Laserfiche WebLink
have also addended a short section about board conflicts of interest since the August meeting; <br />appearances are very important in public service. <br />Tax abatements. The city council has always been the sole party responsible for tax abatements, <br />but the council may wish to add a section in which the board reviews requests and makes <br />recommendations to the council. <br />Reserves. I have recommended the council place all funds remaining after a conversion into a <br />separate reserve for economic development purposes only. This is not required by law however, <br />so the council should agree to take that measure in advance. <br />Almost any action of a city council can be changed by future councils, of course, and that <br />certainly includes budgeting decisions. That means that adoption of this plan does not mean <br />other councils are bound to carry it out. In regards to the funds set aside for reserves and <br />operating costs, for example, future councils could both increase and decrease those amounts. <br />Also, the local option road maintenance tax has to come up for re -ratification every four years, so <br />it is by no means permanent. On the other hand, budgets of Texas EDCs and CDCs can be also <br />altered and rejected by city councils as well as can their approval of what a "project" is," so the <br />existing situation in Paris is also subject to council priorities and direction. <br />In the interest of "fairness" to both "sides", I have been asked about developing a plan for if the <br />election fails. I can certainly do something along those lines if the council directs, but I presume <br />if that occurs, the message from voters would be that they want no change, though EDCs in <br />Texas operate in lots of different ways (board sizes and qualifications vary, staffs sometime <br />report to directly to the city, budgets are closely/loosely managed by the city, etc.). <br />BUDGET: N/A at this point in time. <br />RECOMMENDATION: Adopt an economic development program, including changes agreed <br />upon by the council, to ensure predictability and continuity of ED efforts regardless of the <br />November election outcome. <br />