Dallas, TX
Dallas Park Board President wants complete reset at Fair Park. Will Fair Park First stay?
Dallas Park Board President Arun Agarwal says he wants a “100% reset” of the organizations managing Fair Park and wants a public process to deliberate if Fair Park First, the nonprofit that raised about $60 million for a long-promised community park and refurbishing a collection of historic buildings at the 277-acre complex, should retain its fundraising role.
“We will do everything to make sure donor confidence is not compromised,” Agarwal told The Dallas Morning News on Friday, adding that a public process was necessary to reverse perceptions of malfeasance in the park’s finances.
Nearly $6 million in restricted donor funds were misspent on park operations, according to a report released last year. The nonprofit and venue management company are still negotiating a pathway to recoup the misspent dollars.
While that’s still underway, the city announced Wednesday it would terminate its contract with the nonprofit and its subcontractor Oak View Group. The contract gave Oak View Group the authority to control financial decisions and set up bank accounts, though the venue management company contends it was acting under the nonprofit’s direction.
While noting the need for a fundraiser, the city’s announcement was silent on whether Fair Park First would continue the work of raising funds, managing community engagement and overseeing the construction of the park.
Veletta Forsythe Lill, Fair Park First’s board chair, said the nonprofit was moving into a conservancy model and was committed to constructing a park to make amends to nearby communities that had been razed using eminent domain in favor of building parking lots.
Lill has been emphatic about the nonprofit’s perspective and has said the goal to tweak the contract was to stabilize and give the organization ability to oversee its own operations.
“Fair Park First, in its narrow prescribed operations over the last six years, has done what it was supposed to do in terms of raising money, engaging the community and doing community programming,” Lill said.
The burning concern is how the recent developments might influence donor confidence. “All of the grants are direct contracts with Fair Park First, not others,” she said. “Those are the contracts that have to be honored in the building of the park.”
The city has not entered a new contract with the nonprofit, though at least one elected official, council member Adam Bazaldua, has said in a previous statement that he looked forward to working with Fair Park First.
Ryan O’Connor, a top park official who oversees partnerships and strategic initiatives, said the Park Board and the City Council will still need to vote on a contract with a nonprofit organization to perform fundraising and other related services.
The nonprofit will also sign a development agreement to give the entity the right to develop the community park, though the organization would still need city approval for design and other related services.
“From my experience with the city, both being involved with them for many, many decades and being on City Council, I believe that it will have to be an open, competitive process,” said Ron Natinsky, executive director at the Texas Discovery Gardens, which is also a tenant in Fair Park.
The Texas Discovery Gardens have been struggling with nearly a million dollars worth of repairs that have come out of the nonprofit’s rainy day fund and was meant to be overseen by the Oak View Group.
“I’m actually fairly confident with the city’s plan to move forward,” Natinsky said. “The part that would give me some pause would be if indeed the same nonprofit was left in charge as they have been previously.”
From Fair Park First’s perspective, the nonprofit has had limited control over financial decisions at the park. The nonprofit since then has separated donor funds and collaborated with Dallas Foundation, another nonprofit that specializes in helping philanthropic initiatives. They also expect to hire a new CEO later this year.
Former council member Lee Kleinman, who was on the City Council when officials were deliberating the public-private partnership, said the model was envisioned to oversee three components: fundraising and advocacy management, concession stands and building a park.
“If we can say OK, [Fair Park First] did OK at fundraising, let’s keep them there,” Kleinman said, adding that the parks department could oversee the management of the concessionaire and build the park for South Dallas.
The Dallas Park and Recreation Department, he said, “has built almost a billion dollars worth of park and park amenities in the last 20 years. So let’s give it to the people who can do the job, and that would be, to me, a good outcome.”
For a moment, it looked like FC Dallas was on its way to another statement win at home tonight.
Petar Musa scored two first half goals, to extend his Golden Boot leading tally to nine goals. But after Dallas grabbed control, the Galaxy found a way back before halftime with goals from Lucas Sanabria and Joseph Paintsil.
The second half brought more chances and more frustration for Dallas, which finished the night with 13 shots to LA’s nine. In the end, the point stretched Dallas’ unbeaten run to five games, though just like last week, it felt like another match where Dallas left points on the table.
Key Moments
7’ – GOAL! After a poor pass back by a LA defender, Petar Musa was free to go one-on-one with the LA goalkeeper. After a touch to get ahead of a defender, Musa slotted home his eighth goal of the season from outside the penalty box.
21’ – Offside! Joaquin Valiente sent a floating ball over the Galaxy defense, where Musa was able to get behind the defense and make an easy play for what appeared to be his second goal of the night. The play was called offside despite a fairly lengthy review period.
38’ – GOAL! This one counts! Musa gets his second of the night off a great ball from Chris Cappis. Logan Farrington picked off the ball in the midfield. He then played Cappis wide to the left of the penalty area. Cappis immediately played a ball back across the goal for Musa to slide in and finish for his ninth of the season.
