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Regular Council Meeting <br />September 9, 2013 <br />Page 2 <br />Consent Agenda <br />Mayor Hashmi inquired of Council Members if they wished to pull any items from the <br />Consent Agenda for discussion. There being none, a Motion to approve the Consent Agenda <br />was made by Council Member Frierson and seconded by Council Member Drake. Motion <br />carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays. <br />5. Approve the minutes from the City Council meetings on March 11, 2013 (corrected); <br />August 20, 2013 (special); August 26, 2013 (regular); and August 27, 2013 (special). <br />6. Receive reports and/or minutes from the following boards, commissions, and committees: <br />a. Paris Public Library Advisory Board (7 -17 -2013) <br />b. Historic Preservation Commission (8 -14 -2013) <br />c. Main Street Advisory Board (7 -16 -2013) <br />7. Re- appoint Thomas E. Hunt III as Municipal Court Judge and Don Biard as Associate <br />Municipal Court Judge for the City of Paris. <br />8. Approve a letter to Union Pacific Railroad for the purpose of acquiring right -of -way or a <br />recreational trail easement for the Trail de Paris extension. <br />Regular Agenda <br />9. Presentation by PEDC Board Chair Rebecca Clifford on Request for Attorney General <br />Opinion, PEDC expenditures and oversight for PEDC. <br />PEDC Board Chair Rebecca Clifford said that taxpayer's money must be wisely spent <br />and there were serious issues being addressed by Board. Mrs. Clifford also said that everyone <br />wanted Paris to grow, prosper and for its citizens to benefit from the well - paying jobs that arise <br />from true economic development. She stated that she had spent many hours researching, <br />reviewing corporate bylaws and minutes of past meetings, as well as reviewing past financial <br />data. Mrs. Clifford said what she learned was there had been a complete lack of fiscal oversight <br />of the PEDC for years; that the PEDC no longer focused on its stated goals of economic <br />development through the encouragement and promotion of primary jobs; and that many PEDC <br />expenditures appeared to have nothing to do with industrial economic development. Mrs. <br />Clifford said she had questioned incubator funding, benefits and expenses paid to members of <br />Team Paris, direct and indirect benefits paid to several consultants, promotion and advertising <br />expenses, website maintenance, and current policies and procedures. Mrs. Clifford said she <br />asked questions and gathered facts in order to participate in meaningful discussions and make <br />informed decisions. She emphasized that she had promised the City Council that she would take <br />her board position seriously. Mrs. Clifford told the City Council that major changes were in the <br />process of being made at the PEDC, by way of instituting proper business and accounting <br />practices. <br />