The Fayetteville City Council on June 3 advanced amendments to the city's donor recognition ordinance for parks (section 97.088), approving changes that remove fixed donor categories, set a minimum recognition threshold and allow administrative approval for many donor signs while retaining a higher threshold for park-naming decisions.

Allison (parks staff) told the council the ordinance, first adopted in 2010 and revised in 2015, used predefined categories (bronze through diamond) that are now outdated. She said the proposed update removes those categories and sets a $25,000 minimum donation for recognition or 50% of the cost of an amenity valued over $50,000. "Donations for 100% of the cost of an amenity valued under $150,000 may be recognized by a plaque no larger than 8 by 16 inches," Allison said. Recognition signage excluding facility naming for donations up to $500,000 may be approved by the parks director; donations over $500,000 would be eligible for naming and require review by the Parks, Natural Resources, and Cultural Affairs Advisory Board and approval by the city council under the existing park-naming policy.

Allison emphasized the changes are intended to provide flexibility, prioritize projects that are within approved park master plans, and preserve park aesthetics. She also said memorial bench and plaque programs are administered separately and are not affected by the ordinance amendments.

Steve Shealy, chair of Friends of Fayetteville Parks, spoke in support, saying the group has already used modest funds to help children attend camps and that the ordinance changes will help the group solicit larger gifts tied to master-plan amenities.

Councilmember Stafford moved to take the ordinance to third and final reading; the council voted to advance the item unanimously. Council and staff later identified and corrected an outdated sentence that referenced removed donor categories; the council approved the correction by roll-call vote. After the correction was read into the record, the council voted unanimously to pass the ordinance amendment as updated.

The ordinance amendments remove fixed category labels, set administrative thresholds and retain the existing park-naming policy for larger gifts; the city will incorporate the corrected ordinance text into the civic record after the meeting.