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Record of Proceedings

Novato City Council Special Meeting - Appointment to District 5 Seat (August 18, 2026)

City Council — Tuesday, August 18, 2026
BodyNovato, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, August 18, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 4:49

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0:02

Welcome everyone to Tuesday, August 18th, 2026, Nevada City Council meeting.

0:09

We are convening and Laura, can you please call?

0:13

Councilmember Eklund.

0:15

Present.

0:15

Councilmember Carpal.

0:17

Here.

0:17

Councilmember O'Connor?

0:18

Here.

0:19

Mayor for Tem Jacobs?

0:20

Here.

0:20

And Mayor Farack.

0:22

Here.

0:22

Closed session announcement.

0:24

The City Council will meet in closed session upon adjournment of the open session.

0:29

There are no ceremonial matters.

0:32

So moving on to item D, approval of the final agenda.

0:35

Do we have a motion and a second?

0:37

I'll let the motion we approve.

0:40

Laura, can you call vote?

0:42

Councilmember Eklund?

0:43

Aye.

0:43

Councilmember Carpal.

0:44

Aye.

0:45

Councilmember O'Connor.

0:46

Mayor Temp Jacobs.

0:47

Aye.

0:49

Aye.

0:49

All right.

0:50

And then moving on to item E reports from the City Council and City Manager.

0:54

City Manager, do you have any reports?

0:56

No reports.

0:58

Councilmember Eklund.

1:00

Councilmember O'Connor.

1:01

Yep.

1:02

Thanks.

1:02

Councilmember Carkle?

1:03

No, thank you.

1:04

Mayor Kotani.

1:06

I do not have any reports.

1:08

So we're moving on to general public comments.

1:13

So I'd like to remind folks that this is general public comment for items that are not on the agenda or for items that are listed on the consent calendar.

1:21

There's a two-minute time limit.

1:24

There are any in-person comments.

1:27

Not seen any.

1:30

Laura, is there any public comments on Zoom?

1:34

If you'd like to speak, you can click the raise hand feature on the computer or press star nine if you're joining us from a telephone.

1:42

Your telephone will prompt you to press star six to unmute yourself when it's your turn to speak.

1:48

There is no raised hand phones.

1:52

All right.

1:53

Um so moving on to general business.

1:57

Um take action to either adopt a resolution appointing nominee Sandy Carkle to the district five city council seat or continue to hold the November 3, 2026 general municipal election for the district five seat as called.

2:15

Laura, do you have a presentation?

2:17

Yes.

2:18

So thank you, Mayor.

2:19

This item is to address the city council seat in District 5.

2:22

As the City Council is aware, candidates can file to run for city council during the nomination period specified by the California election code, which runs from 113 days before the election to 88 days before the election for the November 3rd, 2026 election.

2:38

The period to run open on July 13th and closed on August 7th.

2:43

At the close of the nomination period, um only one person have qualified to run in district five, which is an appointed incumbent from Deep Carpal.

2:52

When there are not more nominees than elect offices to be elected, the election code allows the council to either appoint the person nominated or continue to hold the election, which is the question for the council disappearing.

3:06

If the council chooses to appoint Sandy Parkle to the district five seat, no writing candidates will be accepted.

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Summary of Proceedings

Novato City Council Special Meeting - Appointment to District 5 Seat (August 18, 2026)

The Novato City Council held a special meeting on August 18, 2026, at 5:30 PM to consider whether to appoint incumbent nominee Sandeep Karkal to the District 5 City Council seat or proceed with the November 3, 2026 general municipal election for that seat. The council voted unanimously to appoint Karkal, saving the city an estimated $9,000 to $15,000 in election costs.

Consent Calendar

  • There were no consent calendar items.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public provided comments, either in person or via Zoom, for any agenda item.

Discussion Items

  • Appointment to District 5 Seat – City Clerk Laura McDowall presented the item, explaining that the nomination period for the November 3, 2026 election closed on August 7, 2026, with only one candidate, incumbent Sandeep Karkal, qualifying. Under California Elections Code Section 10229, the council could either appoint the nominee or hold the election. McDowall noted that if the council chose to appoint Karkal, no write-in candidates would be accepted, and the city would save between $9,000 and $15,000 in election costs. The decision would not affect the elections for Districts 2 and 4, which remain on the ballot.

Key Outcomes

  • Motion and Vote: Councilmember Eklund moved to appoint Sandeep Karkal to the District 5 City Council seat, seconded by Councilmember O'Connor. The vote was unanimous (5–0): Councilmembers Eklund, Karkal, O'Connor, Mayor Pro Tempore Jacobs, and Mayor Farac all voted aye. Karkal's appointment was effective immediately.
  • The council then adjourned the open session and proceeded to a closed session for anticipated litigation (one potential case).

Meeting Transcript

Welcome everyone to Tuesday, August 18th, 2026, Nevada City Council meeting. We are convening and Laura, can you please call? Councilmember Eklund. Present. Councilmember Carpal. Here. Councilmember O'Connor? Here. Mayor for Tem Jacobs? Here. And Mayor Farack. Here. Closed session announcement. The City Council will meet in closed session upon adjournment of the open session. There are no ceremonial matters. So moving on to item D, approval of the final agenda. Do we have a motion and a second? I'll let the motion we approve. Laura, can you call vote? Councilmember Eklund? Aye. Councilmember Carpal. Aye. Councilmember O'Connor. Mayor Temp Jacobs. Aye. Aye. All right. And then moving on to item E reports from the City Council and City Manager. City Manager, do you have any reports? No reports. Councilmember Eklund. Councilmember O'Connor. Yep. Thanks. Councilmember Carkle? No, thank you. Mayor Kotani. I do not have any reports. So we're moving on to general public comments. So I'd like to remind folks that this is general public comment for items that are not on the agenda or for items that are listed on the consent calendar. There's a two-minute time limit. There are any in-person comments. Not seen any. Laura, is there any public comments on Zoom? If you'd like to speak, you can click the raise hand feature on the computer or press star nine if you're joining us from a telephone. Your telephone will prompt you to press star six to unmute yourself when it's your turn to speak. There is no raised hand phones. All right. Um so moving on to general business.

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