Council approves operations, maintenance agreement for Uncommon Ground Sculpture Park after heated public debate

The Edmond City Council on June 10 approved an operations, maintenance and programming agreement for the proposed Uncommon Ground Sculpture Park, setting a city cap of $899,360 on annual contributions while the French Family Foundation’s endowment is expected to underwrite ongoing costs.

Todd McInnis, representing Uncommon Ground and the French Family Foundation, told council the agreement spells out parties and timing for construction, transfer to the Park Conservancy Trust and ongoing management by Sculpture Park Operations. “The owner, and that's the Park Conservancy Trust, their responsibility for compensation shall not exceed this $899,000,” McInnis said, adding the foundation’s endowment will cover the difference if the cap is insufficient.

Supporters, including multiple council members and project organizers, said the agreement protects future councils by capping city exposure and creates an endowment intended to fund maintenance. Council member (unnamed in transcript) emphasized the cap and private endowment as safeguards and noted the project’s potential as a long‑term quality‑of‑life investment.

Opponents raised timing and priority concerns. Kim Stewart, a resident, said the park agreements were released to the public only weeks earlier and urged more deliberation. “I couldn't help but wonder how we could afford the $13,500,000 for a loan and road and drainage improvements for a park when we didn't seem to have the funds to repair our streets,” Stewart said, adding her worry that the city may be prioritizing new amenities over critical maintenance.

Council discussion acknowledged both the public concern over street maintenance and the project’s private funding structure. Supporters pointed to the endowment and private contributions — including an upfront $1,500,000 from the YMCA for a separate library/YMCA build discussed earlier — as evidence the city’s long‑term obligations are capped and partially privately funded.

The council then voted to approve the city-side agreements and to proceed with the related Public Works Authority actions; the PWA likewise approved the items during the recessed session. The agenda item included several interrelated documents (development agreement, forgivable loan, sales tax rebate, and the O&M agreement) that staff said must all be executed before conveyance of the property and before the Park Conservancy Trust assumes ownership.

The council’s approval moves the project forward to the next contractual and permitting steps; staff said construction would begin within 120 days of permits and be completed within 24 months of commencement if the project proceeds on that timeline.