Springdale Library Uses Mayor’s Company

Thursday, January 30, 2014

— The city library is paying Mayor Doug Sprouse's company for renovation work, but no city money is being used.

The library contracted with Sprouse Upholstery, which Sprouse ran before being elected mayor, to upholster chairs in the building, said Marcia Ransom, library director. The Springdale Library Foundation is paying for the upholstery, said Todd Wood, foundation board president.

“No city funds are being used,” Ransom said. “All of the foundation money is private. It was raised from donations and fundraisers.”

The legality of the company working for the library board was confirmed before work began, Sprouse said.

The work by the upholstery company doesn't run afoul state law on business dealings between cities and their mayors and City Council members, said Ernest Cate, city attorney.

“The foundation was set up to keep city funds separate from money donated to the library,” Cate said. “Those funds should not be mingled.”

Sprouse said he first learned about the work from his wife, Sandy Sprouse, who now runs the business.

“I don’t have anything to do with the day-to-day operations at the shop,” Sprouse said, “but when Sandy told me about it, I made sure it was legal.”

The library renovation is the largest since the building’s expansion in 2000. The council approved spending $100,000 to repaint walls, replace carpet and buy shelving and book carts, Ransom said.

The foundation has spent more than $150,000 on renovation, including replacing light fixtures and upholstery, Ransom said. Sprouse Upholstery was recommended by the design consultant helping with the renovation, she said.

The library has used the company in the past, Wood said, even before Sprouse was elected mayor. The company donated some upholstery work in the past, Wood said.

“When Marcia asked be about the job, I told her this was too big for a donation and we would have to check to see if it was OK,” Sandy Sprouse said. “She told me the foundation would pay for it.”

The foundation’s goal is to help the city to provide books, material, programs and technology tools for the library, according to its website.

The upholstery company is working on about 150 pieces of furniture, Sandy Sprouse said, ranging from a couch to children’s chairs.