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Regular Council Meeting February 27, 2023 Page 15 hours because that was their business, they paid more than the City and it was difficult for the City to try compete with all of that. He said the City's rates would have to go up substantially to compete with that. He also said the City could hire a service who could do it better, more efficient, and with better equipment. Council Member Pilgrim said he was in favor of proceeding with this. Mayor Portugal said another important cost savings would be not having to pay employee benefits and paying into the retirement. Mr. Path said the plan was to keep employees who wanted to transfer but there would be a reduction should staff decide to go with the company. Mayor Portugal said maybe the City could get the other departments fully staffed should some of the employees decide to stay with the City. Council Member Pilgrim inquired of the number of vacancies in sanitation. Public Works Director Michael Smith said they were twenty employees down. Mayor Portugal commended Mr. Path and Mr. Smith for picking up trash several times. Council Member Pankaj said seeing the equipment and trying to keep up with it, made him nervous. He inquired what would be done with the City's current assets. Finance Gene Anderson explained that the City uses an auction firm in the Dallas area, because they get more money than when using a local firm. He said each piece of equipment would bring a different price depending on the condition. Mayor Pro -Tem Hughes wanted to know where the funds go from the auction. Mr. Anderson said they normally go into the equipment replacement fund but it was not a large fund and they purchased smaller equipment they could afford. Mr. Path explained it was not enough money to replace the City's fleet but to do minor repairs. He said for instance, the City was working on the fire alarm at the Depot now and using some of those funds. A Motion to move forward with Solid Waste Specialists to prepare an RFP for outsourcing and collection residential and commercial garbage in the City of Paris was made by Council Member Pilgrim and seconded by Council Member Savage. Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays. 24. Discuss and act on ORDINANCE NO. 2023-012: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, DECLARING UNOPPOSED CANDIDATES IN CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS 4 AND 5 FOR THE MAY 6, 2023 GENERAL ELECTION TO BE ELECTED TO OFFICE; DETERMINING THAT NO GENERAL ELECTION BE HELD IN DISTRICTS 4 AND 5; DIRECTING THAT A COPY OF THIS ORDINANCE BE POSTED AT APPROPRIATE POLLING PLACES; DIRECTING THAT A CERTIFICATE OF ELECTION BE ISSUED TO THE UNOPPOSED CANDIDATES; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; PROVIDING A REPEALER CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, A SAVINGS CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. City Clerk Janice Ellis reported that Mihir Pankaj was an unopposed candidate in District 4 and Rebecca Norment was an unopposed candidate in District 5. She recommended approval of the Ordinance cancelling elections in those districts and declaring the unopposed candidates elected to office pursuant to the Election Code.