1995-02-15-PEDC - Laserfiche WebLink

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97 Mr. Walters of Paris Junior College stated he felt it would help the proposal if the Chairman of the Paris Economic Development Corporation sent a letter of support to Senator Ratliff and Representative Patterson. Mr. Vest advised that the field agents would be responsible to the Texas Engineering Extension Service through Texas A & M., and Paris would fall under the College Station Office. Chairman Cecil said he could see a benefit to the manufacturers in Paris, so we need to support this service. Chairman Cecil stated that in January he appointed a committee of Dick Amis, Barney Bray and Gary Vest to look into a site selection for a model building, and he asked Mr. Amis to report. Mr. Amis, Chairman of the Committee, stated they had met and were in unanimity of agreement on a recommendation. Mr. Amis said that the City Manager, Michael E. Malone, and City Engineer, Earl Smith, assisted the committee. He said Gary Vest had provided the committee with information regarding fourteen sites which were owned by the City of Paris, Paris Industrial Foundation, and also private ownership, for consideration. Mr. Amis said after looking at the sites available the committee was in unanimous agreement that the Number One spot was the Northwest Loop property (old Eckrich Sausage property). He said this tract is currently owned by the Paris Industrial Foundation and consists of approximately 160 .acres. He said they were looking at approximately a ten acre tract inside the Loop adjacent to the Superior Switchboard Plant. He said this is owned by the Paris Industrial Foundation, and if there is agreement with the Boardmembers he would volunteer to approach the Paris Industrial Foundation. City Attorney Haynes entered the meeting at this time. Chairman Cecil called for questions or comments regarding this site. After discussion, Chairman Cecil asked the City Attorney since it was on the agenda to receive the report could the Board could act on this item. The City Attorney advised they could not take action on this item at this time. Chairman Cecil asked for opposition of the decision reached by the committee, and there was none. Chairman Cecil said it would be appropriate for this item to be placed on the next agenda for a vote, but Mr. Amis and the committee could proceed with the negotiations with the Industrial Foundation. Chairman Cecil said the next item on the agenda was the discussion of access road improvements identified by the Pace Group and the Site Selection Committee. Mr. Amis said he would like to discuss this item. He said during their tour of the properties they visited with one of the local industries, and observed an item included in the PACE Survey last year regarding problems they were having with the road into their plant. Mr. Amis said the roads were barely passable. Mr. Amis said since it had been noted in the survey that this was something which should be done, he would like to have the City Staff look at costs and ideas to build the access road into the plant off of 19th Street N.W. into the T & K Plant. City Manager Malone advised he thought there was a City street already existing and the drive, or road was built much later for the purpose of entering the property. The City Attorney said he thought the old road was there when the Airport was at that location. Mr. Amis advised that it was an old narrow City street which would be too narrow for truck traffic. Chairman Cecil asked if there had been any conversation between the City and T & K regarding this item. City Manager Malone said he did not recall any recent conversations. City Attorney Haynes advised they had visited the plant a couple of years ago and he thought they were having a drainage problem but the road was fairly passable at that time up to their driveway.