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'-4INUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL February 1, 199 The City Council of the City of Paris met in special session, Monday, February 1, 1993, at 5:15 P. M., City Council Chambers, City Hall, Paris, Texas. Mayor Fisher called the meeting to order with the following Councilmembers present: Jim Bell, Millie Ingram, Wayne Brown, Billy Joe Burnett, and Rondie Williams. Also present was City Manager, Michael E. Malone, City Attorney, T. K. Haynes, and City Clerk, Mattie Cunningham. City Manager Malone advised the Council that the special meeting was called for the purpose of discussion of the Open Meetings Act and threat of lawsuit by the Paris News. City Manager Malone pointed out to the Council that the City has received several letters from Locke Purnell Rain Harrell representing the Paris News with a threat of a lawsuit against the City of Paris and against City Councilmembers individually. City Manager Malone said if this should go to court, it would require that many of the present Councilmembers and past Councilmembers to appear in court; thereby, creating a lose in time from work and occupations. City Manager Malone advised that there has been several meeting between the City Attorney and the attorneys representing the Paris News, the latest letter that has been received, as you can see, shows the Council the point that the issue has been brought to. City Manager Malone said that in one of the conversations between City Attorney Haynes and one of their attorneys last Thursday, one of the things noted was, their attorneys alleged they had not received anything in writing that the City Council had ceased having closed meeting, and in our discussions with the Publisher of the Paris News, Mike Graxiola, and their Attorney, Thomas Loose, we had an agreement that we would have no additional close sessions, or executive sessions during the interim period while they were trying to resolve the matter, and that the attorneys for the news paper would furnish the City with language that they deemed acceptable for the City to consider using. City Manager Malone pointed out from their last letter, they did not uphold their part of the agreement, and in one of the latest conversation, their attorney stated that this had not been presented in writing. It was also pointed out that City Attorney Haynes's letter written to their attorneys did mention the fact that we were having no addition closed meetings. City Manager Malone advised that there were four options available to the City, and they were: No. 1. Following the City Charter where it says in Section 29, all meeting shall be open to the public, and therefore, never again scheduling close sessions, No. 2. Placing a measure on the ballot giving the public an opportunity to change the Charter to allow the City to operate in accordance with State law, including the Texas Open Meeting Act, No. 3. Engage in litigation to clarify requirements of the Act, No. 4. Have closed session that use the same language that the Lamar County Commissioners Court is using, which is apparently acceptable to the Paris News. City Manager Malone pointed out to the City Council included in their packets were copies of agendas from the Lamar County Commissioners Court showing where the