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Regular Council Meeting August 10, 2015 Page 5 City Manager John Godwin explained that this application was no longer valid and needed to be denied. Mayor Hashmi opened the public hearing and with no one speaking, closed the public hearing. A Motion to deny this zoning change was made by Council Member Pickle and seconded by Council Member Frierson. Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays. 23. Discuss and possible action on an agreement between Red River Valley Fair Association and City of Paris concerning Paris /Lamar County Fair Grounds Event Center located at 1875 Fitzhugh Street. A Motion to remove this item from the table was made by Council Member Lancaster and seconded by Council Member Jenkins. Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays. A Motion to accept this property to be used for city functions once the $25,000 was paid on the building by Red River Valley Fair Association was made by Council Member Lancaster and seconded by Council Member Jenkins. Council Member Frierson questioned what the City could do different than what the Fairground Association was currently doing with the building. Council Member Lancaster said they could have pre- reading programs there for children, and conduct dog training among other things. Red River Valley Fair Director Rita Haynes explained the building was built in 1997, they borrowed $250,000 and $25,000 was owed, and that would be paid off by the first of November. She said they had been renting out the building for various functions and operated with minimum staff. Ms. Haynes further explained they shut down bingo in 2010 and could not sell the building, because the land belonged to the City. Mayor Hashmi inquired if any repairs were needed and Ms. Haynes told him cosmetic repairs were needed to the floor, but the roof was good and the air condition was new. Council Member Frierson asked Ms. Haynes if there was anything the City could do differently. Ms. Haynes said the Fairground Association needed to downsize. Council Member Plata inquired the cost of replacing tables and chairs and Ms. Haynes said the cost would depend on what they decided to put in the building. Council Member Plata said if they were going to move forward with this they should budget for replacement of the tables and chairs, at which time Mayor Hashmi said he would donate them. Ms. Haynes said there were two rooms that could be rented out and they were rented out most of the time. Council Member Clifford asked Ms. Haynes what would keep the Fairgrounds Association from simply abandoning the lease and building. Ms. Haynes said nothing, except that was not how she did business. Council Member Pickle inquired who managed the event center and Ms. Haynes told him she managed it and used community service for cleaning the building. Council Member Lancaster said the City did not do enough for the youth and instead of constructing a new building, the City would already have a building. She said it generates money through rentals. Council Member Jenkins agreed and said the building was used often. Mayor Hashmi said the building was on City property and if the building was in good shape and ready, that he did not see any problem in obtaining it. Citizen Derek Hughes told the Council this building was in the black community, it was used a lot and whoever rents it should be responsible for cleaning it. He said he did not think it would be that much of a burden on the