43’ – Goal LA. Lucas Sanabria got the ball near the top of the penalty area. He took a couple of touches to get outside the penalty box before firing a shot that beat Michael Collodi at the near post.
45+4’ – Goal LA. Gabriel Pec got the ball near the top of the penalty area. He pulled the ball back a bit, which caught a pair of Dallas defenders. This allowed Joseph Painstil to get free behind the Dallas defense as Pec played him through inside the penalty area. Pec immediately smashed home a shot above Collodi to tie the game.
75’ – Another offside goal. This time on a corner kick for Dallas, after a scrum in the penalty box, Kaick hammered home what looked to be the go-ahead goal. But after a few seconds the flag was raised due to a deflection on Osaze Urhoghide, who was in an offside position.
Instant Reaction
Yeah, this is another disappointing result for this team. In a real way, it felt like the first half against Houston from last month. Dallas grabbed the lead, looked in control, but some defensive miscues opened the game up for the visitors to climb back.
With a double-game week coming up, this will certainly be another game where Dallas will wonder ‘what if’ more than anything else…especially when you factor in the two goals called off for offside.
About the Subs
Eric Quill went to his bench for the first time in the 66th minute, as he brought on Santiago Moreno for Logan Farrington. Quill went to his bench again 81st minute with Ran Binyamin and Nolan Norris coming on for Sebastien Ibeagha and Deedson. The final sub came during stoppage time with Herman Johansson and Joaquin Valiente coming off for Sam Sarver and rookie Nick Simmonds, who made his MLS debut.
Man of the Match
No question about it tonight, it has to be Musa.
Where does this fit into the season
As of this writing, the draw puts Dallas into a three-way tie for 5th place with Real Salt Lake and Seattle. Both are in action right now and look firmly in control of their games. I’d expect Dallas to be in 7th place by the end of the night.
What’s next for FC Dallas
Dallas wraps up a three-game homestand next Wednesday night as they host Minnesota United.
Dallas, TX
Akheem Mesidor selected by Cowboys by Blogging The Boys in SB Nation’s community mock draft
Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami
Pass rush has been an issue since the Micah Parsons trade. The Rashan Gary trade helped, but Dallas still needs an injection of talent. Akheem Mesidor fits here because his body size allows for some versatility inside and out, something DC Christian Parker utilizes. Mesidor is also a high-motor player with a deep bag of pass rush moves.
His last season at Miami was full of disruption in the offensive backfield and he shows an all-around game, not just a bend-around-the-edge pass rusher. Yes, he’s a little older than you’d like in a rookie (25), but his motor, pass rush toolbox, and ability to play the run matches up with a need and makes him a quality pick at number 20.
The City of Dallas Office of Community Police Oversight is hosting a Public Safety Response Symposium to connect residents with public safety leaders. Here’s how to participate on May 9.
The Dallas Police Department posted to social media about the event on Friday afternoon. The post states, “Join public safety leaders for an inside look at how emergency and non-emergency calls are handled and how resources are deployed across Dallas.”
The symposium will be held at the Briscoe Carpenter Livestock Center, 1403 Washington St., fro 11 a.m.-noon on May 9. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. Light breakfast and refreshments will be provided.
Topics for the symposium include:
- How 911 calls are handled and dispatched
- How DPD uses specialized units and technology to improve response times
- When to use 311 for non-emergency services
- How crisis and behavioral health teams collaborate through alternative response strategies
There will also be a community Q&A forum where residents can engage directly with public safety leaders. Moderation will be provided.
Dallas Police Chief Daniel C. Comeaux will offer the opening remarks. Featured speakers include 911 Communications Center Assistant Director Robert Uribe; Major of Police Anthony Greer; 311 Senior Outreach Specialist Stephen Walker; and Emergency Management & Crisis Response Director Kevin Oden.
When it comes to parking: Enter through Gate 2 and drive straight to the Pan Am Gate, and continue to the Briscoe Center (located on the left).
RSVP for the Public Safety Response Symposium here.
-
Technology3 minutes agoThe future of local TV news has taken a Trumpian turn
-
World9 minutes agoPope Leo says remarks about world being ‘ravaged by a handful of tyrants’ were not aimed at Trump: report
-
Politics15 minutes agoTrump renews bridge, power plant threat against Iran in push for deal, mocks ‘tough guy’ IRGC
-
Health21 minutes agoLoneliness may be silently eroding your memory, new research reveals
-
Sports27 minutes agoESPN’s Stephen A Smith hears boos from WrestleMania 42 crowd
-
Technology33 minutes agoChinese robot breaks human world record in Beijing half-marathon
-
Business39 minutes agoCivil case against Alec Baldwin, ‘Rust’ movie producers advances toward a trial
-
Entertainment45 minutes agoKarol G at Coachella was a global hit. Yet other foreign acts fear touring the U.S.