City Council - Regular Meeting

right hello i am calling the regular meeting of the rostown council thursday june 11 2026 to order zach could you please take the role mayor mcmillan yep mayor pro tem robbins here council member kircher 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. Is any further information needed? I'm in Newport Beach, 409 Sarah Drive, Corona Del Mar, California. And no one else is present in the room with me.

Thank you, Councilmember. Councilmember Dowling?

Here.

And Councilmember Salter?

Here.

Thank you has the agenda been posted, yes, make any changes to the agenda, no. Disclosure of X party communications on items where the town council X in in a judicatory or quasi judicial capacity any disclosures. On to number four 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 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.

Thank you. I just wanted to say I'm looking forward to the opportunity here in Ross. I've been here about four weeks now. I think we work well with the team here already. I've been loving the town and the whole Marin County here. looking forward to being here and helping Ross continue to improve and keep keeping on. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Welcome.

Thank you.

Number five, open time for public expression. This is limited to three minutes per speaker on items not on our agenda. Anyone in the chamber?

Good evening. Madam Mayor, my name is Michael Rosenbaum, 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 U.S. rowing official at the NCAA Olympic trials confirms a hard truth. Success requires everyone pulling in the same direction. However, this council is currently adrift 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. 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 sign contracts to be undermined by the personal whims you are sabotaging our town's future mayor pro tim robbins you must act failure to speak up now and discipline your fellow councilmen 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 we still love it um on tuesday We had a meeting at St. John's, Age Friendly did, on housing options for the aged. We had 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 in 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.

City Council Chambers, Thank you anyone else in the Chamber anyone online zach. City Council Chambers, Nobody online mayor. City Council Chambers, 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 5 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 almost 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 4700 children and teens. ages zero to 19 were killed by firearms in the United States accounting for nearly one in 10 gun related 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 high income 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 316 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. Town facilities. Jeff Kuhn and the Citizens Advisory Committee proposed a new path forward for town facilities at the April 29th council meeting. Please take a look at their PowerPoint with its legacy concept for the town's 99-year-old public safety building as envisioned by Dan Winey and Gensler Architects. Then I include a link to the PowerPoint. And please watch the short, less than two-minute 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. City Council Chambers, Tonight we will consider approval of the town's budget for 2627 the Council discuss these issues at our February and April meetings. City Council Chambers, The town is an excellent financial shape thanks to staffs careful stewardship prudent expenditures and excess revenue over the last few years, which unfortunately has ended. City Council Chambers, The proposed budget includes initial planning and environmental work to rehabilitate the Ross common play field last done in the early 1980s. City Council Chambers, I am amazed with and gratified by Ross residents generosity diligence and creativity to enhance our town and build Community. City Council Chambers, My heartfelt thanks to our POA for the beautiful new lights at the Ross post office installed in early May, and the colorful flower baskets around town. City Council Chambers, The Ross auxiliary for the lovely raw spring dinner may night and rosanna and wally Lord oh for hosting the cocktail party in their gorgeous garden. City Council Chambers, And the Ross school parent teacher organization for a literally over the top Ross garden walk and market on may 17 and the generous Glenwood avenue residents who opened their stunning gardens to our Community. City Council Chambers, Each year, more than. 10,000 public school students take the state-mandated test, the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, which measures knowledge and skills across various subjects. Ross School 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 4th 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 a.m. Council, committee, and liaison reports. Anybody?

Okay. At our April 2nd Ross Council meeting, I shared with you that the March transportation, 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. Belvedere 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 Belvedere and Ross. 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 a sales strategic 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 a couple hours before 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 grab them as they go in and talk to them and ask them what they think about the town and did they have any questions and what's working and what's not working. Well, I've got to say the one thing that comes up repeatedly repeatedly is parking. And it's getting more so. So what I would do at the end of this council meeting is request it 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, Ross Valley Paramedic Authority meets quarterly. We met on June 4. 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 item on our agenda to discuss the new structure of the RVPA.

City Council Chambers, And the Ross valley fireboard met last night and we approved the budget for 2627 and the marine wildfire prevention authority met earlier in June, and now actually we met in May late may and approve the budget going forward for mw PA. City Council Chambers, Council let's see yes, not.

Mayor Mrakas, Or I don't know if bill, I was going to talk about MC I guess I can give brief comments, he can as well, the CEO of MC don wise has been placed on indefinite leave of absence and I view this as a very positive development. Mayor Mrakas, The mayor of belvedere the mayor of larkspur 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 oftentimes we look at government and you know this CEO had been in place for 15 years and started 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 and I hope that we, 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 closed session we're really not supposed to comment on closed sessions and so i'm not going to do that thank you

staff and community reports. Ross Property Owners Association, Andy.

Good evening, Madam Mayor and council members. I'm Andy Mascaroni. I'm a member of the board of Ross Property Owners Association. 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. That was a spectacular finish. I just want to put that in. Anyway, so I'm here to give you a report on our accomplishments as an agency and also our future plans. August 21, live on the Commons, we have Super Diamond, who will appear from 5 to 8 o'clock as a cover band. On September 19, we're going to have an emergency first aid class on the Ross Commons from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. 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. November 15th, there's a turkey trot at 9 a.m., followed by a downtown sip and stroll from 4 to 7 p.m. And December 7th, there will be a winter fest and a tree lighting. All right. The spring dinner is coming on May 9th, and we have a great planned attendance so far 140 people have bought tickets last time we only had 105 so we're looking like we have a better attendance and As you've mentioned before, the hanging flowers have gone up. They look beautiful. There are 10 of them. They replaced the banners, and that will be continuing. There are 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 fixtures in the back in the operational area to put LED lights in to make it more pleasing for the workers and just a better lighting system. um we're working on a historical walk tom gaffney has worked diligently he has 12 locations 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 garden center and all we need the last step is to have you approve it so i guess maybe the next agenda you could put that on the on the uh on the agenda um so The last Ross Commons event was with Petty Theft. It was Friday, April 17th. It was extremely successful. There were over 2,000 attendees, which is one of the best we've had so far. As was mentioned, there's a downtown sip and stroll on November 15th, turkey trot, emergency, I'm just reiterating, and that's about it from the... City Council Chambers, Properties and see any questions comments criticisms that's it.

City Council Chambers, Thank you for all your great work okay thanks a lot. City Council Chambers, town manager Johnson.

Good evening, Mayor and Council Members. 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 dais, installing improved speaker mounts and safety hardware, and adding assisted listening receivers and headphones for public use. This is a limited, low-cost 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 short-term, though a bit uncertain just due to the product supply, but we should be able to do this pretty soon. big thanks to our age-friendly task force members including council member Dowling for bringing this to the town's attention and persevering so thank you and thank you to Zach who is putting this project together The new steel truss bridges arrived yesterday at Natalie Coffin 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. All phases of the Shady Lane pathway improvements are now completed from Lagunitas Road to Bolinas Avenue. The contractor will return in July to apply the slurry seal, the lane striping, and bicycle sharrows to the roadway. The final pavement restoration at the four town-wide 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 bolinas avenue and el camino bueno is scheduled to start on june 22nd and will be completed just before the fourth 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 getting these projects done so Big thanks to him for moving things forward. OK. Please note that Town Hall will be closed on Friday, June 19, for the Juneteenth holiday. Public safety will, of course, still be operating. And then finally, as the mayor 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 a.m. with Ross Police Department, Fire Department, Music, Uncle Sam, members of the Ross Town 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 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 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 krista i'm just curious just with some of the. the positions, you know, with, 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 it would just be nice for everyone to hear an update if

Sure. So we've, we, our town clerk retired in March, and we hired a new town clerk slash senior management analyst, Zach Koblik de Leon, and he's really picked up everything super quickly and really just super happy he's here. And then our police chief Pata retired. It's all kind of blurring together, but he retired April 27th or soon after and our new chief Agliar started April 27th and he had a pre-approved a little mini vacation that's why he's not here tonight he's usually here at all the council meetings And then our recreation manager Maureen Borthwick is out on maternity leave for a few months and we were super lucky because Wyatt Mann, who is our recreation coordinator, agreed to step up and is serving as our interim recreation manager. So we're super fortunate because summer is our busy time. And then, yes, so then you've met Matt, our new building inspector, and then City Council Chambers, Our long time public works director rich minutes is retiring on July 31 his last Council meeting will be July 9 he's been with the town, for I think I think rich said 10 years this fall right rich. City Council Chambers, 10 years in December. he'll have been with the resident yeah 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

So maybe just in the summertime, maybe in August, we could do a report in the Ross Reporter of like meet the new staff, just so that maybe we have the little blurbs we do when we introduce them, just so everybody knows.

We usually do it every time. So this past one, 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'm just saying 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 yeah happy to happy to do a little uh little recap okay and hopefully there'll be a nice send-off for rich oh absolutely 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 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?

Yeah, could we remove K for a brief question?

Yeah, I want to do the, if anyone is online who wants to remove something first. Okay.

I see no hands on line.

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. So we will need a motion to approve items A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, and L. So moved. Second. Roll call, please.

Mayor McMillan?

Yes.

Mayor Potem-Robbins? Yes. Council Member Kircher?

Oh, he's gone.

Yes. Yes.

Oh, OK.

I'm back. Sorry. That one I didn't. Here's my camera. Salter.

Yes.

Motion passes 5-0.

Thank you.

I'm leaving the dais because I'm conflicted. I live 500 feet from the project.

Thank you. Elizabeth, you pulled this.

City Council Chambers, You know, we get many letters about flood risks flood risk and ross's possibly new risks and I, and I know which you send a letter responding to a Community members. City Council Chambers, concerns about the flooding, but I wonder if you could just clarify that, as we move ahead with this project what what risks are there for the town.

um council mayor mcmillan um council member salter needs to leave the room if we're going to be discussing this oh 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 percent 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.

So Mayor Pro Tem Robbins, your question is, if we continue on with the Winship Bridge projects, what are the risks?

Does Ross have, is Ross liable for flooding if there's, with a new bridge? That's basically what people are seeing, that's the concern. Will there be with a bigger, better bridge, 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 attorney for one thing. It's a pretty broad-based question. I'm not sure. I mean, there's a number of things that we could be liable for, 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 and actually one of the projects that may have increased consternation on my end was the San Rafael or the San Anselmo flood risk reduction project. That's gone away and now we are just back to status quo and 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 rise downstream of the bridge for the 100-year flow per Code of Federal Regulations, Title 44. So I would say no, none that I can see as a civil engineer. Fine. Thank you very much.

