All right. Hello. I am calling the
regular meeting of the Rosstown Council,
Thursday, June 11, 2026 to order.
Zach, could you please take the role?
>> Mayor McMillan?
>> Yep.
>> Mayor Prom Robbins
>> here.
>> Council member Kercher,
>> I'm here, but I'm attending via Zoom.
I'm currently in Newport Beach and
unable to attend in person. I am here
caring for an adult child who is ill.
Does any further information needed? I'm in Newport Beach, 409 Sarah Drive,
Crona Delmare, California.
And uh no one else is present in the
room with me.
>> Thank you, Council Member.
>> Council member Don
>> here. and council member Salter
>> here.
>> Thank you. Um, has the agenda been
posted?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Any changes to the agenda?
>> No.
>> Disclosure of exarty communications on
items where the town council acts in an
adjudicator or quasi judicial capacity.
Any disclosures?
Moving on to number four. Um, Roberta,
introduction of the new building
inspector.
» Good evening, mayor and council members.
I'm pleased to introduce the town of
Ross's new building inspector, Matt
Taya. Matt is a Northern California
native and a graduate of CSU Chico. He
brings with him a remarkably diverse
professional background. After college,
he began his career in minor league
baseball, working in Tennessee and
Wyoming before moving to Chicago. While
there, he completed the Wright College
building energy technologies program and
entered the home energy field, spending
six years conducting building energy
audits, testing, and contracting. His
interest in the built environment
continued to grow and he went on to
become a certified residential building
inspector, eventually returning home to
California. For the past seven years,
Matt served as the sole building
inspector for the city of Seaside, where
he handled a wide range of inspections
and supported
the city's development activity with
professionalism and care. Matt relocated
to Marin County and now lives in West
Marin.
Um, outside of work, he enjoys
traveling, film, live music, outdoor
activities, and exploring local history
interests that fit right within the
character of our community. We're
excited to have him join the town of
Ross, and we look forward to his
expertise, energy, and thoughtful
approach he brings to our team. Please
join me in welcoming Matt Taya as our
new building inspector.
>> Welcome.
[applause]
» Thank you. Uh just wanted to say I'm
looking forward to the opportunity here
in Ross. Been here u about four weeks
now. Um I think we work well with the
team here already. I've been loving the
town and the whole Marin County here.
Um, looking forward to being here and
helping Ross continue to improve and uh,
keep keeping on.
Thank you.
>> Thank you so much. Welcome.
>> Thank you.
[applause]
» Number five, open time for public
expression. This is limited to three
minutes per speaker on items not on
[clears throat] our agenda. Anyone in
the chamber?
Good evening, Madame Mayor. My name is
Michael Rosenbal and I live at 14
Madrona. I am here tonight to voice my
absolute outrage regarding unsolicited
and unprofessional email correspondence
sent by a Ross council member on the
evening of Sunday, May 17th. Such
behavior is an affront to the dignity of
our town. As a 40-year resident, I have
seen this council function only with
integrity in the past. While I have
disagreed with some of its historical
decisions, I have accepted them.
Unfortunately, what I see now is a total
collapse of the tradition of a unified
professional community voice coming from
the states.
My experience as a US rowing official at
the NC2A Olympic trials confirms a hard
truth. Success requires everyone pulling
in the same direction.
However, this council is currently a
drift because of a rogue councilman who
refuses to follow prior decisions and
valid contracts. This defiance of
institutional norms should end
immediately. If this petulant
self-serving communication is the new
standard, then the citizens of Ross are
facing a crisis of leadership. I for one
will not tolerate a council that
prioritize campaign posturing over the
serious business of governing the town
of Ross. This council should immediately
review its own procedure manuals. As
citizens, we demand the urgent adoption
of protocols for member conduct. This is
not a request. It is a necessity. There
must be swift and severe consequences,
reprimand, censure, or immediate
expulsion for any member who fails to
maintain professional comportment during
council meetings and now unfortunately
online.
If this blatant transgression is met
with silence, you're effectively
condoning the dismantling of our town's
historical reputation. The current
toxicity of the Ross Town Council will
in the near future drive away vital town
staff, alienate our professional partner
agencies, and signal to any future
contractor that the town of Ross is too
dysfunctional to conduct business with
by allowing valid signed contracts to be
undermined by the personal whims you are
sabotaging our town's future.
Mayor Prom Robbins, you must act.
Failure to speak up now and discipline
your fellow councilmen is a clear signal
of your failure of your future
leadership. If you do not check
Councilman Salter's behavior today, rest
assured his next target will be you when
he disagrees with the future council
decision. The time for patience has
expired. The integrity of our town is at
stake and action must be taken with
regrets.
» Thank you. Anyone else in the chamber
for public comment?
Let's see if I can do this right. Okay.
Am I good? Okay.
My name is Diane Rudden. Hello, council
members. I remembered my name this time
and I introduced myself. Uh 39 Willow
Avenue. It's now 40 plus years at that
old house and uh we still love it. Um on
Tuesday
we had a meeting at St. John's age
friendly did on housing options for the
agent. We had um
home match show up and I'm going to put
these at the post office and I think it
will be
I think we have to think about what
we're going to do for our next step bin
life and I think maybe we don't want to
and I think this is part of the problem
that has occurring but the other thing
is there's a community resource that is
available. I will put one at the post
office just so people can look at it and
let them know that the rest are here at
town hall because I don't know if that's
the best way to do it, but that's who I
am and that's what I did on Tuesday.
>> Thank you. Anyone else in the chamber?
Anyone online, Zach?
>> Nobody online, mayor.
>> Okay,
moving on. Moving on to item number six,
which is a proclamation acknowledging
National Gun Safety Day in the town of
Ross, which was June 5th, 2026.
Whereas the first Friday in June is
declared as National Gun Violence
Awareness Day to honor and remember all
victims and survivors of gun violence
and to declare that as a country, state,
town, and individually, we all must do
more to educate ourselves on and reduce
gun violence. And whereas gun violence
remains a leading cause of death among
American children and teens surpassing
motor vehicle accidents, in 2023, over
4,700 children and teens ages 0 to 19
were killed by firearms in the United
States, accounting for nearly 1 in 10
gunrelated deaths nationwide.
Whereas every day, more than 100
Americans are killed by gun violence.
And on average, there are more than
13,000 gun-related homicides every year.
and Americans are 25 times more likely
to die by gun homicide than people in
other highincome countries. Whereas
supporting the Second Amendment and
advocating for responsible gun ownership
are not mutually exclusive with
implementing common sense measures to
prevent gun violence, including
universal background checks, safe
storage laws, and red flag laws that
help keep firearms out of the hands of
individuals with dangerous histories.
And whereas every day 30 16 people are
shot by a gun in the United States and
11 children ages 1 to 17 are injured or
killed due to improperly stored or
misused firearms and unsecured firearms
in a residence increase the risk of
gun-related suicide by 300%.
And recognizing that securely storing
firearms is the single best way to help
prevent firearm accidents, theft, and
misuse, the town of Ross is committed to
supporting its residents in this effort.
And whereas the Ross Police Department
is guided by the philosophy of community
oriented policing and works to preserve
and enhance the quality of life, safety,
and security of the town for its
residents, businesses, visitors, and
students, and has taken proactive steps
to advance firearm safety, including
offering free trigger locks and cables
to residents and collecting unwanted
firearms and ammunition from residents
without charge as part of this
commitment. Whereas the town of Ross
reaffirms its commitment to ending the
epidemic of gun violence and calls on
community members, leaders, and
lawmakers to take action to reduce
firearm related deaths through
education, advocacy, and policy reform.
We pledge to promote safe gun storage,
support the Ross Police Department's
ongoing firearm safety programs, and
ensure that all Ross residents,
especially the students of the Ross
School, the Branson School, and the Ross
preschool, can live free from the threat
of gun violence.
Oh, more from me. Mayor's report. Gosh.
Um, town facilities. Jeff Cuin and the
citizens advisory committee proposed a
new path forward for a town facilities
at the April 29th council meeting.
Please take a look at their PowerPoint
with its legacy concept for the town's
99year-old public safety building as
envisioned by Dan Weiny and Gendler
Architects. Then I include a link to the
PowerPoint and please watch the short
less than twominute YouTube video about
the concept and I include the YouTube
link. The following week, the council
directed staff to expeditiously amend
the 2023 facilities master plan with the
CAC citizens advisory committee concept.
Tonight, the council will consider
issuing an RFP for an architect to do
this. Tonight, we will cons consider
approval of the town's budget for 2627.
The council discussed these issues at
our February and April meetings. The
town is in excellent financial shape
thanks to staff's careful stewardship,
prudent expenditures, and excess revenue
over the last few years, which
unfortunately has ended. The proposed
budget includes initial planning and
environmental work to rehabilitate the
Ross common playfield last done in the
early 1980s.
I am amazed with and gratified by Ross
residents generosity, diligence, and
creativity to enhance our town and build
community. My heartfelt thanks to RPOA
for the beautiful new lights at the Ross
Post Office installed in early May and
the colorful flower baskets around town.
The Ross Auxiliary for the lovely Ross
spring dinner May 9th and Rosanna and
Wally Lord for hosting the cocktail
party in their gorgeous garden. and the
Ross School parent teacher organization
for a literally over-the-top Ross garden
walk and market on May 17th and the
generous Glenwood Avenue residents who
opened their stunning gardens to our
community.
Each year, more than 10,000 public
school students take the statemandated
test, the California Assessment of
Student Performance and Progress, which
measures knowledge and skills across
various subjects. Ross school stu
students scored in the top 1% in both
English and math. Congratulations to
Ross school students, administrators,
teachers, and parents on this excellent
achievement.
Finally, thanks to Ross recreation and
town staff. The community is looking
forward to the Fourth of July parade and
festivities. Get your bikes, cars,
floats, dogs, and pies ready for a fun
red, white, and blue morning. And I'll
see you there. The parade starts at
10:00 a.m.
Council committee and liaison reports.
Anybody?
» Okay. Um, at our April 2nd Ross Council
meeting, um, I shared with you that the
March transportation that the at the
March transportation authority of Marin
board meeting, I voted no on behalf of
the town of Ross to a measure AA
expenditure plan revision. The revision
reduces funding to Ross and other Marin
cities and towns to maintain a viable
pavement rehabilitation program and
local roads improvement. As a town
without a commercial base, Ross depends
on this funding and is unlikely to
qualify for funding from a new
reimagined roadway care category. The
revision was passed by the TAM board
except for Ross. All cities and towns in
Marin and the board of supervisors voted
to support this revision. Belvadier was
um had some questions. So the plan has
been approved at the TAM board meeting
this month. I will share that we're
disappointed with this decision.
However, we request that in the future,
TAM prioritize the support to cities and
towns by leaving the fund the 2.1
funding for cities and towns intact,
especially for smaller towns in Marin
like Belvadier and Ross. I in addition,
I will request that TAM offer more
opportunities in the future for smaller
towns to apply for TAM funding. With
this said and acknowledging the TAM's
really good efforts to improve regional
traffic congestion, I will vote on
behalf of Ross to support their 2627
annual budget and the 26 measure AA
sales strategic uh the sales strategic
plan which includes this change in the
budget. So, but I have one more thing to
say and it's not TAM. It's about
Elizabeth and I spent the a couple hours
before the the town council meeting
today. And we do this every Thursday
before the town council meetings and
it's a wonderful opportunity for us to
talk to people who are going into the
post office. So, we we grab them as they
go in and talk to them and ask them what
they think about the town and do they
have any questions and what's working
and what's not working. Well, I've got
to say that one thing that comes up
repeatedly repeatedly
is parking and it's getting more so. So,
uh, what I would do at the end of this
council meeting is request that in the
future, absolutely not now, in the
future, we just have a discussion about
the parking places in Ross. So, that's
it.
>> Anyone else?
>> Well, um, Ross Valley Paramedic
Authority meets quarterly. We met on
June 4. Um there weren't any, you know,
other than the upcoming election to
renew the parcel tax, there weren't any
particular items discussed at that
meeting, but we have an an item on our
agenda to discuss the um new structure
of the RVPA
>> and the Ross Valley Fire Board met last
night and we approved the budget for
2627 and the Marin Wildfire Prevention
Authority met earlier in June And no,
actually we met in May, late May, and
approved the budget going forward for
MWPA
» council. Let's see. Yes, Matt.
>> All right. I don't know if Bill I I was
going to talk about MC. I guess I can
give brief comments. He can as well. The
um CEO of MCE, Don Weise, has been
placed on indefinite leave of absence.
And I view this as a very positive
development. Um the mayor of Belvadier,
the mayor of Larks and myself worked
extremely hard while I was on the board
to work for reform of that agency. And
while I was there were able to at the
very end pass a finance committee to
establish to look over the finances and
right now the board is going through a
governance review to try to figure out
the optimal governance structure for the
agency. So oftent times um we look at
government and you know this CEO had
been in place for 15 years and started the agency and was kind of a
legend in the industry. But when the
public is made aware of the challenges
and potential corruption that was there,
it became apparent that there needed to
be a change. So this is hopefully the
beginning of a new dawn for MCE. And I
>> that's terrible
>> and I hope that we um you know as a part
of all of us being you know electeds pay
close attention to what um happens next
and support the agency as it goes
through this transition.
Bill, did you want to add anything on
the MCE?
» Yeah, you're muted. Bill,
>> there's a lengthy close session. We're
really not supposed to comment on closed
sessions and so I'm not going to do
that.
>> Thank you. Um, staff and community
reports. Um, Ross Property Owners
Association, Andy.
» Good evening, madame mayor and council
members. I'm Andy Mascaroni. I'm a
member of the board of Ross Property
Owners Association. And before I start,
I want to say thank you very much for
not scheduling this meeting last night.
We all would have missed the best NBA
basketball game of all times. A
spectacular finish. I just want to put
that in. So we anyway so I'm here to
give you uh a report on our
accomplishments as a uh as a agency and
also our future plans. Um August 21st
live on the comments we have Super
Diamond who will appear from 5 to 8:00
as a cover band.
On September 19th we're going to have an
emergency first aid class on Roth
Commons from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
from on October 16th, we're going to
have another live on the Commons, but
unfortunately, we don't know who's going
to be playing at that time. Um, November
15th, there's a turkey trot at 9:00 a.m.
followed by a downtown sip uh sip and
stroll from 4 to 7:00 p.m. And December
7th, there will be a winter fest and a
tree lighting.
Um, the spring dinner is coming on May
9th and we have a great uh planned
attendance. So far, 140 people have
bought tickets. Last time we only had
105, so we're looking like we have a a
better attendance.
As we've as you've mentioned before, the
hanging flowers have gone up. They look
beautiful. There 10 of them. They
replaced the banners and that will be
continuing uh the new lights at the post
office. Everyone should go and look at
the wonderful pendant lights, beautiful
lights. And we're also investigating
whether we can replace some of the uh
the fixtures in the back in the
operational area to put LED lights in to
make it more uh pleasing for the workers
and just a better um better lighting
system. Um we're working on a historical
walk. Uh Tom Gaffffne has uh worked
diligently. He has 12 locations uh which
will be located around the city.
There'll be plaques raised and at each
plaque there's a QR code which will
reference a a uh on the internet a
description of whatever is being looked
at. Everything's been approved. The
plaque's been approved by the uh
architectural committee and by the
marine art and garden center and all we
need the last step is to have you
approve it. So I guess maybe the next
agenda you can put that on the on the uh
on the agenda. Um, so, oh, the last Ross
Comments, uh, event was with Petty
Theft. It was Friday, April 17th. It
was, uh, extremely successful. There
over 2,000 attendees, which is one of
the be one of the best we've had so far.
Um,
okay. As I, as was mentioned, there's
the downtown sip and stroll on November
15th. Turkey trot emergency. I'm just
reiterating. And uh that's about it from
the uh property associate. Any
questions, comments, criticisms? That's
it.
>> Thank you for all your great work.
>> Okay. Thanks a lot,
>> Town Manager Johnson.
>> Good evening, Mayor and Council members.
Um as requested by the age friendly task
force, the town is moving forward with
an audio improvement project in the
council chambers to improve meeting
access. The work includes repositioning
the existing speakers behind the deis,
installing improved speaker mounts and
safety hardware, and adding assisted
listening receivers and headphones for
public use. This is a limited lowcost
project intended to improve the in room
meeting experience for residents who may
be hard of hearing, allowing them to
fully participate in and improve access
to council meetings. The timeline of the
project is shortterm though a bit
uncertain just due to the pro product
supply but it it should be we should be
able to do this pretty soon. So big
thanks to um our age friendly task force
members including um council member
Dowling for um bringing this to the
town's attention and and um persevering.
So thank you and thank you to Zach who
is um putting this project together.
Uh, the new steel truss bridges arrived
yesterday at Natalie Coffen Green Park.
Some additional work still needs to be
done before they can be open to the
public. These are the pedestrian
bridges, but if you'd like to see what
they look like, you are welcome to take
a look up there. Uh, all phases of the
Shady Lane pathway improvements are now
completed from Logan Loganas Road to
Bolinus Avenue. The contractor will
return in July to apply the slurry seal,
the lane striping, and bicycle sherrows
to the roadway.
The final uh pavement restoration at the
four townwide drainage project locations
will be completed on Monday. Expect some
delays on Sir Francis Drake as you are
coming from or going to Kenfield on
Monday, June 15th.
Um, speaking of delays on Sir Francis
Drake, the big paving project between
Bolinus Avenue and El Camino Bueno is
scheduled to start on June 22nd and will
be completed just before the 4th of July
holiday. So, please plan accordingly for
traffic delays during that time. I think
we can all agree that our public works
director has been on fire getting these projects done. So big
thanks to him for u moving things
forward.
Um okay, please note that town hall
would be closed on Friday, June 19th for
the Junth holiday. Public safety will of
course still be operating. And then
finally, as the mayor um mentioned in
her report, the town will be celebrating
the 4th of July with a parade and
celebration on, wait for it, Saturday,
July 4th. The parade kicks off at 10:00
a.m. with Ross Police Department, Fire
Department, music, Uncle Sam, members of
the Rosstown Council, dogs on parade,
and floats of all shapes and sizes. A
community picnic celebration on Ross
Common follows the parade. Music at this
event will this year will be provided by
Windy Hill Bluegrass and of course the
beloved Shady Ladies Chorus.
There will be complimentary popcorn,
free hot dogs provided by the Ross
Police Officers Association, and
additional food and beverage for
purchase. Kids of all ages can enjoy our
bounce houses, lawn games, and face
painting. We'll also be returning our
mechanical bowl and adding an inflatable
joust, and a pie baking competition.
So, I will be there and I'm going to ask
staff if I can be one of the judges.
We'll see. That's that want that to be
my job. Um, for those interested in
entering the contest, the parade, or
volunteering, we do need volunteers.
Please contact the Ross Recreation
Department. Thank you for the
opportunity to report.
>> Thank you. Now, we're moving to the
consent agenda.
>> You know, so sorry, I had one question
for the town manager.
>> Okay.
Christa, I was just curious just with um
some of the the positions that you know with I
if you could just give an update on the
transitions. We obviously have a new
police chief. We have a new
>> inspector and I think Rich is retiring.
