2008 Woodie Awards
Harrington Trust placement stirs up controversy
Landon Allen
Issue date: 10/12/06 Section: News
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The Sybil B. Harrington Living Trust was established by Amarillo philanthropist Sybil Harrington herself toward the end of her life to benefit charities across 29 Texas counties and also Maricopa County in Arizona. Maricopa County was where Don and Sybil Harrington kept their second home for many years.
Originally, at least $100 million was placed in the trust.
The trustees and their judgment on where they have been handing out donations from the trust has raised controversy.
When Harrington died in 1998, a deadline was given to the trustees on when they had to have emptied the total remaining balance of the trust.
The deadline was April 2004. When that date came around, $80 million still remained in the trust. The trustees had given only about 20 percent of the amount they were supposed to.
In March 2005, the trustees went to court requesting a time extension to give out the remaining balance.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott then intervened, accusing the trustees of taking their own time in following Mrs. Harrington's instructions.
A settlement was reached in June 2005 in which the trustees were given a new date to have finished and closed the trust.The date is June 30, 2007.
Periodic distribution and expense reports also were required to be given to the attorney general's office.
It has been a little more than a year since the settlement was reached, which means less than a year is left until the final deadline.
Since June 2005, about $37 million has been donated and about $44 million remained as of March 2006.
At the rate the trustees have been going since the settlement, they may have some last-minute catching up to do by June 2007.
Recently, more controversy has followed the Harrington Trust. The attorney general again has questioned the intentions and donation strategies of the trustees.
Since October 2004, almost $37.4 million has been donated from the trust. Of that amount, $24 million has gone directly to Maricopa County, Ariz.
Originally, at least $100 million was placed in the trust.
The trustees and their judgment on where they have been handing out donations from the trust has raised controversy.
When Harrington died in 1998, a deadline was given to the trustees on when they had to have emptied the total remaining balance of the trust.
The deadline was April 2004. When that date came around, $80 million still remained in the trust. The trustees had given only about 20 percent of the amount they were supposed to.
In March 2005, the trustees went to court requesting a time extension to give out the remaining balance.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott then intervened, accusing the trustees of taking their own time in following Mrs. Harrington's instructions.
A settlement was reached in June 2005 in which the trustees were given a new date to have finished and closed the trust.The date is June 30, 2007.
Periodic distribution and expense reports also were required to be given to the attorney general's office.
It has been a little more than a year since the settlement was reached, which means less than a year is left until the final deadline.
Since June 2005, about $37 million has been donated and about $44 million remained as of March 2006.
At the rate the trustees have been going since the settlement, they may have some last-minute catching up to do by June 2007.
Recently, more controversy has followed the Harrington Trust. The attorney general again has questioned the intentions and donation strategies of the trustees.
Since October 2004, almost $37.4 million has been donated from the trust. Of that amount, $24 million has gone directly to Maricopa County, Ariz.
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