November 2023

Welcome to the City of Novato's monthly newsletter! This issue features a message from City Council, an invitation to join us at the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Naugle, information about our new Patch Truck to help repair our streets, a street sweeping update, upcoming Parks & Recreation events, recognition of Native American Heritage Month and Veterans Day, holiday happenings and more!

You can stay up-to-date on City news and events throughout the month by visiting novato.org/connectwithus and signing up for specific topics that are most important to you.

A Message from the Novato City Council

The City Council thanks Adam McGill for his years of service to the City of Novato and public service generally. With McGill’s departure, the City Council has decided to proceed with a public recruitment – open to everyone – with the possibility of an Interim City Manager before the end of the year. We will release additional details as soon as updates are available. Effective November 6, Jessica Deakyne is the Acting City Manager.

Chief of Police Swearing-In Ceremony

The City of Novato invites our community to a swearing-in ceremony and reception welcoming our new Chief of Police, Jim Naugle. Please join us on Tuesday, November 14 from 5pm - 6pm at Novato City Hall, 901 Sherman Avenue. 

Immediately following the swearing-in ceremony, light refreshments will be served in the lobby of the Novato Administrative Offices, 922 Machin Avenue. 

Unable to attend in person? The ceremony with be livestreamed at novato.org/watchmeetings. 

Novato, Did You Know?

When it comes to maintaining Novato’s 320 lane miles of roadway, our dedicated Public Works Team is here to help keep our roads smooth and safe. Since February, over 60 work orders have been closed addressing potholes alone. Our new Patch Truck, which arrived in September, allows our Streets Crew to repair potholes, fill cracks and patch existing pavement regularly and efficiently. With its heated dump bed, it’s ready to tackle potholes in cold weather, ensuring smoother rides all year round. 

We can better improve our roads by teaming up and working together. If you see a pothole, don’t just drive past it – report it! Use our online Service Request tool to report non-emergency issues around town, including those pesky potholes. Your requests go straight to the appropriate City team member to review and address. 

Submit a Service Request today at novato.org/servicerequest. 

Street Sweeping Now Provided by Marin Sanitary Service

Just last month, the Novato City Council approved an agreement with Marin Sanitary Service to provide street sweeping services in Novato. You may have already spotted a Marin Sanitary truck in your neighborhood as they began sweeping our streets earlier this week. More information at novato.org/streetsweeping.

Novato's Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department invites you to attend our upcoming Findings Presentation for the Parks Master Plan! 

Join us on Wednesday, November 15 at 6pm at Margaret Todd Senior Center to learn about the feedback collected from our community engagement events and survey results from residents related to the Parks Master Plan project. 

This inclusive study will serve as a valuable strategic guide and “roadmap” for both current and future park planning and recreation development in the City. The process includes an assessment of current parks, playgrounds, fields, outdoor courts, picnic areas and amenities, and a comprehensive public engagement process to gather information from YOU about your interests, wants and needs when it comes to outdoor recreation.

Winter + Spring Activity Guide Coming soon

Spreading the word BIG time — the countdown is on! Less than 1 month until our Winter + Spring 2024 Digital Activity Guide drops on November 30.

Follow along with Novato Fun on Facebook and Instagram as we countdown to the activity guide release date and Winter + Spring activity registration date!

Novato Proudly Celebrates Native American Heritage Month

November is Native American Heritage Month, which recognizes and celebrates the traditions, languages, and stories of Native American communities and aims to ensure their rich histories and contributions continue to thrive each and every day. This is also a time to evaluate our meaningful partnerships with Tribal Nations and strive for a brighter future that respects and uplifts Native voices.

We are #NovatoProud of our Native American community members and of our heritage as home to the Coast Miwok, who were sustainable agriculturalists who occupied Novato, as well as other areas of Marin and Sonoma counties.

On Veterans Day, we honor all who have served our country in wartime and in peacetime. We give special thanks and respect to our own hometown heroes; those in our community who have served as well as those on active duty. Your commitment and sacrifice make us #NovatoProud.

Check out some of our very own Hometown Heroes featured in this special video.

Holiday Happenings

Letters to Santa

Children of all ages can receive a letter via Novato Parks & Recreation from jolly old Santa and his elves between November 13 to December 8!

