The Elkhart City Park Board voted Tuesday to approve a $78,828.63 quote from GameTime to purchase and install benches, picnic tables and trash receptacles at six city parks.

The purchase covers amenities for Gans Park, Geraldine Thursby, Island Park, Riverview, Soma Gardens and Lundquist Bicentennial. Nimdani, a park ranger for Elkhart, told the board five of the six parks have new playgrounds and currently lack seating and trash receptacles for parents and visitors.

"Of the 6, 5 have new playgrounds in them," Nimdani said, and added the new receptacles will be bolted down in concrete to make them easier for maintenance staff to manage and to reduce instances of receptacles ending up in the river.

The board discussed whether to include recycling in the new receptacles. Nimdani said recycling had been discussed but would require additional planning with the buildings and grounds crew to determine how to separate and manage recyclable materials.

Board members asked operational questions about how the new receptacles would be emptied. Nimdani said the design includes a locked side panel so maintenance crews can remove liners and dump contents more efficiently than with the current green barrels.

A motion to approve the quote from GameTime passed on a voice vote. The board also discussed that the bolted design and concrete pads aim to reduce vandalism and river dumping that has occurred with unbolted green barrels.

The approval follows the board's routine consent and financial review earlier in the meeting, during which staff noted a $55 donation from Kona Ice and $85,709.37 in claims on the current financial report.

The board did not set an installation timeline during the vote; staff indicated procurement and scheduling would follow contract finalization and any required legal review.