I have a question. Will we be filing a clomer form?

Yes, as soon as the NEPA process is done, we are going to file a clomer because we are changing the FEMA maps by reducing the flood elevation upstream of the bridge. So we'll file a clomer with that.

And do you anticipate that FEMA will approve that?

Yeah, it's going to be 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, there will be no rise downstream of the bridge. And then once the bridge is completed, we turn that clomer 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 foresee any issues with the clomer process and the lower process for the Winship Bridge.

Thank you. Any public comment, Matt?

Mayor Mrakas, This is so fun I the public comment, I want to give is I live there in that neighborhood and actually my kids use it every day most children and residents use the bridge. Mayor Mrakas, To get to believe us where that's the only safe crossing over Sir Francis Drake for the windshield park neighborhood. And so I would say that we want 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, we'll never replace any bridges anywhere at any time. And as long as we have a public scrutiny in 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 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. Second.

Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Robbins and seconded by Council Member Dowling. Mayor McMillan?

Aye.

Mayor Pro Tem Robbins? Aye. Council Member Dowling? Aye. Council Member Kircher? Aye. Motion passes 4-0-1.

Thank you. Now we are... City Council Chambers, Moving to the public hearing on planning projects part one, we will start with three willow road design review hillside lot permit nonconformity. City Council Chambers, permit variance and town Council consideration of adoption of resolution number 2630 approving the project subject to conditions Roberta.

Good evening, Mayor McMillan and council members. The item before you is 3 Willow Hill Road. The applicant is requesting design review, nonconformity permit, and a hillside lot permit, and a variance. 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 sunshade that's within the required rear and side yard 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 sunroom and a new exterior spiral staircase connecting the deck to grade. The project also includes reconstruction of an existing nonconforming rear deck, which will be reduced in size and improved with a barbecue area and a trellis sunshade. In addition, the applicant is proposing new terrace landscaping in the rear yard with 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 sunshade 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. The design responds to site constraints, including steep topography, the irregular lot shape and existing nonconforming setbacks while maintaining neighborhood compatibility and minimizing visual impacts. So based on this, staff recommends that the town council consider adoption of the resolution, approving the project subject to conditions. I'm available for any questions, and the applicant is also here to answer any questions the council may have. Thank you. Thank you, Roberta. Questions from council?

Bill, are you okay? Yes. Questions? Okay. Any public comment on this item? Anybody online? Mayor Mrakas, You know hands mayor, the applicant can make a statement or you don't have to. Mayor Mrakas, We like that statement. Mayor Mrakas, All right, we will bring it back for discussion or emotion.

I move that we adopt resolution number 2630 approving the project subject to conditions. Second.

Moved by Dowling, second by Robbins. Mayor McMillan?

Yes.

Mayor Pro Tem Robbins? Yes. Council Member Kircher? Yes. Council Member Dowling?

Yes.

Council Member Salter?

Aye.

Motion passes 5-0.

Thank you. City Council Chambers, Item B is 111 bolinas avenue design review at you 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 Bolinas Avenue, and it is a request for design review, an ADU permit, and a nonconformity permit to allow modifications to an existing single-family property. The proposed project includes conversion of an existing 492-square-foot cottage into a detached accessory dwelling unit, along with the transfer of 206 square feet 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 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 non-conformity 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 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 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 rena 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 roberta 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 number off top but

Oh, the applicant could answer.

Oh, maybe the applicant can answer when they come up.

It's between $10,000 and $11,000. So I just, I'm curious, we've had all these issues where Bolinas in particular, because of the small lots, City Council Chambers, They continue to need variances and go through rigorous review, and this is a 500 square foot cottage so i'm just wondering, is this something you're looking at. City Council Chambers, 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.

City Council Chambers, That would be something we could look at as part of the general plan update it would take a comprehensive review of. City Council Chambers, The land use designations along holiness and then aligning that to the zoning right now they're all in one zone, but that is something we can look at as part of the general plan update. City Council Chambers, And is that sorry is the general plan is, I think we delayed that is that I can't remember when we're bringing so i'll be bringing forward some options and the August meeting that right krista yes, I guess.

Okay, great. If you could just put a note in that for that presentation, just in case we forget about Bolinas or any potential other areas that would need different zoning.

Will 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 discussion and a motion.

Just reiterating my question, I think it will be useful for all of us in the general plan update to look at the areas of town that we could either rezone or streamline so that residents don't have to pay so much and we actually don't have to spend any time approving projects that should fit and don't because the lot's different sizes than most of the average lots.

I move we approve Resolution 2631. I'll second.

Mayor Mrakas, moved by Robin second by darling mayor McMillan yes there pro tem robbins yes Council member culture, yes, Council member darling yes Council member Salter yes motion passes five zero.

City Council Chambers, Item see one oh one upper road design review hillside bought permit and town council consideration of adoption of resolution number 2632 approving the project subject to conditions Roberta.

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 re-approve the same project as the prior entitlements have expired. This is a request for a 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 the installation of a new fence along the driveway frontage. The property 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 REMAINS 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 process to renew a permit that's already expired because it seems like the staff could do that unless, I mean, I just don't, it's unfortunate to have to have it come back to us. So that's my only comment is maybe we could set up a process so that the staff automatically renews it or something.

Yes, and Mayor Pro Tem Robin. 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. And then the extension is a year. Sometimes it's not enough time. So I can look at that as well.

I mean, maybe we'll make it longer or something. I mean, but thank you.

Any other questions? Any public comment on this item?

No one online, Mayor.

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 Robbins, seconded by Dowling. Mayor McMillan?

Yes.

Mayor Pro Tem Robbins? Yes. Councilmember Kirchherr? Yes. Councilmember Dowling?

Yes.

Councilmember Salter? Yes. Motion passes 5-0.

City Council Chambers, Next is item D 313 upper toy on 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 Upper Toyon Drive. This is a request for design review and a hillside lot permit to construct a new 10 by 30 foot swimming pool with spa in an existing turf lawn area. The project also includes approximately 280 square feet of new hardscape connecting the residents to the pool. 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. This also did go for review before the ADR group, which recommended approval City Council Chambers, 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. City Council Chambers, 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.

Yep. Just a second, Matt.

Just one question with the hillside lot ordinance. How did, 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.

In the hillside lot, the setbacks are more restrictive. So depending on the size of the house, you could have 45 or 75 foot setbacks. But it's the same. In this case, they actually don't need a variance and they need the setbacks. They just need design review and a hillside lot permit.

Okay. Thank you.

Zach, anybody online for public comment?

No one online, Mayor.

If the applicant wishes to make a statement, you can. You don't have to. 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 Dowling, second by Robbins. Mayor McMillan?

Yes.

Mayor Pro Tem Robbins? Yes. Council Member Kircher? Yes. Councilmember Dowling. Councilmember 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 nine-month period through March 31st, 2026. Town Manager Johnson.

Thank you, Mayor and council members. 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 Kuhn, reviewed the report. The Town of Ross investment policy approved 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 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 LAIF, and that is operated by the California State Treasurer's Office. LAIF investment income for all funds for the nine-month period ending March 31st was $412,606. The reported returns for the LAIF funds are 3.98% for this period. The town's investments are also held in a U.S. bank account managed by Time Value Investments, Inc. An additional report from TVI, requested by Councilmember Salter, is included in the set of attachments to the staff report for this item. Per town council direction, last September 10th, the town of Ross transferred $10 million from LAIF to a U.S. 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. Accrued 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 Coon and Erin Bonk, 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, 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 market value declines in the bonds.

Yes, absolutely. Can everyone hear me okay?

Yes.

Okay, wonderful. Yeah, thank you all so much for having me. Always happy to be here and report on the the current state of the market the the town's portfolio 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 uh investments that of course comport with the investment policy that comport with what's allowable per state code very much skew 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 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 from the starting at the end of February, beginning of March, when the war with Iran began, we did see interest rates move up meaningfully in reaction to that. They've been fluctuating around since then, but 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 as as krista mentioned um you 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 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 50 percent of their original value. The idea behind using these types of investments is that they tend to be less volatile, they hold their value better over time. We will likely see some unrealized losses. on the market value when we go from the March month end statement to the, or from the March month end report to the June month end report for year end. But again, that is purely driven by movements of the interest rates in the market generally. Certainly if interest rates were to come back down in a similar way before the end of that period, we may not see any meaningful market value drop at all. there still is a fair amount of time before the end of the quarter that that could certainly reverse. But just as we stand now, if the current status continues going forward, that's likely what we'd see, again, driven by that rise in interest rates. But a key thing to remember is 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. So 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, any market value losses would purely stay unrealized and on paper until those securities 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 aaron 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 you, Mayor. While Chief Mahoney is getting set up there, I wanted to point out and apologize because it was brought to my attention that the financial section on this staff report, which is At the bottom of page 4, somehow, I don't know, somehow we got something transposed from another staff report. So if you could please disregard that section. It talks about the actual tax and this is the JPA, we're asking the Council to approve the restated and amended JPA. So the financial impacts of this particular item where we had some modest legal expenses and staff time to work on this and the timeline is that this has this amendment needs to be um reviewed 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 so that process will continue and that's the timeline you ready chief yeah almost Do you need some help?

I can't believe I got this far. I'm trying to get it into full screen.

Okay, we can help you.

Is this good enough? Okay. Okay, that's fine. And then... Yeah, it's just a little crooked.

That's okay. Okay.

Okay, good. Good evening, Council. I'm here to show a quick slide presentation on the amended and reinstated joint powers agreement. And feel free to ask questions during the slide presentation. And then also I'll be open for questions at the end. So, as mentioned in the staff report, the original JPA agreement began in 1982. In March of 2024, the RVFD or RVPA Board requested a city gate study to be complete of the RVPA's 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, implements Board decisions to centralize operations and financial 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 out. Perfect. All right.