So I I I it would just be nice for
everyone to hear an update if
>> Sure. Well, we've we uh our town clerk
retired in um March and uh we hired a
new town clerk slash senior management
analyst, Zach Kob de Leon, and he's
really picked up uh everything super
quickly and really just super happy he's
here. And then our police chief, Pota,
retired. Um it's all kind of blurring
together, but he retired April 27th or
soon after. and our new chief Aglarp um
started April 27th and um he had a
pre-approved uh little mini vacation.
That's why he's not here tonight. He's
usually here at all the council
meetings. Um and then our recreation
manager, uh Moren Borthwick, is out on
maternity leave for a few months and we
were super lucky because Wyatt Man, who
is our recreation coordinator, agreed to
step up and is serving as our um interim
recreation manager. So, we're super
fortunate because summer is our busy
time. And um and then yes, our So, and
then you you've met Matt, our new
building inspector. And then um
our longtime public works director, Rich
Simich, is retiring on July 31st. His
last council meeting will be July 9th.
He's been with the town for I think I
think Rich said 10 years this fall,
right, Rich?
>> 10 years in December. Oh, 10 years in
December he'll have been with the town
>> and a resident.
>> Yeah. And and a former resident. Yeah.
And um Yes. So we are starting our
recruitment this week. The flyers should
be out either tomorrow or early early
next week. And
I hope that's it. Please, nobody else
leave. I want everybody else to stay
here forever. Yeah. So maybe just in the
summertime, maybe in August, we could do
a report, you know, in the in the Ross
reporter of like meet the new staff just
so that maybe we have a little the
little blurbs we do when they we
introduce them just so everybody knows.
>> We usually do it every time. So this
past one I Ro um Zach, I think you put
our new chief in the last one and the
coming one, we'll have one about our new
one. We usually do it each time, but if
you'd like to do a summary,
>> I just say it's been so we have a it's a
pretty large turnover, which we're very
excited with the new faces, but some
people the town might not be following.
>> Yeah, happy to happy to do a little uh
little recap.
>> Okay. And hopefully there'll be a nice
sendoff for Rich.
>> Oh, absolutely. We're we'll do something
for Rich and it'll involve singing and
music and
water sports,
bull riding.
Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> The consent agenda um consists of items
A through L. Does anyone in the chamber
wish to remove an item from the consent
agenda?
Does anyone online wish to remove an
item from the consent agenda?
>> What?
>> Yeah. Could we um remove K for a brief
question?
>> Yeah. I want to do the if anyone on is
online who wants to remove something
first.
>> Oh,
>> I see no hands online.
>> Okay. So, does any council member wish
to remove something?
>> Yes. Could we remove K for a brief
question? Thanks.
>> Yes. And council member Salter is
recused from K. So, that will be a
special item. Um, so we will need a
motion to uh approve items A, B, C, D,
E, F, G, H, I, J, and L.
>> So moved.
>> Second.
>> Roll call, please.
>> Mayor McMillan.
>> Yes.
>> Mayor Potam Robbins.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Kercher.
>> Oh, he's he's off. He's gone.
Well,
>> yes. Yes.
>> Oh, okay.
>> I'm back.
>> Sorry that one. I didn't Here's my
camera. Salter.
>> Yes.
>> Motion passes. 5 Z.
>> Thank you.
[clears throat]
>> I I'm leaving the deis because I'm
conflicted. I live 500 feet from the
project.
>> Thank you,
>> Elizabeth. You pulled this. I
you know we get many letters about flood
risks flood risk and Ross's possibly new
risks and I and I know Rich you sent a
letter responding to a community
member's concerns about the flooding but
I wonder if you could just clarify that
as we move ahead with this project what risks are there for the town?
Um, council mayor mayor uh McMillan um
council member Salter needs to leave the
room if we're going to be discussing
this.
>> Okay,
>> unless he'd like to make a public
comment and we haven't taken public
comment. So if you want to it's up to
you how you know if you want to do it
now,
>> but if he wants to make a public comment
he can stay in the room.
>> Okay.
>> He's not going to know until he hears
what the answer is. So
>> So why don't you listen to the answer
and then if you want to make a public
comment you can. Otherwise, please leave
the room. Thank you.
» U, so Mayor Prom Robbins, your question
is, uh, if we continue on with the
Winship Bridge projects, what are the
risks?
>> Does Ross have li is Ross liable for
flooding if there's with a new bridge?
That's basically what people are seem
are that's the concern. Will there will
there be with a bigger better bridge?
Um, are we liable if more water comes
through and people downstream flood?
>> I'm not sure I can really answer that
question. I'm not an I'm not an attorney
for one thing and it's a pretty
broad-based question. Um, I'm not sure.
I mean, there's a number of things that
could we could be liable for. Um but
in general I don't see any particular
liabilities related to moving forward
with the bridge and we made the decision
back 2013 to move forward with it. Um
and um actually one of the
uh projects that um may have uh
increased consternation on my end was
the San Rafale or the Sanal flood risk
reduction project. That's gone away and
now we are just back to status quo. Um,
and um,
I don't I don't see anything, if
anything, we're reducing flood risk
upstream of the bridge, and we have a
no-rise certification
that says we are not causing a a rise
downstream of the bridge for the
100-year flow per federal regulations,
title 44.
Um,
so
I would say uh I would say no. None that
I can I can see
>> as a civil engineer.
>> Fine. Thank you very much.
>> I have a question. Um, will we be filing
a clo form?
Yes, as soon as the NEPA process is
done, uh we are going to file a CLOMRER
because we are uh we are changing the
FEMA maps by reducing the flood
elevation upstream of the bridge. So,
we'll file a CLR with that.
>> And do you anticipate that FEMA will
approve that?
>> Uh yeah, it's going to be pretty pretty
straightforward once you have the
no-rise certification. It's a pretty
straightforward process. it might take a
while for them to process. And so that's
the conditional letter of map revision
that says if we build the bridge the way
it's currently designed it, there will
be no rise downstream of the bridge. And
then once the bridge is completed, we
turn that CLR into a letter of map
revision and we're stating that it was
built per the design. So we'd like to
have that letter of map revision. I
don't I don't uh foresee any issues with
the clo process and the lmer process for
the windship bridge.
>> Thank you. Any public comment, Matt?
» This is so fun. Um I the public comment
I want to give is I live there in that
neighborhood and actually my kids use it
every day. Mo most children and
residents use the bridge to get to
Bolinus where that's the only safe
crossing over Sir Francis Drake for the
Winship Park neighborhood. And so I
would say that [clears throat] we want
public um public discourse on any big
project and it's welcome, but if a
bridge in any town is old and
dysfunctional and has to be replaced, we
have to have a process to do that.
otherwise will never replace any bridges
anywhere at any time. And as long as we
have a public scrutiny and a process to
make sure that it isn't going to flood
or it's not going to have these
consequences, that's that's fine. But we
still have to move forward with the
process to replace old bridges. And I
think it would scare a lot of residents
to know that the the bridge might not be
unsafe and it's past its useful life.
So, we've been waiting a long time to do
this project and we have the funding.
So, I hope we will move forward with it.
Anyone else in the chamber for public
comment?
>> Anyone online? Zach,
>> I see no hands online. Mayor,
>> great. So, we'll bring it back for any
further discussion and a motion.
>> I move we approve item K.
>> I'll second.
>> Second. [clears throat]
>> Moved by Mayor Prom Robbins and second.
Council member Dolly.
>> Um, Mayor McMillan.
>> I,
>> Mayor Prom Robbins. I
>> council member Ding. Council member
Kercher
>> I.
>> Motion passes 401.
>> Thank you.
» Now we are moving to the public hearing
on planning projects part one. We will
start with three Willow Road design
review hillside law permit nonconformity
permit variance and town council
consideration of adoption of resolution
number 2630 approving the project
subject to conditions. Robera, good
evening, Mayor McMillan and council
members. The item before you is three
Willow Hill Road. The applicant is
requesting design review, nonconformity
permit, and a hillside lot permit and a
variance. Um, the nonconformity permit
is to reconstruct some existing decks.
The hillside lot is because of the slope
of the site. And the variance is to
allow proposed terraces, hot tubs,
walls, and a trellis sun shade that's
within the required rear and sideyard
setbacks, as well as a parking deck
within the front yard setback. The
proposed project includes an interior
remodel with new windows and doors, a
Juliet balcony off the sun room, and a
new exterior spiral staircase connecting
the deck to grade. The project also
includes reconstruction of an existing
non-conforming rear deck, which will be
reduced in size and improved with a
barbecue area and a trellis sun shade.
In addition, the applicant is proposing
new terrace landscaping in the rear yard
with a retaining walls, a hot tub, and
then also a new parking deck adjacent to
the garage. The project was reviewed by
the ADR group which recommended and
supported the project. They made some
suggestions to reduce the size of the
sun shade um trellis to simplify the
design of the staircase and then expand
the parking deck. And the applicant did
revise the plans to address all of those
recommendations.
>> [snorts]
>> The design responds to site constraints,
including steep topography, the
irregular lot shape, and existing
non-conforming setbacks while
maintaining neighborhood compatibility
and minimizing visual impacts. So, based
on this, staff recommends that the town
council consider adoption of res of the
resolution approving the project subject
to conditions. Um, I'm available for any
questions and the applicant is also here
to answer any questions the council may
have. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Robera. Questions from
council.
Bill, are you okay?
>> Yes.
>> Questions? Okay. Um, any public comment
on this item?
Anybody online?
>> I see no hands. Mayor,
>> um, the applicant can make a statement
or you don't have to.
>> Thank you.
We like that statement. [laughter]
All right. Um, we will bring it back for
discussion or a motion.
>> I'll move uh that we adopt resolution
number 2630 approving the project
subject to conditions.
>> Second.
>> Moved by Ding, second by Robbins.
Mayor McMillan,
>> yes.
>> Mayor Prom Robbins,
>> yes.
>> Council member Kercher,
>> yes.
>> Council member Dalling,
>> yes. Council member Salter.
>> I.
>> Motion passes 5-0.
>> Thank you.
Item B is 111 Bolinus Avenue design
review ADU permit nonconformity permit
and town council consideration of
adoption of resolution number 2631
approving the project subject to
conditions. Roberta.
>> Good evening Mayor McMillan and council
members. As mentioned, this is 111
Bolinus Avenue, and it is a request for
design review, an ADU permit, a
nonconformity, and a nonconformity
permit to allow modifications to an
existing single family property. The
proposed project includes conversion of
an existing 492
ft cottage into a detached accessory
dwelling unit along with the transfer of
206 square ft of floor area to the
primary residence to facilitate
a few small additions. The scope of work
includes an interior remodel with minor
additions and expansion of the rear deck
to allow to align with those
improvements. There won't be any
significant changes to the exterior
materials. The property contains an
existing residence that is
non-conforming with respect to the
setbacks and a nonconformity permit is
required to allow the extension of the
house and the deck within those existing
setback conditions. An ADU permit is
required to allow the 206 square feet of
existing floor area that is in that is
converted to new ADU space to be
transferred for a new addition to the
primary residence. The project was
reviewed by the ADR group which
recommended support noting that the um
ADU noting support for the ADU
conversion and the consistency of
materials with the existing residents.
The proposal maintains neighborhood
character while adding an ADU that
contributes to the town's housing
element arena. And so based on this,
staff recommends that the council
consider adoption of the resolution
approving the project subject to
conditions. I'm here for any questions
and the applicant is here as well.
>> Any questions from council members?
Matt. Uh, Robera, do you know how much
they had to spend on fees to to bring
this to council, including the design
review fee?
>> I don't have the um number off top, but
>> Oh, the applicant could answer.
>> Oh, maybe the applicant can answer when
they come up.
>> It's between 10 and 11,000.
» So, I I just I'm curious. We we we've
had all these issues where Bolinus in
particular because of the small lots
they continue to need variances and go
through rigorous review and this is a
500 foot cottage. So I'm I'm just
wondering is this something you're
looking at um in terms of trying to
either create a different zone or part
of the updates to the municipal code to
sort of streamline this for our
residents. Um that would be something we
could look at as part of the general
plan update. It would take a
comprehensive review of the land use
designations along Bolinus and then
aligning that to the zoning. Um right
now uh they're all in one zone, but that
is something we can look at as part of
the general plan update.
>> And is that sorry is the general plan is
I think we delayed that. Is that I can't
remember when we're bringing it back.
>> So I'll be bringing forward some options
since the August meeting. Is that right,
Christa?
>> Yes.
>> August.
>> Okay, great. I if you could just put a
note in that for that presentation just
in case we forget about Bolinus or any
potential other areas that would need
different zoning.
>> We'll do.
>> Any other questions from council
members? Any public comment on this
item? Does the applicant wish to make
any statement? You don't need to.
» Thank you. I don't think we have any.
So, we'll bring it back for um
discussion and emotion.
>> Just reiterating my question, I think
it's it will be useful for all of us in
the general plan update to look at the
areas of town that we could either
reszone or streamline so that residents
don't have to pay so much and we don't
we actually have spent any time
approving projects that are that should
fit and and don't because the lot's
different sizes than than most of the
average lots.
I move we approve resolution 2631.
>> I'll second.
[snorts]
>> Moved by Robbins, second by Dling. Mayor
McMillan,
>> yes.
>> Mayor Prom Robbins,
>> yes.
>> Council member Kercher,
>> yes.
>> Council member Dalling,
>> yes.
>> Council member Salter,
>> yes.
>> Motion passes 5-0.
Item C, 101, Upper Road Design Review,
Hillside Lot Permit and Town Council
consideration of adoption of resolution
number 2632 approving the project
subject to conditions. Robera,
>> good evening, mayor and council members.
So, the item before you is 101 Upper
Road, which you have seen before. This
project was previously approved by the
town council at the June 2023 meeting
and the current request is to reapprove
the same project as the prior
entitlements have expired. This is a
request for design review, a hillside
lot permit and a variance to allow site
improvements including the construction
of a new pool and spa, patio, outdoor
kitchen, fire feature and related site
amenities. The project also includes
retaining walls over six feet in height,
new walkways connecting the improvements
to the existing residence and driveway
and an insul and the installation of a
new fence along the driveway frontage.
The property is steeply sloping is a
steeply sloping lot with existing
development and the variance is to allow
these improvements within portions of
the side and rear setbacks as well as
for the height of the retaining walls.
The project was reviewed by the ADR
group which recommended support noting
that the design remained consistent with
the previously approved plans. So based
on this, staff recommends that the
council consider adoption of the
resolution approving the project subject
to conditions. And again, I'm here for
any questions and the applicant is here
as well.
>> Any questions, Elizabeth?
>> I mean, in line with Matt's effort to
make things easier for people, I wonder
when we do this August project if we
could consider some some process to
renew a permit that's already expired
because seems like the staff could do
that. Unless I I mean I just don't it's unfortunate to have to have come
have it come back to us. So that's my
only comment is maybe we could set up a
process so that it's the staff
automatically renews it or something.
>> Yes. And mayor prom. So we do have that
process. It's just that they didn't get
to apply for the extension before it
expired and that's one of the
requirements.
>> Um and then the extension is a year.
Sometimes it's not enough time. So, I
can look at that as well.
>> Yeah, I mean, maybe we make it longer or
something. I mean, but thank you.
Any other questions? Any public comment
on this item?
>> No one online, mayor.
>> Great. Um, does the applicant wish to
say anything?
Okay, we'll bring it back then for
further discussion or a motion.
>> I move we approve resolution 2632.
I'll second.
>> Moved by Robin. Second by Dalling. Mayor
McMillan.
>> Yes.
>> Mayor Prom Robbins.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Kercher.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Dalling.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Salter.
>> Yes.
>> Motion passes 5-0.
» Next is item D. 313 Upper Toyan Drive.
design review and town council
consideration of adoption of resolution
number 2633 approving the project
subject to conditions.
Good evening, mayor and council members.
The item before you is 313 Upperon
Drive. This is a request for design
review and a hillside lot permit to
construct a new 10x30 foot swimming pool
with spa in an existing turf lawn area.
The project also includes approximately
280 square ft of new hardscape
connecting the residents to the pool.
There is um this new outdoor pool
replaces an existing indoor pool that is
currently being demolished. Pool
equipment will be located beneath a
previously approved parking pad and
screened from view. Um, this also did go
for review before the ADR group, which
recommended approval, finding
consistency with the town's design
review criteria. The improvements are
modest in scale and compatible with the
site and surrounding development, which
measures um included to address
drainage, landscaping, and screening. So
based on this, staff recommends that the
council consider adoption of the
resolution approving the project subject
to conditions. And again, I'm here for
any questions and the applicants here as
well.
>> Any questions?
Um, public comment on this item. Anybody
in the chamber? Anyone online?
>> No one online, man.
>> Yep. Just a second. Matt,
>> sorry, just one question. With the
hillside lot ordinance, how do how does
it how does it look at pools? I was just
wondering how pools if it's if that's
something that's separate or different.
>> Um, in the hillside lot, the setbacks
are uh more restrictive. So, depending
on the size of the house, you could have
45 or 75 foot setbacks. Um, but it's the
same. You're in this case, they actually
don't need a variance and they meet the
setbacks. They just need design review
and a hillside lot permit.
>> Okay. Thank you.
Um, Zach, no. Anybody online for public
comment?
>> No one online. Mayor,
>> um, if the applicant wishes to make a
statement, you can. You don't have to.
>> I think I think I'm good. Thank you.
>> Thank you. So, we'll bring it back for
any further discussion and a motion.
>> Yeah. I move that we adopt resolution
number 2633, approving the project
subject to conditions.
>> Second.
Moved by Dalling, second by Robbins.
Mayor McMillan,
>> yes.
>> Mayor Potm Robbins,
>> yes.
>> Council member Kercher,
>> yes.
>> Council member Dalling,
>> yes.
>> Council member Salter,
>> yes.
>> Motion passes 5-0.
>> Thank you.
We're moving to the administrative
agenda now. Number 12, town council to
receive and accept the quarterly
investment report for the 9-month period
through March 31st, 2026.
Town Manager Johnson.
» Thank you, Mayor, Mayor, and Council
members. Um, the item before you this
evening is the quarterly investment
report for the period ending March 31st,
2026. The council is asked to accept the
report. The town's appointed treasurer,
Jeffrey rep reviewed the report.
The Town of Ross investment policy um
approved uh just earlier this evening on
your consent calendar requires the
provision of a quarterly investment
report to the town council. Current
investments are consistent with the
investment policy and are allowable
under current California law.
Investments are selected to meet the
following object objectives listed in
priority order. Safety, liquidity, and
yield. sufficient liquidity exists to
fund operating and capital project
requirements for the next 12 months. The
town's investments are held in two main
accounts. The first is the local agency
investment fund, also known as Lif, and
that is operated by the California State
Treasurer's Office. Lif investment
income for all funds for the 9-month
period ending March 31st was $412,66.
The reported returns for the Lif funds
are 3.98%
for this period. The town's investments
are also held in a US bank account
managed by Time Value Investments, Inc.
