Measure F, like other issues before the voters, presents a choice to the community as to the level of service they want in the coming years.

The City is entering into a new phase in the Housing Element update with the selection of a City Manager's Working Group and wants to inform you of upcoming activities.

First, thank you to the community for its tremendous interest and participation during the update process. Well over 200 people attended the last public workshop on October 14th. Representatives from the State Department of Housing and Community Development and the Association of Bay Area Governments were invited to hear the concerns of the community and address questions. It was an energetic meeting in which many community members expressed their frustration with and opposition to State and regional agency involvement in local planning for housing. Community members were also disappointed that these public agencies were not able to answer all of the public inquiries, though the agency representatives committed to providing additional information in writing. Click here for a video of this meeting.

Turning to upcoming activities, City staff had tentatively scheduled two public workshops in November for further discussion of Housing Element issues. Staff wishes to insure that these discussions will be as wide-ranging as possible and that answers to community questions will be available. To allow additional preparation time for these meetings, staff is rescheduling them. Tentatively, the workshops will be held in January; the exact dates will be announced.

At the past workshops, members of the community expressed a strong interest in working in partnership with City staff on solutions to housing concerns. In response, a City Manager's Working Group has been brought together to address housing issues and work to reach consensus on recommendations regarding housing policies. The group is made up of twenty three community members from all over the city representing a range of community perspectives. Members of the group are listed at the end of this message.

The first meeting of the group was held on October 25th. This meeting focused on the organization and role of the group and their discussions extended into concerns and aspirations for the future of Novato. The group will continue to meet over the coming months in order to develop their recommendations. The next meetings are November 17th and December 8th. The focus of the group will be developed by consensus of the members but topics for discussion may include:

A key issue for the Working Group discussions will be housing sites and it is expected that the Group will have recommendations leading to a new or revised listing of possible sites.

The Group's meetings are open to the public but the focus is on having the working group dig into these issues in depth and given these volunteers' time constraints an open public comment is not presently included in the agenda. The Group will be discussing how to loop out to the community and also how to get further input.

For questions on the Housing Element, or the City Manager's Working Group, please contact David Wallace at 899-8989 or HousingElement@cityofnovato.org.

The City Council met on September 29th to interview applicants for various seats on the City's Commissions, Committees and Boards, and were gratified to have so many interested, qualified and committed citizens willing to devote their time to serving the community. There are still positions open on the Multicultural Advisory Commission and Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Go to the City of Novato website for information and to apply.

The Council met twice this month in regular session, and at its meeting of October 12, made their appointments of the above-mentioned applicants. Also at that meeting, the Council presented proclamations to the Novato Horsemen in appreciation for their work on Western Day and to the Nostalgia Days Committee for putting on the Rod and Kustom Car Show event. Under General Business, the Council discussed and approved the terms of an Agreement of Purchase and Sale of the Novato Theater to a California nonprofit public benefit corporation headed by Bernice Baeza.  The Council looks forward to the day that the theatre again opens its doors to the public and creates energy for Downtown.

At its meeting of October 26th, the Council enjoyed a presentation from the Director of the Lu Sutton Child Care Center and a group of youngsters, in celebration of the Center's 20th anniversary. They also received a presentation created by Hamilton resident Kate Ruehle depicting summertime fun at the Hamilton Pool.

On the Consent Calendar, Council approved an amendment to the City's agreement with Marin County for Animal Control services and accepted a grant from the Department of Justice for funding to enhance our juvenile crime prevention efforts. A discussion of the purchase of an emergency generator for the Margaret Todd Senior Center was moved to the General Business calendar.

The determination as to the staff's recommendation for the location of the generator has been delayed until the November 9th meeting due to concerns about noise, aesthetics and "green" considerations, and so that alternative locations may be explored.

A public hearing was held to decide whether to renew the annual assessment charged to businesses in the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID). A letter protesting the levy of the assessments, signed by 80 businesses out of 400, was submitted. By state law, if 50% of the businesses had protested, then the assessment would not be levied. The Downtown Novato Business Association (DNBA) responded to questions, after which the Councilmembers expressed their appreciation for DNBA's efforts toward improving their financial reporting, commitment to increasing communication with businesses and planning new events. Ultimately, it was decided to confirm the Annual Bid Report and levy the assessments, and DNBA committed to reaching out to dissatisfied downtown business owners to address their concerns.

The Novato City Council recently approved an agreement for the sale of the Novato Theater on Grant Avenue. A non-profit led by Bernice Baeza, Co-Founder of the Lark Theater in Larkspur, is the buyer. This is very exciting news for the downtown - a renovated theater will provide a major cultural and entertainment anchor for the downtown and restore the historic façade to its former glory.  A restored Novato Theater will be the jewel of Grant Avenue and contribute to a vibrant downtown night life.

However, there are significant challenges ahead before the theater doors open. The non-profit will need to raise at least $750,000 from community members before the sale is finalized and renovation can begin. For this project to be a success, it will need the strong support and significant financial contributions from the Novato community.

The theater renovation simply will not happen without investment in the project from community members. During the first phase of the project, the non-profit will be setting up a limited liability corporation (LLC) partnership in order to raise the majority of the $750,000 needed to close the sale. The LLC will seek 20 to 30 community members with the financial resources to make a significant investment/commitment to supporting the arts in Novato. The LLC partnership will own the theater upon its renovation and be repaid through theater operations. The non-profit also seeks individual donations - every little bit (and larger amounts, of course) will help. The Lark Theater restoration involved over 800 donors providing support ranging from $5 to $100,000 - the Novato Theater renovation will require this same level of community support. Lastly, the project needs volunteers, especially those with specialized skills such as construction, engineering, community fundraising experience, etc.

