Parks board backs Rotary’s bid to adopt Mountain View Park, asks for 10‑year investment terms in MOU

The San Angelo Parks Board voted to recommend that City Council consider a memorandum of understanding (MOU) proposed by Rotary San Angelo to adopt and maintain Mountain View Park, with board members asking that the agreement include a clear, multi‑year commitment to capital improvements.

The MOU would allow Rotary San Angelo to make phased improvements — signage, repainting, court conversions and stewardship — and would require City Council approval. “We’re the best kept secret in town,” Rotary President Mason Brooks said while outlining the club’s 100th‑anniversary plans and the group’s proposal to fund and steward the park. Brooks told the board Rotary currently has roughly $14,300 in seed funds available through a charitable fund and a district grant and plans local fundraising efforts for larger projects.

Board members repeatedly pressed for specificity about the MOU’s enforceable obligations and proposed a longer naming term in exchange for capital investment. One board member said they expected “something other than just maintenance and upkeep” and suggested expressing the expectation as a 10‑year commitment. Staff replied that the city attorney will draft the MOU language and that the board’s recommendation can include expectations and termination clauses.

The board discussed cost examples during debate: conversion to pickleball courts was cited at about $30,000–$40,000, while a full walkway around the park was characterized as a substantially larger capital expense. Several members proposed benchmarks such as a $100,000 total commitment over 10 years (approximately $10,000 per year) as reasonable in exchange for naming benefits; Rotary representatives said they could pursue roughly $10,000 per year through events and partner fundraising.

After discussion, a motion to support the Rotary proposal — with the explicit expectation that the MOU include a specific statement about the scope of investment over a 10‑year period — was made, seconded and approved by voice vote. Staff said the city attorney’s office will create the MOU the board will forward to City Council and the board will have a short window to submit suggested tweaks.

The recommendation is advisory; final approval of any MOU and any park renaming rests with San Angelo City Council. The board asked staff and Rotary to return with a drafted MOU or more detailed terms before the Council review so that required commitments, termination language and performance expectations are explicit.