CAZENOVIA — The Village of Cazenovia Board of Trustees held a special meeting on Jan. 13 to review proposed changes to the scope of the village’s contract with MRB Group for professional services supporting the Cazenovia College Redevelopment Plan project. The village and the Cazenovia Area Community Development Association (CACDA) engaged MRB Group — an engineering, architecture, and municipal planning company — in January 2024 to create a redevelopment plan for the Cazenovia College campus and facilities. At the time, there was no identified buyer; therefore, all work was conceptual. Since then, a development team called 9 Fresh has emerged and is in the process of acquiring the campus. The sale is expected to close around the end of this month. “The amendments essentially replaced more generic evaluations of the campus and potential uses with more detailed, technical analyses of the buildings,” Mayor Kurt Wheeler said following the special meeting. “When the original scope was written more than a year ago, no potential buyer existed, and the range of options for reuse had not been narrowed at all. The change of scope will provide needed technical data on the feasibility of possible reuse scenarios such as apartments or senior housing.” According to CACDA Executive Director Lauren Lines, the following items were eliminated from the original scope: a second public meeting, the development of three alternative framework plans, an action plan matrix, a request for expressions of interest, and a financial plan. Wheeler was joined at the special meeting by Deputy Mayor Tom Tait, Trustee Cindy Bell, and Trustee Kathy Hahn. 9 Fresh representatives were also present. After reviewing the proposed scope amendments outlined in a letter agreement from MRB dated Jan. 8, 2025, the village board added a stipulation regarding the reserved budget. “In plain terms, there is $29,443.75 that is not yet specifically allocated,” said Wheeler. “Both MRB and the village will agree in writing as to how those remaining funds will be used before any are expended. The intent is to have some resources in reserve in case the initial round of analysis on the buildings by the architect, engineer, and mechanical specialists discovers something that needs a deeper look; we [want to have the funds] to do that and proceed with all the needed information.” The board approved the change in scope, as outlined in the letter agreement with the above caveat, by a vote of 3-1. Bell, Hahn, and Wheeler voted in favor of the motion, and Tait voted against it. Trustee Jennifer Lutter could not attend, but she expressed via email that she was not in favor of any work scope that does not include a public input process with a survey and interactive public meeting. She also said she was not in favor of a scope that does not include a comprehensive review of zoning and recommendations on zoning. According to Wheeler, Lines will work with Tracy Verrier, the village’s project lead at MRB, to “ensure that all of those items are included in the existing scope, conducted locally, and added to the report or added as tasks if needed.” During the meeting, Tait asked 9 Fresh to provide updates to the village and the public at the board of trustees’ monthly meetings. He also requested that a campus update be included on the agenda for each upcoming board of trustees meeting. It was agreed that his requests would be granted. The Jan. 8 letter agreement reviewed by the board is on file with the village clerk. The Village of Cazenovia Board of Trustees typically meets on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the village municipal building at 90 Albany St. To learn more about 9 Fresh and provide feedback on the redevelopment of the Cazenovia College campus, visit 9fresh.co.