Top Reads This Week

Didn’t have much time to read Patch this week?

No worries! Every weekend we provide you with a rundown of the top stories...just to make sure you didn’t miss anything big around town. (Don’t you hate being the last one to know?)

On Wednesday, we wrote about progress of the new City Hall, scheduled to open November 12. The city says the new administrative building is a good deal because it means Novato will no longer lease another office space on Rowland Boulevard. But many residents continue to criticize the $15 million (most of it redevelopment funds returned to the city) project as wasteful and say more daytime parking should have been built.

“It's a real shame that while they were planning for the new building they could not have included a second underground level for the public during the day,” said Tom Jones, a resident, in one of the comments. “I raised the issue and was told that the city simply didn't have the money. But...the money could have been found even if it meant charging for parking. The city doesn't feel there is a parking problem. But that's what makes downtown Petaluma and San Rafael attractive and viable. We missed a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Another top read this week was about a group of downtown merchants who are concerned with the way the Downtown Novato Business Association is being run. Among the problems they cite are lack of board members, irregular financial statements and a lack of transparency in the organization. They are so fed up that some are even calling on the city to freeze the fees merchants pay for one year.

Also this week, the Novato Police Department introduced five new officers and a captain, all of whom have been hired within the past five months. All positions will be paid for with General Fund monies.

We’ve also continued profiling candidates running for local office, so if you’re still trying to figure out who’s who and what they stand for, check out our handy Elections Page. (Next week we’re profiling candidates to the Novato Fire Protection District.)