A gift of Christmas cheer has turned into a battle between the donators and recipients, namely Charles and Sherri Gregory and the City of Teague.
On January 22, 2019, the Gregorys filed against the City of Teague in small claims court to be heard by Justice of the Peace – Precinct 2, Debra Hamilton on April 9, 2019.
The City of Teague has accused Gregory of Theft of Property >=$100<$750 to be heard in County Court by Judge Linda Grant, with a date to be determined.
These accusations stem from a November 28, 2018 incident in which representatives of the City of Teague and the Teague Police Department arrived at a local business to reclaim the 22-foot inflatable snowman – Frosty, allegedly owned by the City, but loaned to the business by the Gregorys.
In 2016, Charles Gregory approached Teague’s former City Administrator/Secretary Judy Keally, and later the City Council, with the intent to donate his expansive Christmas light show and decorations to the City. He also offered the suggestion of establishing a drive-through display in the City’s 8th Avenue Park.
The Gregory’s had previously operated the display at their home on Wildflower Lane for many years. Mr. Gregory was emotional when he told the Council that the couple were moving and would no longer be able to continue the Christmas tradition.
“I’ve got over $15,000 in this display,” elaborated Gregory at the April 18, 2016 meeting of the Teague City Council.
“I’m wanting to donate everything that I have to the City for use,” Gregory can be heard saying in the recorded minutes of that meeting.
“What I’m willing to do is to donate everything I have and also be a consultant at Christmastime…and help anyway I can.”
The agenda item called for discussion and possible action by the Council on accepting the Gregory’s donation, detailed as “Christmas lights, decorations, and equipment to operate the Christmas lights from Mike [Charles] and Sherri Gregory.”
Gregory repeatedly volunteered everything in his collection to the City, which he detailed during his presentation at the April 18, 2016 as a light system with connected displays, radio, controllers, Christmas songs, as well as a 22-foot reindeer and 20-foot Rudolph.
“I’m here to donate everything I have,” reiterated Gregory, “that’s extension cords on down to radio, controllers…”
“If you want it, it’s yours,” concluded Gregory. “Like I said, I have mixed emotions. I hate not doing it, but I think it belongs to the City of Teague.”
Gregory asked that the City agree to three stipulations upon accepting the donation. First, Gregory requested that the City utilize the display for the enjoyment of the community; second, that a sign posted at the Park recognizing the donation of the display from Charles and Sherri Gregory; and third, that he be allowed to remove the 20-foot Rudolph for use in the annual Christmas Parade, to be returned to the Park directly after the parade.
The Council voted to accept the donation with these stipulations, with the official minutes of the meeting reading to “approve and accept the donation of Christmas lights made by Mr. and Mrs. Gregory.”
The first annual Christmas in the Park was held in December of 2016 featuring the Gregory’s donations, which adorned half the Park; decorations provided by local business owners and citizens, and cooperation with the City of Teague.
By all accounts the event was a great success, and a committee to engage in the organized planning and implementation of displays and events was formed by Gregory and other citizens.
In 2017, the City Council was made aware of the Christmas in the Park Committee and unanimously approved the Committee’s submitted dossier, reaffirming the City’s commitment to continue to provide support and the use of the City Park for the event.
Frosty, the large inflatable snowman was a staple of the Christmas in the Park during the first two years of the event, however Frosty did not return to the Park for the 2018 event, sparking the disagreement over exactly what was owned by each party.
With Mr. Gregory’s departure from the Christmas in the Park Committee in November 2018, and the ownership of certain decorations and equipment in question, the future of the event was not certain when decorating began for the 2018 Christmas season.
According to current City Administrator/Secretary Theresa Prasil, only a handful of Committee members were on hand to prepare the park for its season opening on November 28, 2018, prompting the City to step in to facilitate the popular event.
In light of the ongoing disagreements and the disorganization of the existing Christmas in the Park Committee, the City Council elected to form their own sub-committee on December 17, 2018 to plan and organize the City’s Christmas events for all three city-owned parks moving forward.
