Inventory of Detroit Public Schools' art is ordered
Detroit school board President Jimmy Womack wants to see what the district's $1.6 million bought
February 27, 2007
Detroit's school board president said Monday he would press school officials to account for at least $1.6 million in artwork the district bought from a downtown Detroit gallery.
Jimmy Womack said he would ask Detroit Public Schools officials for an inventory of the work, and copies of any agreements signed with the Sherry Washington Gallery.
"If the district was wrong, the district needs to be held responsible," Womack said.
The Free Press, which chronicled the art purchases Saturday, has been seeking records of the deals since Feb. 9. Officials say they are still collecting the records.
District spokesman Lekan Oguntoyinbo didn't return calls Monday. He said last week that the district is gathering more than 700 pages of records.
The art, all bought since 2002, was purchased with taxpayer-financed bond money raised to build and renovate schools. It's unclear how much art was bought with the $1.6 million, or where the works are today.
Washington, who opened her high-end gallery in 1989, told the Free Press last week she appraised the art her gallery sold the district, and said the works would benefit students and appreciate in value.
In 2004, it was reported that Cobo Center officials spent $500,000 in bond money on artwork through Washington's gallery, purchases that angered suburban officials who said they were not consulted.
Womack said he also would discuss the deals with Paula Johnson, chairwoman of the board's contracts committee.
"We need to know where that artwork is," Womack said.
Contact JENNIFER DIXON at jbdixon@freepress.com.
Copyright © 2007 Detroit Free Press Inc.
No comments:
Post a Comment