IN 2002 THEN MAYOR DONNA ARP, WITHOUT A RESOLUTION FROM CITY COUNCIL, SOLICITED $141,000 IN DONATIONS FOR THE “DRY” FOUNTAIN THAT NOW STANDS AT THE ENTRY WAY TO THE COLLEYVILLE LIBRARY. IN WAS REPORTED BY LNO AS LATE AS 2012 THAT BAYLOR HOSPITAL OWED TAXPAYERS OF COLLEYVILLE $8,500 SINCE 2004.
Failure to make good on Pledges made in 2002 for the Library Fountain amounts to $17,500 picked up by Colleyville Taxpayers on Pledges Solicited by Ex-Mayor Donna Arp with 50% of the amount outstanding due from Baylor Hospital
LNO has been reporting on the Loggia Fountain escapade since 2002. The scenario is the Ex-Mayor Donna Arp decided to place a fountain between City Hall and the Library and place a plaque with her name and a select group of businesses and individuals that she solely selected. She leaned on businesses and individuals who “had an interest in Colleyville” to donate $140,000 to pay for the fountain, including $30,000 from IESI the company that just happened to get a new contract with the city WITHOUT the need of a open bid. Arp also personally decided to have the City of Colleyville finance the deal after the first $50,000 was collected.
LNO reported that the City of Colleyville refused to release information on the status of CMPA, Inc., the Justice Center contractor. LNO received a copy of a memo, apparently from the City Attorney, that refused to release information under the Open Records request because of “the contemplation of litigation” with CMPA, Inc.. Since the Justice Center completion is significantly behind schedule, there is speculation that the $1,000 per day tardiness penalty may be the subject matter of potential litigation. During the construction period, other records indicated that Mayor Donna Arp had requested and received more than $20,000 from the contractor for a statue in front of the facility.
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Additional Open Records request indicates that Mayor Arp has been instrumental in raising more than $141,000 for the “library fountain sculpture”. Many of the companies listed are either currently doing business with the city or has done significant business in the past. A memo to the Mayor and City Council from Deputy City Manager Dianne McWethy, dated November 15, 2002 appears below: |
In reviewing the donor’s memo, it is noted that “a contributor’s plaque for those donating $3,000 or more will be purchased from these monies.” Among those contributing the “minimum $3,000” to be listed on the plaque are Mayor Donna Arp and Mayor Pro Tem Ginny Tigue. It is assumed that the plaque and the library sculpture will be paid for upon delivery, however the donations from Arp and Tigue are to be paid “over a three year period” according to a letter dated September 11, 2002 to Ms. Donna Arp, 4607 Cresthaven, Colleyville, Texas, signed by Terry Leake, Finance Director (Click Here to See Letter). The same letter was sent to Tigue signed by Arp (Click Here to See Letter)
The list of donors include IESI for $30,000. IESI is the new garbage company that replaced the long-time contractor Trinity. In addition, a letter from Mayor Arp to Mickey Flood of IESI, dated September 11, 2002, provides that IESI can make its donations over a five-year period. The controversial contract with IESI was awarded on a split vote of the council with the Mayor supporting IESI. IESI is currently featured on the City of Colleyville’s Government Access Cable Channel with a “welcome” to the City of Colleyville message.(Click Here to See Letter)
The Colleyville City Council has not taken any official action concerning this “Library Tree’ sculpture, nor is there any record of the City Council agreeing to buy the sculpture and, for all practical purposes, “finance” the contributions of donors. In other words, the $140,000 sculpture would typically be paid for upon installation, while the donors monies stretch out over as long as five years.