It's compliant with the JPA Act 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. There were certain decisions that required a two-thirds vote that were added to this agreement. Expenditures over 3.5% of the operating budget, decisions to remove a member agency, increase in total expenditure budget after the annual operating budget is already adopted, and termination agreement. It also 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 item here, which is July 1 to June 30, 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 at the end is to equalize a tax rate and cycle amongst jurisdictions over time. We'll go over that 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 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 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 treasurer's and the treasurer's duties and 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 specifically earmarked for paramedic services. Membership. Another new portion of the JPA, new members will need two-thirds 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 proposing to be a part of. Removal of a member is two-thirds 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 from the members. Legal protections, 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 the member agencies and those performing activities for our VPA maintain their immunities from their home jurisdictions. This last slide here just really highlights the the the work that was put in over the last two years for this document that's before you on the this document went to the our VPA board, a number of times with a number of presentations and had a lot of feedback from from the board members. it also went to all the town and the district representatives and the managers and then also with that the member agencies respective councils along with the four fire chiefs who technically kind of serve as staff for the rvpa so the recommendation is that the rostown 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?

Thank you very much. I just wanted to clarify the voting. So, for example, two-thirds of a vote to remove a member agency, that only gets it to the the jurisdictions right i mean it's not can the can two-thirds of the board remove someone or two does it mean that two-thirds of the board if if two-thirds of the 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 two-thirds of the board because they're representing the member agencies Okay. I thought that there was some, and Bill, maybe you know, because we talked about this, 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 takes 100% of the

towns to vote to make that happen it looks like it's in provision 10.2.1 process for removal and it says two-thirds vote of the board page eight okay um

Okay.

Any other questions from council? Matt.

Thank you for the presentation. I was curious, why was Corte Madera or why is it so different than the other agencies on the tax rate?

So I asked the same question and there was a decision made I think about 23 years ago on what the tax rate that they would set they ended up on this was during the time that they ended up on starting to run medic 14 which is another ambulance down there. So really it was identified during this study that you know everybody's getting the same service here through the rvp 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 quarter madera than what's being proposed in Ross, which is $4 and in quarter 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 actually in this staff report, too. So, basically, it's Exhibit A that 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 already passed this agreement in Corte Madera. I think it was last week.

Okay, thank you.

Did the board have an opportunity to vote on the amended JPA?

Yes, they did. They voted to They don't have, you know, decision authority, so that what they did was they ended up voting in agreement. I believe it was a seven to one. There was one abstained. I believe seven voted yes on it to then disseminate the information, or the amended JPA to the councils in the district.

And you mentioned that Corte 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 Kent Field has Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District has San Anselmo has Sleepy Hollow and San Anselmo have passed the amended JPA in the upcoming next presentation, the tax.

Thank you. Any public comment on this?

Just to clarify, I see here in 10.1.1 to admit a new member, so that takes two-thirds vote of the board, which then recommends to the member agencies, do you want to recommend, will you consider admitting a new member? And that takes 100% vote of all of the member agencies. It's the same for an amendment that 100% of the member agencies need to approve the amendment, it's beyond the board vote. I think to make an amendment, 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 two-thirds board vote, but then all the member agencies have to agree to that. And I think there are a couple of other sort of Not exceptions, but 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.

Any public comment on this item? Anybody online?

No one online, Mayor.

So we'll bring it back for discussion and a motion.

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.

It's a far cry from the one and a half page typed JPA that we had in 1982. So it was a lot of, it was definitely teamwork, a lot of hands on this to make sure that we... really took into consideration a lot the comments that were given from all the folks that 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 we as council members didn't have any input. So that would be a change in the process that I would suggest, but as it is now that town staff review it, then the Paramedic Board approves it with staff input, but the council members don't see it until now. But I think it's fine.

I mean, that's kind of why we have a liaison on the board, right? Because we're relying on you to to look at that.

I never saw it. I mean, when it when it before 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.

I was just wondering too, Bill, because he's also on it, if you wouldn't mind sharing your thoughts?

Sure. I mean, I haven't been to any recent meetings, Matt, because I'm the alternate. Last time I was involved in a meeting and actually I ended up chairing the meeting a couple of times, this whole process was very much in doubt and we weren't sure that Larkspur was ever really going to agree to something. And I'm really pleased that it has happened. I mean, I was hoping it had happened, and I think I expressed the opinion I thought it would happen, but now that it has, I think it's a good thing. And I think that, of course, it's a result of a process of negotiation between the entities. But I think the overall, I think 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 Larkspur might pull out. which would probably doom the whole thing. So this is, I believe, very positive. 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.

I will 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.

Mayor Paterson. Moved by Dowling, second by Robbins. Mayor McMillan. Yes. Mayor Pro Tem Robbins.

Yes.

Council Member Kircher. Yes. Council Member Dowling.

Yes.

Council Member Salter.

Yes.

Mayor Mrakas, motion passes five zero.

City Council Chambers. Thank you item number 14 town council consideration to adopt resolution number 2637 calling for the November 3 2026 election for renewal of the Ross valley paramedic authority for your 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 10002 and 10418. Chief Mahoney. Excuse me, Mayor Johnson.

I'm not going to make a habit of this, I swear. But while Chief Mahoney is setting up, I have to apologize on this one, too, because unfortunately there are some typos in the ordinance. So the ordinance is attached to the resolution, which is attached to the staff report. And 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 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 your at the dais is you have a redlined version And so the changes are only in the ordinance, which is in the very end of the document. It's a two-page document. I think it's pages 6 and 7. And then I've also provided you with a clean copy. And then those documents, I did email those to Councilmember Kercher. I'm not sure if he had a chance 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 corrected clean version of the resolution and the attached 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 pretty important typos. Okay, thank you.

Just a question for you, Krista. Does the town attorney review the actual ordinance language?

Yes.

Okay. Is that where he discovered it?

They did not. No, no, we discovered it. Sorry, there are so many agenda items on this thing. We just discovered it 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 you, Zach.

Yes, it takes a team. It takes many set of eyes. This agenda had a lot of resolutions and ordinances and agreements. I'm not perfect. I bet you thought I was.

Okay, well, thank you. I'm ready to go. Thank you, Council. I'm here to present the proposed next tax cycle for the RVPA. A little background about the tax the parcel tax funds about 50% of the rvps operations, the other part is the actual transport revenue that we receive from transporting the patients. The next cycle, the proposed cycles that we're proposing tonight is going to start July one of 2027 so. So not this July, but next July and it'll run all the way to June 30 2031 across all the Member agencies all member all eight Member agencies. On to guarantee funding members Member agencies must seek voter approval for renewal of their partial tax measure this in this coming November 2026. Cities and towns need their councils to approve the work to work with the Elections Department timeline for November ballot submission. So tax rates, how did we get to the tax rate? The tax rates are established based on today's projections for the next four years. There were some uncertainties that we had to consider during our projections. One of them, probably one of the biggest one, is changes to Medicare and Medi-Cal, and these are potential decreases in transport revenues. what's i mentioned before which is about 50 of the revenues that the rvpa takes in changes in structure and cost of a service provision so the rvpa cost a lot of the cost goes to personnel so depending on agreements mous and things of that nature in the next four years we factor that in and then um inflation in other typical cost pressures So those are the uncertainties that we had to kind of factor in when we came to the final decision on what the tax was gonna be. So for these reasons, being that we forecasted, 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 the ballot language, in any one of the four-year tax cycles upon recommendation from the board while maintaining equalization patterns. So if we reduce the cost in one member agency, it'll be reduced in the other member agency. Separately, the goal here is to equalize the tax rates across the member agencies, like I mentioned before, because everybody receives the same level of service. So this means 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 per non-residential slash commercial building with a square footage. So here's the chart that I mentioned earlier. I highlighted the effects of the town of Ross and what the tax measure will do. So in 2026 and 2027, which is gonna be here in about two weeks, the tax will go up to $103.50. It'll go up $3, that's already pre-approved 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 four dollars 28, 29, 29, 30, and 30, 31 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 that's why we had the language up too. And then i'm Council member Salter T to your question you'll see the court of Madeira is on there too, with with their tax rates and. And their increases and you'll see the first year they're going to increase $7 and 50 cents that about 750 775 throughout the four years and that'll get us equal within 25 cents year number four. So the thresholds quarter Madera also had a square footage threshold for non residential floor areas, and it was 1000 square feet. Where ours is currently 1500 so this proposal here is going to is going to be to move from 1500 down to 1000 so that we're equal with quarter Madera and everybody's the same. An example would be at today's dollars on bullet point number two, if you had a 10,000 square foot building at today's rate of $100.50, it would equal about $670. And the same building at the 1,000 foot range would be $1,005. So you'll see there's a difference, at least about $335 difference in that movement there. RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL ADOPT RESOLUTION 2637 CALLING THE NOVEMBER 3, 2026 CALLING FOR AN ELECTION FOR RENEWAL OF THE ROSS VALLEY PARAMEDIC AUTHORITY FOUR 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 one zero zero zero two and one zero four one eight thank you questions well i i have a question um i'm wondering if we would consider slightly different language for that first phrase the first phrase currently reads to maintain rapid 911 emergency response times and preserve the number of on-duty paramedics ready to respond to accidents, medical emergencies, shall 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 language that's written here, 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 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 intention, which is, to maintain 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 that would be clear for the town and asked Ben about it and asked Krista and asked if she could ask RVPA, are we allowed to change it if we as a council wanted to? And you referred it to Ben and Ben said this, this sounds possible. We would if the council wanted to do that. He would check with our VPA 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 felt like this simpler wording is very defensible, can't be challenged, it's very clear, and it 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 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 so that was my, that's why I made this suggestion. I guess the first is to see if anybody, once we get back to discussion. Yeah, I think we should have questions. So that's my question, can we do it? And then we'll talk about it later.

So any other questions from Council about the presentation or the paramedic tax? And we'll discuss Elizabeth when we bring it back.

I was going to say, if the fire chief had any aversion to changing 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 you have some extra there's a lot of provisions i gave him oh you gave him one oh yeah in the beginning i know there's a lot of provisions in how you word this so i don't think i have the expertise to to know exactly i do know that um what were what we proposed which isn't the only way, but what we proposed was sent to a political consultant through our VPA, and then it was also vetted out through the county elections office. So, you know, if there's a desire to do this, 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 words are in there.

