Novato City Council Meeting - June 23, 2026: Budget Adoption, Police Plan, and Community Updates
Novato City Council Meeting - June 23, 2026
The meeting opened with special guest mayors-for-the-day, Penny and Leo, who led the Pledge of Allegiance and presented a list of community improvement ideas. Presentations included PGE's wildfire mitigation update and a proclamation for Gun Violence Awareness Month. The council approved the final agenda, received reports from council and city manager, heard public comments on encampment resolution funding and a landscape district, and took up several key agenda items including the adoption of the FY 2627 budget, the police department strategic plan, and a policy for remote meeting participation.
Consent Calendar
- Item G12 – Hillside Park Landscape Assessment District (LAD): Pulled from consent for discussion. Residents raised concerns about incomplete weed abatement, unclear contractor scope, and a large reserve balance. City staff explained recent improvements, a new contractor (since January 2026), and ongoing coordination with the fire district. The council approved the item with a directive for public works to review financials and work with homeowners on spending priorities.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Bambi K. and Jen M.: Expressed disappointment that the city withdrew its application for the Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF) Round 5 grant, which could have provided resources to resolve camps at Hamilton Marsh. They argued the decision lacked transparency and risked missing funding opportunities.
- Sarah M. and Jason S. (Lived Experience Advisory Board): Stated the ERF funds could be used for temporary housing, outreach, sanitation, and housing navigation, and emphasized that not applying now could forfeit funding if a second round does not open. They urged the council to reconsider submitting before the June 30 deadline.
- Kim C. and Peter Evans (Hillside residents): Raised concerns about the LAD: contractor performance, lack of weed abatement ahead of fire season, and that only about half of collected funds were spent, leaving a large reserve. They asked for better communication and more active fire prevention spending.
Discussion Items
- J1 – Community Development Service Improvement Final Report: Director Claire Hartman presented the wrap-up of a two-year effort. Key achievements: hiring/promoting 14 of 25 staff, adding bilingual capacity (from 1 to 5), launching an online permit portal (Novato Permits), same-day express permits, a quick five-day permit program, and a real-time customer satisfaction survey that consistently meets a 90% excellence target. The department has completed all recommendations from the initial assessment. Council praised the transformation and customer service focus.
- J2 – Police Department Strategic Plan: Chief Noggle presented a three-year strategic plan (first since 2013), developed with a consultant and community input. Six goals were identified: strengthening leadership, investing in facilities/technology, improving operational effectiveness, enhancing communication, developing leaders at all levels, and supporting wellness/retention. The chief noted the department has stabilized staffing and will focus on retention. Council approved the plan.
- J3 – Adoption of FY 2627 Operating and Capital Budget: City Manager Cunningham and finance staff presented a balanced general fund budget of $62.5 million, a 4.28% increase from the prior year. Revenue is projected to increase 4.28%, with notable expense changes including higher personnel costs (health benefits and unfunded accrued liability) and a 5.87% decrease in professional services due to filled vacancies. The capital improvement program (CIP) includes $16.9 million in planned expenditures, primarily from special revenue funds. Some San Marin Drive projects are paused pending coordination with Marin Water. The council approved both the operating and capital budget resolutions.
- J4 – Policy on Remote Meeting Disruptions (SB 707): City Clerk presented a policy to address disruptions in telephone/internet service preventing remote public participation. The policy calls for a recess of up to one hour to restore service; if unsuccessful, the council may adjourn, continue the recess, or make findings to proceed without remote participation. The policy also addresses disruptive behavior. Council approved.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar (G12): Approved with directive for staff to connect with homeowners on the LAD reserve and fire prevention.
- J1 – Community Development Report: Received and filed; staff commended.
- J2 – Police Strategic Plan: Resolution adopted unanimously (4-0, Councilmember O'Connor absent).
- J3 – Budget Adoption: Both resolutions (operating/capital and Marin Valley) adopted unanimously.
- J4 – SB 707 Policy: Resolution adopted unanimously.
- Upcoming Meeting: Next regular meeting scheduled for July 14, 2026.
Meeting adjourned without memorials.
Meeting Transcript
All right, welcome everyone to the City of Novato City Council meeting for June 23rd. Today we're gonna start off things a little bit differently. Um we have two variant special guests. They're actually mayor for the day, and um the proceeds to this actually benefited uh Pleasant Valley School as well as Rancho Elementary School. Um, so I'll they got a tour of the police department as well as uh the city administration building. So really excited to have them kick off the meeting today. Um this is Penny. She's going into third grade, absolutely incredible and good friends with my friends. And then we have Leo, who's going into fifth grade, and he actually skipped two grades, um, which is absolutely incredible, and he has a speech for us. Hey, Leo. All right, so they're gonna kick off the meeting. So hit right here. All right. All right, now please join us in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flat of the United States. My nation under God is just draw. Now I'm gonna turn it over to Leo for his note to us. Dear Mayor for Dear Mayor Farrak, Council members and neighbors, my name is Leonard McDougal, and I am eight years old. I am entering fifth grade at Rancho Elementary in the fall. I first I wanted to thank you for your service to our community. I love Novato and my school. My parents have taught me that being an active and engaged member in my community is important. So we spent some time talking about how we would like to see our community improved. And so I made this list of five things to share with you. Number one, better bike lanes everywhere. My family loves to bike, but some streets feel scary because there are no bike lanes. If there are good bike lanes all over the city, more families could ride downtown. That would be safer for bikers, walkers, and cars. And I bet the stores would get more customers too. Number two, please fix the potholes. The ones on Roland Boulevard near Cambridge are really bad. Lots of kids bike there every day on the way to school, and the bumps are no fun and kind of dangerous. Please put stop signs at Tyler Street and Arthur Street. Kids cross there on the way to my school. Cars go down the street very fast, and it's a dangerous place to cross. Some stop signs would help, and a crossing guard would be even better. The spot for the food trucks. I love the food trucks on Roland Boulevard on weekends, but right now they crowd up the sidewalk and it met and it gets mezzy. If the city gave them their own safe space, everyone could enjoy the yummy food, and the street would still look nice and tidy. Five, fill the empty stores downtown. The old copper fields corner shop has been empty for a while, and it makes downtown look sad. My idea is a cafe where kids can run around and play while the grown-ups drink coffee and talk. We hear it's hard to for new businesses to open in Novato. So maybe the city could help make it easier. Thank you for listening, and to Mayor Farrakh for inviting me to speak here today. I look forward to working with you to make these happen for our community from Leonard McDougall. That was wonderful. Thank you so much. Thank you, our mayor, for the day. You guys can go back to your mom's movie.
openpublica.com