Marin Independent Journal
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Tuesday, September 19, 2006
For mayor, there's nothing like Novato
Novato Mayor Carole Dillon-Knutson has never felt better.
After recovering from a bout of pneumonia that sidelined her campaign for county supervisor earlier this year, the three-term City Council member is preparing to begin a series of neighborhood meetings with her constituents this fall. Never afraid to speak her mind, Dillon-Knutson addressed the city's building needs, its self-image and the impact of the supervisor's race on city government during a one-on-one interview with the Independent Journal.
QUESTION: What's the most important issue facing Novato right now?
ANSWER: Economic development. In Novato, we've focused a great deal on housing. But since Vintage Oaks was built, we have not focused on economic development. That's starting to change. We spent $10.8 million to refurbish Grant Avenue, and we're now seeing new stores like Five Little Monkeys, Flour Chylde and Sweet Potatoes. Those are the kind of unique, small stores we want.
I'm excited that the old Pini Hardware site has been sold to Dan Safier (the developer who helped lure the Trader Joe's grocery store to Novato). We've also had businesses come in like Trader Joe's and Pharmaca, which add to the vitality of the town.
Q: There's been a lot of discussion in recent months about how the city should spend its money on capital projects. With so many projects under consideration - the Hamilton pool, new city offices, O'Hair Park - which do you think is most important?
A: I think it's vital that we have a community center. We're a large town now, and yet we only have the senior center as a gathering place. A real community center would add to the quality of life in this city. And I think it's important for that to include a plaza - an outdoor place that could be used for small shows, bands or all kinds of events. We need a gathering place for our sense of community identity.
One of the things I've been working on for a long time is to build up a sense of civic pride, to encourage people to feel good about living in Novato. When I go elsewhere, I hear people say 'Oh yes, I live in San Rafael' or 'Well, I live in Tiburon.' And then you come here and people say (in a low, downbeat voice) 'I live in Novato.' We've got more hiking trails and environmental programs here than just about anywhere. We have an incredible downtown. And yet this city still has the feel of a small town. It's a beautiful place, and people need to realize that.
Q: Where should that community center be located?
A: I'd like to see a community center at the site we have downtown. I don't think it's as important to have the city offices there as I once thought. People don't come to the city offices that often, but they would come to a community center. I think it's important to restore the former Community House, but I also think that building should be expanded.
Having a community center with a plaza downtown would also give people in this town a place to go at night. I've tried shopping on Grant Avenue at night, or on Sunday, and found all the businesses closed at 4 p.m. I'd also like to see a bookstore in there; I've been working on that for six years. We have a lot of writers, a lot of readers and a lot of book clubs in this town.
Q: What other projects do you feel are particularly important?
A: I wanted to make O'Hair Park my first priority when I was elected. That was 11 years ago. At the time, I was told that Hamilton had to be our first priority. But now that's taken care of, and we can begin looking at solving some of the problems that haven't been looked at on the northern end of town.
The park could be a place for a community heritage garden. It could be a place where we could see kids' playing fields. (Parks and Recreation Director) Larry Dito talked about it as 'Novato's Golden Gate Park,' and I believe that it could become that.
Q: You've been a member of the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) advisory board for five months now. How important is the restoration of commuter rail service to Novato?
A: Novato needs SMART to restore its economic vitality. The No. 1 problem businesses have with locating in Novato is traffic, and we have to find a way to deal with that. It shouldn't take an hour and a half to drive from Santa Rosa to Terra Linda.
Q: Do you have any concerns about the project?
A: I don't think there's been enough consultation with neighbors of the project. As a result, they've been given incorrect information. I feel that's what's happened at Los Robles (a mobile home park whose residents have opposed the proposed construction of a nearby SMART station). They were given misinformation, and they've become upset.
Q: The City Council has had difficulty recruiting candidates for Novato's committees and commissions. Some of the existing members of those boards have accused the council of ignoring their recommendations. How is the council addressing these problems?
A: It's an ongoing process. The membership of the council changes, and the priorities of its members change. That's part of the nature of this form of government.
Q: Some of the council's recent meetings have run very late. Is that because of the number of issues you've been dealing with, or are there other reasons?
A: The council has to work together as a team. But when you have members who are candidates for another office, they look for opportunities to feature themselves on television, and emphasize what they have done, rather than what the council has done as a whole. The truth is that no one person can be responsible for anything. Everything we do requires people to work together.
Q: You've pushed for council meetings to be televised and shown on the Web. Has that made a difference in terms of public participation?
A: I think that's one of the things that makes Novato different from San Rafael. When I campaign door-to-door in Novato and ask people about the issues that are important to them, they tell me two, three or four different things, and they let me know their opinions about them.
In San Rafael, where meetings aren't televised, I've gone door-to-door with a friend who was running for City Council, and the people there didn't know what the council was doing, or even who was on the council. Information is a real asset to the community.
Q: You were originally considering a run for county supervisor this year, along with councilwomen Judy Arnold and Pat Eklund, before you left the race for health reasons. Would you consider running for that office again?
A: It's always a possibility. I feel that I've served Novato well. If I can serve people better in another way, I'll consider running elsewhere.
Contact Rob Rogers via e-mail at rrogers@marinij.com
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