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 how much per square foot and all that, none of that has changed. It's just sort of the justification phrase at the very beginning.

Are we going to come back and discuss this? Yeah, we are. We are. So 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 our July 9th meeting, or we can adopt the RVPA language that's in the staff report. What do people think?

Mayor Mrakas, I was gonna say I support I love 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. Mayor Mrakas, I think it's more accurate, I think we want to be as transparent 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 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 existing ballot language?

That, well, this particular ballot language has been used over and over for several times. Is that what you mean?

No, no, you said that one of the problems is that this is old language. We're using old language.

Oh, I just meant that the first part has been used many times, and I don't think it quite reflects just the reality of how this works. It's not like a specific word, but 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 paramedics. I don't know that there's ever been a discussion about, if this doesn't pass, do we lose paramedics? We never really had that on the table. And so, as we're campaigning for this, it's harder to campaign for something that you don't quite understand. 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 locally controlled ambulance service. I included excellent. I put to maintain excellent locally controlled ambulance service. But Ben said that you can't use a word like excellent in the ballot language. So it's just to maintain locally controlled. So those were my thoughts. The other is we could all think about it and decide in July. It doesn't matter too much.

It's not that big of a change, but I'm just thinking of campaigning.

This new language is so pure and clean to campaign on. 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 thoughts.

and we need to change it to respond. Respond is better. Yeah, available to respond. Yes.

Excuse me, Mayor. May I offer one? Yes, comment is in Mayor Pro Tem'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, that's confusing.

Including the county of Marin.

Well, I think people are inclined, 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?

No, I'd like to explore some alternative language. 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 RVPA. 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 uh 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 consider it i do think that i got locally controlled from the rvpa website 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 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 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 if you are inclined if there is consensus to change the language we should continue it 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 where 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. Oh, right. 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 like non private?

What if we just said to maintain local ambulance service?

Local?

How about that?

Yeah, sounds great. Councillor Schell.

Thoughts, experts? No, nobody to find the website where I found it. Okay. We're continuing it 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. Just a suggestion, maybe not in 911 emergencies, but maybe two.

Two. To respond to 911. Yep. Thank you, Chief Mahoney, for that wonderful edit. It's awesome. Thank you for being here, too. Right. So we are not 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 item.

To the July 9th, or is it the July 9th meeting?

Yes, July 9th. Thank you. Is there a second?

Second.

Roll call.

Move by Dowling, second by Robbins. Mayor McMillan?

Yes.

Mayor Pro Tem Robbins?

Aye.

Council Member Dowling?

Yes.

Council Member Kircher? Yes. Council Member Salter?

Yes.

Motion passes 5-0.

Thank you. Item 15, Town Council consideration to adopt Resolution 2626 calling the November 3, 2026 candidate election for two regular term four-year positions on the Ross Town Council and requesting the Marin County Board of Supervisors to consolidate said election with any other elections conducted on the same day in accordance with elections code 1002 and 10418.

Thank you, Mayor. It's my pleasure to introduce Zach Koblik de Leon to 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 2626, which calls our regular candidate election and asks 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-year seats on the Ross Town 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 reimburses the county for our share of the election expenses, such as administration, printing, and canvassing. The exact figure is set by the county, and funds are already available in this year's budget. This action is exempt from CEQA, 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 saw that town manager said that it's going to be in our Ross reporter like an ad, a big ad. I hope also we can do an email blast just to let people know because we have if that's a question, the question is, can we? Because there's only like four weeks. I mean, it's already June, believe it or not, June 11. So it's very, it's coming up real soon.

Yes, I'm happy to do them. Thank you for that suggestion. Councilmember Salter, it's going to be a full page in the Ross review for this month. And it's going to outline steps how residents can 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 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 Pro Tem Robbins? Yes. Council Member Kircher?

aye councilmember dowling councilmember 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 to manager Johnson.

Thank you, Mayor. 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. 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 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. There's also a staff report for this item, which is in your agenda packet. It has the two resolutions and also the first attachment to the staff report lists the budget changes made to this draft budget document 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 about a million dollars right now this is the fourth year that the budget includes a capital projects fund to pay for the town 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 dollars 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's salary schedule and to adopt resolution 2629 setting the town's appropriation limit for fiscal year ending 27. thank you thank you questions council members matt

So would 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 Karikina 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.

Was your question about the unpaid liabilities for a pension?

We had preliminary numbers for the pension costs, 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 state's. And I think the numbers were preliminary.

No, it was final numbers because every year CalPERS issues a report and it is issued in June of each year and since June of last year we knew actually there are calculations and they are based on our financial information, payroll information and our stuff.

i'm not sure why this question happened because the number existed since last year okay so but if we didn't know the return of like there's like a timing difference if i may interject elena what we didn't have last april was it's every july we get the valuation of um

We get our week the purse announces their valuation of our of our unfunded liability and it will be applicable for next year because it's two years gap they do evaluation based on. prior to the fiscal year and two years ago. So this is how they evaluated. They don't do this right away. So their evaluations are based on for current year, 2026. They are based on June 30, 2024.

Okay, maybe you know it's okay let's take it up in like the Finance Committee just so oh yeah um I just want to make sure we we understand this because obviously 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 made information maybe off and so the stock market has been obviously doing very very well so I have a I have no doubt, actually, that our liability's gone down. So I, but this is stuff we can talk about as a smaller group. It's just important because it's a big number to us.

Yeah, and there's no, I can say that there's no changes since April 29th or 23rd.

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 to double check are we using the best strategy to address our unfunded liability 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 And thank you for guiding us through. And also to Rich, because the CIP is included as well. And it looks like we're in really good shape for the upcoming year going forward. So thank you.

I know that the received presentation and the adults remember the solution of the two Okay, we're starting again. I move that 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 fiscal year ending June 30th, 2027.

Second.

Moved by Dowling, second by Robbins. Mayor McMillan?

Yes.

Mayor Pro Tem Robbins?

Yes.

Council Member Kircher? Yes. Council Member Dowling?

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. Krista and David Kelly.

Thank you, Mayor and council members. We promised to give the council 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 set up.

Oh, OK, what is it?

I don't know, like 200 calories. I like sweet drinks. But thank you for the offer, so I'll pass it to you. Flavored water?

When you're ready, Mayor.

We're ready. Go ahead, please.

Good evening, Mayor McMillan. Mayor Pro Tem Robbins, Council Member Dowling, Council Member Salter, and Council Member Kirchherr. It's wonderful to be back on a warm summer day. The purpose of the item tonight is to provide Council with an update on the implementation of your facilities master plan. The purpose is really to cover five primary objectives. Mayor Mrakas, 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 2. Mayor Mrakas, Like to provide a brief summary of our procurement efforts with respect to 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 a call the CAC concept, the Citizens Advisory Committee concept and and kind of outline finish with an outline of key upcoming project milestones and next steps. So since the last Council update in April, a significant amount of work has been completed. Some of the major accomplishments include review and evaluation of the architectural and engineering statement of qualifications that we received. We received a total of 10 statements of qualifications that were really extensive, and we reviewed those. Completed review, or at least we initiated review of two statements of qualifications for affordable housing, and we're going to touch in more detail on all of these. Meetings were conducted with both of the proposers for affordable housing, including Brilliant Corners, who is partnering with a local nonprofit called Lifehouse. as well as a local group named CEDARS. Last but not least, Council adopted Resolution 2623, which provided direction to staff to begin implementation of an amendment to the Facilities Master Plan, and staff has been working on that. Mayor Mrakas, In addition, other activities that have been completed, since your last update included convening one meeting of the Council subcommittee that was established to review the architectural engineer any statements of qualifications. Mayor Mrakas, There was a presentation given to counsel by field men rollout on potential financing options, and that was coordinated by both myself and the town manager. City Council Chambers, Following your last update a an article was prepared for the roster view, providing an update on facility master plan activities and, last but not least, been coordinating telecommunication efforts to address both relocation of the existing till telecommunication facilities. City Council Chambers, and coordination of an updated lease agreement. I'll touch a little deeper dive on all those items that I talked about in the previous slide. We received really strong interest, and I think the Council should be proud of that, from architectural and engineering firms that would support an amendment to your facility master plan. Again, reviewed 10 consultant SOQs, and I was really impressed with the scope of and breadth of the consultants that submitted proposals. It's great when you get ten. Sometimes you get really nervous if you're going to even get one, and you receive ten with a bunch of highly qualified teams and project experience. As part of that effort, comparative evaluation materials prepared a matrix for the committee's review and ultimately intended to support your efforts in reviewing those. And it's part of that effort also coordinated with Griffin structures and can all touch on this regarding a procurement implementation strategy for for future Council consideration. The purpose of all this was really keep her position the town to prepare the town. For project validation and we're going to talk a little bit more about what validation entails ultimate concept refinement of the cat alternative that Council designated is their preferred alternative and supporting environmental review and future design services. In terms of the housing, affordable housing RFQ, as I mentioned, we received two statements of qualifications from Brilliant Corners and Cedars staff, which included myself, Roberta, and your town manager, Krista, met with both of the project teams. We held initial meetings with them to talk about their development experience, their project goals, and how they may finance a project in collaboration with the town of Ross. 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. Identify where there's maybe some opportunities for additional partnerships to make a project feasible. And ultimately to bring those back to Council for your consideration and again kind of under the goals of your housing element would be to enter into an exclusive negotiating agreement with the the selected partner that would solidify that you'd like to move forward with that that affordable housing developer that partner to deliver affordable housing. In terms of. The cat concept really Council made a significant milestone when you adopted Resolution 2623. It identified that concept as your as your preferred alternative. Staff heard that very clearly, and as such, staff since that time has completed several activities. We've reviewed the concept plans, and they're supporting materials. uh certainly uh did an initial evaluation of the operational uh considerations particularly around the uh fire service uh our goal was to support the town council discussions and assisting in preparation of agenda materials uh and bringing that resolution forward As as Council knows, you provided the the direction to staff to to move forward with the preferred concept at your May six meeting, and you and did so by resolution number 2,623 the the The resolution speaks to the the need or the next step is to validate assumptions and we refer refer to those as technical operational and financial and just to kind of break that down a little bit to kind of a technical. A technical validation would be to look at the space programming that was provided as part of that concept. We know that 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 space programs work. in terms of operations, really look at onsite circulation. There's still opportunities to see where the driveways and entrances can be located and is there opportunities to make sure that those driveways work for safe ingress and egress, as well as identify a specific number of parking spaces and where some of the elements that were identified or that are identified in the current master plan were not identified on the cat concept that that includes a secure parking for police as as well as as the corporation yard for public works. So as part of that amendment would be to to make sure that all those things are identified and a cohesive, cohesive plan. And last but not least, again, that kind of the last aspect, the financial is to develop a fully encumbered budget that includes and identifies the cost of the full development of the Civic Center project. As I briefly mentioned, staff has been working on coordinating the future of telecommunication facilities on the Civic Center property. Just want to note here is one of the elements that the planning team representing the telecommunication entities provided was some samples of what they call stealth, stealth poles. And what you see in this picture is a 70 foot tree pole. Staff has identified that one of the issues of concern with respect to cell towers is the visual impact, so trying to coordinate and identify opportunities to alleviate or mitigate visual impacts of cell towers on your civic center site and do so obviously. The cell towers and telecommunication towers have critical provide critical emergency services and telecommunication that people and residents rely on. But we also want to do it in a way that's not intrusive in terms of the aesthetics. we continue to uh work with them to identify you know an appropriate style and type of a tower that would work for the civic center site while preserving flexibility for future civic center development there are some provisions in the lease agreement with the ross valley paramedic authority about the setback distance for the telecommunication tower and its location. So we're sensitive to that and we want to make sure that it doesn't conflict with 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 the Civic Center site. So looking forward, there's You know several important activities that are planned those include in your next agenda item is amendment of the facility master plan and as I spoke to earlier that technical operational financial validation of the cat concept ultimately we'd like to and we're planning to bring forward. a discussion for Council on the procurement and project delivery strategy. This is being done in coordination with Griffin Structures, and I'll talk about them shortly. In addition, continue the work that we've started on the affordable housing partnership, as well as coordinate the effort that Richard Seminovich has been working on quite a bit, the undergrounding of utilities and really looking at, again, the future development of the Cigna Center and making sure that the undergrounding work prepares for future development of Civic Center. There's some technical aspects to that to ensure that the utilities are sized correctly to support all the future uses of the Civic Center. And last but not least, to guide future environmental review. Just to touch on Griffin structures, Griffin has been engaged under a small professional service agreement by the town to assist the town as the owner's rep. As indicated here, they were founded in 1981. So they've been around for 45 years, or more than 45 years. and serving as a diversified owners representative. They have strong skill sets and program and project management, and they do serve both public and private as well as nonprofits. But most of the work that we've talked to them about has been their public sector work, particularly with a focus here in Marin County. In July planning on bringing forward a discussion for Council with the assistance of Griffin structures that talks about delivery methods really looking at you know 3 delivery strategies. Those include kind of the traditional project delivery, which is design bid and build and to kind of the newer concepts not so much design build but progressive design build which i know in one of our previous updates we mentioned to council that we were tracking the efforts underway by marin county to implement progressive design and the intent really is to address a number of things 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 builds so uh ben county attorney ben is has already put us in contact with his team and so we're working on scheduling a meeting to discuss those next steps in in preparation for this this this next presentation to council talked a little bit about again the procurement options and again the delivery alternatives and we'll be presenting that as part of the presentation to council currently planned for in july This slide really outlines the tentative timeline with the proposed master plan amendment process. In next agenda item, we're asking Council to authorize release of a request for proposals in receipt of the proposals in July, followed by a staff and subcommittee evaluation proposals and ultimately to bring back a consultant selection recommendation in August. This schedule does remain preliminary and we recognize it may be adjusted by council and the proposal responses that we receive. So in summary, consultant procurement efforts have been substantially completed. We're 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 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 housing element, affordable housing objectives. I just want to say staff really appreciates 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.

