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TO: FROM: SUBJECT: DATE: Mayor and City Council Members ./'" " Ernie Clark, Interim City Manager /~ Report from the Paris Charter Study Committee February 12, 2007 I am passing on to you the proposed changes to the Paris City Charter, recommended by the Paris Study Committee appointed by the City Council in November of2006 by unanimous vote. In meetings leading up to the selection of Committee members, it appears to me in reviewing video tapes and minutes of the Council meetings that it was the desire of the City Council that proposed changes to the Charter not get bogged down in politics. From the method of selection of the Committee, it appears to me that you have removed as much of the politics as possible from the proposed Charter changes. The Committee is a good cross-section of the voters and the politics of Paris, Texas. I have had the privilege of attending the last three meetings of the Committee and have reviewed all the proposed changes, additions, and deletions to those changes, which has left me excited about the work of this Committee. I have seen the cooperation, debate, and compromise to the final document during these three meetings. If the prior meetings were conducted in the same manner as these three meetings, the City of Paris is most fortunate in having assembled a Committee of this dedication in wanting to see Paris as a better community. The leadership provided by Mr. Philip Cecil has been outstanding. He has given every member a chance to present proposed changes and debate those changes, and has encouraged them to arrive at a consensus in an amicable way for adoption by the Committee. He accomplished this in a very professional way. I have been involved in four major charter changes in my public service career over the past 45 years, and I have never before witnessed the outcome of this Committee's deliberations and cooperation for the well-being of their community. You should give Mr. Cecil and each member of the Committee a standing ovation when they present their work to you. This is what a community can do when it decides that it can work together. This is a true "community effort". The Committee met at least nine times, for a minimum of two hours for each meeting, plus the time they spent in researching, reading, and preparing changes for the Committee's review. I spoke with several Committee members who indicated that they had spent in excess of 60 hours in addition to the regular meeting hours. You cannot ask more of people. Please respect their knowledge, dedication, and sincerity to this very important assignment. This appears to me to be the first move in healing for this troubled City, and it indicates that this community can come together and work together, although they may have differences of opinion, but they can make decisions in the best interest of the City. . .-<....". ,........."