Plano Star-courier > News
Frisco council to debate ACC funding in special meeting Monday
By Marthe Stinton, mstinton@acnpapers.com
The Arts of Collin County has taken the final steps in preparing for the groundbreaking of its new arts complex – but their plans have hit a snag.
The Frisco City Council this week decided to hold a special meeting March 8 regarding a possible referendum of city funds already slated for the Arts of Collin County building project. The surprising move came on the heels of bids for phase one that reduced projected construction costs from $86 million to $69.9 million dollars – and just days after the city of Allen agreed to cover the last 5 percent of funds needed for the project.
“What will be decided (at the March 8 meeting) is whether or not we are going to allow the citizens of Frisco to decide the fate of the project vis-a-vis the taxpayers,” said Frisco council member Patrick Fallon. “If we put this to the voters and they decide they want to do it, then that’s what we should do and in haste. But if they don’t, then we never should have tried to do it in the first place.”
Some history: when Frisco, Allen and Plano signed on to cover some of the total cost of the project, the cities were under the impression it would be a four-city deal, including McKinney, with each city chipping in $19 million. Since McKinney voters denied the bond deal, that left three cities in the mix. Frisco’s voters showed their support in 2002 by passing the referendum allowing the sale of $19 million in bonds for project construction, and the city was informed that the annual operating support needed from each city would be upwards of $96,000. Frisco recently received news that figure could be more like $128,000 to $350,000 per year. The figures were part of a firestorm at a Frisco council meeting Tuesday night lasting till 1 a.m. and the decision to convene the March 8 meeting.
Fallon says he had concerns about the project and was simply “asking the tough questions” at this week’s council meeting. Fallon also said there were “no secrets” when he ran for council last year that he “wanted to be a fierce advocate for the taxpayers. It’s difficult to discern what is going to add value to your community and what is going to hurt it.”
David Prince joined council members Fallon, Scott Johnson and Jeff Cheney in asking for a meeting to discuss the possibility of calling an election May 8 to give voters the option to stop the issuance of $19 million in bond sales previously authorized.
Mike Simpson, executive director of ACC, expressed concern regarding the timing of the issue. Currently the ACC is working on establishing a contribution agreement, which would define how the individual cities would handle their portion of the donation or payment.
“What we had been working to do is what we are asked to do,” Simpson said. “We are trying to come up with a contribution agreement so we could take advantage of the lower building costs. Some council members expressed concern about whether or not to sell the bonds now. The cities are going to have to decide what’s right for them. It’s become a major issue, and it’s up to the council as well.”
Frisco Mayor Maher Maso said he’s also concerned about the timing.
“My personal feeling is that we had a commitment to our neighboring cities and had eight years to have made a different decision,” Maso said. “The project is voter-approved. We should proceed with continuing our efforts to get it built, but that does not mean that today is the right time to commit the funds. We have not fully vetted that out.”
Plano Mayor Phil Dyer said he feels the Frisco City Council will do what is best for their city. But when it comes to Plano, Dyer said he would just have to wait and see what happens in Frisco.
“If they stay in, we are full steam ahead; but if they pull out, I don’t see any way that Plano would be willing to pick up half of Frisco’s portion of this. I think the project would come to a stop.”
Allen Mayor Steve Terrell credits himself with being one of the biggest supporters of the project and says he would love to see it built.
“I think Frisco just needs to feel comfortable with moving forward with the project,” Terrell said. The gentlemen on the council today are not the same members who were there in the beginning of the project. They didn’t go through the entire process in the beginning of the Arts of Collin County. We’ve been over a lot of hurtles so far, and this is just another one we have to get across.”
“You have to look at the economic gain for the whole region and the quality of life for its citizens. Its one of the only venues we have left to build; the arts are probably the most underserved in the region,” he said.
The Frisco City Council this week decided to hold a special meeting March 8 regarding a possible referendum of city funds already slated for the Arts of Collin County building project. The surprising move came on the heels of bids for phase one that reduced projected construction costs from $86 million to $69.9 million dollars – and just days after the city of Allen agreed to cover the last 5 percent of funds needed for the project.
“What will be decided (at the March 8 meeting) is whether or not we are going to allow the citizens of Frisco to decide the fate of the project vis-a-vis the taxpayers,” said Frisco council member Patrick Fallon. “If we put this to the voters and they decide they want to do it, then that’s what we should do and in haste. But if they don’t, then we never should have tried to do it in the first place.”
Some history: when Frisco, Allen and Plano signed on to cover some of the total cost of the project, the cities were under the impression it would be a four-city deal, including McKinney, with each city chipping in $19 million. Since McKinney voters denied the bond deal, that left three cities in the mix. Frisco’s voters showed their support in 2002 by passing the referendum allowing the sale of $19 million in bonds for project construction, and the city was informed that the annual operating support needed from each city would be upwards of $96,000. Frisco recently received news that figure could be more like $128,000 to $350,000 per year. The figures were part of a firestorm at a Frisco council meeting Tuesday night lasting till 1 a.m. and the decision to convene the March 8 meeting.
Fallon says he had concerns about the project and was simply “asking the tough questions” at this week’s council meeting. Fallon also said there were “no secrets” when he ran for council last year that he “wanted to be a fierce advocate for the taxpayers. It’s difficult to discern what is going to add value to your community and what is going to hurt it.”
David Prince joined council members Fallon, Scott Johnson and Jeff Cheney in asking for a meeting to discuss the possibility of calling an election May 8 to give voters the option to stop the issuance of $19 million in bond sales previously authorized.
Mike Simpson, executive director of ACC, expressed concern regarding the timing of the issue. Currently the ACC is working on establishing a contribution agreement, which would define how the individual cities would handle their portion of the donation or payment.
“What we had been working to do is what we are asked to do,” Simpson said. “We are trying to come up with a contribution agreement so we could take advantage of the lower building costs. Some council members expressed concern about whether or not to sell the bonds now. The cities are going to have to decide what’s right for them. It’s become a major issue, and it’s up to the council as well.”
Frisco Mayor Maher Maso said he’s also concerned about the timing.
“My personal feeling is that we had a commitment to our neighboring cities and had eight years to have made a different decision,” Maso said. “The project is voter-approved. We should proceed with continuing our efforts to get it built, but that does not mean that today is the right time to commit the funds. We have not fully vetted that out.”
Plano Mayor Phil Dyer said he feels the Frisco City Council will do what is best for their city. But when it comes to Plano, Dyer said he would just have to wait and see what happens in Frisco.
“If they stay in, we are full steam ahead; but if they pull out, I don’t see any way that Plano would be willing to pick up half of Frisco’s portion of this. I think the project would come to a stop.”
Allen Mayor Steve Terrell credits himself with being one of the biggest supporters of the project and says he would love to see it built.
“I think Frisco just needs to feel comfortable with moving forward with the project,” Terrell said. The gentlemen on the council today are not the same members who were there in the beginning of the project. They didn’t go through the entire process in the beginning of the Arts of Collin County. We’ve been over a lot of hurtles so far, and this is just another one we have to get across.”
“You have to look at the economic gain for the whole region and the quality of life for its citizens. Its one of the only venues we have left to build; the arts are probably the most underserved in the region,” he said.
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