The agreement between the City of Hastings and the Hastings Dog Park Companions to maintain the city’s only dog park ends Jan. 16. The city has been providing maintenance for the park for some time; the council agreed unanimously Monday to keep the park open after the termination.

City Manager Jeff Mansfield said he and city Attorney Stephanie Fekkes are talking to a Companion representative about the transfer of equipment that was donated or purchased for the park. The Companions intend to develop another dog park in the city later this year, and wants to take the materials that were donated to the dog park, or bought with money donated to them, to the new park, he said.

Mansfield said they need the donors to contact the city to identify which items were donated to the park and which were given to the committee. “We need the donor’s intent to get a better understanding of what is specific to the dog park or to the committee."

They will follow the donor’s intent in the disposition of the equipment, and possibly buy some items from the Companions.

Fekkes asked that donors, “put their intent in writing; we both want to honor donor’s wishes.” The majority, if not all of the larger items, will stay with the park, she said.

Councilwoman Brenda McNabb-Stange thought that many people interested in helping with the dog park, “stepped back to let the Hastings Dog Park Companions run its course.” She predicted they would come forward as the city determines how they will run the park in the future.

An oversight committee or an advisory board like they have for Riverside Cemetery will be considered. “There will be other decisions down the road,” Mansfield said. “We’ll look at options we can address later.”  For now, nothing is being moved. The dog park is open and will stay open, he said.