Mayor’s Monthly - November

On my Mind (a few random thoughts)

Hope everyone was able to manage through the past week with the power outages and school closures. I was continually impressed by the excellent service provided by our city staff to serve our community. There were also many lessons learned that we can use to be even more prepared for future outages. Thank you to everyone who went the extra mile to help a family member or neighbor. Let’s also be sure to recognize all the firefighters who were on the front lines battling the flames and all the other first responders and support staff protecting our communities to the north.

Switching gears, I was hoping to call everyone’s attention to an important survey that is being distributed by Not in our Town Novato. Not in Our Town Novato (NIOT Novato) is part of a local and national grassroots effort called Not In Our Town to build safe, inclusive communities for all. The City of Novato, Novato Police Department, Novato Unified School District and North Marin Community Services have come together with residents to help move this important work forward. As we begin our work towards this, one important step is to gather feedback from our community.

Help us do that! Obtaining feedback from our residents is vital. All survey responses will be anonymous and private. We won’t sign you up for any email lists or contact you afterwards unless you give specific permission at the end of the survey. You can complete the survey here: http://bit.ly/SurveyNIOTNovato

Thank you for taking the time to complete the brief survey!

PS - Don’t forget about the time change and how about the 49ers who are still undefeated!

Around Town (happenings in Novato)

Check out what’s coming up in November:

FREE Family Day at MarinMOCA - Sunday, November 3rd
Make art, see art, have fun! Come to MarinMOCA’s Free Family Day on Sunday, Nov. 3, 11am-5pm. A free program which provides art-making opportunities to parents with their children. A fun and educational alternative to “screen time,” the program is taught by professional art instructors in a variety of media – from painting to mixed media to clay. Art supplies are included. Admission is free when you bring a child 2 - 12 years old. For more information, visit https://marinmoca.org/families/

Election Day - Tuesday, November 5th
If you live in Districts 1, 3, or 5, make sure to vote on Tuesday (or mail-in your absentee ballot). Click here for more information.

Conversations with Veterans - Saturday, November 9th
You are Invited - On Saturday, November 9, the City of Novato and the Rotary Club of Novato Sunrise will host the second annual “Conversations with Veterans” forum, from 9:30-11:00 am, at Novato City Hall.

Honoring Veterans Day, the audience will hear from and be able to converse with Veterans and a Blue Star Father about their own experiences with Military service and what they believe civilians should understand about their service. Click here for more information.

Novato Stands United Against Hate - Monday, November 18th
Come learn about Novato Police and Novato Unified School District's latest tools to reduce hate and bullying incidents. The community conversation will take place at Novato City Hall from 6-8PM and will feature a Novato Student Panel joined by various community leaders.

Bank of Marin Turkey Trot - Thursday, November 28th
If you are in town on Thanksgiving and looking for a great way to start the day, then register for the Bank of Marin Turkey Trot (10K, 5K or 1 Mile). This year marks the 20th anniversary of the annual tradition at the Indian Valley Campus in Novato. My wife Kiley and I will be out there again this year and it also happens to be Noah’s 1st Birthday on Thanksgiving so we will be pushing him in the stroller. Hope to see you there. For more info and to register, visit https://www.marinturkeytrot.com/

Holiday Tree Lighting in Downtown Novato - Saturday, December 7th
Save the Date for the annual Tree Lighting in Downtown Novato!

On the Agenda (upcoming at the City Council)

Below are a few key items and updates that are coming up at a future council meeting in November. Because dates tend to change, be sure to check the City Council agendas here (https://novato.org/government/city-council/agendas-minutes).

In November, we will meet on Tuesday, November 12th and Tuesday, November 19th.

Cannabis
In October, the council agreed to move forward with permitting various licenses including testing labs, manufacturing, distribution, indoor cultivation, microbusiness, and home delivery (non-store front retail) in Novato. The final adoption is scheduled for November.

Strategic Plan Update
Early this year, the council unanimously approved a Strategic Plan which includes 5 goals (Living Well Together, Great Places, Economic Vitality, Environmental Stewardship, and a City that Works). The plan also includes several workplan items for the next 3 years. A progress update on the strategic plan is scheduled to be coming to the community and council soon.