An additional report from TVI
requested by council member Salter is
included in the set of attachments to
the staff report for this item. Per per
town council direction, last September
10th, the town of Ross transferred $10
million from Leif to a US bank
investment account. The fair market
value of this investment as of March
31st, 2026 is $10.08
million, which is $96,000 more than the
balance at the end of the second
quarter. Acred interest that the town
paid on its bond purchases will come
back to the town when those bonds make
their next interest payments. Unrealized
gains and losses will remain on paper
only and the securities will mature at
par value on the maturity date as long
as the town holds all securities until
maturity date. Both Treasurer and
Aaron Bon who is vice president and
investment advisor with Time Value
Investments are participating in the
meeting this evening should there be any
questions for them. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Questions,
Matt?
>> So, uh, Mr. Bonk, if you wouldn't mind
just talking a little bit about the
volatility in interest rates we've seen
this year just to sort of highlight
where we've seen some of the um market
value declines in the bonds.
>> Yes, absolutely. Can can everyone hear
me? Okay.
>> Yes.
>> Okay. Wonderful. Yeah. Thank you all so
much for for having me. always happy to be here and um report on the the
current state of the market, the the
town's portfolio and and answer any
questions that you all might have. Um it has been an interesting last few
months in the markets, needless to say.
Um the the town's investments are all in
it uh investments that of course comport
with the investment policy that comport
with what's allowable per state code
very much skewed towards the safe end of
the spectrum. But as with any type of
investment, the value of it at any given
time can be impacted by a lot of
different factors. And for the types of
investments that the town invests in,
which are primarily government bonds uh
and federally insured CDs, what will
cause any fluctuation in market value is
movements in interest rates in the
market generally either up or down. And
um from the starting at the end of uh
February, beginning of March when the war war with Iran began, uh we did
see interest rates move up uh
meaningfully in reaction to that.
They've been fluctuating around since
then, but the the general shift has been
up. Typically, when interest rates in
the market move up, you will see the
market value of securities like the town
holds go down. So that's where you will
see some on paper unrealized losses. Um
as as u as Christa mentioned um you we
you don't really see those as strongly
on the March month end report because
that volatility really started after.
But when we get the next when you see
the next report, you know, maybe just to forewarn you, you might see some a
more uh market decrease in market value.
It still will not be anything extreme.
you know, these investments do not their
market value doesn't fluctuate like
things in the stock market do where you
might see them drop to, you know, 50% of
their original value. Uh the idea behind
using these types of investments is that
they they tend to be less volatile. They
hold their value better over time. Um so
we we will likely see some, you know,
unrealized losses uh on the market value
when we go from the March month end
statement to the uh or from the March
monthnend report to the June month end
report for year end. Uh but again that
is purely driven by movements of
interest rates in the market generally.
Certainly if interest rates were to come
back down uh in in a in a similar way
before the end of that period we may not
see any uh meaningful market value drop
at all. um there still is a fair amount
of time uh before the end of the quarter
that that could certainly reverse, you
know, but just as we stand now, if if
that if the current status continues
going forward, that's likely what we'd
see. Um you know, again, driven by that rise in interest rates. But u a key
thing to remember is the all of these
securities have set maturity dates. They
will mature at par as long as the town
continues to hold them until their set
maturity date. Um so we we will see
those market value fluctuations in
between but as long as we don't look to
liquidate a meaningful portion of the
portfolio before those securities mature
uh those any market value losses would
purely stay unrealized and and on paper
until those securities uh mature whole.
» Any other questions by council? Any
public comment?
Anybody online?
No one online, mayor.
>> Okay. And we're just supposed to receive
and accept this.
So that's what we've done. Received and
accepted. Thank you, Erin, for for
appearing.
>> My pleasure. Thank you, everyone.
Next is item number 13, which is town
council consideration to adopt
resolution number 2635 approving the
Ross Valley Paramedic Authority amended
and restated joint powers agreement and
authorizing the town manager to execute
the agreement.
And it's Town Manager Johnson and Fire
Chief Dan Mahoney.
>> Thank Thank you, Mayor. Um while uh
Chief Mahoney is is getting set up
there, I wanted to point out and
apologize because the it was brought to
my attention that the financial section
on this staff report which is
at the bottom of page four was somehow I
don't know somehow it we got something
transposed from another staff report. So
if you could please disregard that
section. It talks about um the actual
tax and this is the JPA. Uh we're asking
the council to approve the restated and
amended JPA. So the the financial um
impacts of this particular item where we
had a some modest legal expenses and um
staff time to work on this and um the
timeline is that this has this amendment
needs to be um approed and approved by
all eight of the member agencies and
it's my understanding that a handful of
them have already been approved by their
governing boards. Um, so that process
will continue and that's the timeline.
You ready, Chief?
>> Yeah, almost.
>> Do you need some Do you need some help?
>> Can't believe I got this far. I'm trying
to get it into a full screen. We We can
help you.
» Is this good enough then? Okay.
that's fine. And then
it's just a little crooked. That's okay.
>> Okay. Good evening, council. Um, I'm
here to uh show a quick slide
presentation on the uh amended and
reinstated joint powers agreement. and
uh feel free to ask questions during the
slide presentation and then also I'll be
open for for questions at the end.
So as mentioned in the staff report uh
the original JPA agreement began in
1982.
In March of 2024, the the uh RVFD or
RVPA board requested a citygate study to
be complete of the RVPA's uh governance,
finance, structures, and deployment
model. In November of 2024, the RVPA
board heard the citygate report, and the
board directed staff to return with an
updated JPA agreement that would
centralize finances and operations.
The new amended and reinstated agreement
is compliant with the JPA act implies
implements board decisions to c
centralize operations and financial uh
process.
This thing's blocking half my screen.
It's blocking my
six years and we're still figuring this
out. There we go. Figured that. Perfect.
All right.
» It's compliant with the JPA act. Um and
it also becomes effective July 1, 2027
upon approval from the board and the
members.
So the governance model stays the same.
It's an eight member board appointed by
member agency governing bodies. Uh there
were certain decisions that required a
two-thirds vote that were added to this
agreement. Um expenditures over 3 and a
half% of the operating budget decisions
to remove a member agency increase in
total expenditure budget after the
annual operating budget is already
adopted and uh termination agreement. It
also uh highlights that the executive
officer is now appointed by the board.
So the financial structure funding
return of net operating surplus. A
couple changes in the new agreement. The
first um item here which is July 1 to
June 30th. There's no change in the
fiscal year. We're still running with
the same fiscal year. Funding the parcel
tax and transport revenues of member
agencies. This remains the same. The
goal is to um at the end is to equalize
a tax rate in cycle amongst
jurisdictions over time. Uh we'll go
over that in the in the in the next
staff report. What has to do with the proposed tax and then the tax rate
based on projected cost structure can be
lower and we'll go over it again in in
the next presentation if the cost goes
down. So you'll see that the proposed
tax rate is an up to amount which gives
us the flexibility to um to dial it down
a little bit if we don't need the money.
And it talks a little bit in the JPA
here about the treasures and the
treasures duties and that how they
determine the net operating surplus at
the end of each fiscal year. And once a
member agency's tax rates are the same,
which will be at the end of 2031,
members will receive their shares of the
net operating surplus at the end of each
year. And those shares will need to be
um specifically earmarked for uh
paramedic services
membership. This is um another new
portion of the JPA.
New members will need uh twothirds of a
vote of support plus member agency
approval and they must pass the tax
first so they can actually pay for what
they're what they're um proposing to be
a part of. Removal of a member is
twothirds vote for good cause and
withdrawal. you can withdraw from the
JPA with a two-year notice and then a
termination of the contract would need a
two-thirds of a vote um from the
members.
Legal protections uh new legal
protections were written in there. RVPA
debts are not the debts of the
individual member agencies and RVPA
agrees to identify, defend and hold
harmless of all all the member agencies
and those performing activities for RVPA
maintain their immunities from their
home jurisdictions.
This last slide here just really
highlights um the the the work that was
put in over the last two years for this
document that's before you. Um the this
document went to the the RVPA board a
number of times with a number of
presentations and had a lot of feedback
from from the board members. Um it also
went to all the town and the district
representatives and the managers and
then also with that the member agency's
respective councils along with uh the
four fire chiefs who technically kind of
serve as staff for the RVPA.
So the recommendation is that the
Rosstown Council adopt resolution 2635
approving the Ross Valley Paramedic
Authority amended and reinstated joint
powers agreement and authorizing the
town manager to execute the agreement.
questions. Council members
Elizabeth.
>> So, uh, thank you very much. I I just
wanted to clarify the the voting. So,
for example, uh, uh, twothirds of a vote
to remove a member agency that only gets
it to the the jurisdictions, right? I
mean, it it's not can the can twothirds
of the board remove someone or do two
does it mean that twothirds of the board
if if twothirds of the bo board votes to
remove a member agency then all of the
towns that are part of this have to
decide and it needs to be unanimous vote
of those of the agencies. Is that
correct?
>> Um you know I believe it's twothirds of
the board because they're representing
the member agencies.
Hm. Okay.
I thought I thought that there was some
and and um Bill maybe you know because
we talked about this about that that
it's a legal contract and so certain
things can't be changed unless every member agrees and somehow my
understanding was that this vote gets it
out of the board level to take to the
community to each jurisdiction but it it
takes 100% of the towns to vote to to
make that happen.
>> It looks like it's in provision 10.2.1
process for removal and it says 23 vote
of the board
H8.
Okay. Um
Okay. Any other questions from council?
Matt,
>> thank you for the presentation. I I was
curious what what was why was Corda
Madera or why is it so different than
the other um agencies
um the tax rate? So I asked the same
question and there was a decision made I
think about 23 years ago on um what the
tax rate that they would set. um they
ended up um this was during the time
that they ended up um starting to run
medic 14 which is another ambulance down
there. So, um, really it was identified
during this study that, um, you know,
everybody is getting the same service
here through the RVPA and we need to
equalize things. And what you'll see in
my in my report in the next presentation
is you'll see the tax rates are going to
go up a bit more in CO Madera than
what's being proposed in Ross, which is
$4. And in CO Madera, it's going to have
to go up. And that's what's going to
take about four years for everybody to
equalize.
So yeah, it's in it's actually in this
staff report too. So basically um it's
exhibit A that they um they were every
other agency was basically paying the
same tax rate except for them and now
they've agreed to have their taxes go up
to accelerate them to try to put
everyone equal within you said four
years.
>> Yeah, that's correct. And from what I
understand they've they've already uh p
passed this agreement in court. I think
it was last week.
>> Okay. Thank you.
Did the board have an opportunity to
vote on the amended JPA?
>> Yes, they did. But they they voted um to
um they don't have vote they don't have,
you know, decision authority. So that
what they did was they ended up voting
in in agreement. I believe it was a a a
seven to one. There was one abstained. I
believe se seven voted yes on it to um
to then disseminate the information or
the the amended JPA to the councils
>> and in the district.
>> You mentioned that quarter Madera has
already approved this and you mentioned
that others have already approved it as
well. Do you know who those are?
>> Yes. So,
not sure if if if Kentfield has uh
Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District
has uh S and Selmo has uh Sleepy Hollow
and Sano have passed the the amended JPA
in the upcoming next presentation the
tax.
>> Thank you. Any public comment on this?
Sorry.
>> You know, just to clarify, I I see here
for in 10.1.1
to admit a new member. So that takes
twothirds vote of the board which then
recommends to the member agencies do you
want to recom will you consider
admitting a new member and that takes a
100% vote of all of the member agencies.
Uh it's the same for an amendment that
100% of the member agencies need to
approve the amendment. It it's beyond
[snorts] the the the board vote. I think
to make an amendment uh it's it happens
to be 100% of the board and then it goes
to the member agencies but for admitting
a new member it's a twothirds board vote
but then all the member agencies have to
agree to that and I think there are a
couple of other um sort of
not exceptions but you know examples
where the board doesn't need 100% of a
vote but the member agencies need to
have 100% to make whatever the action is
happen.
» Um
any public comment on this item?
>> Anybody online?
>> No one online. Mayor,
>> so we'll bring it back for discussion
and a motion.
>> Uh I just want to say that I thought it
seemed like it was a very thoughtful
process that you went through over the
last two years to do this renewal. So
well done. Yeah, it's it's a far cry
from the one and a half page typed um
JPA that we had in 1982. So, it was a
lot of it was a it definitely teamwork,
a lot a lot of hands on this to to make
sure that we um
>> really took into consideration a lot the
um the comments that were given from all the folks that had had to be a
part of this to try to implement it.
>> That's great.
I mean, the only thing I might suggest
for the future is that council members
as well as town staff have a chance to
look at it before the board votes on it
because we're seeing it for the first
time now, but the board has voted on it
and it's it's pretty we, you know, we as
council members didn't have any input.
So I that would be a change in the
process if if if that I would suggest
but as it is now that town staff review
it then the Ross the paramedic board
approves it with staff input but the
council members don't see it till now
but I think it's fine. I mean I'm
>> that's kind of why we have a liazison on
the board right because we're relying on
you to to look at that. I never saw it.
Uh I mean when it when it be I didn't
see it until it came to the RVPA board.
I didn't and then it had already had
input from many town agencies through
town staff.
>> Right.
>> That's where
>> but but you had an opportunity to
comment on it at the board level.
>> Yes. Yeah. It's kind of late then but
yes.
>> Yeah. Okay. Um
>> I I was just wondering too Bill if
because he's also on it if you wouldn't
mind sharing your thoughts. Sure.
I'm I mean I I haven't been to any
recent uh meetings, Matt, because I'm
the alternate. Um last time I was
involved in a meeting and actually I was
ended up chairing the meeting a couple
of times. Uh this whole process was very
much in doubt and we weren't sure that
larks was ever really going to agree to
something. And I'm I'm really pleased
that it it has happened. I mean, I was
hoping it had happened and I I think I
expressed the opinion I thought it would
happen, but now that it has, I think
it's it's a good thing. Um, and I think
that of course it's a it's a result of a
process of negotiation
uh between the entities. But I I I think
that overall I think it's a it's a good
result and I think it's workable and I'm
really pleased to see all these
different jurisdictions on the same page
and not what we were hearing as little
as two years ago that larks might pull
out which would probably doom the whole
thing. So So this is I believe very
positive. I read I read what was sent
out. I'm at a bit of a disadvantage
because I'm participating by Zoom. I
have a new computer. Mostly I'm reading
these documents on my cell phone, but
what I was able to go through, it looks
fine to me.
>> Thank you, Bill.
[clears throat]
>> I would like to move to adopt resolution
number 2635 approving the Ross Valley
Paramedic Authority amended and restated
joint powers agreement and authorizing
the town manager to execute the
agreement.
>> Second.
Moved by Dalling, second by Robbins.
Mayor McMillan,
>> yes.
>> Ro Mayor [clears throat] Prom Robbins,
>> yes.
>> Council member Kercher,
>> yes.
>> Council member Dowling,
>> yes.
>> Council member Salter,
>> yes.
>> Motion passes 5-0.
>> Thank you. Item number 14, town council
consideration to adopt resolution number
2637 calling for the November 3rd, 2026
election for renewal of the Ross Valley
Paramedic Authority 4-year special
parcel tax for 2027 to 2031 and
requesting the Marine County Board of
Supervisors consolidate the election
with the statewide general election in
accordance with elections code section
102
and 0418.
>> Chief Mahoney,
>> excuse me,
>> Johnson.
>> Um,
I'm not going to make a habit of this, I
swear, but while uh Chief Mahoney is
setting up, I I have to apologize on
this one, too, because unfortunately
there was uh there are some typos in the
ordinance. So the ordinance is attached
to the resolution which is attached to
the staff report and um what happens
that assuming the council approves this
item this evening
after it goes to the voters in November
um and assuming the voters approve it
then the ordinance will go into effect.
So that's why the ordinance doesn't go
into effect tonight. It go it would go
into effect after the voters approve it.
But there are a few typos on there. So
we've corrected it and so what's before
you at at your at the deis is you have a
redlinined version and so the changes
are only um in the ordinance which is in
the very end of the document. It's a
two-page uh document. I think I think
it's pages six and seven. Um and then
I've also provided you with a clean
copy. Um and then those documents I did
email those to council member Kercher.
Um I'm not sure if he had a chance to do
to read them because they were right
before the council meeting about 4:30
p.m. today. And then I do have copies of
the um the corrected clean version of
the resolution and the attached um
ordinance in the back of the council
chambers for members of the public to
view if they'd like. So again, I
apologize, but a couple of of pretty
important typos.
>> Okay. Thank you. Thank you.
Just a question for you, Christa.
>> Did does the town attorney review the
actual ordinance language?
>> Yes.
>> Okay.
>> Is that where he he discovered it?
>> They did not uh No.
>> No,
>> we discovered it
I'm sorry. There were so many agenda
items on this thing. We just discovered
it uh a few days ago and then actually
Zach discovered something in the
ordinance and then as I was reading that
I discovered another typo. So yeah.
Yes. Thank thank you Zach. Yes. It takes
a team takes many set of eyes. This
agenda had a lot of resolutions and
ordinances and agreements. So
I'm not perfect. I I bet you thought I
was.
Okay. Well, uh, thank you. I'm ready to
go. So,
>> thank you, council. I'm here to present
the proposed, um, next tax cycle for the
RVPA. A little background about the tax.
The the parcel tax funds about 50% of
the RVPA's operations. The other part is
the actual transport revenue that we
receive from uh, transporting the
patients. The next cycle, the proposed
cycle that we're proposing tonight is is
going to start July 1 of 2027. So, so
not this July, but next July, and it'll
run all the way uh to June 30th, uh 2031
across all the member agencies, all
member, all eight member agencies. Um to
guarantee funding members member
agencies must seek voter approval for
renewal of their partial tax measure
this in this coming ne November 2026.
Cities and towns uh need their councils
to approve the work uh to work with the
uh elections department timeline for
November ballot submission.
So tax rates how did we get to the tax
rate? uh the tax rates are established
based on today's projections
uh for the next four years. There were
some uncertainties that we had to
consider during um during our
projections. Uh one of them probably one
of the biggest one is uh changes to
Medicare and medic medical and these are
potential um decreases in transport
revenues which I mentioned before which
is about 50% of the revenues that uh the
RVPA takes in. uh changes in structure
and cost of service provision. So the
RVPA uh cost uh a lot of the cost goes
to personnel. So depending on um
agreements, and things of that nature in
the next four years, we factor that in.
And then um inflation and other uh
typical cost pressures. So those are the uncertainties that we had to kind of
factor in when we when we came to the
final decision on on what the what the tax was going to be. So for
these reasons um being that we we
forecasted
uh if the cost projections change and
the tax rates can be lowered than what's
being proposed and you'll see the up to
language which is in um in the ballot
language in any one of the four-year tax
cycles upon recommendation from the
board while maintaining equalization
pattern. So if we reduce the cost in in
one member agency, it'll be reduced in in the other member agency
separately. The goal here I is to uh
equalize the tax rates across the member
agencies like I mentioned before because
everybody receives the same level of
service. So this means uh equalizing
rates in the applicable square footage
for non-residential uses across the
service areas. So there's two ways that
this tax will work. One will be per
parcel and the other will be a a per
non-residential
slashcommercial building with a square
footage.
So here's this here's a um the chart
that I um mentioned earlier. I
highlighted the effects of um the town
of Ross and what the tax measure will
do. So, in um in 2026 and 2027, which is
uh going to be here going to be here in
about 2 weeks, the tax will go up to
$103.50.
It'll go up $3. That's already
pre-approved by the by by the voters
from the last tax cycle. And the new
proposed tax cycle will start in 27 and
28 and is proposed to go up $4.
