Elkhart board approves MOU with Elkhart Park Foundation for Olry Park splash pad after funding wording is clarified

Elkhart City’s Board of Parks and Recreation voted Dec. 2 to approve a memorandum of understanding with the Elkhart Park Foundation to support construction of a splash pad and related site amenities at Olry Park.

Jamieson, a parks staff member, told the board the foundation will lead construction and fundraising and act as the project contractor. "We are looking to them to build the splash pad and take on that as the contractor for us at the Olry Park," Jamieson said, describing neighborhood outreach and the parcel ownership situation, where the city owns only half of the park lot.

The MOU formalizes how the foundation and the parks department will coordinate. Jamieson told members that part of the funding already includes a $150,000 private donor contribution; she said the city has committed $90,000 toward the splash pad and an additional $10,000 for site amenities. The record shows a total project funding package of $250,000 comprised of those amounts, but board discussion revealed inconsistent wording on the agenda about whether the city was accepting or granting $250,000.

After initial approval language suggested the city was the recipient, staff clarified the correct arrangement: the city’s action was to grant funds (combining city-committed funds and private donor contribution) to the foundation to leverage additional fundraising. The board then passed a motion to rescind the earlier acceptance wording so the official record would reflect the city as the grantor. The board otherwise left the MOU in place as the agreement to transfer funds to the foundation for the Olry Park improvements.

Board members asked about oversight and roles; Jamieson and parks special projects member Matthew Moyers said parks staff would work "hand in hand" with the foundation on fundraising, storytelling and the back-end city processes. Staff set a target to complete the project and hold a ribbon-cutting by July 1, 2026, according to the MOU discussion.

The board approved the MOU by unanimous vote. The record does not show a separate final contract award or procurement beyond the MOU at this meeting; staff said they will refine language on future agenda items to avoid similar confusion.

What happens next: staff and the foundation will proceed under the MOU to coordinate construction, fundraising and permitting; the board discussed the need for clearer agenda language when money is being transferred and for continued staff oversight through project completion.