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Council defers $160,000 Parks fundraising contract until Sept. 17
Summary
Council voted 8-0 to defer consideration of a $160,000 consultant contract with Maximizing Excellence LLC to value and market park and recreation assets for sponsorship and naming opportunities. Staff said the contract would inventory assets, value naming rights and assist donor cultivation; council asked for more input from the Parks Foundation and to wait until the pool bond outcome.
The City Council deferred a proposed Parks and Recreation consultant agreement with Maximizing Excellence LLC to Sept. 17 after concerns about timing and scope.
The item, pulled from the consent agenda by Councilor Sale, proposed a $160,000 contract to inventory and value parks, aquatics and recreation assets and to develop strategies for sponsorships and naming rights. Director Don Kearney told the council the consultant would provide expertise the city does not have in-house and help identify potential donor opportunities; the contract would run from August through June.
"And, obviously, we're not in the fundraising business," Kearney said, explaining why the city sought external fundraising expertise.
Councilors questioned whether the Park Foundation and Parks Board had been adequately engaged and whether the contract scope covered the entire park system rather than only aquatics. Councilor Sale said he believed approving the consultant before the council votes on a potential pool bond would be premature and moved to defer the item to a later meeting to allow the administration to brief the Parks Board and the Parks Foundation.
Following debate and an amendment to place the item on the Sept. 17 agenda, the council voted 8-0 to defer consideration of the agreement. The item will return with additional information and opportunity for Park Foundation input before the council takes a final vote.
