Kearney council accepts donation of Yanni Heritage Park land; foundation pledges $3 million endowment

Kearney City Council voted unanimously to accept the donation of Lots 2 and 3 of Yanni Heritage Park from the Yanni Heritage Park Foundation during a public hearing on Oct. 28, 2025, resolving to accept the deed and related improvements into city ownership.

Tammy Jackson, Yanni Heritage Park Foundation board president, opened the foundation’s presentation by calling the transfer “a milestone moment in Kearney's story,” and thanked the foundation’s volunteers, city staff and private donors for the park’s development.

Tom Tai, a founding member and board emeritus, told the council the transfer covers Lots 2 and 3 — the balance of the park’s real estate — and the improvements that accompany that land. “As you'll see shortly,” Tai said, “that's gonna be a little over $13,000,000 so all total, it's about $20,500,000 in park improvements, over those years.”

Judy Sickler, president and CEO of the Kearney Area Community Foundation, which has provided fiscal oversight for the Yanni Heritage Park Foundation, said the foundation has established an endowment of $3,000,000 and has hired a development director to grow that fund. “We wanted to back it up with an endowment that'll help maintain it and and enhance it for years and years to come,” Sickler said. She added the foundation will continue annual fundraisers and remain active so the park’s transfer does not become a new taxpayer burden.

City Attorney Michael Tice told the council the deed had been prepared and that a council vote was required for the city to accept the transfer. Following that explanation, a council member moved to close the public hearing and to adopt the resolution accepting the donation; another council member seconded the motion. The council then took a roll call vote approving the resolution.

The motion and vote were recorded on the public record as the adoption of Resolution No. 2020Five-one33 accepting the donation of “Lots 2 and 3 E. K. and Mary Yanni Heritage Park” from the Yanni Heritage Park Foundation. Roll-call recorded votes in favor from Mayor Nicola and councilmembers Bush Cutter, Moore, Schmidt and Straatman (5–0).

Council members and foundation leaders posed for photographs following the vote. Council later presented Tom Tai with a key to the city in recognition of his leadership and long-term volunteer service to the park.

The Yanni Heritage Park Foundation’s presentation traced the park’s history to a 1998 announcement, noted an earlier 2008 transfer of Lot 1 and identified the foundation’s continuing role in fundraising and stewardship. Foundation leaders emphasized that the foundation will continue to support the park’s maintenance and future enhancements through the endowment and ongoing fundraising efforts.

City staff said the deed was ready for execution following the council’s acceptance. The council opted to accept the gift and the related improvements into the city’s park inventory by formal resolution.

Details not specified at the hearing included the exact legal description of the lots beyond the spoken label, the date the deed will be recorded with the county register of deeds, and any specific operational or maintenance agreements beyond the foundation’s stated endowment commitment.