I have a question. As far as the timing for choosing the consultant, that's the architect, is that right? The architecture firm.

So what would it take?

there's certainly an interest in moving up that schedule so that we're moving forward and everyone's happy with the way things are, and perhaps then FOREF would withdraw the initiative. And I thought that, I think that that August meeting is late to choose a consultant, and so what would it take to move that up? I know at one point, it sounds like the proposals are due on the 2nd, We do have a July meeting. Is there, you know, could it be July that we decide, for example?

Excuse me. Thank you for your inquiry, Mayor Pro Tem Robbins. So if we wouldn't be able to make the July 9th meeting because the packet for the July 9th meeting with the July 3rd holiday especially will be going out, will be published on July 2nd. and I've inquired as to your availability and the mayor's availability because I think once we get 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 gonna try to see if I can get a subcommittee meeting quickly put together probably on Wednesday of that week. And then of course we'll have to we have to bring forward to Council an agreement. And we have a standard professional service agreement and in the ideal world The consultant will say, sure, that's great, and 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 proposed consultant. 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 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 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 oftentimes 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 but I know you know everyone including council members you know usually have things set up for the summertime so we'll do our best

Do the consultants need until that July date to submit their responses? Could we shorten that window and then meet the July deadline?

That hasn't been our advice from Griffin Structures, who deals with this all the time, has been that this deadline is already really pushing it. So, you know, we will certainly get it out as quickly as possible. I mean, if you we could get it out either tomorrow or the latest on Monday, and make sure that we give the and by sending it to the 10 firms, you know, they've already submitted their qualifications to the town. So that streams that's meant to streamline 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 fixed fee proposals. So they have to put a lot of effort into that. And I just, excuse me, David, is there anything you'd like to add? That I missed?

Manager Johnson covered it. completely and accurately. I know she asked me about whether moving it up and advancing it faster, and I concur with her perspective and the advice that we received. 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 put that together it just it just takes time and um You know, ideally we would give them a month, but we felt we wanted to constrain that down as much as we could. We felt was reasonable. You know, Minister Johnson asked me, you know, whether two weeks, and I think, you know, getting it out and with the weekends and the holidays, it's just, We want we want those consultants to submit, you know, very complete detailed proposals to us and and we thought three weeks was was really the sweet spot in terms of amount of time to give them.

Thank you, David. While you're here, while you're captured, if you'd like to tonight or tomorrow, send me your availability for the latter half of July and early August. Let me know what dates you cannot make a special meeting. Then we'll see what we can do. But that would be a good first start. Thank you. Thank you.

Back to July 11. July 9th. July 9th. If the subcommittee's meeting just before 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, you know, if we could make it, if we're reviewing the proposals before the July meeting, then why not 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 our consultant, Dustin Alamo with Griffin Structures, he will be here for that July 9th. council meeting. We're planning on asking him and David to provide a presentation, a study session with the council regarding those procurement strategies that David just described. So I thought that that would be a good way to have a subcommittee meeting because then we're all in person and I find that to be really effective, especially a lot of times these submittals are They come to us bound and in different sizes, and it's easier, I think, if you all sit and we have them in front of us. If you're not able to make that day, that's fine. 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 that meeting means we can choose an architect on July 9, I'll make it work.

So thank you for your eagerness. The issue is for the council to approve a professional service agreement, it has to be agendized as you see on our agendas. It's authorized the town manager to enter into a contract for a blank amount of money with blank company for the following purpose.

We can't decide the afternoon of July 9 and then approve it the night.

Yeah, so the packet... for your July 9 meeting is going to be published on July 2. That means we're working on the packet the week before. So it's just not possible, I would like to very much, you know, not have to wait till August 13. And we'll do everything we can give me your dates, we'll try to get something set up as at least as a as a target.

City Council Chambers, Okay, and I think to add to manager johnson's perspective with a due date on the second we're going to undertake an initial review to put the the results. City Council Chambers, 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, or you know. 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 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 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 submitted.

Would it help if we had fewer architects that we were asking to submit proposals? Elizabeth and I heard from Dan Winey yesterday, and he advised us of four firms that he thinks City Council Chambers, 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. City Council Chambers, i'm just wondering if you have an opinion about.

City Council Chambers, Sure, may I may I just ask a clarifying question so does that do the four firms include his own firm yeah. City Council Chambers, Okay, and.

City Council Chambers, I don't I don't think that's the problem. City Council Chambers, I think. Well, I don't think it is. Elizabeth and I have talked to Ben about it, and he doesn't seem to think that it's a problem. I don't know. Miriam, do you have a comment?

It's ultimately the council's decision.

And Mayor, if I can just offer you a perspective on the 10 firms, because we discussed whether it was beneficial to shortlist even further. And I think there was, at least in terms of the subcommittee, there wasn't consensus on those four firms, on who the top four were. But because we, even though we were going to, we submit, 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. We don't know that. It just keeps the door open for them to submit proposals. So thankfully and hopefully, you like competition, I think. And it also gives you perspective on, because one of the key aspects of the RFP for the consultants to identify their approach and and how they're and their schedule and so looking at that 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 it there's there's there's a tremendous amount of benefits to sending it to all the firms that provided their SOQs, but that's again, council direction. And we can talk more about that next agenda item.

So, you know, 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, Mayor Mrakas, 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 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's 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 timeline is that we're asking the Council, and this will be talked about at length at your next agenda item, but if Miriam doesn't have a problem with us continuing to talk about it during this agenda item, we are If you were to approve the release of the request for proposals this evening, we get it out ASAP tomorrow, Monday 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. And as David explained at length, there's a lot of things that these firms need to do. So there's no role there. So then we're saying that we get the proposals, and 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 subcommittees discussion. That's really what we're doing, going through it, looking for things, being able to point out so that we aren't starting from scratch. We'd like the subcommittee, you're gonna need some time to review the documents to 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

City Council Chambers, 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 pro tem they are where they were established to. City Council Chambers, 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 a recommendation to. City Council Chambers, 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 at your last meeting that that's what the subcommittee was going to consist of so um you know we you've brought this up several times council member salter and the council you cannot delegate this project you cannot delegate your decision making 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 City Council Chambers, 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. City Council Chambers, you're the ones who said on on 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 to council members. So I am simply following that, working with the council subcommittee, intending on working with the subcommittee. So I guess that's my response.