North Pole mail slots (open on 11/13):

📬🎅 Novato Gymnastics Center, 950 7th Street

📬🎅 Margaret Todd Senior Center, 1560 Hill Road

Note: A self-addressed, stamped envelope must be enclosed. The return envelope will be postmarked from the North Pole.

NPD's Holiday Crafts with the Cops

Need an exciting fall activity for the kids during Thanksgiving break? Join NPD in the Novato Police Training Room, 909 Machin Avenue, for a spice-tacular crafting event on Tuesday, November 21 from 10am - 11am!

Enjoy DIY Thanksgiving craft kits, a coloring station, story time, a hot cocoa station and Thanksgiving-themed giveaways.

Holiday Crafts Faire

Novato Parks & Recreation presents the annual Holiday Crafts Faire on December 1 and 2 at the Margaret Todd Senior Center, 1560 Hill Road!

Shop from 50+ vendors with jewelry, ceramics, specialty foods, and more! Enjoy live entertainment and delicious food. Novato Garden Club, our co-sponsor, will be selling fresh greens and wreaths.

Admission is free! Don't miss this chance to shop local for unique holiday gifts!

Photos with Santa

Santa is making a stop at the Holiday Crafts Faire and will be waiting to take pics with you and your family on Saturday, December 2.

Registration is NOW OPEN — register today, as spaces will fill up. $5 per family gets you a photo with Santa (which will be posted to the Novato Fun Facebook page) plus a special goodie bag from the North Pole!

Gingerbread Build

Get ready for the sweetest event of the year — the 2023 Gingerbread Build on Saturday, December 16. Registration is now open — reserve your space today. $20 per kit (includes gingerbread house, frosting, icing, candies, and sprinkles).

Join us at the Margaret Todd Senior Center for a day of festive fun, creativity, and gingerbread galore.

Small Business Saturday

Help grow local businesses by supporting Small Business Saturday on November 25! Novato's local artisans, chefs, caterers, framers, groomers, boutiques, jewelers, and print agencies can help you finish your holiday wishlist.

Click below for a complete list of local stores and let’s grow and prosper together! 

Downtown Novato Business Association: Holiday Tree Lighting

Get ready to light up the night in Downtown Novato! Join the DNBA on December 2, 4pm - 7:30pm for a magical Tree Lighting Festival that's bursting with holiday cheer!

Are you an artisan vendor interested in participating? This year, the DNBA is expanding the event to include additional holiday shopping. If you would like to participate, contact the DNBA at Info@DowntownNovato.com by November 10.

Downtown Novato's Not So Silent Night

Save the Date for the 1st Annual "Not So Silent Night" in Downtown Novato beginning at 4pm on Saturday, December 9! Your favorite stores will stay open late for holiday shopping and will be filled with special treats. Restaurants, bars, taprooms and tasting rooms will be bursting with live music and holiday cheer. Stay tuned for details from each of your favorite Downtown businesses.

Heroes & Helpers

Every year, North Marin Community Services partners with Novato Police, the City of Novato and Target to provide gifts to underserved families during the holidays. The event is funded through donations from community partners and community members. The event takes place at Target in Novato in December and provides gifts to 60 families during the holiday season. 

SMART Holiday Toy Drive

On Saturday, December 2, join SMART for a special Toy Drive event on all trains. Each adult passenger who brings a new, unwrapped toy to donate will ride free. Kids accompanied by an adult will also ride free that day.

The entire community is invited to bring a toy and enjoy the holiday cheer aboard SMART.

Chabad Jewish Center of Novato: Annual Menorah Lighting and Gelt Drop

Join the Chabad Jewish Center of Novato as they light up the night with a Chanukah Menorah Lighting Celebration and Gelt Drop! Enjoy donuts, hot latkas, crafts, dinner, games and more.

The event will be held on Sunday, December 10 at 5pm in front of Novato City Hall, 901 Sherman Ave. Reserve your spot at jewishnovato.com/lighting.

DNBA Bouncy Ball New Year

Kids of all ages are invited to Downtown Novato to see what happens when 24,000 (celebrating 2024) small bouncy balls are dropped onto the street from a ladder truck 40 feet in the air!

This FREE event will take place on December 31 at 12pm — arrive early so you don't miss the countdown. Kids will get a souvenir “hard hat” and can keep as many bouncy balls as their pockets & buckets can hold! What if it’s raining? No worries! Your umbrella will protect you from the bouncy balls raining from above.