2829 2930 and 3031 is also proposed to
go up $4, but you'll notice on this
chart it only says $3.50 because that's
what we as a projection we wanted to
give ourselves a little bit of padding
in case we forgot something and we had
to go up to the full $4. But um that's
why we had the language up to. And then
um council member Salter to to your
question, you'll see the court of Madera
is on there too with uh with their tax
rates and and their increases. And
you'll see the first year they're going
to increase $7.50
about 750 775 throughout the four years.
And that'll get us equal within 25 cents
um year number four.
So the thresholds uh Cord Madera also
had a uh square footage threshold for uh
non-residential floor areas and it was
1,000 square ft where ours is currently
1,500. So this proposal here is going to be to move from 1500 down to
a,000 so that we're equal with CO Madera
and everybody's the same. An example
would be uh at today's dollars on bullet
point number two, if you had a a 10,000
square foot building, at today's rate of
$100.50,
it would equal about $670.
And the same building at of the,000 ft
range would be $1,05.
So you'll see there's a difference at
least uh about $335
uh difference in that in that movement
there.
Recommendation is that the town council
adopt resolution 2637 calling the
November 3rd, 2026
calling for an election for renewal of
the Ross Valley Paramedic Authority
4-year special tax from 2027 through
2031 and requesting the Marine County
Board of Supervisors consolidate the
election with the statewide general
election in accordance with election
code 1000 02
and 104. 418.
» Thank you. Questions?
>> Well, I I have a question sort of. Um
I'm wondering if we
would consider slightly different
language for that first phrase. The the
first phrase currently reads to maintain
rapid 911 emergency response times and
preserve the number of onduty paramedics
ready to respond to accidents, medical
emergencies. shell the Ross Valley tax
and a suggestion is to change that to
maintain locally controlled ambulance
service staff by paramedics available to
assist in 911 emergencies shall the Ross
Valley and then on and on and the reason
for that is that the current the the
language that's that's written here it's it's old and I don't know that it
totally reflects some of the realities.
I really want this to pass and to focus
on the number of paramedics and the
response times. I I worry that that
could get challenged like well really
will this help our response times? How
will it help? What about the fire
station? And if we change the wording a
little bit, we get away from that
totally, but we have the same the same
intention which is to maintain uh
locally controlled ambulance transport
service staffed by paramedics available
to assist in 911 emergencies. So, I felt
like that can't be challenged, can't be
questioned, is totally defensible,
doesn't bring us into any discussions
about response times. And I thought that would be clear for for the town and
asked Ben about it and Christa asked
Christa and asked if she could ask RVPA,
are we allowed to change it if we as a
council wanted to? And um uh you
referred it to Ben and Ben said, "This
this sounds possible." Um, we would, if
the council wanted to do that, uh, he
would check with RVPA and with the
county to be sure that that's legal.
Either way, we could approve this in in
July if we want to change the wording.
So, we could talk about the wording. And
it's not a very big change, but I just I
didn't I just felt like this simpler
wording is very defensible, can't be
challenged, it's very clear, and it I I
think it kind of guarantees that it's
going to go through because there's just
nothing that's controversial. It doesn't
bring up some of our issues about
response times and and then about
guaranteeing the number of paramedics, I
don't know that that's really been a
focus of this anyway. So I sort of
preferred not having that in it and just
have something that is sort of totally
pure, clean, direct and and that so that
was my that's why I made this
suggestion. So
>> I guess the first is to see if anybody
once we get to back
>> I think we should have
>> so that's my question is can we do it
and then we'll talk about later. So, any
other questions from council about the
presentation or the paramedic tax? And
we we'll discuss Elizabeth when we bring
it back. Um,
>> I say if the fire chief had any any
aversion to changing the the text of the
language.
>> Yeah. I I don't I know there's a lot of
>> We have extra copies of what I what I
wrote. Don't Don't you have some extra?
>> There's a lot of provisions. I I gave
him Oh, you gave one.
>> Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah. In the beginning of the
meeting. I
>> I know there's a lot of provisions in
how you word this, so I I don't think I
have the expertise to to know exactly. I
do know that um what we're what we
proposed, which isn't the only way, but
what we proposed was um was sent to a
political consultant through our VPA and
then it was also vetted out through the
county elections office. Um, so you
know, if if there's a desire to do this
that I, you know, that's some of the
things that would have to be done
because I know there's some different
provisions other than just how many how
many words are in there.
>> Yeah, I mean the words are the same.
It's only that
>> the word count is the same. It's
actually lower. The word count is lower
and all of the sort of legal part about
what should the tax be and and how much
per square foot and all that that none
of that has changed. is just the sort of
the justification phrase at the very
beginning.
>> Are we going to come back and discuss?
>> We are. So, um, any other questions by
council members?
>> Any public comment on this item? Anybody
online?
>> No one online. Mayor,
>> great. So now we'll bring it back and we
can discuss if council is inclined to
have Ben and the RVPA explore this
proposed new language and we can
continue it until July our July 9th
meeting or we can adopt the RVPA
language that's in the staff report.
>> What do people think?
>> I was going to say I I I support um I
actually really think it's cleaner and
nicer. It's it's it eliminates some
words that we don't need and it's um I
think it's more accurate. I think we
want to be as transparent um as we can
be and just say it's locally controlled
and they're available because also it's
also over periods of time and so if
you're saying oh we are you know going
to have these paramedics available to
assist and you know we don't know what
the future staffing levels may be or
what the RVPA is going to determine. So,
it just I think it's cleaner and it's I
think it's more transparent.
>> Elizabeth, can you talk about what are
the old-fashioned words in the uh
existing ballot language?
>> The Well, this particular ballot
language has been used over and over for
several times. Is that what you mean?
>> No, no. You said that that one of the
problems is that this is old language.
They're using old language. Oh, I just
meant that that that that the first part
is is has been used many times and I
don't think it quite reflects just the
reality of how this works. There's not
like a specific word but but I don't you
know I don't I don't think when we've
passed this before we've never said this
is for response times and even though
that's what the wording said and the
others we've never said this is to
preserve the number of of paramedics. I
mean, I don't know that there's ever
been a discussion about if this doesn't
pass, do we lose paramedics? I mean,
it's not we we never really had had that
on the table. Um, and so, as we're
campaigning for this, it's harder to
campaign for something that you don't
quite understand. Well, how will this
preserve the number? I mean, I don't
know. And how will it affect response
times? I mean, I don't want to go there.
I mean, I'd much rather just keep it
with, you know, we have um locally
controlled ambulance service. I included
excellent. I put to maintain excellent
locally controlled ambulance service,
but um Ben said that you can't use a
word like excellent in in the um the
ballot language. So, it's just to um to
maintain locally control.
>> So, those were my thoughts. The other is
we could all think about it and decide
in July or I mean it doesn't doesn't
matter too much. It's It's not that big
of a change, but I'm just thinking of
campaigning. This this new language is
so pure and clean to campaign on. I It's
really simple.
>> I kind of worry about the word assist.
>> If I look at the word assist,
>> available to assist, it's a little bit
of a weaker position than available to
respond. That's just my personal
>> thought.
Change it to respond.
>> Respond is better.
>> Yeah. Available to respond.
>> Yes. Excuse me, mayor. Um I may I offer
one
>> Yes.
>> uh comment is um in Mayor Prom's
suggested ballot language that you use
the phrase locally controlled and I
think that is something that we would
have to look into because what is the
definition of locally controlled? It's
not locally controlled. I mean unless
it's locally controlled because Ross is
a member of the RVPA.
>> I don't know. There's some that word.
It's not just Ross that's controlling
it. It's eight
member agencies.
>> Yeah. Yeah. That's confusing.
>> Including the county of Marin.
>> Yeah.
>> Well, I think people are inclin It
sounds like Well, Bill, do you have an
opinion about whether we should go with
the original or get the lawyer and our
VPA to explore some proposed language
and bring it back in July?
Now, I'd like to explore some
alternative language. They they may have
a concern about locally controlled, but
the fact is that if we don't pass this
and other jurisdictions don't pass this,
then we may not even have an RBPA and
then it will go back to the county and
the county will have to open it up for
bids to private companies and that is
not locally controlled. So, we do want
the Ross Valley Paramedic Authority. I
think it's far superior.
But um maybe we should just just run
this by the election department and and
you know these other entities first
>> and then bring it back.
>> I I agree that we should have the
relevant parties take a look at what
Elizabeth has drafted and how we've
revised it tonight and then bring it
back July 9th and um consider it. I do
think that I got locally controlled from
the RVPA website. I don't I don't think
I made that up. I think that was that
was, you know, their wording and it
might have even been assist was from
that too. I I tried to use phrases from
the website, but whatever. I I think
waiting looking at it a little bit more
would be fine. And again, it's it's just
to make sure that it passes and it's clean and easy to campaign on
without somebody bringing up response
times or numbers of paramedics. It's
just it's just a lot easier to say we
have a great ambulance system and we
want to keep it.
>> If we put this off until July, is that a
problem?
>> It's not a problem if I may. Sorry. I
wanted to also add uh if you are
inclined, if there is consensus to
change the language, we should continue
it um as you've suggested and we should
have like specific language that we want
the RVPA to evaluate. So, you know, we
should have if it's this language, this
should be what we submit. So they have
something specific or we land on
something, you know, we have actual
language to give them and not entertain
a few options or if you have several
options at least have them be very
specific. So that that would be the only
direction if there's consensus to modify
the language.
>> It sounds like people would like to
change assist to respond. Otherwise,
would that be the language to ask for
advice about?
>> Well, I think there's concern about the
word locally controlled. So what about
>> we can ask them should that should it
stay there or is there some you know
something else
>> or some other word it's it's like
non-private you know
>> what if we just said to maintain local
ambulance service
>> local
>> how about that
>> yeah sounds great
>> thoughts experts
>> no no the website where I found it
>> okay
>> uh we we're continuing it um to July 9th
and subject to various parties checking
to approve our revised language. And the
revised language we will submit would be
to maintain local ambulance service
staffed by paramedics available to
respond in 911 emergencies and then
everything else is the same.
>> Yep. Okay.
>> Is that okay with you, Bill?
>> Yes.
>> Awesome. Maybe uh just a suggestion
maybe not in 911 emergencies but maybe
two
>> two
» to respond to 911. Yeah.
>> Thank you Chief Mahoney for that
wonderful edit. It's awesome. Thank you
for being here too.
>> Right.
So we are not approve adopting that
resolution. We will bring that back in
July. Has there been a motion to
continue it?
>> Oh. We should
>> I will make a motion to continue this
>> to the July 9th or is it the July 9th
meeting?
>> Yes.
>> July 9th. Yep.
>> Thank you.
>> Is there a second?
>> Second.
>> Roll call.
>> Move by Ding. Second by Robbins. Mayor
McMillan.
>> Yes.
>> Mayor Prom Robbins.
>> I.
>> Council member Dowling.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Kercher.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Salter.
>> Yes.
>> Motion passes 5.
>> Thank you.
Item 15, town council consideration to
adopt resolution 2626 calling the
November 3rd, 2026 candidate election
for two regular term 4year positions on
the Rosstown Council and requesting the
Marin County Board of Supervisors to
consolidate set election with any other
elections conducted on the same day in
accordance with election elections code
102
and 104. 418.
>> Thank you, mayor. Uh, it's my, uh,
pleasure to introduce Zach Kob de Leon
to, um, summarize this item for the
council. Thank you.
>> Good evening, Mayor McMillan, and
members of the town council. Agenda item
15 in front of you this evening is for
consideration of resolution number 22
2626 which calls our regular candidate
election and ask Marin County Board of
Supervisors to consolidate it with the
statewide general election in accordance
with election codes 10002
and 10418.
On November 3rd, 2026, two regular four
four-year seats on the Rosstown Council
will be on the ballot. Like always, we
hold our election in conjunction with
the statewide general election. To do
that, state law requires the council to
adopt the resolution asking the county
board of supervisors to consolidate our
election with theirs. Resolution number
2626 does four things. It calls the
election and requests consolidation. It
states that two four-year seats are up,
commits the town to reimburse the county
for the cost of running our portion of
the election, and it confirms the
election will be conducted in the manner
state law prescribes.
A few dates to be aware of. Candidate
nomination filing opens July 13th and
closes August 7th. If an incumbent does
not file by August 7th, the filing
period extends to August 12th for
everyone except incumbents. The signed
resolution itself must reach the county
elections department no later than
August 7th. On the cost, the town
reimbures the county for our share of
the election expenses such as
administration, printing, and canvasing.
The exact figure is set by the county
and funds are already available in this
year's budget.
This action is exempt from SQA, so no
environmental review is required. Staff
recommends the council adopt resolution
number 2626, and I'm happy to take any
questions.
>> Thank you. Questions,
Matt?
>> So, I I saw that um town manager said
that it's going to be in our Ross
reporter, like an ad, a a big ad. I hope
also we can do an email blast just to
let people know because we have um if
that's a question the question is can we
um because there's only like four weeks
I mean it's already June believe it or
not June 11th so it's very it's coming
up real soon.
>> Yes, I'm happy to do that. Thank you for
that uh suggestion, Council Member
Selter. It's going to be a full page in
the Ross review um for this month and
it's going to outline steps how um
residents can uh file and how they're
supposed to run and any requirements of
them. So there's going to be all the
information right there for them in the
Ross review. And yes, I'll take note to
make sure that it goes out um in an
eblast as well.
» Any other questions?
>> Any public comment on this item? Anyone
online? No one online. Mayor,
>> great. So, we'll bring it back for
discussion or a motion.
>> Well, I move we adopt resolution number
2626.
>> Second.
» Moved by Dallin, second by Robbins.
Mayor McMillan,
>> yes.
>> Mayor Prom Robbins,
>> yes.
>> Council member Kercher, I.
>> Council member Dalling,
>> yes.
>> Council member Salter,
>> yes.
>> Motion passes. 5-0.
Thank you.
Item number 16, town council to receive
a presentation on the fiscal year ending
June 30, 2027. Fiscal year 2027 budget.
Adopt resolution number 2628 approving
the fiscal year 2027 budget, setting the
public safety parcel tax rate, and
amending the town's salary schedule, and
adopting resolution number 2629, setting
the town's appropriations limit as
provided in government code section 7910
for the fiscal year ending June 30,
2027. Town Manager Johnson.
>> Thank you, Mayor. Um, I'd like to thank
the town council, our dedicated staff
team, including our senior accountant,
Elena Kurakina, and our consulting
accountant, Elizabeth Ford, for the
considerable amount of work that you all
and they have put into the development
of the fiscal year ending 27 budget.
Thank you very much. Um, as background,
the budget is the town's financial plan
for the upcoming year and includes
revenues and expenses related to town
operations and capital improvements. It
was developed based on the continuing
objectives of providing high-quality
services to the community in a fiscally
responsible manner. The emphasis
continues to be to sustain financial
stability as we continue to support the
town's goals.
The budget provides current services to
town residents as well as new projects
and programs that have been discussed by
the town council during the course of
the fiscal year, including during the
discussion of the capital improvement
plan um last March and the five-year
financial forecast and draft fiscal year
ending 27 budget during that April 23rd
budget workshop. The budget message at
the beginning of the budget document
provides a summary of the overall
budget. It's located behind tab A in
your budget binder.
Uh there's also a staff report for this
item which is in your agenda packet. It
has um uh the two resolutions and also
the first attachment to the staff report
is um lists the budget changes made to
this draft budget document.
um that the town council considered
during your April 23rd budget workshop.
Per council direction, during the April
20 the April budget workshop, the
capital improvement program has been
revised to include a Ross common
rehabilitation project estimated to cost
um about a million dollars right now.
Um, this is the fourth year that the
budget includes a capital projects fund
to pay for the town's civic center
campus modernization and rebuilding. By
the end of fiscal year ending 27, the
town council will have set aside money
into this savings account totaling $13.7
million.
Since the town council has already spent
a considerable amount of time on the
budget over these past few months, I
will keep my comments brief and end
here. If there are no questions from the
council, the specific actions requested
of the town council this evening are to
receive my brief presentation on the
fiscal year ending 27 budget, to adopt
resolution number 2628 approving the
budget, setting the public safety parcel
tax rate and amending the town salary
schedule, and to adopt resolution 2629,
setting the town's appropriation limit
for fiscal year ending 27. Thank you.
Questions, council members?
Matt?
>> So, when we did the budget workshop, we
hadn't received the the pension returns
and the pension uh figures. Has that
been updated in this budget?
» Yes. I'm going to ask Elena Carina to
come up. She's here this evening. Just
to make sure that I'm not getting that
right.
So give her a second.
» Thank you, Elena.
» So
you was your question about the unpaid
uh liabilities for a pension? It was for
we were we had preliminary numbers for
the the pension cost like the state
comes up with and then there's the
valuation of our potential liability
that we have to pay more if the return
didn't match the states and I think the
numbers were preliminary. No, it was
final numbers uh because every year
Kalpers issues a report and it is uh
issued in uh June of each year and since
June of last year we knew actually there
are uh calculations and they are based
on
uh our financial information, payroll
information and uh our stuff. So I'm not
sure why this question happened because
the number existed since last year.
>> Okay. So but we didn't know the return
of like it there's like a timing
difference.
If I may interject, Alina, what we
didn't have last April was it's every
July we get the valuation of um
we get our we the PERS announces their
valuation of our of our unfunded
liability. it will be applicable for
next year because it's like two years uh
gap they do evaluation based on
uh prior two years they end
the fiscal year and two years ago. So
this is how they evaluated they they
don't they don't do this right away. So
uh their evaluations are based on for
current year 2026 they are based on June
30, 2024.
So think of
>> okay maybe you know it's okay let's take
it up in like the finance committee just
so we
>> oh yeah
>> I just want to make sure we we
understand this because obviously it can
fluctuate a lot depending on
>> how the pension plan the returns of the
pension plan are and we're always
looking backwards but for the forecasts
we're always looking forward and we may
the information may be off
>> and so the stock market has been
obviously doing very very well so I have no doubt actually that our
liability has gone down. So I but this
is stuff we can talk about it as a
smaller group. It's just important
because it's a big number to us.
>> Yeah. And there's no I I can I can say
that [clears throat] there's no changes
since April 29.
>> Okay.
>> 23.
>> Mhm. And our but in the most recent
valuation yes our pension unfunded
pension liability
improved
dramatically.
>> Yeah. And the danger is that next year
it could, you know, decrease
dramatically. But um that's in our
discussion last April. What we talked
about was was having a finance
subcommittee meeting and um I'm looking
into having um the actuarial who works
on our um our oped liability
come in and talk with the finance
subcommittee
um about that and because we've just to to double check are we using the best
strategy to address our unfunded
liability that
>> that would be great. Thank you.
>> Yeah, absolutely. Any
other questions?
Any public comment on this item? Anyone
online?
>> No one online, mayor.
>> So, we'll bring it back. Um, I just want
to say I know this was an inordinate
amount of work. Um, and thank you for
guiding us through and also to Rich
because the CIP is included as well. Um,
and I it looks like we're in really good
shape for the upcoming year going
forward. So, thank you.
adopt
resolution 262.
