Dallas park improvements delayed over grant spending concerns
DALLAS - After delays in getting $20 million invested in southern Dallas, a Dallas City Council member is calling for an audit.
Councilman Adam Bazaldua requested the audit because of a memo from the city manager detailing unusual involvement by a state lawmaker.
Bazaldua said what the memo lays out about the state representative’s involvement in the grant process creates the appearance of impropriety.
State Rep. Yvonne Davis is instead blaming city staff for the delays.
"I don’t apologize for expecting staff to do what they say," said Davis, who represents District 11.
During public comments at Dallas City Hall, Davis explained why she worked to get federal money from the American Rescue Plan Act allocated to Dallas through a Texas Parks and Wildlife grant.
"When I went to a park with my niece, my grandniece and realized the restroom was a porta potty, that's unconscionable for us to be the universal city we say we are. A porta potty? Would you want your kids to use a porta potty?" she asked. "Then I looked further and realized the swing set, many were broken. Lights had not been updated."
Later, after the city moved forward with plans to use the grant money, Davis explained why she pushed back.
"I want you to help me keep the staff accountable because they presented me with a proposal to pay $300,000 for bathrooms. $300,000? We build homes for $300,000," she said.
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Councilman Bazaldua said the city had a reason for the seemingly high price tag.
"It's not only a restroom but the infrastructure to bring in water. So, it is going to be more expensive," he said.
The city manager's memo details other areas of contention from Davis’s office, including involvement in the city’s procurement process.
"What we have to do as a city is make sure we stay above board," Bazaldua said.
The memo says Davis’s office "was adamant about wanting a separate advertisement for these projects" rather than adding it to an existing request for qualifications.
After the contracts were awarded, the memo says Davis’s office requested additional changes involving sub-consultants.
"Knowing there has been some involvement, I would like to see a full audit, a full investigation of the process leading up to this point," Bazaldua said. "The image of impropriety is enough to take action."
More than a dozen of Davis’s supporters spoke out at City Hall.
"When I found out Rep. Yvonne Davis secured funds for that project, I was elated. I was elated because right now if you go to that park, you will see where that park is having erosion problems leading to the creek," said Judge Ingrid Warren, a Dallas resident. "There are children out there who play soccer. It has the chance to actually cause harm to those children, and nothing has happened."
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Bazaldua said the city needs to move forward while avoiding pitfalls.
"The reason it has not gotten there yet is because we’ve had a lot of involvement that is not normal from the state representative who helped direct these funds to the city of Dallas," he said.
While some of Davis’s supporters expressed concerns that the $20 million could be lost, Bazaldua said that is not true. The money was already awarded to Dallas.
But he does want the city manager to work to quickly get the many projects underway with no more delays.