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Regular Council Meeting October 28, 2013 Page 3 discussed with Mr. Skaggs a plan for improvement of the property, competition, and berm height. Mr. Napier explained the property behind the range was in a flood plain. Mayor Hashmi asked Mr. Skaggs if the club would put together a plan for improvement and bring it back to the Council and Mr. Skaggs answered in the affirmative. 14. Presentation by PEDC Board Chair Rebecca Clifford on PEDC expenditures and oversight. Mrs. Clifford said at the October 14, 2013, City Council meeting she requested to be placed on this agenda to address questions raised by citizen Don "Pinky" Wilson. Mrs. Clifford also said her initial presentation included concerns regarding past operations of PEDC. She said she had hoped since that presentation the PEDC Board and staff would be allowed to focus on what should be their mission of promoting, assisting and enhancing economic development through the creation of primary jobs for the betterment of the citizens of Paris, Texas. Mrs. Clifford said her report to the Council contained the most accurate numbers available to her at the time of her presentation, and the PEDC expenditure numbers that Mr. Wilson said she should have used had been proven to be incorrect by the audit performed by McClanahan and Holmes. She also said to use the numbers that were proved to be incorrect would have been unethical. Mrs. Clifford reported that the accurate numbers reflected PEDC spent 74 percent in operating expenses, which was 3.52 times the average of peer cities and if one used the incorrect numbers advocated by Mr. Wilson, that the PEDC spent over 2.7 times the average of peer cities. She commended board members Bruce Carr and Vicki Ballard for many hours spent working on research and policies. Mrs. Clifford said twelve policies had been approved by the board and four more were going to be presented at their next board meeting. She pointed out that the overspending had consequences and voiced concern that when the next industry wants to locate in Paris that PEDC would not have the financial resources to make a competitive offer. Mrs. Clifford said they owed it to the citizens of Paris to spend tax money wisely and create true economic development. In closing, Mrs. Clifford said documentation was provided for the numbers she used for PEDC expenditures and there was nothing false or misleading, and the numbers were the most accurate to which she had access. Council Member Wright expressed his appreciation to Mrs. Clifford for safeguarding the taxpayers' money. Council Member Jenkins thanked Mrs. Clifford for all of her time and hard work. Council Member Lancaster said she appreciated the information. Council Member Grossnickle said he appreciated the explanation and did not think that she was an unethical person. Council Member Frierson questioned if the other cities' numbers on the website were also wrong. Mrs. Clifford said she had met with Council Member Frierson and at that time told him she did not have any information regarding whether those numbers were right or wrong. Council Member Frierson said they needed to compare apples to apples and that was the basis of Mr. Wilson's letter. Mrs. Clifford said the point was that policies and procedures were needed for PEDC. Council Member Drake said she appreciated Mrs. Clifford's presentation and the fact that they had a Board that was looking into the future for the community. She said she agreed that policies and procedures needed to be in place and she hoped that everyone could move forward and work together. Mayor Hashmi expressed appreciation for all of the time and effort by Mrs. Clifford and the PEDC Board to help PEDC reduce expenses.