Mayor’s Monthly - March

On my Mind (a few random thoughts)

Rain, Rain Go Away, come again another day. Hard to not think about the rain these days. California’s snowpack is now at 153% of average for this time of year which will certainly bode well for us later, but for the time being, I think everyone would appreciate some breaks in the storms or maybe a few less atmospheric rivers.

Thanks to the proactive efforts from Novato’s Department of Public Works, Novato was well prepared for the onslaught of storms. The City partnered with CA Dept of Transportation, Marin County Flood Control, the Water Conservation District and the CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife to clean out Rush Creek in preparation for Novato's winter storms. This project combined with many other local efforts, creek cleanups, and storm drain clearings and maintenance helped to keep flood waters away from homes. Novato has also retained a FEMA Community Rating of 6 or higher which continues or increase the 20% discount to flood insurance premium rates for Novato residents who live in flood zones.

Of course, one of the largest impacts of the recent storms continues to be the closure of the westbound lanes of Highway 37 which diverts traffic through Novato and has impacts on our city streets. I don’t have any new updates as of writing this, but regularly refer people to CHP Marin’s Facebook Page which posts updates, photos, and some incredible aerial shots. Here is a link to their page: www.facebook.com/chpmarin

*** UPDATE: All Lanes of Highway 37 are now Open ***

Finally, after one of the storms, I was sent this incredible photo by Michael Fisher. Definitely worth sharing.

Around Town (happenings in Novato)

A Visit to San Mateo
On February 19th, I stopped by the council meeting in the city of San Mateo to pay up to Mayor Diane Papan and the San Mateo Police Activities League for our Super Bowl wager. Big thanks to all the Novato businesses who contributed local goods including wine from Pacheco Ranch Winery, Trek Wine, & MANTRA WINES, craft brews from Indian Valley Brewing, video games from Toys for Bob, organic fine foods from Rustic Bakery, premium teas from The Republic of Tea, superfood smoothie essential ingredients from Navitas Organics, and a PUBLIC Bikes Kid’s Bike from Mike's Bikes. Still #NovatoProud of Jared Goff and our entire community! Here is a picture of all the items donated Novato businesses.

State of the City
This past Thursday, our City Manager Regan Candelario gave Novato’s Annual State of the City Address, hosted by the Novato Chamber. In case you missed it, you can watch it here.

“Viola Frey: Her Self” at MarinMOCA
What does a giant, 4-foot tall orange glove, a pair of ceramic legs, and two life-sized grandmothers staring at each other have in common? They are all contemporary artworks appearing in MarinMOCA's "Viola Frey: Her Self" opening this Saturday, March 2. The public is invited to come at 4pm to hear an art talk about the life and artistry of Viola Frey presented by the co-executive directors of the Artists' Legacy Foundation.

Novato Live in March
Gather your friends and family and Join Novato Parks & Recreation for FREE indoor concerts held inside City Hall, 901 Sherman Ave. every Second and Fourth Saturday

• Saturday, March 9th - Featuring Jesse Brewster
• Saturday, March 23rd - Featuring The Theory
  
  

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 March. 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 March, we will be meeting on the 12th and the 26th. Here are some key topics coming up soon:

District Elections
The City of Novato recently received a letter from a Southern California attorney regarding a move to district elections in Novato as opposed to the at-large system we currently have in place. This will be discussed at our March 12th meeting.

Updated 5-Year Forecast
While it is still a forecast, this 5-year outlook helps council plan and budget accordingly. We will be receiving an update this month as we begin to prepare for the 2019/2020 budget. This isn’t usually the agenda item that fills the council chambers, but a very important item as we look ahead.