09/26/2016MINUTES OF THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS
September 26, 2016
The City Council of the City of Paris met for a regular session at 5:30 p.m. on Monday,
September 26, 2016, at the City Council Chamber, 107 E. Kaufinan, Paris, Texas.
Present: Mayor Pro -Tem: Billie Lancaster
Council Members: Aaron Jenkins; Billy Trenado; Steve Clifford; Matt
Frierson; and Cleonne Drake
City Staff: Stephanie Harris, City Attorney; Janice Ellis, City
Clerk; Gene Anderson, Finance Director; Carla
Easton, City Engineer; Kent Klinkerman, EMS
Director; Doug Harris, Utilities Director; Larry
Wright, Fire Chief; and Bob Hundley, Police Chief
Mayor:
Opening Agenda
1. Call meeting to order.
A.J. Hashmi
Mayor Pro -Tem Lancaster called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
2. Invocation.
Gene Anderson gave the invocation.
3. Pledge of Allegiance.
Mayor Pro -Tem Lancaster led the pledge.
4. Citizens' Forum.
No one spoke during citizens' forum.
Consent Agenda
Mayor Pro-Tern Lancaster inquired of Council Members if they wished to pull any items
from the consent agenda for discussion. There being none, a Motion to approve the consent
agenda was made by Council Member Clifford and seconded by Council Members Trenado and
Frierson. Motion carried, 6 ayes — 0 nays.
5. Approve minutes from the meetings on September 6, 2016; September 12, 2016; and
September 19, 2016.
Regular Council Meeting
September 26, 2016
Page 2
6. Receive reports and/or minutes from the following boards, commissions, and committees:
a. Airport Advisory Board (6 -16 -2016)
b. Historic Preservation Commission (8 -10 -2016)
c. Paris -Lamar County Board of Health (7 -18 -2016)
d. Main Street Advisory Board (8 -9 -2016)
e. Paris Economic Development Corporation (8 -16 -2016 & 8 -23 -2016)
7. Receive August monthly financial report.
8. Receive August drainage report.
9. Receive demolition and code enforcement activity reports.
10. Appoint one member to the Main Street Advisory Board to fill a vacancy.
11. Appoint one member to the Historic Preservation Commission to fill a vacancy.
12. Approve a Letter of Agreement between the City of Paris and Oncor Electric to continue
to operate under the terms of the current Franchise Agreement between the parties.
Regular Agenda
13. Receive and discuss update from PEDC on the spec building located at 2305 NW Loop
286 (formerly known as the Oliver Rubber Building).
PEDC Executive Director Michael Paris, Vice - Chairman John Brockman, and Board
Member Derrick Hughes gave an update to City Council on the spec building and a proposal,
which included expenses thus far and estimated future expenses of $776,300 to have a shell
building constructed. Mr. Paris told the Council the Board had discussed two conditions related
to this building and wanted to relay those to Council, which were the spec building could not be
leased without the approval of the City Council and the spec building could not be sold without
the approval of the City Council. He said he wanted to discuss the proposal before presenting it
for a vote, so that the PEDC Board could address any concerns of the City Council. Board
Member Hughes added that at the conference they recently attended in Houston, spec buildings
were highly recommended and without one they could lose potential clients.
Council Member Drake inquired if the conditions would carry onto the next Council
when the Council changes. City Attorney Stephanie Harris said if they approved it with
conditions, the conditions would be attached and does carry over to the next Council. Council
Member Frierson said he appreciated the dialog going back and forth and asked Mr. Paris and
the Board Members to carry the Council through the steps PEDC went through thus far. Mr.
Brockman explained the steps which included competiveness, that they could build below the
market, and would not lose money if even if the building was not leased for five years. Mr.
Regular Council Meeting
September 26, 2016
Page 3
Brockman said the property consisted of 18 acres and they did not have to use all of it for the
spec building. He explained because the slab was in existence, it would cost $28.00 a square
foot instead of $50.00 a square foot to construct the building.
Council Member Clifford said the slab and utilities would still be in existence if they did
not construct the spec building. He said the real question was whether or not they wanted to take
this high risk with the tax payers' money. Council Member Clifford said he was opposed to
using the tax payers' money to build a spec building. He explained he had done quite a bit of
research and it was revealed that spec buildings were high risk, most set vacant for years, and
advice was not to construct a spec building unless you lived close to an Interstate. He said that
Paris, Tennessee still had a vacant spec building in their town that was built in 2004. Council
Member Clifford also said that the Phillips Building stayed vacant for almost ten years, that C-
Tech cost the Paris taxpayers over one million dollars, but the owners were able to retain it. In
summary, Council Member Clifford said he was opposed to constructing a spec building because
they should not risk the public's money. Council Member Trenado wanted to know if Mr. Paris
had spoken to any companies who might want to lease the building if constructed and Mr. Paris
said he had not. Mayor Pro -Tern Lancaster opposed the spec building, because she said there
were vacant buildings around town, and dilapidated buildings that needed to be taken down, and
there was much needed infrastructure. Board Member Hughes said while at the EDC
Conference, he learned that the Board could not do some of the things Mayor Pro -Tern Lancaster
referred to because PEDC was a Type A and it would be against the law. He also said if PEDC
were a type AB or B, PEDC could spend money on some of the referenced projects. Board
Member Hughes said he understood it was a high risk but without the building, they would not
get an industry here.
