Ross council votes to initiate amendment to Facilities Master Plan to evaluate citizen advisory committee concept

The Ross Town Council voted unanimously May 6 to direct the town manager to initiate preparation of an amendment to the town's Facilities Master Plan so staff can evaluate the Citizens Advisory Committee's alternative for the Civic Center site.

Project manager David Kelly opened the item by summarizing the 2023 facilities master plan and the CAC alternative, which emphasizes historic preservation and reuse of the existing public safety building rather than the new construction shown in concept B. "My name is David Kelly. I am your project manager for the facilities master plan," he said, and outlined four key differences between the CAC concept and the adopted plan: building approach, site circulation, departmental program and cost estimates. Kelly told the council that selecting an architecture team and updating the schematic program would inform environmental review and cost estimates.

Council members debated whether the resolution should simply initiate an amendment or attempt to adopt a revised plan immediately. After edits, the council added language making clear that any amendment "will continue to advance the town's adopted policy objective of compliance with state housing requirements" and that technical and cost analyses should be completed "as expeditiously as possible." Mayor McMillan then called for a motion; the resolution as amended passed on a 5-0 roll call.

The action directs staff to hire or retain an architect through the RFQ/SOQ process and to return to council with refined scope, space program and cost estimates that would form the basis of a formal amended facilities plan and any required environmental review.