm gonna um I'm gonna start off with a softball question here for you.

What accomplishment over the last year are you the most proud of?

Easy.

I'm most proud of the community's support of Measure M.

That's really making a huge difference for the organization for the and I hope that the community is starting to see that.

Do I have any other questions out here before I ask the next one?

Okay, next question.

Hannah Ranch location increasing.

I wrote freehand, I should have actually written out a question.

The Hannah Ranch um area is increasingly being filled with garbage and junk.

You can see clearly from the freeway.

What are the plans on cleaning that up and for its future?

That is a uh private property parcel.

So we have actually just this week reached out to the um to the brokers, right?

To the brokers being too specific, probably, um, and asked them to get in there and clean up the site.

So hopefully we will see some progress in the next few days there.

They were very um accommodating and appreciated that we let them know what was going on with them.

Wonderful.

In your opinion, what are Nevado's biggest opportunities to attract new economic investments?

I think our economic development strategic plan that is in process is going to be key to mapping out all of the steps that the community is interested in and the more technical aspects of what we can do to attract more business into the community and of course our partnerships with you and the DIDA.

Any questions out here?

Because I can keep going.

I've got a few more, but I want to I want to make sure.

Does anybody have any questions?

Okay, then I'm gonna keep asking this advantage.

I like that.

Um with limited funding streams, what is the city doing to be more efficient with the taxpayers' dollars?

Yes, we have Measure M.

Um, but that does not mean that we are not accountable for your public funds.

So we are always looking for ways to be more efficient.

We recently um implemented the new online permit portal.

Oh, it's hard to say too, um, which actually has increased our efficiencies and made it um more speedy for people to get their permits.

So we're looking for efficiencies and things like that.

Next up is our new financial system, which is a little bit scary.

Um, so looking for efficiencies, uh, looking for ways that we can either um save money with what we're doing now or find new and different ways to do it that where we get more bang for our buck.

Um the most important part of that, however, is for the community to be involved in the budget process.

One of the most important things that the city council does every year is it's off the end of budget.

And there's never anybody in the room.

We try to find other ways to reach out to you.

Um surveys and priority assessments and those kinds of things, but your voice is really important.

We are doing some budget pop-ups this year.

Um, we'll have a couple of those and we'll have a budget workshop.

So please come out and share your feelings, share your opinions, share your perspectives and priorities because it's really important that we hear that, um, so that we're making sure that the the dollars that we have are focused on the right places.

Okay, the last question I have, so start thinking if you have a question before we close tonight.

Um, the Sherman Group has provided a preliminary proposal on redeveloping the two city owned parcels right next to the street on Sherman Avenue into an open air entertainment venue with food and drink sales.

What is the status of this project?

We are currently um having conversations with them, and the EA is expiring.

I'm trying to remember really quickly in May.

So we're trying to get to some conclusions very quickly so we know what the next steps are in that process.

Awesome.

So stay tuned.

It's coming quick.

Stay tuned, coming quick.

Any questions?

I'll come to you.

Thank you.

Wonderful report.

Um, my name's Cheryl Paddock.

I'm the CEO of North Marine Community Services, and we partnered um really closely with the city this year on the displacement of the residents at six Romar Court.

And um, I'm just wondering what plans the city has to hold uh apartment building owners, property managers more accountable for uninhabitable conditions, because that alone that displacement took months of work and rehoming people and raising a hundred thousand dollars, and there just aren't any funds for that kind of work.

So I think holding landlords accountable is really important.

And thank you to you and you personally, because I know that you spent a lot of your personal time on this, and to North Warren Community Services for your help on that situation.

That was a very difficult situation.

Um we are working on a just cause ordinance right now.

I believe that it's coming to council in.

Is it April?

April, yes.

In April, we'll be bringing uh the just cause ordinance out.

Um, and so we are in the process of seeking community input for that, and we want to understand the some of the different actions that we can take to protect tenants, hold property management companies and owners accountable, and make sure that we have safe, healthy living conditions for everybody in our community.

So please be involved in that process.

I'm trying to look at Claire back there.

I can't really see her.

So we do have some outreach activities happening right now.

Please participate.

Wonderful.

Any last questions?

You want to get that one?

Oh, screen.

Thank you.

Regarding the uh Novato Theater property and the development there.

Um I I might have missed it.

How many uh units in that building and on the retail space below?

Is there a particular kind of business you're looking uh to put in there?

No, it is um a privately owned property property, so uh downstairs is commercial, they've come across with a few different proposals and ideas.

I want to say that there's about maybe eight units of residential there.

Um TVD, they're working through it right now to see what's financially feasible and what the community needs and wants.

Thank you.

Okay, any other questions?

Thank you for the presentation this evening.

I'm curious what uh investments are being made to increase climate resiliency in Navado for fire, flood, heat, and other threats.

