2017-028 - Calling a Special Election Relating to the Abolition of the Sales and Use Tax for Economic Development and the Adoption of a Sales and Use Tax for the Repair and Maintenance of Streets...ORDINANCE NO. 2017- 028
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS,
TEXAS, CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION RELATING TO THE
ABOLITION OF THE SALES AND USE TAX FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND THE ADOPTION OF A SALES AND USE TAX
FOR THE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF STREETS IN THE CITY
OF PARIS, TEXAS; ESTABLISHING THE DATE OF THE ELECTION;
PROVIDING FOR EARLY VOTING; DESIGNATING POLLING
PLACES; APPOINTING ELECTION OFFICIALS; PROVIDING FOR
NOTICE OF THE ELECTION; AUTHORIZING AN AGREEMENT WITH
THE LAMAR COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR FOR
ELECTION SERVICES; APPOINTING AN EARLY VOTING BALLOT
BOARD; FINDING AND DETERMINING THAT THE MEETING AT
WHICH THIS ORDINANCE WAS PASSED COMPLIED WITH THE
TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND
PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; AND PROVIDING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 321.409 of the Tax Code, as amended, and other
related statutes, the City Council of the City of Paris, Texas (the "City ") is authorized to call an
election in order to submit to the voters of the City a combined municipal sales tax proposition;
and
WHEREAS, this City Council deems it advisable to call the special election hereinafter
ordered; and
WHEREAS, it is hereby officially found and determined that holding the hereinafter
called election on the date set forth below is in the public interest; and that the meeting was open
to the public, and public notice of the time, place and purpose of the meeting was given, all as
required by Chapter 551, Texas Government Code.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS:
Section 1. The findings set out in the preamble to this ordinance are hereby in all things
approved and adopted.
Section 2. A special election shall be called for and held on November 7, 2017, between
the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., at which election the following PROPOSITION shall be
submitted in accordance with law:
CITY OF PARIS PROPOSITION A
The abolition of a sales and use tax for the promotion and development of new
and expanded business enterprises at the rate of one -fourth of one percent within
the City of Paris, Texas as permitted and authorized under the Local Government
Code, Chapter 504, Type A Corporations, and the adoption of a local sales and
use tax in the City of Paris, Texas at the rate of one -fourth of one percent to
provide revenue for maintenance and repair of municipal streets which will not
take effect until the debt of the Paris Economic Development Corporation is
extinguished.
Section 3. OFFICAL BALLOT. The official ballots for the special election shall be
prepared in accordance with the Code so as to permit the electors to vote "FOR" or "AGAINST"
the aforesaid PROPOSITION, with the ballots to contain such provisions, markings and
language as required by law, and with such PROPOSITION to be expressed substantially as
follows:
CITY OF PARIS PROPOSITION A
The abolition of a sales and use tax for the promotion
FOR and development of new and expanded business
enterprises at the rate of one -fourth of one percent and
AGAINST the adoption of a local sales and use tax in the City of
Paris, Texas at the rate of one -fourth of one percent to
provide revenue for maintenance and repair of
municipal streets.
Section 4. All persons legally qualified to vote according to the laws of the State of
Texas and the Charter of the City of Paris, Texas, shall be entitled to vote in the election.
Section 5. The election shall be held and conducted and the returns thereof made in
accordance with the Texas Election Code, the Charter of the City of Paris, Texas, and all other
applicable statutes of the State of Texas and ordinances and resolutions of the City of Paris,
Texas. The election materials enumerated in Sections 272.001, et seq., Texas Election Code,
shall be printed and furnished in both English and Spanish for use at each polling place on
election day and for early voting.
Section 6. Voting in the election on November 7, 2017 shall be conducted for all voters
at the following polling places:
Voting Locations:
Lamar County Courthouse Annex
Old County Courtroom
231 Lamar Avenue
Paris, Texas
Red River Valley Fairgrounds
Event Center
1875 Fitzhugh Street
Paris, Texas
Section 7. The following persons are hereby appointed and named as the election
officers for the election:
Judges and Alternate Judges:
Lamar County Courthouse Annex
Dorothy Ritchey, Election Judge
Eva Easley, Alternate Judge
Red River Valley Fairgrounds
Thelma Dangerfield, Election Judge
Paula Henderson, Alternate Judge
Section 8. Early voting shall be conducted by personal appearance and by mail at:
Location to Vote In Person
Address to Request Ballot by Mail
Lamar County Courthouse Annex
Tricia Johnson
Old County Courtroom
Lamar County Elections Administrator
231 Lamar Avenue
231 Lamar Avenue
Paris, Texas
Paris, Texas 75460
The early voting period for the election is October 23, 2017 through November 3, 2017,
except no early voting will be held on Saturdays, Sundays and legal state holidays during that
period. On October 23, 2017 and October 24, 2017, the hours designated for early voting by
personal appearance shall be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. On all other days of early voting, the hours
designated for early voting by personal appearance shall be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Early
Voting Clerk shall keep said early voting place open during such hours for early voting by
personal appearance. The Early Voting Clerk for the election shall be Tricia Johnson.
