02 City Council (05/20/02) - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council Meeting May 20, 2002 Page 2 Mayor Pfiester advised that he had met with Judge Superville, but that prior to their meeting the Judge had asked to address the City Council during the city's budgeting process. The Mayor said he allowed the Judge to address the City Council. At that time, the Mayor said he and Councilman Plata did not understand where he was coming from. The Mayor offered to go to the Judge's office for a subsequent meeting and have the Judge explain where he was coming from, and Councilman Plata also afforded that same opportunity. Mayor Pfiester informed the City Council that Judge Superville did not contact him or Councilman Plata. Mayor Pfiester said that right after Judge Superville appeared before the City Council, there was an article in the Paris News stating that the city was unwilling to cooperate with the county, and Mayor Pfiester stated that Judge Superville's statement was totally false. Mayor Pfiester told the City Council that he worked with Mr. Klinkerman and they reduced the county's portion down from $400,000.00 to $341,000.00 and that Judge Superville was in agreement to that figure. At the May 13, 2002 City Council meeting, Mr. Klinkerman presented the City Council a six month report for the Emergency Medical Service and Mayor Pfiester thought everything was fine. The City Council authorized Mr. Klinkerman to meet with the Commissioners' Court and present the report to the Commissioners that he had just presented to Council. On May 14, 2002, there was a newspaper article in the Paris News that Lamar County was contemplating litigation against the City of Paris. Mayor Pfiester said it was shocking to him that these two groups of people can not sit down and come to an agreement without having to litigate. He felt that each member of the City Council is more than willing to sit down with the County Commissioners and discuss this issue and come to an agreement that both parties can live with. Councilman Bell made the statement that each and every one of the Council Members are citizens of Lamar County and pay county taxes; therefore, their own money that is paid from county taxes is technically being used against them. He said the citizens of Paris are paying double; not only are they paying the city's portion, but also the county's portion of the cost for the Emergency Medical Service. Councilman Bell pointed out that more county taxpayers live in the City