“The donations are for Valley Grande Elementary School, Martin Middle and Dallas County High School,” Downs said in the letter. “For a number of years, the donations have been approved in a line item budget lump sum identified as ‘schools.’”

This year’s donation, Downs continued, was a total of $15,000, with the sum being divided into a $5,000 increment to the three schools. Once the budget is approved by the council, Downs said, the mayor makes the decision of when each donation should be released based on fund availability and needs of the school.

Downs stated in the letter that she was not paid by Dallas County High School and therefore had no control over how funds are spent.

“My payroll check comes from the Dallas County Board of Education,” Downs said. “I am not, as your letter states, employed by Dallas County High School but actually I am an employee of the Dallas County Board of Education and assigned to bookkeeper at Dallas County High School.”

Downs said she and another council member have grandchildren that attend one of the schools scheduled to receive a donation. Downs said she asked Lee to withhold the donation to the school until the ethics issue was resolved.