PEDC Director Paris inquired from City Council if there was anything they needed from
PEDC or if there was anything they needed PEDC to do. Mayor Pro -Tern Lancaster said she
would need to know that if someone was coming before she could support this. Council Member
Drake said she would like some statistics in Texas about spec buildings that were constructed by
EDCs that were similar in size to Paris. Council Member Clifford said he did a lot of research
and on average a spec building sits vacant for five years. Mr. Paris said Council Member
Clifford was correct. Council Member Clifford also said it would be next to impossible in
getting the kind of information Council Member Drake is seeking, because Mt. Pleasant EDC
was the only EDC he found similar to Paris that had constructed a spec building.
Mr. Paris said PEDC would probably bring something back on this item in order to get an
up or down vote for the project.
14. Discuss and act on budget amendments to Paris Economic Development's Budget FY
2015 -2016.
Mr. Paris said amendments were needed for expenses that went over or under budget, but
the budget was balanced. Mr. Anderson said the changes were necessitated by Depot Operation
expenses and personnel changing from a contract labor position to a permanent position.
Regular Council Meeting
September 26, 2016
Page 4
A Motion to approve the budget amendments was made by Council Member Frierson and
seconded by Council Member Trenado. Motion carried, 6 ayes — 0 nays.
15. First reading, discuss and vote on an ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, GRANTING TO ONCOR ELECTRIC DELIVERY
COMPANY LLC, ITS SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS, AN ELECTRIC DELIVERY
FRANCHISE FOR THE NON - EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE AND OCCUPY PUBLIC
RIGHTS -OF -WAY WITHIN THE CITY OF PARIS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION
AND OPERATION OF AN ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
SYSTEM; PRESCRIBING CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE USE OF THE PUBLIC
RIGHTS -OF -WAY; PROVIDING FOR COMPENSATION THEREFOR; PROVIDING
FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND A TERM OF SAID FRANCHISE; PROVIDING
FOR WRITTEN ACCEPTANCE OF THIS FRANCHISE; PROVIDING FOR THE
REPEAL OF ALL EXISTING FRANCHISE ORDINANCES TO ONCOR ELECTRIC
DELIVERY COMPANY LLC, ITS PREDECESSORS AND ASSIGNS, AND
FINDING THAT THE MEETING AT WHICH THIS FRANCHIES IS PASSED IS
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC; AND PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY.
Mr. Anderson explained that the agreement with Oncor expired June 30 and the City
Council had approved two extensions. He also said a new agreement was negotiated and reached
but the Charter required the City to have three readings prior to the agreement being approved
and put into place.
A Motion to approve this reading was made by Council Member Clifford and seconded
by Council Member Drake. Motion carried, 5 ayes — 1 nay, with Council Member Jenkins
casting the dissenting vote.
Mr. Anderson announced the second reading would take place at the October 10 City
Council meeting.
16. Discuss and act on ORDINANCE NO. 2016 -028: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, AMENDING SEC. 26 -1
COMPOSITION OF DEPARTMENT, OF CHAPTER 26, POLICE, OF THE CODE OF
ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS BY REDUCING THE NUMBER
OF LIEUTENANTS EMPLOYED BY THE PARIS POLICE DEPARTMENT BY ONE
AND INCREASING THE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS BY ONE
OFFICER; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE
SUBJECT; PROVIDING A REPEALER CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, A
SAVINGS CLAUSE; AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
Chief Hundley explained with the retirement of a uniform Patrol Captain June 1, Lt.
Joseph Nelms was recently promoted to Captain which left a Lieutenant Position open that was
no longer needed. Chief Hundley requested that the number of Lieutenants be reduced from 9 to
8, and the number of officers be increased from 42 to 43.
Regular Council Meeting
September 26, 2016
Page 5
A Motion to approve this item was made by Council Member Drake and seconded by
Council Member Trenado. Motion carried, 6 ayes — 0 nays.
17. Consider and approve future events for City Council and /or City Staff pursuant to
Resolution No. 2004 -081.
Council Member Drake brought to the attention of everyone that there were going to be a
lot of activities in Paris throughout the month of October.
18. Adjournment.
There being no further business, a Motion to adjourn was made by Council Member
Frierson and was seconded by Council Member Clifford. Motion carried, 6 ayes — 0 nays. The
meeting was adjourned at 6:56 p.m.