Report to the Voters - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

INTRODUCTION On November 8, 2022, residents of the City of Paris will be asked to vote on proposed amendments to the City Charter, which was originally adopted in 1948. Some of the Charter's provisions need modification to be brought into compliance withState Law whereas others simply need to be clarified or modified to improve City operations and processes. The proposed changes to the City Charter can best be lumped into three general categories: 1.Amendments that must be made to comply with changes in State Law or to comply with State or Federal court rulings. 2.Amendments needed to improve City operations and processes. 3.Amendments needed to clean up and/or remove sections of the City Charter which are no longer needed because of a change in law or change in City operations. The City Council created a Charter Review Commission, selecting sixteen residents to serve and appointed Alix Putnam as chairperson of this commission. All members were non-city employees and had never served on the CityCouncil. The City Council contracted with Mr. Don R. Edmonds to provide consulting services for the Commission. The Charter Review Commission, held six (6) meetings, one every other week, beginning on September 20, 2021, and concluding on November 29, 2021.The members of the Commission areas follows: •Alix Putnam (Chairperson)• Jessica Holtman •Mickey Allen• David House •Syble Bills (Alternate)• Linda Kapp •Brenda Cherry• Stacey Ladell •Matthew Coyle• Chad Lindsey •ConnieDodd• James Mitchell •Lydia Fitzgerald• Taisley Scroggins •Reeves Hayter• Kenneth Webb Each proposition represents a proposed change to a section of the City Charter. In some cases, the Commissionrecommended that the entire sectionbe replaced;in others, only one sentence waschanged. To assist the voters’understanding of the proposed changes, an "explanation" follows each proposition.