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Regular Council Meetiing April 23, 2018 Page 6 and under budget. Ms. Easton also said if there were savings from those contracts, the funds could be reallocated to the Johnson Woods Drainage Project which could make up some of the cost difference. Ms. Easton explained they did not remove the stumps but trees and the reason was so as not to disturb the dirt. On the maintenance side, Public Works Director Jerry McDaniel said crews had been working for two years on grubbing, grading, shaping and cleaning. Mr. McDaniel said they were not finished, but had expended the available funds. Mr. McDaniel also said there were two or three guys every week working to maintain the clearing and grubbing already done. Council Member Drake said she appreciated the work done, and it was better than it had been. 16. Discuss Tax Increment Financing and provide direction to city staff Mr. Godwin explained that tax increment financing was a tool that could be used to set aside funds to do improvements within an area. He said the tax increments could be spent only within that area. He said the basics included setting a base line of the property values within a certain area, known as a reinvestment zone, and the increase over the base line mark potentially was available to finance improvements. He also said a TIRZ required the f6rination of an independent board, a development plan and a finance plan. Mr. Godwin set out the three options of financing, which included pay as you go, incur debt or get private financing. Mr. Godwin gave examples to the City Council as to how a TIRZ works. He said a TIRZ would neither create abaternent nor increase tax rates but was a tool to help developers finance projects as related to public improvements only, such as streets, sidewalks, water and sewer lines, and street lights. Mr. Godwin said the Historic Preservation Commission and Main Street Board voted to recommend that the City pursue this. Mr. Godwin said a project plan and finance plan would first need to be created. Mr. Godwin said the City had a draft of a downtown plan and at time May 14 City Council meeting, he planned to bring a request to hire a consultant to create more of a detailed plan for downtown. Mr. Godwin asked that Council give infon-nal direction to the city attorney to do additional research and work, and then to him and his staff, to develop a project plan and a finance plan. Following questions by City Council to Mr. Godwin, it was a consensus of City Council filar the city attorney and city manager to move forward with tax increment financing. 17. Discuss and act on ORDINANCE NO. 2018-014: AN ORDINANCE OF 'THE CITY 'COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, 'TEXAS, REPEALING ARTICLE IV, "SECURED BUILDING PERMIT,"OF CHAPTER 7, "BUILDINGS AND BUILDING REGULATIONS," OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES AND CREATI-NG A NE ' W REGISTRATION PROGRAM FOR ALL VACANT CENTRAL AREA BUILDINGS, PROVIDING A PENALTY CLAUSE; PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Mr. Godwin said they initially discussed this a little over a year ago and in December, City Council discussed this again and instructed staff to bring this back with changes, Mr. Godwin explained that awnings, sconces, and architectural features had been deleted from the ordinance. He also explained that standards of care were still in theordinance, which included