Mayor’s Monthly - April

On my Mind (a few random thoughts)

Happy April Fool’s Day! Don’t worry, I don’t have any false news stories to report. I do have to give credit to Richmond Mayor Tom Butt who earlier today managed to convince many that the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge would be shut down indefinitely on April 15 and then evaluated to determine whether it could ever be reopened to vehicles again. (Read the story here: https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/No-the-Richmond-San-Rafael-Bridge-is-not-closing-13732624.php). I don’t think attempting a similar prank with Highway 37 would have gone over so well considering how many were residents were impacted by the traffic that was routed through Novato during the closures and how many are directly impacted by having to commute on 37 on a regular basis.

Although any short term or long term fix is still years away, I am glad to report that Highway 37 is moving up the radar at the state, regional, and local level and those are all good signs for speeding up the timeline. For the past couple of years, representatives from Solano, Napa, Sonoma, and Marin have been meeting to discuss Highway 37 and the Transportation Authorities in those counties recently entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with CalTrans and the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) to clarify roles and advance efforts. The MOU also sets the stage for Highway 37 to become a State-owned bridge, joining the toll bridge financial enterprise administered by BATA. That possibility could provide a funding source to make improvements. What do you think about Highway 37 becoming a toll road? Or, I should probably ask, what do you think about Highway 37 become a toll road again? The Sears Point Toll Road opened in 1928 with 35 cent fares.

Also, go Giants. The Panda just tied it up against the Dodgers with a hit up the middle!

Around Town (happenings in Novato)

Clean & Green Day - Saturday, April 20th
Come join the City of Novato and the Novato Streetscape Committee for the 24th Annual Clean & Green Day! This year Clean & Green Day will also include the first annual Novato Eco Fair: A day of climate action and sustainability solutions. Learn more and register here: https://novato.org/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/18496/636

Fishing in the City - Saturday, April 27th
FREE event for kids 5 and older! This community event is co-sponsored by Novato Parks & Recreation, Novato Sunrise Rotary, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Bait, tackle, and rods are provided to each participant in addition to educational displays and instructional mini-workshops on fishing fundamentals. Learn more here: https://novato.org/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/18405/636

Novato Live in April
Saturday, April 13th - Featuring Hella Fitzgerald Quartet
https://novato.org/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/18401/636
Saturday, April 27th - Featuring Chris Ayer https://novato.org/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/18403/636

Tour of Novato - Saturday, May 4th
The Tour of Novato and Community Fair are annual Novato-wide celebrations of our schools, and a fundraiser to support them. The Tour of Novato has raised $916,000 for Novato Schools since 2008. Let’s push that total to over $1 Million this year. Register, Donate, or Sponsor here: https://www.tourofnovato.org/2019/

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 April. Because dates tend to change, be sure to check the City Council agendas here (https://novato.org/government/city-council/agendas-minutes/city-council-agendas-minutes).

In April, we will be meeting on the 9th and the 23rd. Here are some key topics that could be on our council agendas soon:

District Elections
We will continue to receive public input with regards to district elections at both meetings in April. On the 9th, there will be another opportunity for general feedback, but with no maps. The 23rd will be an opportunity to speak to the content of the draft maps and the proposed sequence of elections. Learn more at https://novato.org/government/city-clerk/district-based-city-elections

2019 / 2020 Budget
We will also continue working towards our 2019 / 2020 budget this month. In April, we will hear information regarding the proposed operating budget and capital improvement (CIP) budget for 2019 / 2020. Learn more here: https://novato.org/government/finance/city-budget