Mayor says downtown park fund has modest balance; reports $100,000 state award

A council member asked for regular transparency on the downtown recreation donation fund balance. The mayor said the fund currently holds about $12,000 and that she has been focusing on large donors before launching a broader fundraising push.

The mayor also announced the city was awarded $100,000 in the state capital budget toward a discovery play area and said staff will pursue an Ohio Facilities Commission grant to supplement fundraising. She said the city will return to the finance committee with formal requests as grant applications and design details solidify.

Because the downtown fund is held by a private community foundation, the mayor said staff can pull a report from the foundation’s portal and provide quarterly updates to the finance committee. Members asked for those regular reports so the committee can track fundraising progress and possible matching requirements before committing city resources.