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Audit into Fair Park First donations, expenses to be released amid budget concerns

Saggitaria Platyphylla statue by Patricia Johanson at the Leonhardt Lagoon of the Fair Park in Dallas.
Philip Lange
/
Shutterstock
Saggitaria Platyphylla statue by Patricia Johanson at the Leonhardt Lagoon of the Fair Park in Dallas.

An audit into Fair Park First's donations and expenses is set to be released to the public Wednesday following months of financial concerns and the resignation of former CEO Brian Luallen.

Fair Park began an investigation into a possible mismanagement of funds by Oak View Group earlier this year. Malnory, McNeal & Co. PC, a consulting firm, conducted the audit to review transactions from March 2021 through April 2024.

The audit was mentioned during Monday's city council Parks, Trails, and the Environment Committee meeting, but committee members were unable to ask questions about the audit or the scope of the contract between the city and Fair Park First because it was not part of the agenda.

Council member Chad West, who’s on the committee, said it was frustrating they could not ask questions ahead of its release to the public at Wednesday’s meeting.

"The questions are going to come in to city council members about this information," West said. "We have got to have it at our fingertips, even though we can't appear to address it today."

After back and forth between committee members and the city attorney over what could be asked in order to comply with the Open Meetings Act, committee chair Kathy Stewart said the briefing was limiting, especially since she felt the committee had some accountability.

"In light of everything that has happened up to this point, we knew we would have these questions," Stewart said. "We're all feeling the weight of that accountability. So it's very difficult for us to not ask these questions."

Committee member Carolyn King Arnold said she felt "bound and gagged" because she was not allowed to ask questions.

"We should have weighed in on it before it was posted,” Arnold said. “We might have had a better opportunity to kind of shape this conversation this morning, because it's been a long conversation and we've not gotten far.”

Got a tip? Email Megan Cardona at mcardona@kera.org.

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Megan Cardona is a daily news reporter for KERA News. She was born and raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and previously worked at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.