Residents praise DeSoto's Thorn Tree purchase; youth groups urge transparency over field fees and policing costs

Multiple DeSoto residents and leaders of local youth sports organizations used the Feb. 17 city council meeting's citizen-comment period to applaud the city's recent purchase of the Thorn Tree Country Club and to press the council for transparency around field fees and police security charges.

Residents representing neighborhoods around Thorn Tree told the council the purchase halted the property's deterioration and protected property values. "If Thorn Tree is not thriving, the value of our property will decrease," said Kathleen Ryan Hartless, who identified herself as a Thorn Tree resident. Several other speakers, including Tom Elam and Pam Smith, thanked the council for intervening and urged the city to steward the property toward redevelopment.

Representatives of community youth organizations described mentoring and athletic programs and warned that heavy fees or unclear payment procedures would harm access for families. Antoine Fletcher, a local program leader, said teams and volunteer coaches provide essential mentorship and expressed concern that event security fees assessed by police have been excessive: "They grossly overcharge us, and they want us to give them cash payments," he said. Fletcher asked the council for help addressing those practices.

Christopher Curry, who identified himself as a long-time DeSoto resident and leader of the group Raising Havoc, said his organization was being told it owed a recently asserted $9,000 balance after it requested greater transparency about financial record-keeping and cash-payment procedures. Curry said Raising Havoc had paid $106,037.45 to the City of DeSoto in field fees and police fees from Jan. 1, 2020, through Jan. 1, 2026, and said the group is seeking fairness and clarity. "All we're asking for is transparency," Curry said.

Natasha Badger, a Raising Havoc board member, told the council the organization serves more than 500 children in DeSoto and urged leaders not to restrict field use for community groups that offer mentorship and academic support.

Mayor Rachel L. Proctor noted the comments and said staff would "supply more information" in response to the requests. No council action on the allegations or requests was recorded during the meeting; the items were presented as citizen comments, which the council said it could refer to staff or place on a future agenda under the Texas Open Meetings Act.

What’s next: Speakers asked the council and staff to investigate fee practices and cash-payment procedures and to provide transparency on any outstanding balances and invoicing; the council did not vote on those requests during the meeting.