So my second question is fine. No, I just want to finish this question since I took a long response. I'll find what about the 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 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.

direction to negotiate interesting a contract with so 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, except one time since I've been here have I brought a contract back that was negotiate and execute. Authorize the town manager to negotiate and execute an agreement. That is very, it's very risky for town managers. It is taking, and it's not something that, that's not something that town attorneys will usually recommend. The best thing is to always bring an agreement to the council. We attach it to a staff report because this is your job. You make decisions. You direct me, 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 to negotiate and execute an agreement with the political contentious nature of this. So again, 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 august we were 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 good and if you approve it then they get moving So I'm not seeing that there's, I'm not seeing the big delay. I mean, the council, you are 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 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. So just make a comment about mass wondering about the committee. The subcommittee, Julie and I are able to consult and discuss with the committee anytime we want. I mean, Ben made that clear. So that as we have submissions, if we're interested, not just in some of the data, Like, what are the reputations of these firms? Do they come in on time? Do they come in on budget? Many of the committee members know these firms and we're able 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. Yeah. And we wanted you guys to work without the Brown Act.

So is there any public comment on David Kelly's update on the progress of the facilities master plan? Anybody online?

Nobody online, Mayor.

OK, so can we move to the next agenda item, which is very similar to the prior agenda item, which is item 18. City Council Chambers, authorize issuance of a request for proposals for professional planning architectural engineering technical evaluation and cost estimating services necessary to prepare. City Council Chambers, 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 freezing in here. Thank you. I should have brought a sweater or something.

I sort of like it. Really?

I still have a jacket. Oh. David, is that you again?

All right. Good evening again, Mayor McMillan, Mayor Pro Tem Robbins, council members. The discussion tonight is on the Ross Civic Center project. Let's put this in presentation mode here. Here we go. All right, tonight's recommended action from staff's perspective is relatively straightforward, notwithstanding the previous discussion, to issue an RFP to the 10 consulting firms or teams that previously submitted statements of qualifications to the Town in April. I want to state that the purpose of this item is to advance implementation of Resolution 2623 to move the Civic Center project forward that will update the Facility Master Plan and implement the Council's preferred alternative. So how did we get here? Well, it started before 2023, but ultimately council in 2023 adopted the current facilities master plan. Subsequently in June of 2025, the Friends of Ross Valley Fire submitted an initiative or a ballot measure that requires the town if approved to provide a fire station here at the Civic Center. that that ballot measure was received and placed before the voters by the Council in February. Subsequent to that, a Citizens Advisory Committee was formed, not appointed by the Council, but Mayor Mrakas, You know their their scope of work and interest was to ascertain how we could advance the facility master plan and provide potentially a consolidated civic Center with with a fire station Council then following the presentation of. The CAC alternative adopted Resolution 2623 in May, which identified the concept as the preferred alternative. Really, tonight's discussion is about preparing the concept that was submitted by the Assistance Advisory Committee for implementation. So just to talk a little bit about resolution number 2623, which the council adopted in May. It 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 or update the programming, which includes circulation, parking infrastructure and fully burdened costs. I mentioned in its language is provides for in the resolution. It's the technical, operational and financial aspects of the plan. The resolution also included language to provide for Board of Trustees Meeting, and I think they'll definitely want to have input, and I think their input is required, at least under. the lease agreement. Ultimately, this resolution supports moving forward, and I think the Council's term that you expressed was expeditiously in incorporating the CACS concept into Facility Master Plan. Key aspect is to do the validation of the space programming and to update the Facility Master Plan to include all the elements that were not identified on the concept when it was submitted to Council. So why amend the facility master plan? It's really, it's a key question. Why do we want to amend the facility master plan when the CAC developed a compelling vision Well, I guess the simple answer is that it's really it's a concept now and we need additional work to really integrate the concept into a fully baked facility master plan so We're asking the Council to authorize an Rp. because we need a team of professionals. We think they're an architect and engineers appropriate to to validate that systems advisory concept, and to make sure that it meets the operational requirements of the town. The paramedic authority, the fire district. We want to make sure we evaluate parking circulation and access. particularly important is to assess the infrastructure necessary to support those uses and the utilities. It talked about a little bit in the previous update the undergrounding effort, and ultimately validate the public safety needs both for fire, paramedic, and police. And last but not least, to develop what we refer to as a fully burdened cost estimate. We know there were some cost estimates that were submitted with the CAT concept, but we want to make sure that the Council has an opportunity to really see what's the full cost of improvement of your civic center, a fully burdened cost estimate as we refer to it. So what will the RFP accomplish? City Council Chambers, 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 how all those things are going to work together as terms, particularly in the under the space Program. City Council Chambers, There was some question about how site circulation might work, I think. City Council Chambers, 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 all works. 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 in 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 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 you know to calculate a floor error ratio and look at setbacks and other elements to make sure that it's laid out appropriately. And ultimately, to develop some implementation recommendations. All those elements are we going to be able to achieve in one go? One project? We don't know. And there could be some sequencing and phasing in how this project is carried out. that is the case uh but not always sometimes it's all done 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 again that's what we're hoping the the architectural team is gonna gonna 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 before committing, you know, really several hundred thousands of dollars in terms of design. But what it won't do is it's not going to provide construction documents. It's not gonna provide a design development or select a design architect. Those are decisions that could come later. And certainly council may choose this firm to do that next stage, but that's also, council is gonna have a discussion on project delivery and procurement, and that'll help inform that as well. But this RFP does not commit to a project delivery method. That'll be a future conversation. In terms of the consultant selection approach, as we've discussed several times, a total of 10 SOQs were previously received. Very detailed. Again, happy with getting so many statements back, but when we developed that initial RFQ, in discussion with the town and always knew it was going to be a two-step process or procurement process going from rfq to rfp it's kind of the natural way you you uh you go about selecting a consultant for this kind of work and and um Mayor Mrakas, Our goal will be in is provided for in the rfp is to obtain a fixed fee proposal there's six specific tasks listed in the scope of work. Mayor Mrakas, Each of those is fairly involved there ultimately be a budget that's attached to each one of those scopes. It will be up to the consultant to determine how they submit their proposal, their budget proposal, but that's what we're requesting in the scope of work. The focus is really on their technical approach, which is how are they going to propose to respond or how do they see they're going to implement those six tasks, what their schedule is like and how long is it going to take for them to perform the work that we've set forth, what their team looks like, and ultimately their fee proposal. So there's a lot that goes into a proposal, but that's the focus. And I think a key aspect of this, the way staff is bringing this forward is, you know, to really maintain transparency, support competition amongst the firms, and provide for continuity in the process. And again, I think it really does build on the work that's been completed to date. So I think we understand that there's strong interest in moving quickly and moving to design as fast as possible. We've seen that there's some public comments submitted to, can't we move to schematic design? Well, and I think the answer to that question is, as I kind of alluded to in the presentation, there's still a number of operational issues that remain, and those revolve around, again, parking, infrastructure, the utilities, those public works, their corporation yard, uh as well as secure parking uh ingress and egress and we want to get those resolved and addressed Mayor Mrakas, As quickly as possible as part of this amendment, so that we can avoid redesign later. Mayor Mrakas, 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. Mayor Mrakas, and make sure that it all works and that's going to be how how this you can advance this project and feel really strong that you're doing so in a coordinated fashion. We recognize that schematic design, you know, can improve cost accuracy and I think the word accuracy is the key word here. With a a solid plan and detailed cost estimating, I think it's going to provide Council with enough information to inform whether you would like to put a measure on the ballot and what you might ask the voters to fund. And notwithstanding, entering into or beginning that schematic design process is really going to increase the scope and cost now pretty substantially. When you get into design, it's traditionally no longer a fixed fee scenario for A&E firms. It's based on project costs. Almost all architectural firms today, and as someone who's went through this process, 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 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 believe me, The architecture firms, that's how they set the fee. It's magically, it works for them. It typically can be from 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 a historic rehabilitation with some unknowns. But that's kind of something that we'll touch on with the Griffin structures and potential procurement delivery methods to kind of address some of that and some of the risk issues around cost. Ultimately, we recognize that schematic design would advance the project into architectural design. But I guess from my perspective, it's a little premature because planning hasn't been complete. City Council Chambers, We really think let's let's get the planning done let's get it completed, we want to, we want to do it as quickly as possible, and as Council articulated in your resolution expeditiously so really a. City Council Chambers, A key objective of these efforts is is making the design phase more successful by completing this important planning work now, so 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 step done before you move to that next design phase. If Council is really set on looking at schematic design, you've got to be ready to absorb the additional costs. There is a kind of a middle ground, a middle approach that you could implement as part of this RFP. for lack of a better term, I call it an enhanced concept validation concept. This is where you ask the architectural firm to do a number of things, concept floor plans, building test fits, again, to see how the layouts are going to work, space stacking studies and massing studies. Again, not necessarily recommended. You're starting to get into design. It's not quite there. It's a little bit more advanced planning, 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. It's another option to move forward, but it's more than the planning work that we're really calling for in the RFP. I did want to speak to the benefits of amending the facility master plan. One of the key aspects is going to be, you know, this new plan that's developed is going to help provide for a really well-defined project description. a good project description is going to be particularly beneficial in the sequel review process in terms of identifying you know what are the key environmental issues and impacts if and should an eir be necessary we don't know that we're not going to presume it with there might be some issues there but it will certainly improve the alternatives analysis and and ultimately City Council Chambers, Be provide a stronger foundation for supportable environmental. City Council Chambers, portable environmental document. So at the end of the day, what does Council receive at the conclusion of this effort? The town would get an updated master plan, a refined concept in terms of the assistance advisory committee that includes all the elements that you've identified in the master plan, updated cost estimates along with a set of validated operational requirements. uh we hope that everything works but that's part of what this plan 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 already adopted the cat concept as as the preferred alternative tonight's action is really the next step in implementation, which is to retain a professional services of an architect to amend the plan and prepare for implementation so. Our recommendation is to authorize issuance of the request for proposals and direct that distribution to the 10 SOQ respondents. But we know that council has some thoughts there. And so I'll pause and this opportunity for council to ask any questions of staff.

Go ahead, Elizabeth.

One is you keep referring to the Citizens Advisory Committee plan as the preferred alternative, but it seemed to me that at the May 6th meeting, the entire council unanimously voted to adopt that. It's not an alternative. So I just wonder why are we calling it an alternative? It is our plan that we're trying to implement. Isn't that correct?

