Shawver Park Holiday Display Cost City $20k in Unforseen Labor

City Representatives on Monday expressed concern the City spent an unforeseen $20,078 on the Shawver Park Holiday display last year.

City Rep. Lily Limon championed the Christmas display, taking over the project from former City Rep. Eddie Holguin.

She raised private funds from companies such as McDonald’s and Providence Hospital for the Holiday display, which took place through December in Shawver Park near Yarbrough and the Border Highway in the Lower Valley.

While the donations covered materials and the actual display, city officials on Monday said the city spent the more than $20,000 on labor – paying for staff time, including over time, of city employees who helped put the display together.

Other city representatives often raise private funds to pay for city employee staff hours when organizing a special project in their district.

City Representative Emma Acosta said she for two years paid for the labor of city employees when organizing her movies at the park events. She raises thousands of dollars for the events, which draw in hundreds of El Pasoans from beyond her district, she said.

In a special meeting Monday, Acosta said she was concerned it set a precedent for the City to pay for the labor for the Shawver park display.

“If we have a special project and there may be some staff time involved, well we’ve been asked to pay for it for the last five years and I had to cover that cost via donations. And so now were saying ‘no now we’re just going to use staff and allow it to be absorbed in the budget?’ I mean $20,000 – if I remember Maria, you were questioning me that I was over $20,000 and it was a big deal,” Acosta said in an interview with ABC-7 Monday.

She was referring to an interview a few weeks ago where ABC-7 asked Acosta to respond to Limon’s allegations that Acosta was about $20,000 over her office budget. The City’s Budget Director confirmed to ABC-7 Acosta was not over budget.

Noe, who also raises funds for movies in the park in his district, said it came down to fairness and necessity.

“Then is every district going to start asking for the same thing. Are we going to have eight light shows all around town at taxpayer expense? There has to be some sort of reasonable agreement to how much money you’re going to spend of our citizens,” Noe said.

Now said he supports the display but only if it’s not paid by taxpayers. He donated $1,000 of his personal funds to the display last year.

City Rep. Claudia Ordaz said she’d received positive feedback from the public about the celebration at Shawver last year, much different from the prior, inaugural display that was ridiculed in the national media for its scarce lights.

“I hope the event can continue. I think it’s a good thing. But I am concerned about the $20,000 cost,” Ordaz said.

ABC-7 called Limon and went by her office but her assistant said she was out of town. She is expected to attend Tuesday’s meeting where the council will further discuss the issue and possibly take action.