Thank you.

So we did um recently adopt our climate action plan, and the uh we have a sustainability commission who's working through the work plan right now to prioritize because it's you know a list this big, and so we need to figure out where we can start first.

We can't tackle it all at once, so um, those very specific steps are are going to be brought forward probably in the next two or three months.

Thank you.

Okay, um, thank you.

I believe you touched on Dutch Brothers going in behind the CVS.

Is that the CVS with the lucky mall or the CVS?

Okay, great.

Are there any plans for the other mall?

I think it's the square.

I call it Zombie Square.

Um, can we do anything there?

I know it's a lot of that is privately owned as well.

It is privately owned.

We continue to stay in contact with the property management company and the owners and encourage them to um talk to the community, see what the community is interested in so that they can move that um center forward.

Anyone else?

Hi.

Dr.

Shannon Wood, owner of B12 Lab.

I just wanted to kind of talk on the same uh space as what she just said.

There's just so many, you know, I've been looking for more space for our business, and there's so many just opportunities out there, and it's really hard for businesses to find and lease a space, and there's a lot of owners out there that are either not willing to lease or they have no motivation to lease their spaces in our downtown, and it's very frustrating as a business owner.

So, how can we address that as a community and as a city because we need more businesses here to thrive?

Yeah, definitely.

That's something that I know um our economic development team is talking to the chamber about to Christina about.

Um that is a place where if you want really specific locations to look at, um, talk to our economic development manager that I mentioned, Katie Sherping.

She's working with the different property management companies and uh property owners and could direct you in the right place, but she always stays in contact with Christina so that Christina has the information or knows how to get a hold of Katie too.

So that's an area where we want to continue to keep those connections strong.

Um I have two questions.

Um, one I'm wondering if you know what was done with um the waste that was generated from the demolition project on um over there in San Moran, the fireman's fund building.

Um, and then also any updates on the expansion or permits for the uh recology landfill um or any recent updates on that that anybody's aware of.

I don't know if that's your purview or not.

That is not.

I'm looking to one of my council members who might know that one.

Um, the first one, uh fireman's fund, the uh demolition of that site.

They do have a um a demolition debris plan uh that complies and they put they submitted plans that comply with the city's ordinance about recycling and reusing different products.

So they have been we've been monitoring them and they have been uh complying with that plan as required.

So a lot of that stuff got recycled.

On the other one, I'm I don't think that I can answer the question.

Um, station.

My voice is loud enough.

Uh for the smart train station downtown.

Uh any updates on when that might be revitalized.

Are you talking about the depot?

Are you talking about the depot?

The depot, yeah, next to the smart.

Okay, the depot.

Um, not at this point, no, but that's something that we're looking at looking at as part of the economic development strategic plan.

Excellent.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Hi, I'm just curious if there's any thoughts from the city on the tent village that's been built up around uh the skate park in Hamilton.

There's quite a number of tents there.

It's a lot of debris is building up there now.

Um, you know, I'd love to see the folks being able to find housing, but um it's it's kind of becoming a problem there.

Yeah, that's a that's a tough situation.

Housing um housing people who don't who aren't currently in homes is very challenging and difficult.

Um, and now with the federal climate the way it is, the funds to the housing vouchers and those sorts of things are becoming more and more restrictive, and so fewer and fewer opportunities.

Um we're aware of the situation.

We are working with uh the homeless union on that and looking for different opportunities for those people to make sure that they it's a it's a complicated thing, but making sure that they have the documentation that they need so that they can enter the housing stream at some point.

Um, but in the meantime, we do have um our fire ranger out there.

We're partnering with the fire district to do some vegetation management.

Um the homeless union is helping to keep things picked up.

It should be pretty clean right now, actually.

Um, we have all of the county service providers and the nonprofit service providers who provide um assistance to the unhoused out there.

We've got the safe team who's making sure that they're staying safe and providing them services.

Um, and we are poised, I would say, to start looking for some grant funding to provide some other kinds of assistance and services.

It's just one of those things that's so difficult and complex to address, and each person's needs are different.

Um, so we're doing what we can.

All right.

Any other questions?

Great questions, guys.

What else?

Anything else?

All right.

Would you like to say any closing thoughts, Amy?

No, I just want to thank everybody for being here.

I'm sure that um you probably could think of a few better things to this do this evening.

So thank you so much for your time and I appreciate all of your input and please participate in all of the different things that we have going on.

We really want to hear your voices.

Absolutely, everyone.

Give it up for Amy.

And that does conclude our program for tonight.

We invite you to stay and to um enjoy the refreshments.

And as Amy said, as things start to come available, surveys, questions come out from the city in the chamber about the economic growth and development in the next couple years, we encourage you to please take part so that we can hear your voice.

Thank you so much for joining us tonight and have a great evening.