09/16/2019MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS
September 16, 2019
The City Council of the City of Paris met for a special session at 5:30 p.m. on Monday,
September 16, 2019, at the City Council Chamber, 107 E. Kaufman, Paris, Texas.
Present: Mayor: Steve Clifford
Council Members: Renae Stone; Linda Knox; and Paula Portugal
City Staff: Gene Anderson, Interim City Manager/Finance
Director; Stephanie Harris, City Attorney; Janice
Ellis, City Clerk; Bob Hundley, Police Chief; Mike
Vogel, Fire Chief; Kent Klinkerman, EMS Director;
Doug Harris, Utilities Director; Jerry McDaniel,
Public Works Director, Carla Easton, City
Engineer; Randy Tuttle, Assistant Police Chief; and
Clyde Crews, Fire Marshal
Absent: Council Members: Derrick Hughes, Billy Trenado and Clayton Pilgrim
1. Call meeting to order.
Mayor Clifford called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
2. Citizens' forum.
No one spoke during citizens' forum.
3. Discuss and act on ORDINANCE NO. 2019-031: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR THE
ENSUING FISCAL PERIOD BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2019, AND ENDING
SEPTEMBER 30, 2020, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CHARTER OF THE CITY
OF PARIS; APPROPRIATING THE VARIOUS AMOUNTS THEREOF; MAKING
OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; PROVIDING
A REPEALER CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, A SAVINGS CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
Interim City Manager Gene Anderson said the City Council had asked him at the last
meeting to go back and try to produce a revenue neutral budget, and he had done that by
reducing $568,338 from expenditures. He said the Council could adopt the effective tax rate and
fund this budget with the reductions. Mr. Anderson explained State Law defined the effective
tax rate as bringing in the same amount of money in ad valorem taxes as the year before, based
on the same property. Mr. Anderson also said they were at the point in the budget process that
an item could not be increased because another public hearing would have to be called and a ten-
City Council Special Meeting
September 16, 2019
Page 2
day notice was required. Mr. Anderson said the ordinance in their packet reflected the reduced
budget.
After their last Council meeting, Mayor Clifford said he was hopeful that for once they
would not raise taxes this year. He said by adopting this reduced budget, they were keeping
taxes the same, even though the rate was going down. He said Council Member Portugal
brought up the possibility of bumping up the tax rate one or two pennies and tagging it for
downtown development. Mayor Clifford said after speaking with Mr. Anderson, that it was his
understanding that the City had well over ten million dollars in reserve funds. He also said
reserve funds should not be spent here and there, but a one-time expense was different. He said
it was also his understanding that 8 million dollars needed to be in reserves. Mayor Clifford said
they did not know how much downtown was going to cost but he understood it would take about
$500,000 more to complete the first phase. Mayor Clifford said he would prefer to pass the
reduced budget with effective tax rate, with the notion they could approve funding for some of
the downtown from reserves. Council Member Knox said one of the cuts was a new special
telephone system for the police department, and she would like to see the phone system
purchased. Mr. Anderson said the technology was aging and at some point, it would have to
replaced, and it would cost about $120,000. Council Member Knox said it seemed to becoming
more affordable and questioned if there was something they could do to move forward with
purchasing it. She also said they knew downtown was going to cost a lot; they planned for it
and budgeted for it. Council Member Knox said she was for downtown development but was
opposed to raising taxes to pay for downtown. Council Member Knox said if they were going to
dip into reserves that she would like to get telephone equipment for the police department.
Mayor Clifford deferred to Mr. Anderson. Mr. Anderson said as long as a little more than 8
million dollars remained in reserves, that is something they could do. Mayor Clifford asked
Council their thoughts about using reserves to purchase telephone equipment for the police
department. Council Member Portugal said it was a good move to lower taxes, and that she
thought the police department should have the technical equipment needed to do their jobs.
Council Member Stone agreed. Mayor Clifford inquired if a separate vote would be required to
authorize the purchase of telephone equipment out of reserves. Mr. Anderson said it would. He
also said they had talked about doing a workshop in October and it could be done at that time.
A Motion to approve the budget as presented by Mr. Anderson was made by Council
Member Portugal and seconded by Council Member Knox. Motion carried, 4 ayes — 0 nays.
4. Discuss and ratify the property tax increase reflected in the budget as required by Local
Government Code Section 102.007(c).
Mayor Clifford said this item was moot, because the City Council did not raise property
taxes.
5. Discuss and act on ORDINANCE NO. 2019-032: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, FIXING THE TAX RATE AND THE
TAX LEVY AND LEVYING AD VALOREM TAXES FOR THE CITY OF PARIS
FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 2019 UPON ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY WITHIN
THE CITY OF PARIS IN CONFORMITY WITH THE CHARTER PROVISIONS AND
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City Council Special Meeting
September 16, 2019
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ORDINANCES OF THE CITY; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS
RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF
ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE;
PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE
DATE.
Mr. Anderson said the tax rate Council would be adopting was the effective tax rate of
Adjournment.
There being no further business, Mayor Clifford adjourned the meeting at 5:40 p.m.
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