Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Playfield topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ross council weighs full restoration of Ross Common amid funding trade-offs
Summary
Council members and residents pressed for a full restoration of Ross Common playfield, while staff flagged a ~ $1 million full-replacement estimate and a broader facilities funding gap that could require phasing, grants, or private donations. Several council members asked to await a citizens advisory committee report before final budget action.
The Ross Town Council spent the bulk of its March 12 meeting debating how and when to restore Ross Common, the town’s heavily used public playfield.
Public Works Director Rich Siminich presented a range of options that councilors and residents weighed: a low-cost interim rehab replacing about 17,000 square feet of turf (roughly 20 percent of the field) at an estimated $70,000–$80,000 plus about $10,000 a year in added maintenance; a full replacement of turf, subbase and irrigation that would close the field 12–18 months and cost about $1,000,000; and a conceptual “co-located” stormwater-infiltration design that might reduce town cost if grant funding materializes. "We could do the complete replacement of the turf, sub base and irrigation system, full closure for 12 to 18 months," Siminich said, estimating about $1,000,000 for that option.
Residents and organized youth sports leaders urged swift action. Patrick Quigney, a Ross resident and Little League supporter, told the council that nearby towns have completed similar restorations for substantially less and offered fundraising support: "We have several organizations that are willing and able to show their support…we're willing and able to help financially." Ross School Superintendent David Rice said the school could accommodate temporary field closures and will coordinate with the town if work proceeds.
Council members split on timing. Several members, including one who noted a petition with more than 200 signatures, pressed to move forward quickly and suggested that a visible field renovation could bolster public support for larger civic projects. Others counseled patience: three councilors said they wanted to hear the citizens advisory committee’s recommendation, expected in April or May, before finalizing CIP inclusion. Town Manager Krista Johnson reminded the council that the April 23 budget workshop will present a draft budget and that final appropriations occur in June; she noted the budget can be amended later if new information or funding appears.
The council also discussed grant prospects and a conceptual EPA/planning grant that could support stormwater-related designs; staff cautioned that planning grants do not currently fund construction and that grant timelines generally span multiple years. "It is a waiting game over the next two or three years," Siminich said, describing typical grant cycles.
Next steps: Council directed staff to continue exploring grants and outreach to potential private donors, and to return with clearer cost breakdowns and committee recommendations as the budget process proceeds. No binding appropriation or vote to commence construction was taken at this meeting.
