Kingsburg commission reviews park water-fountain inventory and fundraising ideas

Staff presented a citywide inventory of park water fountains and bottle-fill stations and asked commissioners to advise which fixtures to update and where to prioritize new refill stations. Commissioners favored bottle-refill stations with lower germ concerns and ADA-accessible designs and noted some older fixtures — especially a pool-side fountain exposed to chlorinated water — show corrosion and repeated repainting, making replacement preferable to ongoing repairs.

Commissioners discussed costs and procurement options. One cost figure cited in the meeting for fountain replacement was about $10,000 for some fountain types; staff said water fountains fall under capital improvement projects and could be scheduled over multiple years to spread cost and maintenance responsibilities.

The group then shifted to funding and outreach. Staff explained the commission does not have a dedicated donation fund and that donations to the city are not tax deductible as charitable gifts. Commissioners proposed a mix of approaches: completing donor-funded elements already promised (for example, filling remaining bricks at AW/Skate Park), staging community events with vendor booths and small vendor fees, seeking corporate sponsorships or matching, and partnering with nonprofits to accept deductible contributions if donors require that option.

Commissioners also prioritized improving communications to support fundraising: they asked staff to pursue a regular commission highlight in the city’s weekly newsletter and to coordinate with the city’s social-media manager rather than creating a separate commission account. Staff said he would email Alex, the city intern, after the meeting to request a newsletter slot and work out timelines for submission. The newly seated student commissioner offered to help connect the commission to school leadership and student groups to boost youth engagement on social platforms.

Next steps: staff will follow up with the city intern about newsletter placement, confirm capital-project budgeting procedures for fountain replacements, and return to the commission with options for prioritized fountain replacements and fundraising steps. No formal fundraising commitments or contracts were authorized at the meeting.