Mayor Mrakas, I I would absolutely agree with you, Mayor pretend I guess it's it's a way of characterizing. Mayor Mrakas, The selection of the CAC alternative, along with you know we I think we discussed whether it's alternative you know in the current plan has a B and C do we call it alternative D, but really. it's the concept that council wants to see, and that's clear.

It seems like there's no longer an alternative. I was just wondering about the point. 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 qualifications, And then the next day, instead of choosing an architect, we're updating the master plan. And 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 someone to update the master plan? And that wasn't discussed at the council just kind of happened overnight that we we switched because that whole half hour discussion on may six. was about choosing an architect, I mean that that's what was said in the meeting, so I I don't think I quite get how do we make that switch and why sure, especially because I know that the committee. And I know the 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 not necessary to do an update and that it was an unnecessary expense so so that my question is comes back to how did we get from may six. 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, great question. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. And I'll do my best to give you an answer that reflects the discussion at the subcommittee. One, there's the action that Council took to adopt Resolution 2623, which provides very specific direction to staff to move forward with the plan amendment. Board of Trustees Meeting and we discussed the statements of qualifications that were received, and I think it's fair to say that there wasn't a consensus on who you know that there was, you know, one firm or two firms that you know they there was, you know, a high quality set of qualifications provided to the town as part of our SOQ response. Part of the conversation was around project delivery. And I think that factors into architectural selection as well. And that's where the discussion around the progressive design project delivery method was discussed and the goal was to bring forward a conversation with and discussion item amongst Council to 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 counsel to receive your direction on procurement. John Kane, 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 my opinion to support that effort is a complete plan, so you know I elephant in the room as 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 and that's kind of. Again, part of this planning effort and validating that, hopefully that question is gonna be answered because do you wanna have an architect build a full fire station or not? I mean, it kind of depends on each member's council's perspective, right? But that's gonna be helped be answered with the procurement conversation. And again, I think we can move forward Mayor Mrakas, get get the get the resolution implemented, have a concrete plan that you're basing this next procurement discussion on.

City Council Chambers, But I don't quite see why why wouldn't we have the procurement discussion and then choose the architect to design or choose the so, then we know our procurement, why did we go, why did, why did we insert updating the master plan, instead of going straight to. Mayor Mrakas, A procurement decision hire an architect and then work on the project I don't think I get that well again I. Mayor Mrakas, 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 decide that it just kind of happened and. I think it's helpful for the council to know that, oh, well, we have some different ways of going about this and we're changing, so.

Well, I don't think we're changing. I mean, we're trying to implement the council's direction with respect to the resolution and providing an amendment of the master plan. And I'll speak from a former city manager, a former planner. I like to have a plan in place before I go back, go to that next stage of planning. 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, understanding what that program is. And this is where we're gonna, our goal, and I know Krista, you know, kind of thinking ahead and wants to advance this is to have Griffin Structures provide the advice on how we can move that process forward. Ultimately, if Council decides on progressive design, which we, 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 forethink 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 against staff's perspective let's get the plan amended because that's what the resolution says and Mayor Mrakas, 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. Mayor Mrakas, Then you know you have certainty are much more clear certainty around. Mayor Mrakas, All the validation efforts what it is we are constructing because there are some unknown elements to 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. They put some great work into it. I want to give them 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 that plan works as, you know, taking it from concept to reality. And so this effort, there's a tremendous value in it. to get it completed and i think it's ultimately gonna 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 can't say 10,000 50,000 100, you know, just I would 200 500.

I mean, just if I was to pull a number out of the hat, I would estimate several $100,000. But I don't know that's where the project team, the amount of hours that they anticipate for each completing each of the tasks, their sub consultants and what their billing rates are, are going to be plugged into that master spreadsheet that they submit and that's, that's, you know, that's going to be the telltale sign in terms of what what it's going to cost. It could be, it could be 50. I don't have, I haven't done an analysis of what I think, you know, a consultant would put in terms of hours for each of those tasks. And, you know, they all have different billing rates and who their principals are. So, I mean, it could have a wide range.

Okay. And then is there, is it possible to delete on page five the, the proposal that the consultant validates and updates the previous concept B estimates and evaluate differences resulting from the CAC concept. And it talks about the concept B estimate and the cost. Concept B is not something we're considering anymore. So why would we have our 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 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, that's my question. Can we just get rid of that?

I guess I want to definitely look at the RFP in more detail. I think the intent was to make sure that that's a source of information that could be used to help guide cost estimating going forward. But City Council Chambers, It wasn't the intent isn't to go back and and redo cost estimates for concept be it was really that they're that's part of the record for the master plan or these updated costs elements. City Council Chambers, And there's some additional you know elements that we think need to be in there to make sure that the cost is reflective of the work to carry to carry it out, but we can certainly look at that language.

i just have two more the one is there a 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 on we're on the list at the subcommittee meeting so that you know we have kind of come narrowed narrowed things down a bit. Is there any reason why we shouldn't send it to fewer people? It seems, I mean, there are, 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 reputation. So 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?

May I interject here is that 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 did not leave that subcommittee meeting back on, I think you said it was May 12th, with a consensus, as David said, about what the shortlist 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 regarding Gensler, I mean, both at that subcommittee meeting, that firm was on both Julia's list and my list, so that predates talking with the committee yesterday.

And I guess, well, we're kind of going into discussion now, not necessarily questions, so maybe I'll do my questions first and then we can discuss, but... City Council Chambers, When you said fully burden 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, you know, especially with the work. I think he's, he's here on zoom is Dustin from Griffin. He has, we, we've had several conversations with him about. what's necessary to inform 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 civic center projects and similar public safety projects up and down California, City Council Chambers, 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. City Council Chambers, i'll be at a planning level to to bring forward that could inform about measure.

City Council Chambers, I think that's, the most important thing, because that is the most schedule critical because we need that number in order to make the filing. City Council Chambers, By December, whatever it is forth 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. City Council Chambers, One thing I didn't hear you say was are we going to elevate the bays out of the floodplain or not is that something that the that the amendment of the master plan would address or is that something that would be.

address 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 floodplain requirements i think we'd we'd very much like to have that that question answered because because that's going to be part of the cost estimate right um and so you know having a part of the team the expertise to help evaluate that issue and ensuring that you know we we conform with the appropriate rules and regulations for elevation out of the floodplain. I think it's going to be critical.

And then one of the maybe we should put that in the Rfp. Then that specific thing. I'm also wondering, the 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, et cetera. Is that something that happens during this amendment of the master plan?

City Council Chambers, 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. City Council Chambers, But that may be something we can look at if that's you know, to do some.

City Council Chambers, 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 Alamo with Griffin Structures to respond to your question about making sure that the RFP reflects what we need to have. Dustin, can you hear me?

Hi, good evening. Can you guys hear me?

Yes. Could you increase your volume on your microphone? Is that possible?

Yes, is this better?

It is better. All right. Thank you very much.

Excellent.

This is Dustin Alamo with Griffin Structures and the councils here.

Hi, nice to listen in, Mayor and members of the Council. So specific to the cost estimate and the related budget, cost estimates usually prepared by architects are representative of construction costs and are a portion of the development costs generally. There are soft costs that you want to include in these. So, you know, holistically speaking here, the cost estimate would remain at a planning level in nature, but we would be utilizing current cost market data, you know, independently verifying the consultant's information just based on, you know, we as owner advisors across California, a lot of work in this region as well, do projects of similar civic nature. And so that type of cost information would be also validated And then also reflecting the specific requirements of the preferred concept, including if you are building a fire station, essential service facility standards, which increases your structural requirements and upgrade requirements. Also considering how you're going to remain operationally continuous throughout the construction phase. And so if there is intention to phase this or intention to 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. Incorporating anticipated delivery methods and what does that look like relative to project schedule and tying all of that to escalation. 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. And then that would all kind of get wrapped into a total project costs that would include the cost of work and then soft costs from architectural engineering services to testing and inspection services to furniture to Utility connection fees, and then all appropriate contingencies at this stage of design. So I think the one liner is we want to be accurate. Precision isn't as important at this stage, but accuracy is absolutely. Did I answer your question?

OSBT, Karen Hollweg, Is this a method that you've used for other big construct public construction projects to determine the amount that people are going out for in their general obligation bond is a custom custom way of doing stuff.

Yes, this is exactly what I do every single day at Griffin Structures for the last 17 years. I just helped the city of Redondo Beach do the same thing, and they received a geo bond for $93.5 million to reconstruct their two fire station police department using a very similar format.

So they didn't do schematic design to get their number. They used a facilities master plan arrangement and then you escalated with cost estimates and you escalated

That's right. Program planning and estimating were the basis for developing that budget. And that was the, 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 enough in favor of moving forward. And so they put it on 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.

Oh, for Redondo? Yeah, correct. But we are moving through the stages of it. And so at every... During the design process, there are checkpoints and milestones and off-ramps. And so through that process, we are getting continuous updates on the estimate, evolving the design. The contingencies get reduced because there's more knowns that are identified. You know, the example of due diligence on the building. Those elements are clearly identified. and then contingencies can be either absorbed into the project or reduced. And so that is an iterative process that gets refined. And should there be increases in budget that are beyond the projections, then there's a value engineering aspect to it. So I think you have to go through the evolution of it on the basis of a good plan.

Any questions, Matt?

City Council Chambers, So i'm just wondering why there's such an aversion to just moving forward with schematic design, I think there are homes and Ross that are more square footage and we're talking about here. City Council Chambers, I think we're getting bogged down and a bunch of a lot of civic Center designed for dono beach that is $93 million and we're talking about a very small structure and it's a two story building. Mayor Mrakas, 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. Mayor Mrakas, Why, we need to do this interim step. Mayor Mrakas, Why can't we just we have a concept and start doing the schematic design, because what this is the second part of the question in order to get a really good cost estimate. Mayor Mrakas, You want the schematic design and I saw that with the friends of Ross firehouse because they actually designed the building. Mayor Mrakas, And you want to know where you're putting all the equipment, where all of the the ventilation and circulation within the building it and it has very programmatic requirements for a police station and a fire station. Mayor Mrakas, 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. Mayor Mrakas, So explain why you think you're going to get an accurate estimate by doing this interrupt 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.