» Okay. Okay. We're starting again. I move
that we uh receive we we received the
presentation of the fiscal year ending
June 30th, 2027.
that we adopt resolution number 2628
approving the fiscal year 2027 budget
and that we adopt resolution number 2629
setting the town's appropriation limit
as provided in the government code
section 7910 for the fisc fiscal year
ending June 30th 2027
>> second
>> moved by Din second by Robbins Mayor
McMillan
>> yes
>> mayor prom Yes.
>> Council member Kercher.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Dalling.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Salter.
>> Yes.
>> Motion passes. 5-0.
>> Thank you. 17. Town council to receive
an update from staff regarding the
status of the implementation of the town
of Ross facilities master plan.
Christa and David Kelly.
>> Thank you, mayor and council members. Um
we promised to give the council um
regular updates and so this is our next
update about the implementation
of the facility master plan. Your last
update was provided at your early April
meeting and if you could just give us a
minute to um set up
Oh, what is she?
» But thank you for the off
» flavored water.
Is he on?
Isn't that awesome?
» When When you're ready, Mayor.
>> We're We're ready. Go ahead, please.
» Good evening, Mayor McMillan,
Mayor Prom Robbins, Council Member Don,
Council Member Salter, and Council
Member Kercher. It's wonderful to be
back on a warm summer day. Uh the
purpose of the item tonight is to
provide uh an council with an update on
the implementation of your facilities
master plan. The purpose is really to
cover five uh primary objectives. Uh
first of which is to update the council
on implementation activities since the
last update. We've been doing these on a
kind of a quarterly basis and the last
one was April 2nd. like to provide a
brief summary of our uh procurement
efforts with respect to uh professional
consultants, provide a status update on
our evaluation of potential affordable
housing partners. It's kind of exciting.
also provide the council with an update
on the implementation of I'll call the
CAC concept uh the citizens advisory
committee concept
and and kind of outline uh finish with
an outline of key upcoming project
milestones and and next steps.
So since the last council update in
April, a significant amount of work has
been completed. Some of the uh major
accomplishments include review and
evaluation of the architectural and
engineering statement of qualifications
that we received. We received uh a total
of 10
uh uh statements of qualifications that
were really extensive and we we um
reviewed those. We com completed review
uh or at least we initiated review of
the two statements of qualifications for
affordable housing and we're going to
touch in more detail on all of these uh
meetings were were conducted with both
of the proposers for affordable housing
including uh Brilliant Corners uh who is
partnering with a local nonprofit called
Life House as well as uh the a local
group uh named Cedars.
Uh last but not least, council adopted
resolution 2623
uh which provided a direction to staff
to begin uh amending begin
implementation of an amendment to the
facilities master plan and and staff has
been working on that.
In addition, other activities that have
been completed since your last update uh
included convening one meeting of the
council subcommittee that was
established to review the architectural
and engineer or A&E uh statements of
qualifications. There was a presentation
given to council by Fieldman Rolap on
potential financing options and that was
uh coordinated by both myself and the
town manager. Uh following your last uh
update, a an article was prepared for
the Ross review providing an an update
on uh facility master plan activities.
And last but not least, been
coordinating uh telecommunication
efforts to uh address both relocation of
the existing te telecommunication
facilities
um and coordination of an updated lease
agreement.
touch a little a little deeper dive on
all those items that I talked about in
the previous slide. Uh we received
really strong interest and I think the
council should be proud of that uh from
architectural and engineering firms
uh that would support an amendment to
your facility master plan. again
reviewed uh 10 consultant SOQs and was
really impressed with the uh the scope
of and breath of the consultants that
submitted proposals. It's great when you
get 10. Sometimes you get really nervous
if you're going to even get one and you
receive 10 with a bunch of highly
qualified teams and project experience.
as part of that effort prepared uh qu
comparative evaluation materials
prepared a matrix for the committee's
review uh and ultimately intended to to
support your efforts in reviewing those
and um as part of that effort also
coordinated with Griffin structures and
again I I'll touch on this uh regarding
a procurement implementation strategy
for for future council consideration.
The purpose of all this was really to
prep position the town or prepare the
town for project validation and and
we're going to talk a a little bit more
about what validation entails. Uh
ultimately concept refinement of the the CAC alternative that council
designated as the preferred alternative
and supporting environmental review and
future design services.
In terms of the housing affordable
housing RFQ, as I mentioned, uh we
received two statements of
qualifications from um Brilliant Corners
and Cedars uh staff which included
myself uh Roberta and your town manager
Christa. Uh met with both of the project
teams. Uh we held initial develop uh
initial meetings with them to talk about
their development experience, their
project goals and and uh how they may uh
finance a project uh in in collaboration
with the town of Ross. Uh next steps in
that process include a continued
evaluation process. We've obtained lists
of their local projects so we can take a
look at those um identify where there's
maybe some opportunities for uh
additional partnerships to make a
project feasible and ultimately to bring
those back to council for your
consideration. And again, kind of under
the the goals of your uh housing element
would be to enter into an exclusive
negotiating agreement with the the
selected partner. uh that would solidify
that you'd like to move forward with
that that affordable housing developer
or that partner uh to deliver affordable
housing.
Uh in terms of the uh CAC concept, um
really council uh made a significant
milestone when you adopted resolution
2623.
It identified that concept as your as
your preferred alternative. uh staff
heard that uh very clearly and as such
staff since that time has uh completed
uh several activities. We've re reviewed
the concept plans and their supporting
materials.
Uh certainly uh did a initial evaluation
of the operational uh considerations
particularly around the uh fire service.
Uh our goal was to support the town
council discussions and assist in in
preparation of agenda materials uh and
in bringing that resolution forward. Uh
as as council knows, you provided the direction to staff to to move
forward with the preferred concept at
your uh May 6 meeting and you adopt and
did so by uh resolution number 2623.
uh the the the resolution speaks to the need or the next step uh is to
validate assumptions. U and we refer we
refer to those as uh technical,
operational and financial. And just to
kind of break that down a little bit,
kind of a a a technical a technical
validation would be to look at the space
programming that was provided as part of
that concept.
uh we know that the the concept was just
that it was kind of a planning level
exercise, but you really do need to
validate that and make sure those the
space programs work. Uh in terms of
operations, really look at uh on-site
circulation. there's still, you know,
opportunities to see where the driveways
and entrances can be located and is
there opportunities to uh make sure that
those those driveways work for safe
ingress and egress. uh as well as
identify the specific number of parking
spaces and where some of the elements
that uh were identified or that are
identified in the current master plan
were not identified on the CAT concept
that that includes uh secure parking for
police as as well as as the corporation
yard for public works. So that's part of
that amendment would be to to make sure
that the all those things are identified
and a cohesive cohesive plan. And last
but not least, again that kind of the last aspect uh the financial is to
uh develop a fully encumbered budget
that includes and identifies the cost of
the full development of a of the civic
center project.
Uh as as I briefly mentioned uh staff
has been working on coordinating uh the
future of telecommunication facilities
uh on the uh civic center property. Uh
just want to note here is uh one of the
elements that the planning team
representing the te telecommunication
entities provided was uh some samples of
what they call stealth stealth poles and
what you see in this picture is uh a 70
foot tree pole. Uh staff has identified
that one of the issues of concern with
respect to cell towers is the visual
impact. So trying to uh coordinate and
identify uh opportunities to uh
alleviate or mitigate visual impacts uh
of of cell towers on your civic center
site and and do so obviously uh cell
towers and telecommunication towers have
uh critical provide critical emergency
services uh and telecommunication that
people and residents rely on. uh but we
also want to do it in a way that's not
uh in intrusive
uh in terms of the aesthetics. So we
continue to uh work with them to
identify, you know, an appropriate style
and type of tower that would work for
the civic center site uh while
preserving flexibility for future civic
center development. There are some uh
provisions in the lease agreement with
the Ross Valley Paramedic Authority
about the setback distance for the the
telecommunication tower uh and you know
it's its location. So you know we're
sensitive to that and we want to make
sure that it doesn't conflict with you
know any future development of the civic
center. So, we're really looking and
trying to find a sweet spot that's going
to work in terms of both aesthetics but
also not conflicting with any future
development of uh the civic center site.
So, looking forward there's you know
several um important activities that are
planned. Those include and your next
agenda item is a amendment of the
facility master plan and as I spoke to
earlier that uh technical uh operational
financial validation of the CAT concept.
Uh ultimately we'd like to and we're
planning to bring forward a uh a
discussion for council on the
procurement and project delivery
strategy. Uh this is being done in
coordination with Griffin structures and
I'll talk about them shortly.
uh in addition continue the work that
we've started on the uh affordable
housing partnership
uh as well as uh coordinate the the
effort that uh Richard Siminovich has
been working on quite a bit the
undergrounding of utilities and really
looking at again the future development
of the Sigma center and making sure that
the undergrounding work uh it prepares
for future development of the SIG
center. There's some technical aspects
to that to ensure that the um utilities
are sized correctly to support you know
all the future uses of the civic center
and and last but not least to guide
future uh environmental review.
Uh just to touch on Griffin structures.
Uh
Griffin has been you know engaged under a small um professional service
agreement by the town to to assist the
town as the owner's rep. Um as indicated
here uh they were they were founded in
uh 1981. They've been around for 45
years or more than 45 years. Uh and and
serving as a diver diversified owners
representative. Uh they have strong
skill sets in program and project
management. Uh and they they they do
serve both public and private as well as nonprofits, but uh most of the work
that we we've talked to them about has
been their public sector work. uh
particularly with a focus here in Marin
County.
Uh in July planning on bringing forward
a discussion for council uh with the
assistance of Griffin structures that
talks about delivery methods uh really
looking at uh you know three delivery
strategies. Those include kind of the
traditional uh project delivery which is
design bid and build. Uh and um to kind
of the the newer concepts not so much
design build but progressive design
build which I know in one of our
previous updates we uh mentioned to
council that we were tracking the
efforts uh underway by Marin County to
implement progressive design. Uh and the
intent really is to uh address uh a
number of things uh cost project
delivery and and and risk and and
there's benefits uh with pros and cons
associated with uh each one of those
delivery strategies and and what we want
to do is bring that forward for council
discussion. uh progressive design build
ultimately will require uh some
additional work particularly with in
coordination with our town attorney's
office on making sure we have the
appropriate tools in our municipal code
to be able to effectively implement
design bills. Uh Ben, town attorney Ben
has already uh put us in contact with
his team and so we we're working on
scheduling a meeting to discuss those
next steps in in preparation for this this next presentation to council.
Um talked a little bit about again the
uh procurement options and again the
delivery alternatives and we'll be
presenting that as part of the
presentation council uh currently
planned for in July.
This slide really outlines the tenative
timeline with the mo proposed master
plan amendment process. Um the next
agenda item, we're asking council to
authorize release of a request for
proposals
in receipt of uh uh the the proposals in
July uh followed by a uh staff and
subcommittee evaluation proposals and
ultimately to bring back a consultant
selection recommendation in August. This schedule does remain preliminary
and we we recognize it may be adjusted
by council uh and and the proposal
responses that we receive.
So in summary um consultant procurement
efforts uh have been substantially
completed. were uh undertaking the
affordable housing evaluations,
really putting a lot of work into
advancing the citizens advisory
council's concept as directed by council
and moving forward on implementation.
Uh this this project continues to
advance in towards the next phase of
implementation while incorporating town
direction and community input.
So, with that said, the facility master
plan represents a key long-term
investment in the town's ability to
provide critical public services,
support public safety, and advance or
address your your housing element,
affordable housing objectives. I just
want to say staff really appreciates sta
council's guidance and direction as this
project advances. And with that said,
I'll just conclude and ask council if
you have any questions or comments.
questions.
>> I have a question. You know, as far as
the timing for choosing the consultant,
that's the architect. Is that right?
>> That that
>> architecture firm, right?
>> So, what what would it take?
>> We had
there's certainly an interest in in
moving up that schedule so that we're,
you know, moving forward and everyone's
happy with the way things are and
perhaps then for withdraw the
initiative. And I thought that um I
think that that August meeting is is
late to choose a consultant. And so what
would it take to move that up? I know at
one point I you know the it sounds like
the um the proposals are due on the 2nd.
We do have a July meeting. Um is there
you know could it be July that we decide
for example?
>> Uh excuse me. Thank you for your
inquiry, uh, Mayor Prom Robbins. So, if,
uh, we wouldn't be able to make the July
9th meeting because the packet for the
July 9th meeting, um, with the July 3rd
holiday especially will be going out
will be published on July 2nd. And, um,
I've inquired as to your availability
and and the mayor's availability because
I think once we get the um, the
proposals in on July 2nd, the next day
is a holiday. Saturday and Sunday is the
weekend. Then we'll need a couple of
days for staff to be able to review
them, put them in a format to help
facilitate your subcommittee meeting.
You actually indicated you're not
available on the Thursday. So, I'm going
to try to see if I can get a
subcommittee meeting quickly put
together um probably on on Wednesday of
that week. And then um of course we'll
have to we have to bring forward to
council an agreement and we have a
standard uh professional service
agreement and in the ideal world the
consultant will say sure that's great
and that that facilitates the process if
they sign our agreement. However,
sometimes that doesn't happen and we
have to do a bit of back and forth with
a um with the with a proposed
consultant. So, I just can't I can't
promise when exactly it is. The meeting
in August is late in the month. It's not
the way the calendar falls. It's not
till August 13th. So, we could I I
envision we could hold a special
meeting. Of course, that's dependent on
the council. you have a lot of things
that you're doing in the summer and um
it does I know that you're all you've
all indicated your your willingness to
have a meeting. However, I think it's
important to recognize that often times
when I pull the council you have very
limited the reality is you have very
limited time. So, just a reality check
here. Certainly do our best. Um, but I
know, you know, everyone, including
council members, you know, usually have
things um set up for the summertime. So,
we'll do our best.
>> Do do the consultants need until um that
July date to submit their responses?
Could we shorten that window and then
meet the July deadline? Mhm. Um that
hasn't been the our our advice from um Griffin Structures who deals with
this all the time has been that this deadline is already really pushing
it. So um you know we will certainly um
get it out as quickly as possible. I
mean, if you um we could get it out
either tomorrow or at the latest on
Monday and make sure that we give the um
and by sending it to the 10 firms, you
know, they've already submitted um their
qualifications to the town. So that
streams that's meant to streamline um
the process. But the advice that has
been given to us is that if we shorten
it, it's just not it's not realistic
because we're asking for them to give us
um fixed fee proposals. So they have to
put a lot of effort into that.
>> Yeah.
>> And I I just Excuse me, David. Is there
anything you you'd like to add? Oh, I I think
managers Johnson covered it uh
completely and and accurately. I I know
she asked me about whether moving it up
and advancing it faster
uh and and I concur with with her
perspective and the advice that we
received that uh and and as someone
who's worked on the other side and been
a responder on proposals, we're giving
them about three weeks. Uh our goal is
to get it to them as quickly as possible
so that they have a time to respond and
I know you you have to coordinate with
their subs to get you know uh the
specific you know number of hours that
they're going to plug into spreadsheets
that are going to inform the budget
because they're we're asking for a
detailed fixed fee proposal and and I
know for them to u put that together it
just it just takes time and um you know
ideally we would give them a
But we we felt we we wanted to uh con
constrain that down as as much as we as
we could. Uh
we felt was was reasonable. Uh I you
know Minister Johnson asked me you know
whether two weeks and I I think you know
given getting it out and with the
weekends and the holidays it it's just
we we want we want those consultants to
submit you know very complete detailed
uh proposals to us and and we thought 3
weeks was was really the the the sweet
spot in terms of amount of time to give
them.
>> Thank thank you David. Um it while
you're here, while I have you captured,
um if you'd like to tonight or tomorrow,
send me your availability for the for
the um you know, the latter half so of
July and early August, let me know what
dates you cannot make a special meeting.
Then we'll we'll see what we can do.
Okay. And that but that would be a good
first start.
>> Thank you.
>> Back to July 11. Um,
hadn't
>> July 9th, Um, if the subcommittee's
meeting just before the me the council
meeting, why couldn't we make that
decision on July 11? And if it has to do
with my availability, I'll move anything
to make that work. So I you know if we
could make it if the if we could if
we're reviewing the the proposals before
the July meeting then why not make it
make a decision in July. So my interest,
the reason I asked you if you could be
available on the afternoon of July 9th
is that I always think that is really
effective to have in-person meetings and
David will be here for that July 9th
meeting and also um our consultant
Dustin Alamo with Griffin Structures, he
will be here for that Ji July 9th um
council meeting. He's we're planning on
asking him and David to provide a
presentation, a work session, a study
session with the council regarding those
procurement strategies that David just
um described. So, I thought that that
would be a good good way to have a
subcommittee meeting because then we're
all in person and I I find that to be
really effective, especially um a lot of
times these uh submitts are um you know,
they come to us bound and in different
sizes and I and it's easier I think if
you all sit and and we have them in
front of us. If you're not able to make
that day, that's fine. You're you're
busy. I'll try to do it earlier in the
week, but it'll have to be by Zoom. I
guess my point is if if that meeting
means we can choose an architect on July
9, I'll make it work.
>> So, thank thank you for your your
eeriness. But the the the issue is for
the council to approve a professional
service agreement. It has to be agenda
as a you know it h as you see on our on
our agendas it's authorize the town
manager to enter into a contract for a
blank amount of money with blank
companies we can't purpose we can't
decide the afternoon noon of July 9
the night
>> yeah so the packet for your July 9th
meeting is going to be published on July
2nd that means we're working on the
packet the week for. So, um, it's just
not possible. I would like to very much,
you know, not have to wait till August
13th and we'll do everything we can.
Give me your dates. We'll try to get
something set up at least as a as a
target.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah. And I think to to add to manager
Johnson's perspective, um, with a due
date on the 2nd, we're going to uh
undertake an initial review to put the results uh in a in a matrix that's
going to facilitate the subcommittee's
review. You know, we anticipate that's
going to take a little bit of time. You
know, I'll really work diligently to do
that as as quickly as possible. uh but
you know to put together something
that's kind of providing you with a
professional overview and perspective of
those proposals because we think there's
going to be a lot of detail and a lot of
information there and we want to make
sure that we're covering the basis
ensuring that all the work that we want
done in terms of your RFP is in there um
so we can avoid change orders and uh you
know discussions in the future over
missed items. We want to make sure
that's all there to ultimately put
together that professional service
agreement with the scope of work that
they've they've submitted.
>> Would it help if we had fewer architects
that we were um asking to submit
proposals? Elizabeth and I heard from um
Dan Weiny yesterday and he advised us of
four firms that he thinks would do a
wonderful job on this project given the
historical nature of it and the
rehabilitation. I'm just wondering if it
seems like that would reduce the amount
of work for staff. Um I'm just wondering
if you have an opinion about that.
>> Sure.
>> May I May I just ask a clarifying
question? So, does that do the fur firms
include his own firm?
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. Thank you.
>> I don't I don't think that's a problem,
Christa. I think
>> Well, I don't I don't think it is. We
Elizabeth [clears throat] and I have
talked to Ben about it and he doesn't
seem to think that it's a problem. I
don't know. Miam, do you have a do you
have a comment? It's ultimately the
council's decision
>> and and mayor if I I can just offer you
um a perspective on the 10 firms because
we we discussed whether it was
beneficial to uh short list even further
and I think there was at least in terms
of the subcommittee there wasn't
consensus on those four firm on who the
top four were um but because we listen
even though we were going to we submit
the assuming this is the next agenda
item that council directs us to submit
the RFP to those 10 firms. It doesn't
mean they're all going to submit. Um we don't know that. It just keeps the
door open for them to submit proposals.
