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Resident alleges fifteen‑year exclusive use agreement for Cynthia Park, urges transparency
Summary
A resident said a mayoral use agreement grants near‑exclusive access to Cynthia Park fields to a partner organization for up to 15 years and risks limiting other local groups’ access; council offered only a brief response in the meeting.
During the council’s public-comment period, Justin Burkner raised a detailed complaint about a recently executed use agreement for Cynthia Park fields.
Burkner said the mayor executed an agreement giving a partner organization exclusive access to six fields at Cynthia Park for 10 years with an optional five‑year extension, and that the partner would pay the city $1.3 million over the 15‑year period if it exercises the full term. “In total, the partner organization will compensate the city $1.3 million over that 15‑year period, should they choose to go all 15 years,” Burkner said.
Burkner told council the agreement hands the partner organization authority to decide whether other Fishers organizations can access the fields during that term and said the agreement appears to conflict with the city’s ordinance governing field allocation and roster-composition rules (including a 60% Fishers-participation measure as described in the ordinance). He argued the change reduces access for other community organizations that historically used Cynthia Park and said taxpayers will be left responsible for park maintenance costs that he estimated far exceed the partner’s payments.
A council member replied in the meeting that “The mayor and I both know that that organization has multiple fields that are being used historically,” but transcript text does not show a detailed rebuttal or staff clarification responding to the specific legal and fiscal concerns Burkner raised.
Why this matters: Burkner framed the issue as a change in who controls public park access and how the city balances use of public assets with private partners; that tension matters for access to recreation fields, youth sports and publicly funded maintenance. The transcript records Burkner’s allegations and figures; the council did not provide a full factual response or point to the executed agreement text during the meeting.
Council next steps: the transcript does not record a follow-up or a staff report in response; if residents seek clarity, they should request the agreement and related staff analysis through the city clerk or public records processes.
