On August 4 and 5, the Novato City Council held two workshop sessions to discuss the City’s Strategic Plan, a comprehensive framework that ensures priorities set by the City Council are developed based on shared goals and objectives that continue to meet our community’s needs. The two-day workshop, led by Mike Letcher from Bridge Group LLC, reviewed the previous plan, and drafted new priorities listed under each of the plan’s five goals: Living Well Together, Great Places, Environmental Stewardship, A City that Works, and Economic Vitality. While some of the strategic goals of the original plan have been included in the new draft, the updated plan recommends many new initiatives to address community needs citywide. 

Addressing the City’s fiscal challenges continues to be the highest priority for the City Council. At the workshops, the City Council discussed the City’s ongoing structural budget deficit and included potential solutions in the Strategic Plan — including a sales tax measure on the November 2024 ballot. Novato’s sales tax is one of the lowest in Marin County and an increase would help address the City’s deficit and provide funding to continue to deliver services our community wants and deserves. Ultimately, a potential sales tax measure would be decided on by Novato voters.

The workshops also provided an opportunity for the City Council to review how they work together as a team for the betterment of Novato as a whole. Topics included efficiency and cohesiveness during city meetings, customer service, and civic engagement. Council and staff are united on carrying out the community’s wishes in a way that is informative, transparent, and fiscally responsible. City staff, under the direction of the City Manager, are charged with implementing the Strategic Plan that is expected to run through June 30, 2025.

The Strategic Plan 2023-25 is scheduled to be adopted by the Novato City Council at their next meeting at 6pm on August 22 at Novato City Hall, 901 Sherman Avenue. The agenda for this meeting will be posted at least 72 hours prior at novato.org/agendas.