So uh you know thankfully and hopefully
you you you know you you you'd like
competition I think. Um and you know it
also uh gives you perspective on because
one of the key aspects of the RFP is for
the consultants to identify their
approach and and how they're go and
their schedule. And so looking at that factors into who you might select
to do the work. Some firms maybe have a
light workload and they can get it done
quickly and others may have a heavier
workload in different perspectives. So
anyways, I it there's there's there's a
tremendous amount of benefits to sending
it to all the firms that uh provided um
their SOQs, but that but that's again
council direction and we we can talk
more about that next agenda item.
So, you know, um, a lot of times we talk
about how staff is we don't have a big
staff and this is a lot of tax on the staff to try to put things
together. We do have a group of like 10
experts that have assembled to assist in
this process. So what I'm wondering is
how much can we leverage this group to
do a lot of the heavy lifting and come
back to us hopefully in an accelerated
timeline. you you keep referring to the
council's availability and the
subcommittee's availability and there's
Brown Act implications but we have
literally 10 experts who live in this
town and care deeply and I would say
accomplished a great deal in a short
amount of time to even create that that proposal that we all seem to all
five of us like and believe the town
really likes. So what I my suggestion
and you guys can come back with like why
or why not is why not leverage that
group see if they're willing to help us
so that we can accelerate this timeline.
So, the the the timeline is that we're
asking the council, and this is will be
talked about at length at your next
agenda item, but um if Miriam doesn't
have a problem with us continuing to
talk about it during this agenda item,
um the um
we are uh
if you were to approve the release of
the request for proposals this evening,
We get it out ASAP tomorrow, Monday at
the latest.
There's no role. There's no role for me
to play. There's no role for David.
There's no role for anybody to play
until we get those proposals back. So,
and as David explained at length that
there there's a lot of things that these
firms need to do. So, there's no there's
no rule there. So then we're saying that
we get the proposals and we're we're
describing to the council that we only
need one or two days of staff time to be
able to go through them and put them in
a spiffy matrix just to facilitate the
subcommittee, your appointed
subcommittee's
discussion. That's all that's really
what we're doing. um going through it
looking for for things being able to
point out so that we aren't starting
from scratch. Uh we'd like the
subcommittee the subcommittee you you're
going to need some time to review the
documents too so that we have a good
healthy discussion. So I'm not seeing
where the savings in time is. It's
>> my suggestion would be why not have all
the RFP responses go to this citizens
group, have them create whatever matrix
and recommendations they have and then
have that discussion with the
subcommittee so that the staff doesn't
you can turn that around hopefully more
quickly if they're you've got them
doing the kind of synthesize or the AI
to synthesize the information and give
the subcommittee a quick recommendation.
So the council established a
subcommittee that's consists of mayor
and the mayor prom they are they were
established to
provide input to staff as we put
together our recommendation that we're
going to be coming back to
the council with which will be a um a
recommendation to um
authorize me to enter into a an
agreement professional services
agreement with a firm to do this work to
amend the facilities master plan. So
it's
there's not a role for this for there's
not a role for anybody behind staff and
the subcommittee.
You you you made this decision at your last meeting that that's what
the subcommittee was going to consist
of. So, um,
you know, we you you've brought this up
several times, council member Salter,
and the council, you cannot delegate
this project. You cannot delegate your
decision-m
to an outside group. You can't, you
know, you have a council manager form of
government and until you change that
council member form of government, you
have to work through the town manager.
That's the form of government that you
have. In addition, there are other state
laws,
your municipal code, and my employment
agreement. You go through me to do this.
And so I'm not saying that there's not a
you know there's not a role if the
council um you're the ones who said on um May 6 when you had this discussion
you are the ones all five of the council
members indicated that you did not want
to appoint citizens residents to a
committee. That was your decision. That
was not my decision. So you already
decided not to give them a formal role.
You wanted two council members. So I am
simply following that working with the
council subcommittee intending on
working with the subcommittee. Um so I
guess that's that's my response. Um
>> you know
>> well hold on. So my second question is
fine. No I just want to finish this
question since I took a long response.
All fine. What about this? You know, as
opposed to having a fully done agreement
for us to approve, there could be a
motion to negotiate a contract with one
of the architects,
>> as opposed to having a fully baked
agreement where we all you all have
evaluated the RFPs. You've looked at the
pricing and you are saying your
recommendation is to negotiate with one
of the vendors, which is the the one we
like, and hopefully you can. If you
can't then we could go to the next best
but at least we are sort of moving the
ball forward as opposed to waiting for a
fully baked
proposal to be done.
>> That's an interesting is that I mean
could we do that because I know you said
the packet has to come out but maybe if
it's just to give direction to negotiate
>> give direction to negotiate
>> interesting a contract with all the
vendors. So, I'd like to say first of
all, there are two ways that count that
city managers can bring back contracts
to the council.
I bring back and this is what we always
do is I bring back ex except one time
since I've been here have I brought a
contract back that was negotiate and
execute authorized the town manager to
negotiate and execute an agreement. That
is very it's very risky for town
managers. It is taking it's it's I and
it's not something that um that's not
something that town attorneys will
usually recommend. The best thing is to
always bring a prof an agreement to the
council. We attach it to a staff report
because this is your job. You make
decisions. You direct me to you
authorize me to enter into an agreement.
The agreement is attached to the staff
report.
I would be you cannot expect me I would
be a fool to accept the uh to negotiate
and execute an agreement with the
political contentious nature of this. So
again I I think I think you should be
looking at this timeline.
We get the proposals on July 2nd. the
subcommittee meets in the early part of
the next week
assuming hopefully the council really
it's up to you guys what is your
availability to meet in the in July in
the beginning of part of August
we were a assuming we get good proposals
and assuming we're able to meet reach
agreement and actually bring forward we
already have the template from the town
attorney we bring it to the council
and they're and they're And if you
approve it, then they get moving. So I I
I'm not seeing that there's I'm not
seeing the big delay. I mean, the
council, you were the ones that wanted
directed me to initiate an amendment to
the facilities master plan in an
expeditious manner. You gave that to me
at the last council meeting, which was
you you told me to do that on May 6th.
Here we are. We put this RFP together.
and we brought it for you. We brought it
to you tonight to take action.
>> I would just add that I think that we
have started to shift towards item 18.
So, we were discussing timelines and I
think that fit within the report, but it
might be good to to receive this report
and go to item 18.
>> Yeah, they're kind of blending together,
aren't they?
>> Yeah. Okay. Um, so
>> just make a comment about Matt's
wondering about the the committee. Um,
the the subcommittee, Julie and I are are able to consult and discuss with
the committee anytime we want. I mean,
Ben made that clear so that if as we
have submissions, if we're interested
not just in some of the data, but like
what are the reputations of these firms?
Do they come in on time? Do they come in
on budget? Many of the committee me
members know these firms and we're able
to to discuss with them. So
>> yeah. No, no. I think the reason we
didn't have the anybody on the citizens
group join was then it would violate the
Brown Act and we wanted you guys to work
without the Brown Act.
>> So is there any public comment on David
Kelly's um update on the progress of the
facilities master plan?
Anybody online?
>> Nobody online, mayor.
>> Okay. So can we move to the next agenda
item which is very similar to the prior
agenda item um which is item 18.
Authorize issuance of a request for
proposals for professional planning,
architectural, engineering, technical
evaluation, and cost estimating services
necessary to prepare an amendment to the
Ross Civic Center facilities master plan
consistent with resolution number 2623
and direct staff to distribute the RFP
to the 10 consulting teams that
previously submitted statements of
qualifications in response to the town's
architectural and engineering services.
RFQ.
I'm freezing. Are you freezing?
>> It's It's freezing in here.
Thank you.
I should have brought a sweater or
something.
>> I sort of like it.
>> Really? [laughter]
» Oh,
» David, is that you again?
>> Yep.
>> Okay.
>> All right. Oh, well. Good evening again,
Mayor McMillan, Mayor Prom Robbins,
council members. Uh the discussion
tonight is on the Ross Civic Center
project. Let's uh put this in
presentation mode here. Here we go.
There.
All right. Tonight's recommended action
um from staff's perspective is
relatively straightforward
notwithstanding the previous discussion
uh to issue an RFP to the 10 consulting
firms or teams that previously submitted
statements of qualifications to the town
in April. Um, want to state that the
purpose of this item is to advance
implementation of resolution resolution
2623 to move the center the civic center
project forward that will update the
facility master plan and implement the
council's preferred alternative. So, how
do we get here? Well, it started in uh
before 2023, but ultimately council in
2023 adopted the current facilities
master plan. Uh subsequently in uh June
of 2025, the uh uh the friends of Ross
Valley Fire submitted an initiative or
ballot measure that requires the town uh
if approved to provide a um a fire
station here at the Civic Center. uh
that that ballot measure was received
and placed before the voters by the
council in February.
Uh subsequent to that a citizens
advisory committee was formed uh not
appointed by the council uh but but um
you know their their scope of work uh
and interest was to ascertain how we
could advance the facility master plan
and provide uh potentially a
consolidated civic center with with uh a
fire station. Uh council then uh uh
following the the presentation of uh the
CAC alternative adopted resolution 2623
in May uh which identified the concept
as the preferred alternative. Um really
tonight's discussion is about preparing
the concept that was submitted by the
assistance advisory committee for for
implementation.
So just to talk a little bit about
resolution number 2623 which council
adopted in May. It uh initiated
amendment of your facility master plan.
It directs staff to use the assistance
advisory concept as the preferred
alternative and as part of that validate
the um or update the the programming
which includes circulation parking
infrastructure and uh fully burdened
costs. I mentioned uh and as the
language is provides for in the
resolution it's the technical
operational and financial aspects of the
plan. Uh the resolution also included
language to provide for uh continuation
of stakeholder engagement and of course
that means meeting again with the
citizens advisory committee but uh also
want to mention that or state that
important stakeholders do include your Ross Valley Fire Department as well
as the Ross Valley paramedic authority.
I know they'll they'll definitely want
to have uh input and I think their input
is required at least under the um the
lease agreement. Uh ultimately this this
resolution supports moving forward and I
think the council's term that you you
expressed was uh expeditiously
um in incorporating the c concept into
facility master plan key aspect is to do
the validation of the uh the space
programming and to update the facility
master plan to include uh all the
elements that were not identified uh on the concept when it was submitted to
council. So, so why amend the facility
master plan? Um,
it's really it's a key question. Why do
we want to amend the facility master
plan when when the CAC developed a uh a
compelling vision? Well, I guess the
simple answer is it's it's really it's a
concept now and we need additional work
to really integrate the the concept into
a fully baked uh uh facility master
plan. So, we we're asking the council to
authorize an RFP because we need a team
of professionals. We think there
architect and engineers appropriate to validate that um citizens advisory
concept and to make sure that it meets
the operational requirements of the
town, uh the paramedic authority, the
fire district. We want to make sure we
evaluate parking, circulation, and
access. uh particularly important is to
assess the infrastructure necessary to
support those uses and the utilities.
They talked about a little bit in the
previous update, the undergrounding
effort and ultimately validate the
public safety needs both for uh fire uh
paramedic and police. And and last but
not least to develop uh what we refer to
as a f a fully burden cost estimate. And
we know there were some cost estimates
that were submitted with the CAT
concept. Uh but we want to make sure
that the the the council has an
opportunity to really see what's the
full cost of improvement of your of your
civic center. A fully burden cost
estimate as we refer to it.
So what will the RFP uh accomplish?
Ultimately it will result in refinement
of your preferred alternative that the
CAT concept validate the operational
requirements because again the concept
didn't provide for uh how all those
things are going to work together as
terms particularly in the under the
space program. Uh there was some
question about uh how site circulation
might work. I think the concept didn't
show a driveway for instance on the
southern side of the proposed, you know,
newly remodeled civic center. And so
those are kind of some of the questions
that would need to be answered and
addressed and make sure that it it all
works. Uh it it's also we in our
conversations with the affordable
housing developers, we really want to
kind of set a boundary between the civic
center uses and the affordable housing
and define that a little bit better than
what it is in the current master plan.
And I think this effort can help do
that. Uh and and because you know it was kind of done at the last moment
to integrate that the affordable housing
that's shown on the plan. We want we
want to make sure we know what that
square footage is of the of the
residential area. So we calculate a
floor error ratio and um you know look
at setbacks and other elements to make
sure that it it's laid out uh
appropriately and ultimately to develop
some implementation recommendations. Uh
you know all those elements are we going
to be able to achieve in in in one go
one project? We don't know. uh and there
could be some sequencing and phasing in
how this project is carried out. Often
that is the case uh but not always.
Sometimes it's all done in in in one
large project. Uh but remember there are
certain uses are going to have to be
relocated or temporarily. So how is that
going to work? and and and again that's
what we're hoping the the uh
architectural team is going to going to
help ultimately uh this effort is to
substantially advance the citizens
advisory concept.
So tonight's action um will
enable establishment of a strong
planning and implementation foundation
uh before committing you know really
several hundred thousands of dollars in
terms of design. Uh but it what it won't
do is it it's not going to provide
construction documents. It's not going
to provide uh design development or or
select a a a a design architect. Those
are decisions that could come come
later. And certainly council may choose
this firm to to do that next stage. But
that but that's also council's going to
have a discussion on project delivery
and procurement and that'll help inform
that as well. Um so it it but that this
RFP does not commit to a project
delivery method. That'll be that'll be a
future conversation.
In terms of the um consultant selection
approach as as we've discussed several
times uh a total of 10 SOQs were
previously received very detailed again
uh happy with getting so many uh prop uh
statements back. Uh but when we
developed that initial uh RFQ, we we in
discussion with the town attorney always
knew it was going to be a two-step
process uh or procurement process going
from RFQ to RFP. That's kind of the
natural way you you uh you go about
selecting a a a consultant for this kind
of work. and and um our goal will be and
is provided for in the RFP is to obtain
a fixed fee proposal. There's six
specific tasks listed in the scope of
work. Uh each of those is fairly
involved. Uh there will ultimately be a
budget that's attached to each one of
those scopes. Uh it'll be up to the
consultant to to uh determine how they
submit their proposal, their budget
proposal, but that's what we're
requesting. uh in the scope of work. Uh
the the focus is really on their uh
technical approach which is how are they
going to uh propose to respond or or how
do they see and they're going to
implement those six tasks. Uh what their
schedule is like. Um h how long is it
going to take for them to perform the
work that we've set forth? Uh what their
team looks like and ultimately their fee
proposal. So there there's there's a lot
that goes into a proposal. Uh but that's
the that's the focus and I think a key
aspect of this the the way staff is
bringing this forward is you know to
really maintain transparency
support competition uh amongst the firms
and and and be and and provide for
continuity in the process.
And again I think it it really does
build on the work uh that's that's been completed to date.
So uh I I think we understand that
there's there's strong interest in
moving quickly and moving to uh design
as as fast as possible. We we've uh seen
the that there's some uh public comments
submitted that to you know uh can't we
move to uh schematic design? Um well I
and I think the the answer to that
question is um there there as as I kind
of alluded to in the presentation,
there's there's still a number of
operational issues that remain and um
those revolve around again parking uh
infrastructure, the utilities, uh those
public works, uh their their their
corporation yard, uh as well as secure
parking, uh ingress and egress. Um, and
we we want to get those resolved and
addressed as quickly as possible as part
of this amendment. Uh, so that we can,
you know, avoid redesign later, uh,
avoid change orders and any conflicting
assumptions because right now we have a
concept, we've got a facility master
plan. We need to marry those two
together uh, and make sure that it all
works. And that's going to be how how
this uh, you can advance this project
and feel really strong that you're doing
so. in a coordinated fashion.
Um, we recognize that schematic design,
you know, can improve uh cost accuracy
and I think the word accuracy is the key
word here. uh a a a you know with a uh a a solid plan uh and detailed cost
estimating. I think it's going to
provide council with enough information
to inform uh whether you you would like
to uh put a measure on the ballot and
what you might ask the voters to fund.
Um and notwithstanding entering into uh
or beginning that schematic design
process is really going to uh increase
the scope and cost now pretty
substantially.
When you get into design it's it's um
traditionally no longer a fixed fee
scenario for uh A&E firms. It's based on
project costs. uh almost all
architectural firms today uh and as
someone who's went through this process
uh they ask for what's the project cost
and they're going to base their fee as a
percentage of that project cost. So,
it's really important to know what that
project cost is going to be because
that's going to set the fee. And then
also what's helpful about that is it's
going to help inform council about what
is that design fee going to look like in
terms of cost when you have a really
solid cost estimate to carry out the
work. So, uh believe me count the
architecture firms that's how they set
the fee. They it it's magically it works
for them. Um it it typically uh can be
from
you know 10% but often in a project like
this it can be up to 20 and 25% of the
project cost especially when you're
dealing with the historic rehabilit
rehabilitation with some unknowns. But
that's that's kind of something that
we'll touch on uh with the Griffin
structures and potential procurement
delivery methods to kind of address some
of that um and some of the risk issues
around cost. Uh ultimately we recognize
that schematic design would would
advance the project uh in and into
architectural design. Uh but I guess
from my perspective uh it's a little
premature because planning hasn't been
complete. We we we really think let's let's get the the planning done.
Let's get it completed. We want to we
want to do it as quickly as possible as
council articulated in your resolution
uh expeditiously. So um really a are a a
key objective of these efforts is is
making the design phase more successful
by completing this important planning
work now. So our our recommendation is
to maintain a planning focus at this
particular time on amendment of the
facility master plan. Hold off on that
schematic design piece. We're going to
get there. We're going to get there
quickly. It's really about sequencing.
Let's get this done. Let's get this this
step done before you move to that next
design phase. If council is really set
on on looking at schematic design, you
got to be ready to absorb the additional
costs. Uh there there is a kind of a
middle ground, a middle approach that uh
you you you could uh uh uh implement as
part of this RFP. It's for lack of a
better term, I'd call it an enhanced
concept validation concept. Uh this is
where you ask the architectural firm to
do a number of things. Concept floor
plans, uh building test fits again to
see how the layouts are going to work.
Uh space stacking studies and um you
know, massing studies. Uh again, not
necessarily recommended. It's it's it's you're starting to get into design.
It's not quite there. It's a little bit
more advanced planning. Uh, but I just
wanted to kind of lay that out as an
option for council in case you wanted to
kind of design light, I guess. Uh, it's another option to move forward, but
it's it's more than the planning work
that we're really calling for in the
RFP.
Um, did want to speak to the benefits of
amending the the uh plan, the facility
master plan. uh one of the key aspects
is going to be you know this this new
plan that's developed is going to uh
help de help provide for a really
well-defined project description. I
think a a a a a
good project description is going to be
particularly beneficial uh in the SQL
review process uh in terms of
identifying you know what are the key
environmental issues and impacts um if
and should an EI be necessary we don't
know that we're not going to presume it
with there might be some issues there
but uh it will certainly improve the
alternatives analysis and and ultimately
um
uh be provide a a a stronger foundation
for a supportable environmental
uh supportable environmental document.