The Novato Historical Guild: Family History Day

On October 28, the Novato Historical Guild celebrated Novato Family History Day on the Civic Green by handing out family history kits and traditional Mexican candies, and educating the community about Novato's diverse history. This event was organized by the Novato Historical Guild and their Hispanic Outreach Committee, and was supported by longtime Novato families, Novato's Multicultural Advisory Commission, Hamilton School Mother’s Club, Novato Unified School District, School Fuel, North Marin Community Services, and the Marin Indian Alliance.

“Novato Family History Day brought together families and cultures with centuries of involvement in our community." said former Novato Mayor and Guild Board Member Jeanne MacLeamy. " The impact and understanding of the legacy of those families and cultures will be the foundation for building mutual respect, collaboration, and progress which can only strengthen our community.”  

The Novato Historical Guild operates two museums, and both museums are open Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 12-4pm. For more information, please call (415) 382-8614 or go to novatohistory.org.

Climate Action Plan Update

Please join us on November 16 for the final workshop in our series of topic-focused workshops we’ve been hosting as part of the City’s Climate Action Plan update process. 

This workshop will focus on policies and programs related to climate adaptation (resilient infrastructure, emergency preparedness, ecosystem restoration, etc.) and carbon sequestration (carbon farming, tree planting, biochar, etc.). The workshop will be held during the regularly scheduled meeting of the Sustainability Commission starting at 6pm in Novato City Hall, 901 Sherman Avenue.

Marin Green Home Tour — Recording Available!

If you missed the virtual 2023 Marin Green Home Tour held on October 26, you can now view a recording of the full program!

Additionally, archives of homes featured on the 2022 Tour are still available, as well as a series of presentations on electrical panels, heat pumps, induction cooktops, resources, incentives, and more.

Green Home Improvement Webinars

The Marin County Sustainability Team is hosting a green home improvement webinar series throughout November at 6pm. Industry experts will be hosting deep dive discussions focused on building and vehicle electrification.

• November 9: Heat Pump Space Heaters
• November 14: Making an Electrification Plan for your Home
• November 16: Electric Vehicles 101

Single-Use and Reusable Foodware

Replacing single-use plastic foodware with reusable containers and cutlery can reduce litter, harm to marine life, and greenhouse gas emissions from producing disposable plastic foodware.

In May 2023, Novato City Council adopted a foodware ordinance prohibiting single-use plastic foodware at businesses with a food facility permit issued by the County of Marin’s Environmental Health Services Division (EHS). The ordinance also requires that reusable foodware be used for dine-in operations and compostable and/or all-aluminum foodware be provided for take-out services.

County EHS staff will be conducting outreach and education to businesses during food facility inspections to assist with ordinance compliance.

Upcoming City Meetings

The City of Novato encourages community participation at our upcoming public meetings. Meeting details, including information on how to participate, are included in each meeting agenda packet. Agendas are posted at least 72 hours prior to each scheduled meeting. To receive meeting agendas via email and/or text, sign-up at novato.org/connectwithus.

November 8 at 6pm | Recreation, Cultural and Community Services Commission - Special Meeting

November 9 at 6pm | Recreation, Cultural and Community Services Commission - Cancelled

November 13 at 7pm | Planning Commission

November 14 at 6pm | City Council

November 15 at 5:30pm | Complete Streets and Pathways Oversight Committee

November 15 at 7pm | Design Review Commission -Cancelled

November 16 at 7:30am | Finance Advisory Commission

November 16 at 3pm | Economic Development Advisory Commission - Special Meeting

November 16 at 6pm | Sustainability Commission

November 22 at 6pm | Multicultural Advisory Commission - Cancelled

November 27 at 7pm | Planning Commission

We're Hiring — Join Our Team!

Interested in a career in local government? Check out some of our current openings:

• Community Services Officer (Full Time) - application deadline is November 26

Please note the following positions will remain open until filled:

• Fire Mitigation Ranger (Police Officer - Part Time) - continuous; applications reviewed as they are received
• Police Intern (Part Time) - continuous; applications reviewed as they are received
• Police Officer Trainee (Full Time) - continuous; applications reviewed as they are received
• Police Officer - Lateral/Academy Graduate (Full Time) - continuous; applications reviewed as they are received

Visit novatojobs.org for more information and to apply.

Top Stories from Our Previous Edition

Novato Selects Next Police Chief

Pioneer Park Playground Construction Resumes

Watch Novato's City Budget 101 Video