Fiscal Court approves MOU with Josephine Sculpture Park, limits county in-kind work to $5,000 annually

The Franklin County Fiscal Court approved a memorandum of understanding with Josephine Sculpture Park on Oct. 29 after a lengthy presentation and commissioner Q&A about the scope and limits of in-kind county support.

Melanie Van Houten, representing Josephine Sculpture Park, described the partnership as a way to expand Franklin County-affiliated parkland by about 40 acres and to stabilize the park's operations through a modest annual county commitment. Under the MOU, the fiscal court would provide in-kind services not to exceed $5,000 per year; specific services would be agreed annually between the parties and recorded in advance, the presenters said.

Commissioners asked who would value and track the in-kind services, whether building repairs could create lead-paint liabilities, and whether the fiscal-court designee to the park board could be a member of the court. County staff said the department providing an in-kind service would track materials and labor and that the designee is intended as a non‑voting, ex‑officio role determined by the court. One commissioner suggested adding an arbitration clause to provide a dispute path if the MOU later becomes contested; staff noted the document functions as a contract with exit provisions.

The court voted to approve the MOU and later amended the agenda to appoint a court member as an ex‑officio representative. The court selected Esquire (court member) Blackburn to serve as its designee to the Josephine Sculpture Park board and directed staff to return with any more detailed documentation as needed.

Next steps: staff and park representatives will finalize annual lists of in-kind services, establish inventory and valuation tracking for county work, and report back to the court to monitor the first year of the partnership.