So at the end of the day, what what what
does council receive at the conclusion
of of this effort? The town would get an
updated master plan, a refined concept
in terms of the systems advisory
committee that includes all the elements
that you've identified in the master
plan. Uh updated cost estimates along
with a set of validated operational
requirements. Uh we hope that everything
works. But that's part of what this this
plan the updated plan would do along
with some implementation recommendations
on how the project may or may not be
phased or sequenced and what kind of the
pros and cons and benefits thereof. We
know town council has uh already adopted
the CAT concept as as the preferred
alternative. Uh tonight's action is
really the next step in implementation
uh which is to retain a professional
services of an architect to amend the
plan and prepare for implementation. So
um our our recommendation is to uh
authorize issuance of of the request for
proposals and uh direct that
distribution to the 10 SOQ respondents.
Uh but uh we know that council has some
thoughts there and so I'll I'll pause
and this is opportunity for council to
ask any questions of staff.
>> Go ahead Elizabeth. Um,
one is you keep referring to um the
citizens advisory committee plan as the
preferred alternative, but it seemed to
me that the last at the May 6 meeting,
the entire council unanimously voted to adopt that, not it's not an
alternative. So, I just wonder why why
are we calling it an alternative? It it
is our plan that we're trying to
implement. Isn't that correct?
>> I I would absolutely agree with you, uh,
Mayor Pertim. I I guess it's it's a way
of characterizing
uh
the selection of the CAC alternative uh
along with you know we I think we
discussed whether it's alternative you
know and the current plan has A B and C
do we call it alternative D uh but
really
it's the concept that council wants to
see more and that's clear
>> seems like it's no longer an alternative
that was just I just was wondering about
the then one thing this is kind of
backing up to the very beginning. I
still don't think I quite get how did we
get from May 6 where we spent over a
half an hour setting up the committee to
choose an architect and then had the May
12 meeting to talk about the the
qualifications and then the next day
instead of choosing an architect we're
updating the master plan and I I don't
think I quite get how we got because it
wasn't something the council discussed
like do we go directly to hire an
architect for this project or do we hire
an AR or do we hire someone to update
the master plan. And that wasn't
discussed at the council. It just kind
of happened overnight that we we
switched because that whole halfhour
discussion on May 6 was about choosing
an architect. I mean, that that's what
was said in the meeting. So, I I still I
don't think I quite get how did we make
that switch and why. Sure. Especially
because I know that the committee um and
I know their differences of opinion
about how closely we should be working
with the committee, but they came up
with a beautiful plan and they have a
lot of expertise and their opinion was
that it was um not necessary to do an
update and that it was an unnecessary
expense. So, so that my question comes
back to like how did we get from May 6,
uh, talking about let's pick an
architect to May third 1213 where we're
no longer picking an architect for the
plan. We're updating for the project,
we're updating the plan. So, that's my
question.
>> Yeah. No, great great question. Thank
you, Mayor Prom. And, um, uh, I'll do my
best to give you an answer that reflects
the discussion at the, uh, the
subcommittee. Um,
one, there's the action that council
took to adopt resolution 2020 uh 2623
which provides very specific direction
to staff to move forward with the plan
amendment.
Uh
fast forward to the subcommittee meeting
and we discussed the uh statements of
qualifications that were received and uh
I think it's fair to say that there
wasn't a consensus on uh who you know
that there was you know one firm or two
firms uh that you know they there was
you know a high quality uh set of of
qualifications provided invited to uh
the the town as part of our SOQ
response.
part of the conversation was around ha
project delivery and I think that
factors into architectural selection as
well and that and that's where the
discussion around
uh
the uh uh progressive design uh project
delivery method was discussed
>> and the goal was to bring forward a
conversation with and discussion item
amongst council to uh
outline the pros and cons of different
project delivery methods. And once
you've chosen that method or if you've
given direction on that method, it
factors into what architect you might
choose to do the design work in
particular. So given the council's
direction to move forward with amending
the plan,
understanding that we want to have
conversation with council to receive
your direction on procurement.
Uh
it it we we think that that conversation
needs to have have happened before you
select an architect because you may not
select an architect. You may actually
select a contractor
design team that does the entire
project, but what you don't have to in
and in in my opinion to support that
effort is a complete plan. So, uh you
know elephant in the room is does the
design include a fully programmed with
all the equipment fire station or not? I
think that was part of the conversation
at the subcommittee and that and that's
kind of
again part of this planning effort and
validating that that hopefully that
question is going to be answered because
do you want to have an architect build
uh a fully a full fire station uh or
not? I mean it kind of depends on each
member's council's perspective, right?
But that's going to be helped be
answered with the um the procurement
conversation. And again, I think we can
move forward, get get the get the
resolution implemented, have a concrete
plan that you're basing this next
procurement discussion on. But but I
still don't quite see why why wouldn't
we have the procurement discussion and
then choose the architect to to design
or you know choose the so then we know
our pro procurement why did we go why
did why did we insert updating the
master plan instead of going straight to
uh procurement decision hire an
architect and then work on the project I
don't think I get that and again I I
kind of feel like that should have been
something that was talked about at the
council level because we didn't get to
design that you know or decide that it
just kind of happened and I I think it's
helpful for the council to to know that
oh well we have some different ways of
going about this and we're changing so
well I don't I don't think we're we're
ch I mean we're trying to implement
council's direction with respect to the
resolution and providing an amendment of
the master plan
and I I I'll speak from a a former city
manager and former planner I like to
have a plan in place before I go back go
to that next stage of of of um
designing and building a project. We
want to know what we're designing and
building and what we're going to ask if council supports a progressive design
process. Uh understanding what that
program is. Um, and then this is where
we're going to uh our goal and I know
Christa, you know, kind of thinking
ahead and wants to advance this is to uh
have Griffin Structures provide the
advice on how we can move that process
forward. Ultimately, if council decides
on progressive design, which we we you
know, if I'm looking ahead, I think
there's probably going to be support for
that, but don't know yet, and I don't
want to forth think what you decide. Uh
but there's a lot of work that goes into
it and there's going to be time that's
going to be necessary to make the
necessary amendments to your municipal
code to support that effort. So again,
thinking through all that I think is
it's again staff's perspective, let's
get the plan amended because that's what
the resolution says. Uh and we think
it's a prudent step to get get the
planning work. Let's let's let's get it
done. Get it done expeditiously as
you've directed. then you know you have
certainty or much more clear certainty
around uh all the validation efforts
what it is we are constructing because
there's some unknown elements to I mean
I think you know Dan I listened to his
presentation very clearly he he said it
doesn't answer all the questions it's a
concept and they put some great work
into it I want to give him a lot of
kudos for all the work that they put
into it but there's a lot more effort
that needs to come in to make sure that plan works as you know taking it
from concept to reality. uh and so this this this effort is there's there's
a tremendous value in it uh to get it
completed and I think it it's ultimately
going to uh save you money down the road
uh by answering those planning questions
up front as and then assuming you want
to transition to you know design build
or uh progressive design build which is
intended to save time on the back end uh
and costs you know it'll it'll work
itself out in terms of the project
timeline.
>> My other questions are much simpler. The
first is the next is what's the ballpark
figure that that you expect for this
phase updating the master plan? I I I
can't say
>> 10,000, 50,000, 100, you know, just
>> 200, 500. I mean, just
>> I mean, if I was to pull a number out of
the hat, I I would estimate several
hundred,000. Uh, but
I I don't know. That's where the project
team, the amount of hours that they
anticipate,
uh, for each completing each of the
tasks, uh, their subconsultants and what
their billing rates are are all going to
be plugged into that master spreadsheet
that they submit. And that's that's, uh,
you know, that's going to be the
telltale sign in terms of what what it's
going to cost. Um, it it it it could be 50. uh you know I I I don't
have a I haven't done a an analysis of what I think you know a consultant
would put in terms of hours for each of
those tasks. Uh and you know they all
have different billing rates and who
their principles are. So I mean it it it
could it could it could it could have a
wide range.
>> Okay. And then is there
is it possible to delete on page five
the um the proposal that the consultant
validates and updates the previous
concept B estimates and evaluate
differences resulting from the CAC
concept since and it talks about the
concept B estimate and the the cost.
Concept B is is not something we're
considering anymore. So, why would we
have our, you know, our um fil master
plan update people? Why would we have
them look back at that? Why aren't we
just looking at what's the cost of this
of what we're moving forward to? Because
I don't think that there's a I don't
think people see it as an alternative.
So, why would we be looking back at
that? Could we just get rid of that?
>> I don't think that I I That's my
question. Can we just get rid of that?
>> Well, I guess I'd want to uh definitely
look at the RFP in more detail. I I
think the intent was to make sure that
that's a a source of information that
could be used to uh help guide cost
estimating going forward. Uh but uh I
it wasn't the intent isn't to go back
and and redo uh cost estimates for
concept B. It was really that there
that's part of the the record for the
master plan or these updated cost
elements. uh and there's some
additional, you know, elements that we
think need to be in there uh to make
sure that the cost is reflective of the
work to car to carry it out, but we can
certainly look at that language.
I just have two more. the one is there
any reason not to send the uh these RFPs
to the short list that that Julie and I
were talking about because we do you
know we I think some of those um firms
that we talked about yesterday were on
the everyone were on the lists at the
subcommittee meeting so that you know we
have kind of come narrowed narrowed
things down a bit is there is there any
reason why we shouldn't send it to fewer
people it seems I mean there it it
sounded from the committee that there
are many firms who we really wouldn't
consider working with. They don't have
the experience. They don't have the the
reputation. So, if if we already know
that, why would we include them? It just
seems like asking them to do a lot of
work.
>> So, is there any reason not to pull down
our list to a short list for the RFPs?
>> So, may may I I I interject here is that
um we we'd like to get this you keep on
wanting this to be expeditious. We would
very much like to get this out tomorrow
or Monday at the latest. I don't feel
comfortable. We We did not leave that
subcommittee meeting back on I I think
you said it was May 12th with a
consensus as David said about what the
short list would be. Um so I don't feel
comfortable as staff to say, "Oh yeah,
let's do this, this, and this." As I've
expressed for you, I do not feel
comfortable having one of the
competitors tell us which four,
including his own firm that we choose.
Um, so if the subcommittee would like to
meet and talk about that next week,
shortlisting it, that just means we're
going to delay the issuance of the RFP
and happy to do that.
I mean, I don't think we want to delay,
but but regarding Gensler, I mean, both
at that subcommittee meeting, that firm
was on both of both Julie's list and my
list. So, that that predates talking
with the committee yesterday
>> and I get I guess well this is we're
kind of going into discussion now, not
necessarily question. So maybe I'll
>> a question come discussion.
>> I'll do my questions first and then we
can discuss. But um when you said fully
burdened cost estimate and is that
something that will be concrete enough
that we can use to include in the
general obligation bond.
>> My general inclination is to say yes to
that. Uh you know especially with the
work uh I think he's he's here on Zoom
is um uh Dustin from Griffin. uh he has
we we we've had several conversations
with him uh about uh
what's necessary to inform a a a
potential bond measure. And if we have
solid cost estimates, especially that
have been reviewed by a team of
professionals like him who are working
on civ civic center projects uh and
similar public safety projects, you
know, up and down California,
you know, we're going to be making sure
that that cost estimate is reflective of
what it costs to deliver a project. So I think I think the intent is to have a
really solid cost estimate uh albeit at
a planning level to to bring uh forward
that could inform a ballot measure. I
think that's the most important thing
because that is the most um schedule
critical because we need that number in
order to make the filing by December
whatever it is 4th um to have it on the
ballot by March. So that's the
information that we need. We also need
to reconcile all the operational things
that you said. Um, one thing I didn't
hear you say was, are we going to
elevate the bays out of the flood plane
or not? Is that something that the that
the um, amendment of the master plan
would address or is that something that
would be addressed later once there's a
long-term architect chosen for the
project?
>> Well, I think that's part of the
validation effort would be to determine
if the bays need to be raised out of the
uh, to address the the town's flood
plane requirements. I think we' we'd
very much like to have that that
question answered because because that's
going to be part of the the cost
estimate,
>> right?
>> Um and so, you know, having a part of
the team uh that the expertise to help
evaluate that issue and uh ensuring
that, you know, we we conform with the
appropriate rules and regulations for
elevation out of the flood plane, I
think is going to be critical.
>> And then one of the maybe we should put
that in the RFP then, that specific
thing. Um
I'm I'm also wondering the um citizens
advisory committee was recommending that
we get as builts of the building and
also open up various areas of the
structure to determine the integrity of
the walls and the foundation etc. Is
that something that happens during this
amendment of the master plan?
>> We we did not specifically call out work
for as belts. That's that's usually
something that's done more at the
schematic design phase.
>> Uh but that may be something we we can
look at if that's you know to to do some
>> I just I just want to be as thorough as
possible with these numbers because we
have to be as accurate as possible. We
don't want to go out for a bond and be
off by $5 million and then, you know, be
in the middle of the project and like,
oh, we ran out of money. Mayor, I'd like
to ask our consultant, Dustin Al with
Griffin Structures to respond to um to
your question about making sure that the
RFP reflects what we need to have. Okay.
Um
Dustin, can you
>> Hi, good evening. Can you guys hear me?
>> Yes. Could you um increase your volume
on your microphone? Is that possible?
>> Yes. Is this better?
>> It is better. All right. Thank you very
much.
>> Excellent.
>> Um this is uh Dustin Alamo with with
Griffin Structures and the council's
here.
>> Hi. Nice uh nice to listen in. Um mayor,
members of the council. Um so you know
specific to the cost estimate and um the
related budget you know cost estimates
usually prepared by architects are uh
representative of construction costs and
um are a portion of the development
costs generally. Um there are soft costs
that you want to include in these. Um so
you know holistically speaking here um
the cost estimate would remain at a
planning level in nature but we would be
utilizing current cost market data um
you know independently verifying the
consultants information just based on
you know we we as owner adviserss across
California a lot of work in this region
as well um do um projects of similar
civic nature and so that type of cost
information would be also validated. Um
and then also reflecting the specific
requirements of the preferred concept um
including if you are building a fire
station um essential service facility
standards which increases your
structural requirements and upgrade
requirements. Um also considering how
you're going to um remain operationally
uh continuous um throughout the
construction phase. And so if if there
is intention to phase this or intention
to um give you temporary facilities
while you do it all in one singular
phase, we'd want to ensure and carry the
cost for temporary housing. Um uh
incorporating anticipated delivery
methods and what does that look like
relative to project schedule and tying
all of that to escalation. um you can
get construction costs based on today's
dollars, but we know that this is an
escalating market and so we want to, you
know, accurately project out what the
schedule looks like and all these
different considerations so that way we
can tie escalation to it reasonably. Um,
and then that would all kind of get
wrapped into a total project cost that
would include the cost of work and then
soft costs from architectural
engineering services to testing and
inspection services to furniture uh to
um um utility connection fees and then
all appropriate contingencies at this
stage of design. So I think um the
oneliner is we want to be accurate. Um,
precision isn't as important at this
stage, but accuracy is absolutely.
» Did I answer your question?
>> Is this a method that you've used for
other con big constru public
construction projects to um determine
the amount that people are going out for
in their general obligation bond? Is
this a custom custom way of doing stuff?
Yes, this is uh this is exactly what I
do every single day at Griffin
Structures for the last 17 years. Um I
just helped the city of Rodondo Beach do
the same thing and they received a geo
bond for um $93.5 million to reconstruct
their two fire station police department
using a a very similar format.
>> So they didn't do schematic design to
get their number. They used
a a facilities master plan arrangement
and then you escalated with cost
estimates and you escalated.
>> That's right. Okay. program program
planning and estimating were the basis
for developing that budget. And that was
the um you know that was part of going
out to canvas the community on whether
or not they would be in support of a GEO
bond and they got um enough enough um in
favor of moving forward and so they put
it on the the ballot for approval
» and I assume it hasn't been built yet.
So we don't know if the estimate for the
geo bond was right
>> but
>> oh for for redundo um yeah correct but
we are we are moving through the stages
of it and so at every you there during
the design process there are checkpoints
and milestones and offramps and so
through that process we are getting
continuous updates on the estimate um
evolving the design the contingencies
get reduced because there's more known
that are identif identified. You know,
um the example of due diligence on the
building. Um those elements are clearly
um determined and then contingencies can
be either absorbed into the project or
reduced and so that is an iterative
process that gets um gets refined and um
should there be increases in budget um
that are beyond the projections then
there's a value engineering aspect to
it. So I think you have to, you know, go
through the evolution of it on the basis
of a good plan.
>> Questions, Matt?
>> So the um I'm I'm just wondering why
there's such an aversion to just moving
forward with schematic design. I think
there are homes in Ross that are more
square footage than we're talking about
here. And
>> I think we're getting bogged down in a
bunch of a lot of civic center design
for Dondo Beach that is $93 million and
we're talking about a very small
structure and it's a two-story building.
So I really want to understand why we
cannot move if we're talking about
pretty much 99% of the functions going
into one building. Why we need to do
this interim step? Why can't we just we
have a concept and start doing the
schematic design? Because what I this is
the second part of the question. In
order to get a really good cost
estimate, you want the schematic design.
And I saw that with the friends of Ross
Firehouse because they actually designed
the building and you want to know where
you're putting all the equipment where
all of the the the ventilation and
circulation within the building and it
has very programmatic requirements for a
police station and a fire station. So
why would we do this interim step?
because we're not even going to get a
good cost estimate. The best estimate
will come from a schematic design. So
explain why you think you're going to
get an accurate estimate by doing this
interup step that we actually could go
out to the public with some confidence
on and why we find it necessary to do
this for such a small structure.
Um
I from my my perspective, Council Member
Salter, uh and I'll ask Justin to weigh
in.
Is
the the program that you're asking to
move towards schematic design is focused
on the building
and that's one element of the project.
There are a whole host of other elements
that include site improvements and uh
other uh project elements that were not
included in that concept. And so
>> sorry like what
>> uh secure parking for the police. Uh
there was not included was the driveway
on the on the southern portion of the
civic center. Uh there was
no uh identified location for the um uh
public works corporation yard. U and I
think is also
it it's it's my perspective that as good
as the the CAC plan was, there are some
elements to that that are going to need
additional work and additional
validation. Uh wait, so hold on. Can I
just pause you? Sorry to interrupt.
Yeah. So, we're talking about a
potential garage
>> for some secured parking, a driveway,
and some parking spots. You don't think
that if we just went straight to an
architect, they could do those elements
because those elements don't actually
seem very costly to be honest with you.
And a yard, sorry, a yard for the public
works people to put their construction
equipment in. So, it's a parking yard.
So, a yard, a driveway, and some parking
spots. and we need to hire some firm for
$500,000
to do this interim step to tell us what
those elements are going to cost us
without doing the schematic design which
will be where all the costs are because
you're programming a fire station and a
police station in there. You don't think
the costs will be better and we'll have
a more accurate picture if we actually
design the building for its intended
uses and instead we have to spend half a
million dollars and all this time. Well,
I' I'd like to just clarify that the
costs the council did in you asked about
what will cost to amend the plan. I
think staff's response is we don't know.