Section 9. In accordance with provisions of the Texas Election Code, this Ordinance
calling the election (the "Ordinance "), as it may be modified in a manner that is consistent with
the election notice requirements applicable to the election, shall serve as proper notice of the
election (the "Notice of Election "). The Council hereby directs the City Clerk to post and
publish the Notice of Election and the Ordinance as follows:
(a) The Notice of Election shall be published in both English and Spanish on the same day in
each of two (2) successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the City, the date of
the first publication to be not more than thirty (30) or less than fourteen (14) days prior to the
date set for the Election;
(b) The Ordinance shall be posted on the bulletin board used for posting notices of meetings
of the City Council, and at three other places in the City, not later than the twenty -first (21 st) day
prior to the date set for the Election;
(c) The Ordinance shall be posted on election day and during early voting by personal
appearance, in a prominent location at each polling place; and
(d) The Ordinance shall be posted during the 21 days before the date of the election, on the
City's Internet website.
A substantial copy of this Ordinance, with such omissions allowed by law, shall serve as a proper
notice of the election. The City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to publish and post the
required notices in the manner and for the time periods required by law.
Section 10. Tricia Johnson is hereby appointed to serve on the date of the election as the
presiding judge of a three (3) member Early Voting Ballot City Council, the other two members
of which are to be appointed by said judge in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 87 of the
Texas Election Code, as amended.
Section 11. The City Manager or the Mayor is hereby authorized and directed to execute
an agreement with the Lamar County Elections Administrator, as approved by the City Attorney,
to allow the Lamar County Elections Administrator to provide services in regards to the
November 7, 2017 election. The Mayor, City Clerk and City Attorney are authorized to take any
further action required by law in conjunction with the election herein ordered and are hereby
authorized to execute and/or issue, for an on behalf of the City, such orders, documents and
forms as may, from time to time, be promulgated by the Secretary of State of the State of Texas
in conjunction with the election herein ordained.
Section 12. In all respects, the election shall be conducted in accordance with the Code.
Pursuant to the federal Help America Vote Act ( "HAVA ") and the Code, at each polling place
there shall be at least one voting system that is equipped for disabled individuals, and each such
voting system shall be a system that has been certified by the Texas Secretary of State as
compliant with HAVA and the Code.
Section 13. The meeting at which this Ordinance was passed was conducted in strict
compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code Chapter 551.
Section 14. This Ordinance shall be effective immediately from and after its passage.
PASSED AND APPROVED this 24th day of July, 2017.
Stev . Cliffor , M.D.
Mayor
.•�` °'� E CITY ",
ATTEST:
�4
ice Ellis
raamn + ► +�
ity Clerk
APPROVED AS TO
FORM:
a mvx
Step anie H. Harris
City Attorney
CERTIFICATE REGARDING ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE
THE STATE OF TEXAS
LAMAR COUNTY
CITY OF PARIS
I, the undersigned City Clerk of the City of Paris, Texas, hereby certify as follows:
1. The City Council convened in a REGULAR MEETING ON THE 24TH DAY OF JULY,
2017, at the regular designated meeting place, and the roll was called of the duly constituted officers and
members of the Council, to wit:
Steven J. Clifford, M.D., Councilmember District 4 and Mayor
Aaron Jenkins, Councilmember District 1
Billie Sue Lancaster, Councilmember District 2
Bill Trenado, Councilmember District 3
Linda Su Knox, Councilmember District 5
Cleonne Holmes Drake, Councilmember District 6 and Mayor Pro
Tern
Paula Portugal, Councilmember District 7
Janice Ellis, City Clerk
and all of the persons were present, except the following absentee: None , thus constituting a
quorum. Whereupon, among other business, the following was transacted at the Meeting: a written
ORDINANCE CALLING FOR A SPECIAL SALES TAX ELECTION
AND PROVIDING NOTICE OF THE SPECIAL ELECTION
was duly introduced for the consideration of the Council. It was then duly moved and seconded that the
Ordinance be passed; and, after due discussion, the motion, carrying with it the passage of the Ordinance,
prevailed and carried by the following vote:
AYES: All members of the Council shown present above voted "Aye," except as
provided below:
NOES: Council Member Portugal
ABSTAIN: None
2. A true, full and correct copy of the aforesaid Ordinance passed at the Meeting described
in the above and foregoing paragraph is attached to and follows this Certificate; that the Ordinance has
been duly recorded in the Board's minutes of the Meeting; that the above and foregoing paragraph is a
true, full and correct excerpt from the Board's minutes of the Meeting pertaining to the passage of the
Ordinance; that the persons named in the above and foregoing paragraph are the duly chosen, qualified
and acting officers and members of the Council as indicated therein; that each of the officers and
members of the Council was duly and sufficiently notified officially and personally, in advance, of the
time, place and purpose of the aforesaid Meeting, and that the Ordinance would be introduced and
considered for passage at the Meeting, and each of the officers and members consented, in advance, to the
holding of the Meeting for such purpose; that the Meeting was open to the public and public notice of the
time, place and purpose of the Meeting as given, all as required by Chapter 551, Government Code.
SIGNED this, the 24th day of '