If you would like to make an investment or donation to the renovation of the Novato Theater or would like to volunteer, please contact Bernice Baeza at bernicebaeza@gmail.com.

Stay tuned for more updates on the theater renovation progress. Thanks for your interest in this exciting opportunity! For further information on the Novato Theater sale, please contact Tom Adams at tadams@cityofnovato.org

Volunteers help enhance, expand, and deliver quality programs and services to City of Novato residents and visitors. By partnering with City staff, volunteers have a unique opportunity to learn about their city government, while helping to maintain and manage the City's programs and resources. Currently, the City has over 800 volunteers working for the Police, Parks, Recreation and Community Services and Public Works departments.

The City is in the process of revitalizing its Volunteer Program. The current mission for the Volunteer Program is to, "Enhance the quality of life for Novato residents and visitors by creating volunteer opportunities for individuals or groups to contribute their time, talents and expertise in support of City programs and services that serve the community." As part of the revitalization efforts, the City of Novato Volunteer Program recently became a member of the Center for Volunteers and Nonprofit Leadership (CVNL). Part of CVNL's mission is to enrich and strengthen volunteerism in Marin County. As a CVNL member, the City can post volunteer opportunities on the CVNL website, and get assistance in recruiting volunteers. Through this partnership, the City hopes to attract more volunteers to help with disaster preparedness, annual Clean and Green Day, special events, median island and park maintenance, and senior programs and activities.

For more information about volunteer opportunities and the City of Novato Volunteer Program, please contact Sandra Stohler with the City at sstohler@cityofnovato.org or check out the CVNL website at: www.centerforleadershipmarin.org. Click on "Volunteer," then "Volunteer Matching - Learn More," and find the City of Novato Volunteer Program under "Search by Agency." Become an active member of your community by volunteering!

Lu Sutton Child Care is the City-run licensed child care center that serves 65 children at Lu Sutton Elementary School. This year the City is celebrating the Center's twentieth year of serving youth child care needs at the school. The program is home to a vegetable garden the children tend to, as well as cooking and sewing clubs, which help teach valuable life skills to the children. Homework assistance, self esteem building, and healthy, active activities round out this popular program serving Kindergarten through 5th grade children. The Center is also home to our preschool program focused on socialization, creative play, activities, and teaching skills children will need to become successful Kindergartners. For more information please contact Pam Shinault at pshinault@cityofnovato.org.

City staff in the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department began work in July to identify a nonprofit agency who could take over full responsibility and funding of the Novato Independent Elders Program. The Program was formed in 1990 to help meet the needs of isolated, frail, low income and multicultural older adults in Novato. The needs are met through partnerships with local businesses, senior serving agencies and numerous volunteers. No partner has been found yet and meetings continue with outside agencies to discuss possibilities. As part of the City's two-year budget reduction plan, the program, which serves low-income, frail and isolated multi-cultural seniors and their families, will no longer be managed and supported by the City after June 30, 2011, unless a willing agency is found to take over the program and cover the costs. For more information or if you have any ideas or input on possible solutions, please contact Pam Shinault at pshinault@cityofnovato.org.

The Activity Guide for the City's recreation programs and services offered from January through April will be mailed in November.

The Activity Guide covers six months of great community recreation activities and programs. Look for the guide so you do not miss out on the fun this winter and spring! Youth Basketball Sign Ups begin November 8th with the league starting in December start. Other exciting programs include camps over Thanksgiving week and during the holidays in December. We also have chair aerobics for adults and ballroom and Latin dance classes for teens. For more information, please contact Pam Shinault at pshinault@cityofnovato.org.

The Downtown Novato Music Series concluded this past Friday with a well-received performance by the Leo Vigil Jazz Quartet. While a light rain forced the concert to move from the Novato City Green to inside the City Council Chambers, the event was very successful. Attendees commented on the good acoustics in the building.

The weather also allowed residents to see the Chambers as an entertainment venue, rather than just a place where city business is conducted. The First Annual Downtown Autumn Music Series brought three bands to Novato in October. The concerts were held on either Friday night or Saturday afternoon. The Series began on October 8 with world renowned harpist and violinist Carlos Reyes, who displayed his talents to Novato residents.

The following Saturday, Pop Fiction brought their brand of dance hits and rock classics to the City Green. These acts, along with Leo Vigil, allowed Novatoans to witness a variety of quality musicians. The purpose of the Series was to encourage people to experience downtown Novato, while listening to great music! Representatives of the Downtown Novato Business Association were happy with the attendance. The Association already has ideas for future Music Series events. Preliminary proposals include: inviting local bands to provide them with a venue to showcase their music and establishing a business sidewalk sale so attendees can experience the music and local businesses at the same time.

Thank you to everyone who attended and please look for information about future Music Series events. Further information can be obtained by contacted Jayne Belote with the Downtown Novato Business Association at jmbelote@hotmail.com.

In a recent City communication, the City mistakenly referred to the possibility of closing the Youth Center instead of the City Teen Center. The Novato Youth Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency that has served the community for 35 years and is funded through donations and other fundraising activities. The Teen Center is run by the City of Novato. City staff apologizes for any confusion.