Uh I I'd estimate it could be anywhere
from 50,000 to 200,000 as just a
ballpark picture. Uh didn't didn't say
half a million. Uh I don't think it will
cost that much uh or anywhere
[clears throat] close. I don't think
50,000 is close to 500,000. Uh but
again, based on the work proposal that's
identified in the program, uh you know,
what the costs are is going to be
dependent on the billing rates and the
hours that uh the consultants put
together. Again, I think it's a prudent
uh approach to do the planning work to
it's not just identifying and coming up
with estimates for costs of the
facilities. It's really doing all the
work to lay it out and make sure again
as I identified uh to support SQA and
environmental review uh and having a
project description that supports that
is is a critical uh component. Uh right
now we you you you don't have a plan.
you have uh concept drawing on paper and
I I if if if council decides that just
you want to go straight to schematic
design uh there's tremendous risk and
there's tremendous uh unknowns that are
going to result in change orders and
because staff's going to be left with
saying we don't we don't know because uh
there are elements that haven't been uh
well well defined enough at this
Now with that said, if council uh wants
to have a full discussion around uh the
project delivery and wants to go to
progressive design right away, uh you
know, there's a lot of work that's going
to be necessary to do that. Uh but some
of the the risk can be addressed uh
through that process. Uh but we haven't
had that conversation yet with council
and um that that
there there's a lot of work that needs
to go into bringing that that
procurement process forward. And so we
think again as expeditiously as
possible. It makes sense. Get the plan
revised, have a solid uh uh uh planning
exhibit that defines the project with a
solid cost and that's ultimately going
to save money uh and save cost in the
long run.
Okay. Um, this project is really about
time and money. So, if you could help
walk me through if you're if you as you
consider moving forward, walk me through
the time from now until So, we've got
one of the things we want to know is how
much is going to cost us. We need to
make sure that we're moving quickly so
that we are able to build actually the
paramedic facility which we are expected
to do.
>> So to help me walk through what the
sequence of time is. So the RFP IC it
could go out tomorrow. You got three
weeks to get the information back. We
can't do anything as you say and then
the information comes in. You go
through. How long is this planning
process going to take? Do you think
>> I I would estimate it will take uh two
to three months but again it's going to
be dependent on each of the firms who
submit proposals how long it they
anticipate
uh you know it's going to be necessary
for them to to complete the tasks as set
forth in the RFP. So, if it takes two to
three months, then we would have an idea
of what the ballpark dollars are going
to be for us to go. We'd have it by
December. Is that when Julie said you
have to have it by December in order for
it to be in the March,
>> right?
Have a ballot measure. Okay.
>> We have to select the architect after
that period. We just get the We just get
the plan and then we have to pick an
architect.
>> That's right. But you may again if
council chooses to move forward with
progressive design you're going to be
selecting I think Dustin maybe you can
uh provide just a a a highle overview of
the progressive design process or even
design build and how that may affect
this next stage of uh project delivery.
and we may be able to make we'll hear
more about it at our next um meeting
>> and we may be able to make a decision
hopefully. Wouldn't that be nice to
decide how we're going to go?
>> May may I just point out briefly before
Dustin comments is that you know your
first your first facilities master plan
took a long time to put together. I mean
it took a year but and also remember
that was just on demoing the whole site
except for this building. So now the
council has has now you have another um
preferred concept
um and that so now you have this
preferred concept but um I'm
[clears throat] lost my train of thought
but you
that is based on reusing
a building that's over a hundred years
old that's partially in the flood plane.
So that is going to take time for the
architect to to review to get the cost
estimates and and do those things that
um so that that's going to take that's
going to take time and we're trying to
get the you know very next meeting we
bring you forward the RFP. We'd like to
get the arch the architect on board to
do this facilities master plan and we're
we have other things that we can be
doing. So, as David described in the
previous agenda item, we're still
working on the housing. We're working on
the telecommunications. Rich Simonich is
working on the undergrounding of the
utilities. Um, we also we need to bring
forward to the, you know, uh, Council
Member Salter, you missed the council
meeting where we had consultants bring
forward just to uh, a study session for
the council to look at different
financing options. We need to have a um
a a a debt consultant that helps us
helps the council figure out the best
way to bring that forward. The timing of
it, the uh the wording of of the
measure, all that kind of stuff that and
we we can start working on that. Um and
we are working on different elements of
it, but we're not just going to stop
everything and and wait. There's a lot
of work that needs to be done.
Mayor just if appropriate decided
Mr. speak to question around procurement
>> I I think we should wait on the
procurement until our
>> I think we should wait on the
procurement until the July meeting. Um
but I'm wondering Bill do you have any
questions and then I'd like to hear from
the public and then we can bring it back
for discussion.
Uh, no. I I I don't. Thank you, Julie.
>> Okay. Thank you. All right. Um, any
other questions for right now? Okay. Um,
public comment.
Anyone in the chamber? Anyone online?
>> No one online, Mayor.
>> Okay. Um so let's bring it back for um
discussion about the direction what we
want to do.
>> So one thing that concerns me is is what
you brought up Julie that we need a
really accurate cost estimate for our
bond measure that we can't be going out
for too much or too little money. And um
the committee yesterday suggested that if we if we do go ahead to update
the master plan that it go into
schematic design precisely to get um a
cost estimate. So I'm you know and
that's that's what kind of keeps coming
back and forth is do we do schematic
design yes or no and how important is
that for a cost estimate? And I don't
know much about this. So I would, you
know, rely on what I hear from our
consultants and the committee. But it
worries me that the committee thought
that we should add it that if we went
with the master plan update, it should
go far enough into it should go through
schematic design and that would give us
a number and then we'd be confident when
we go out for the bond measure because
we can't blow that. That's that's really
important. We've got to know we've got
to ask for the right amount of money. So
I I guess the question is should or my
comment is if we if we are going to go
through this updating the plan I mean
should we go do what the committee had
suggested include schematic design.
So, mayor, this didn't I I'd just like
to
I'd like to make sure that the council
understands and I I did put this in
writing yesterday in a supplemental memo
to the council and David has said in his
presentation and our consultant has said
and he's we can ask him right now is
that
in many public sector bond efforts
planning level concepts combined with
validated programming site planning
escal ation contingencies in independent
cost estimating are sufficient.
Schematic design may improve accuracy
but is not always a prerequisite for
developing a ballot measure strategy. So
you're what what you're doing is you're
saying that okay this committee has said
we need to do schematics. We've said
it's not necessary and it's going to
cost $400 to $500,000. I it's probably
where you're getting that number from
council member Salter. that's going to
add to the cost of doing this. So, we
have staff, we have our cons, highly
experienced consultant. We're telling
you schematic design is not necessary.
It's premature. It's wildly expensive.
It's unnecessary at this point. So, I
just want to be clear that is what your
staff, your professional staff and our
consultants are saying. you are
you have received information from a
committee
yesterday and it wasn't even all of you
it was a couple of you and so I I just
want to make sure you you understand the
difference there um
yeah I understand the difference and I
think that there I I understand that the
schematic design might provide more
precision with the costs but it's also
going to get us really far down the
design path path and then if we don't
like or we haven't we don't have
consensus on the parking on the
circulation on the flood plane issue on
the corporate yard all the question
marks that we need to rec I look at the
amendment of the facilities master plan
as a reconciliation
coming together with the the citizens
advisory plan concept and reconciling it
with our program needs and getting down
into the details
And then getting that consensus, we're
going to have to we're all going to have
to decide, are we going to raise the
bays out of the flood plane or are we
going to compromise and, you know, do
what they did in 1995 and, you know,
keep replicating that mistake. I don't
know. Maybe it's going to cost millions
of dollars to do that. It's it's there's
going to be a bunch of compromises to
get this project done for the amount
that's palatable to the citizens. Um,
and I worry that if you just jump to
schematic design,
we don't have consensus on what we're
building and it's going to be too far
down the path and then we're going to be
sitting here saying, well, you know, we
need this change order and that change
order because we we never had consensus
on what we need to do. And and also
Elizabeth, I don't the way I recall the sequencing was we we adopted the
resolution to amend the facilities
master plan and have the subcommittee
for the architect and then we met a week
later and we realized that it was very
important to bring the procurement
decision back to the council and we
wanted to go ahead. We didn't want to
wait for that procurement decision. We
wanted to go ahead and try to amend the
master plan in the meantime to get the
cost estimates to put something on the ballot for a general obligation
bond and then have the procurement
decision come, you know, whenever the
staff was ready. There's lots of
nuances, changing the ordinance, yada yada. Um, so accomplish the
amendment of the facilities master plan,
have the procurement discussion, get the
number that we need to do the general
obligation bond by hopefully by
November, right? So that we can, you
know, there's Thanksgiving and we need
to put it do all those documents and
refine everything. So, um that's a we
it's a aggressive ambitious schedule,
but that's what we need to do,
especially if we're going to do the um
paramedic facility by January 1st of
2029.
So um to me that was a way of kind of
bifurcating the the amendment and then
you know do the procurement method and
then choose the architect once we get
all our ducks in a row and then you
spend the big money to do the schematic
design and you know really put pen to
paper. That that brings up the question.
I mean, it's it's too late to ask it,
but why didn't we know that there was a
procurement discussion that needed to be
had a long time ago? We've been working
on the project. We have consultants for
over a year now, and you know, at the
very last minute when we're ready to
hire an architect, we're told, "Oh, wait
a minute. You all have to go make a
decision about the procurement. We
should have been told about that months
and months ago so that we would be ready
to go to either hire an architect to do
the do the design or and we wouldn't be
in this situation where we're saying
well maybe we'll save time and get a
number if we update the plan. But I mean
it's kind of I think it's too late. I
mean we we didn't know a year ago but we
should have known. And I guess if we are
where we are now, I still worry a little bit about if
we're if we're doing an update of the
master plan. Um, and
we've been told by some that it's it
won't be good enough, that we need more
than just the plan. We need schematic
design to get a good estimate. I I worry
that we're not doing a good enough job.
» Okay. Yeah.
Um, I think it benefits all of us to
move as quickly as feasible
to because I do worry about the Ros
Valley paramedics. I want to make sure
we've got a pretty good idea of what
it's going to cost us so we can go with
the geo bond measure. Um, I think if it
means that we have to meet more often
between now and the end of the year, I
think we should do that.
I think that we have to make that
commitment ourselves to do that. Um, I
actually like the process and the steps
that have been outlined. They make sense
to me. Um, they seem reasonable. It will
move us forward. So,
you're next.
>> So, I appreciate that. I would just say
this. if we were
there's a part of me that realizes like
especially the three of you that have
been here the longest that this thing
has gone on for so long and I want you
guys to know like all my objections and
all my stomping around trying to save
the fire station. It there's a part of
me that really feels bad about the time
and energy that went into the first
development of that plan because it
really obviously was a very
wellthoughtout
long process. there was a lot of input
from the public and I mean there was
over COVID of course there was that
challenge but it wasn't like you all
didn't put forth this big effort and I
recognize that and it was one of the
hardest things I still struggle with
like having created a lot of um you know
objection to it but I think a fire
station was worth it but I know how much
work it was and what I fear about this
is going to this interim step while It's
totally feasible. It totally makes
sense. It just delays
the inevitable, which is hiring the
architect and starting to actually
program and design. And when the friends
created their project, which they
presented in January, it was a fully
programmed and designed um architectural
plan. And it it it's a lot of work to
program and try to fit the elements that
we're talking about instead of these
blocks and trying to say, "Oh, it's
going to cost this." But you really have
to think through how does a person get
down to the ambulance bay. And it it it
takes schematic work. So it it's just a
delay of the inevitable. And once we've
decided that we're really only building
one main structure, it's it's not that
complicated. I'm telling you, the coat's
house that was just built is going to be
more complicated than this. They didn't
need a facilities master plan to build
their house. They hired an architect.
The architect drew the schematic designs
and they hired a contractor and they
built the buildings. And we can do the
same. I I I don't want to wait any
longer than we have to and then go
through what I consider to be a lot of
arguments over well, what's going to be
in this facility's master plan? And then
we have to debate that and go wait month
to month to month. It's like hire the
architect. We have all these experts
that want to help us get there and just
move this thing along. It's one
structure. What do we want to put in it?
Let's design it. And I'm telling you the
output of that. We will have better cost
estimates. We will know the programming.
Does it work? Right? Nobody I don't
think the facility master plan people
are going to know it works till they
actually start saying how does it work?
We have to actually sketch it out. So,
it's like just do the work. And I I saw
this in the friends process. They did
the work and they're able to design a
structure that that could work or not
work, but just putting blocks together
at this stage seems like going
backwards. It really does. And it's just
delaying.
>> Bill, do you have comments?
Well, I um
sorry you are having some problems here
with the lighting. Um yeah, I I mean
I've been listening to the discussion um
and uh
I I I I do think uh in terms of Matt's
concerns, I I I I don't think this is
that analogous to building even an
expensive house because it's a special
purpose building. there are there are
functions here that don't have an analog
in in a residential structure
and um I I did when I when I heard the
presentation of the citizens advisory
committee
um it was emphasized by the presenters
and particularly by Dan that this is a rough concept I mean it is it
there's things that need to be worked
out so it seems to me to makes sense to
give thought first to working out those
things before we get into the details.
Otherwise, we will have duplication. And
although the intent would be to speed
things up, I'm I'm skeptical that it
would. Um I think we're all we're all on
board that we want to move ahead as
expeditiously as possible. I don't think
we want to waste any money. We know this
is going to cost a lot.
Um, but anyway, that that that's my take
on it.
» Yeah.
» All right.
This is for item number 18. I move that
we authorize the issuance of a request
for proposal for professional planning,
architectural engineering, technical
evaluation, and cost estimating services
necessary to prepare an amendment to the
Ross Civic Center facilities master plan
consistent with resolution number 2623
and to direct staff to distribute the
RFP to the 10 consulting teams that
previously submitted statement of
qualification in response to the town's
architectural and engineering services
RFQ.
» Is there a second?
» Bill, would you like to second?
>> Uh, second.
>> Thank you.
» Moved by Dalling, second by Kercher.
Mayor McMillan,
>> yes.
>> Mayor Prom Robbins,
>> yes.
>> Council member Kercher,
>> yes. Council member Dowling,
>> yes.
>> Council member Salter,
>> no.
>> Motion passes 4-1.
>> Thank you.
» Now we are moving to number 19.
No action items.
Council correspondence. Anyone?
Future council items. Okay. Uh oh.
>> Uh future council items.
» Let's talk about parking in Ross, but
let's do it sometime later in the year.
>> Okay. Sure. I would support that.
>> Okay.
>> Could you please be more Could you
please be more specific?
>> Yeah, I can.
>> Adding more parking. [laughter]
>> Yes, we can. Uh there uh especially when
the school is in session,
>> there's there's a problem with parking
and people go people who are not just
going to the post office because people
go to the post office keep going around
and around to find a parking place
waiting for somebody to leave. Um so
there's an issue of parking for the post
office and um people are always saying
we need more 15inut slots. I know we've
got the same amount that we took out,
but people don't see them and people
still park in the red zone.
Um, and there are uh
for the businesses in town, I've heard
that people don't have a place to park.
Now, that that includes my husband who
needs to drive to get to a hairdresser
and there was no place to park and he
had to park far away and it was a real
problem because he's got a disability.
So, um I think we just need to look at
the parking situation, all of it, not
just for the 15 minutes, but the amount
of parking we have. Is it the best we
can do? How the things how the street
and parking is laid out? Could we do
things differently? Could we have two
minute parking two hour parking zones
and not three? I mean, I think we just
need to talk about it.
>> I'm not sure. We may solve small
problems, but I'd like because we hear
this every time we go and sit in front
of the post office that this is a
problem. I think we need to figure out a
way to address it, but not do it now. We
got so much on our plate. So, this is
somewhere down the line. I'll just add
that the restaurants would love to have
like, you know, takeout pickup parking
in front of their restaurants. I've
heard that from the RPOA people. Um, so
you could just pull in and run in and
grab your your stuff and leave.
>> You know, one thing I'd add to it, too,
which would be I think an amazing is
putting the one of those drop for the
post that you can pull up and put drop
things in.
That would be like a one spot where you
can actually just put mail in and drive
away.
You don't even need to park.
>> So that that is something we I know we
could address in this.
>> Do we need to also put something on the
agenda to uh approve the RPOA Historical
Society plaques
that Andy was saying?
>> Um I'm I'm already working on that. It
needs to Moren Borthwick is an employee
who was working on it. I already spoke
with Tom Gaffne and he he's uh okay with
waiting to bring it back to the council
until she gets back to actually work on
it.
>> Perfect. Okay. Thank you.
>> I mean on on the parking I mean just the
other is people keep asking why can't we
have the spot back in front of the post
office? So just add that to the list too
of topics to talk about.
Who wants to be at the post office on
July 9th? I think I think I can be.
So, I'll sign myself up for that.
Someone wants to join me.
» Why?
» Hopefully, it's not 95 like it was
today. [laughter]
>> I may be able to join you. I have a
doctor's appointment at 9:30, but I
should be back by 11. Okay, great.
Um,
meeting evaluation.
I mean, I think we did an okay job
trying to get through this. I I I mean,
it overall for to me it's it's
disappointing because we we're all on
the same page and now we're kind of all
split up because of some of these
processes. So I feel like as a council
we lost some of our momentum but I think
we've as a meeting I mean we discussed
it and made votes and and are moving
forward and and are also obviously all
willing to do special meetings as we
need to to get at least this first part
getting the architect hired going. And
so I think Chris, you'd asked if we
would give you our uh availability for
what the second half of July. Is that
what you is that what would that be
helpful?
>> Yeah, it it would be helpful to get it
from
starting on July 9th, 10th, 11th, July
13th, which is a Monday through the
first week of August.
» Okay. July 13 to August 7. Everyone send
in whenever you're not available to
Christa.
>> Wait, actually I mean why not? When our
meeting is what? July 9 10. Oh, did you
say July 13? Yeah,
>> that Monday after, right?
>> Yeah.
>> Right. Because we may be ready to turn
something around very quickly.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
Any other comments about the
meeting?
>> Um I I first of all I want to commend
Mayor McMillan on running the meeting.
This was a
really long agenda and it was I mean I
know it's late but I'm like I when I saw
it I was like there's no way we're ever
gonna get out of here. I was glad Bill
had made that change that we have to
like discuss if we want to extend
things.
>> We don't have to vote to extend it past
10.
>> Yeah. So
>> no but it was like very impressive and I
and all of you I mean just sort of like
nobody wasted time. We obviously this
last item was the the hardest one, but
>> everyone just moved through things
really quickly and I didn't think anyone
belabored it and I actually think it's
progress where I you know we we can talk
about things that are hard and we just
disagree and we vote and it's over and
you just move on. So I I thought it was
actually a really good meeting.
>> Good. Bill, do you have anything to add
or can you go to bed now?
>> No, I I I agree with Matt. I thought I
thought it was a a productive meeting
and that the tone was good and again,
pardon my goggles. I'm I'm staring at a
light and it's it's a I'm in a residence
here. Anyway, I thought I thought the
tone was good and the meeting moved
along and uh appreciate it.
>> Thank you for being on Zoom. I know
that's very difficult. Sure.
>> Hours on Zoom. So, thank you for hanging
in there with us.
>> We'll see you soon.
Okay. Okay. Thank you.
>> Thanks everyone.