Mayor Mrakas, I, from my perspective, Councilmember Salter and I'll ask Justin to weigh in. Mayor Mrakas, Is. 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 other project elements that were not included in that concept.

And so like what

a secure parking for the police. There was not included was the driveway on the on the southern portion of the Civic Center. There was no identified location for the Public Works Corporation yard. And I think is also it's my perspective that City Council Chambers, As good as the cat plan was there are some elements to that that are going to need additional work and additional validation.

City Council Chambers, Wait so long can I just pause you i'm sorry so we're talking about a potential garage for some secure 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 cost 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'd like to just clarify that

City Council Chambers, The costs, the Council did in you asked about what will cost to amend the plan, I think staff responses we don't know I estimate it could be anywhere from 50,000 to 200,000. as just a ballpark picture didn't didn't say half a million. I don't think it will cost that much or anywhere close I don't think 50,000 is close to 500,000. But again, based on the work proposal that's identified in the program. What the costs are just going to be dependent on the billing rates and the hours that the consultants put together. Again, I think it's a prudent City Council Chambers, 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 is identified. City Council Chambers, To support the sequel and environmental review and having a project description that supports, that is, is a critical component right now we don't have a plan, you have concept drawing on paper. And if Council decides that you just want to go straight to schematic design, there's tremendous risk. And there's tremendous unknowns that are going to result in change orders. And because staff's going to be left with saying, we don't know, because there are elements that haven't been well defined enough at this point. Now, with that said, if council wants to have a full discussion around the project delivery and wants to go to progressive design right away, you know, there's a lot of work that's going to be necessary to do that. But some of the risk can be addressed through that process. But we haven't had that conversation yet with council and that that 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 planning exhibit that defines the project with a solid cost. And that's ultimately going to save money and save costs in the long run.

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 don't know is how much this 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 RFPIC, it could go out tomorrow. You got three weeks to get the information back. You 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?

City Council Chambers, I would estimate, it will take. City Council Chambers, 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.

City Council Chambers, You know it can be necessary for them to to complete the tasks as set forth in the rfp so that 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 plan and then we have to pick an architect. That's right. Okay.

City Council Chambers, 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. City Council Chambers, provide just a high level overview of the progressive design process or even design build and how that may affect this next stage of project delivery.

And we may be able to make, we'll hear more about it at our next meeting. And we may be able to make a decision, hopefully, that'd be nice, to decide how we're gonna go.

May I just point out briefly before Dustin comments is that your first facilities master plan took a long time to put together. I mean it took a year. And also remember that was just on demoing the whole site except for this building. So now the Council has now you have another preferred concept. um and that so now you have this preferred concept but um i lost my train of thought but you that is based on Reusing of a building that's over 100 years old that's partially in the floodplain so that is going to take time for the architect to to review to get the cost estimates and and do those things that 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 simenich 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 a study session for the council to look at different financing options We need to have a debt consultant that helps us, helps the council figure out the best way to bring that forward, the timing of it, the wording of the measure, all that kind of stuff. And we can start working on that. And we are working on different elements of it. But we're not just going to stop everything and wait. There's a lot of work that needs to be done.

I think we should wait on the procurement until our I think we should wait on the procurement until the July meeting. 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.

No, I don't. Thank you, Julie.

Okay, thank you. All right. Any other questions for right now? Okay. 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, that if we, if we do go ahead, to update the master plan, that it go into schematic design precisely to get a cost estimate. And 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 rely on what I hear from our consultants and the committee, but it worries me that the committee thought that we should add, that if we went with the master plan update, it should go far enough, 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 really important. We've gotta know, we've gotta ask for the right amount of money. So I guess the question is, or my comment is, if we are gonna go through this updating the plan, I mean, should we do what the committee had suggested, City Council Chambers, include schematic design.

City Council Chambers, So I mean this didn't I just like to. City Council Chambers, i'd like to make sure that the Council understands and I I did put this in writing yesterday and a supplemental memo to the Council. City Council Chambers, 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, escalation contingencies and independent cost estimating are sufficient. Schematic design may improve accuracy but is not always a prerequisite for developing a ballot measure strategy. So 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 $400,000 to $500,000. 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 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 have received information from a committee yesterday, and it wasn't even all of you, it was a couple of you. And so I just want to make sure you understand the difference there.

City Council Chambers, yeah I understand the difference, and I think that there, I understand that the schematic design might provide more precision with the costs. City Council Chambers, But it's also going to get us really far down the design path and then, if we don't like or we haven't we don't have consensus. City Council Chambers, On the parking on the circulation on the floodplain issue on the corporate yard all the question marks that we need to wreck I look at the. City Council Chambers, amendment of the facilities master plans of reconciliation coming together with the the citizens advisory. City Council Chambers, plan concept and reconciling it with our program needs and getting down into the details. City Council Chambers, 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 floodplain or are we going to compromise and. City Council Chambers, 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. City Council Chambers, 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. City Council Chambers, And I worry that if you just jump to schematic design we don't have consensus on what we're building. City Council Chambers, 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. City Council Chambers, 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 this subcommittee for the architect and then we met a week later and. City Council Chambers, We realized that it was very important to bring the procurement decision back to the Council and we wanted to go ahead. City Council Chambers, 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. City Council Chambers, To get the cost estimates to put something on the on the ballot for 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 yada. City Council Chambers, So accomplish the amendment of the facilities master plan have the procurement discussion. City Council Chambers, 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. City Council Chambers, refine everything so that's a we have aggressive ambitious schedule but that's what we need to do, especially if we're going to do the. City Council Chambers, paramedic facility by January 1 of 2029 so to me that was a way of kind of bifurcating the the amendment and then you know. City Council Chambers, 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.

City Council Chambers, That brings up the question, I mean 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 to 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 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 think it's too late. I mean, 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 doing an update of the master plan, and we have been told by some that It won't be good enough that we need more than just the plan. We need schematic design to get a good estimate. I worry that we're not doing a good enough job.

Okay. I think it benefits all of us to move as quickly as feasible. City Council Chambers, To because I do worry about the Ross 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. City Council Chambers, 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. City Council Chambers, I think that we have to make that commitment ourselves to do that. City Council Chambers, I actually like the process of the steps that have been outlined they make sense to me. 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 Mayor Mrakas, 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. Mayor Mrakas, Because it really obviously was a very well thought out long process, there was a lot of input from the public, and I mean there was over coven, of course, there was that challenge, but it wasn't like you all didn't put forth this big effort. Mayor Mrakas, And I recognize that, and it was one of the hardest things I still struggle with like having created a lot of. Mayor Mrakas, 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 well 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 architectural plan. And 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 takes schematic work. So it's just a delay of the inevitable. And once we've decided that we're really only building one main structure, it's not that complicated. I'm telling you, the Coates house that was just built is gonna 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 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 with 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 programing doesn't work. Right? Nobody, I don't think the facility master plan people are going to know 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 saw this in the friends process, they did the work, and they're able to design a structure that they 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.

So do you have comments?

Well, I'm sorry, problems here with the lighting. Yeah, I mean, I've been listening to the discussion. And I do think in terms of Matt's concerns, I don't think this is that analogous to building even an expensive house because It's a special purpose building. There are functions here that don't have an analog in a residential structure. And when I heard the presentation of the Citizens Advisory Committee, it was emphasized by the presenters and particularly by Dan that this is a rough concept. I mean, there's things that need to be worked out. So it seems to me to make sense to give thought first to working out those things before we get into the details. Otherwise, we will have duplication and all the intent would be to speed things up. I'm skeptical that it would. I think 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. But anyway, that's my take on it.

Yeah.

All right. City Council Chambers, 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. City Council Chambers, 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 and response to the town's architectural and engineering services, RFQ.

Is there a second? Bill, would you like to second?

Second.

Thank you.

Moved by Dowling, seconded by Kercher. Mayor McMillan?

Yes.

Mayor Pro Tem Robbins?

Yes.

Councilmember Kercher? Yes. Councilmember Dowling?

Yes.

Councilmember 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 future council items let's talk about parking in ross but let's do it sometime later in the year sure i would support that okay could you please be more could you please be more specific yeah i can adding more parking yes we can uh there uh especially when the school is in session there is 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. So there's an issue of parking for the post office and people are always saying we need more 15 minute slots. I know we've got the same amount that we took out, but people see them and people still park in the red zone. And there are, for the businesses in town, I've heard that people don't have a place to park. Now 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-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. I'd not do it now. We've 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. 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 drop things in. That would be like one spot where you can actually just put mail in and drive away. You don't even need to park. So that is something I know we could address in this.

Do we need to also put something on the agenda to approve the RPOA Historical Society plaques that Andy was saying?

um i'm already working on that it needs to maureen borthwick is an employee who was working on it i already spoke with tom gaffney 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 the parking i mean just the others people keep asking why can't we have the spot back in front of the post office so just add that to the list of topics to talk about

Who wants to be at the post office on July 9th? I think I can be. So I'll sign myself up for that. If someone wants to join me. Hopefully it's not 95 like it was today.

I may be able to join you. I have a doctor's appointment at 930, but I should be back by 11.

Okay, great. Meeting evaluation.

I mean, I think we did an OK job trying to get through this. I mean, overall, to me, it's disappointing because 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 as a meeting, I mean, we discussed it and made votes and and are moving forward and are also obviously all willing to do special meetings. as we need to to get at least this first part, getting the architect hire going. And so I think, Christa, you'd asked if we would give you our availability for the second half of July. Would that be helpful?

Yeah, it would be helpful to get it from starting on 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 krista but actually i mean why not what i mean is what july 9 10 oh you said july 13. yeah that monday after right yeah right because we may be ready to turn something around very quickly yeah okay okay any other comments about the meeting um i will 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 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 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 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 agree with Matt. I thought it was a a productive meeting and that the tone was good. And again, pardon my goggles. I'm staring at a light and I'm in a residence here. Anyway, I thought the tone was good and the meeting moved along and appreciate it.

Thank you for being on Zoom. I know that's very difficult. Sure. Four hours on Zoom. So thank you for hanging in there with us. We'll see you soon. Okay. Okay. Thank you.

Thanks, everyone.