07/02/2020MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS
July 2, 2020
The City Council of the City of Paris met for a special session at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday,
July 2, 2020, at the City Council Chamber, 107 E. Kaufman, Paris, Texas.
Present: Mayor: Steve Clifford
Council Members: Paula Portugal; Renae Stone; Derrick Hughes;
Linda Knox; and Clayton Pilgrim
City Staff: Grayson Path, City Manager; Gene Anderson,
Finance Director; Stephanie Harris, City Attorney;
Janice Ellis, City Clerk; Randy Tuttle, Interim
Police Chief, and Clyde Crew, Fire Marshal
Call meeting to order.
Mayor Clifford called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
2. Citizens' forum.
Lisa McItarian, 749 W. Kaufman — she said the racial issue climate was changing, and
that injustice was the obstacle with leadership being the key.
Brenda Cherry, 1442 Fitzhugh — she said adult men assaulted young teens, and the adult
men were driving a company truck with the name of Beshirs. She asked that the adult man be
arrested and the City not have a contract with the company.
Ruby Bell — She said those men should have stayed in their truck and none of this would
have happened. She said right is right and wrong is wrong.
Gary Savage, 1520 York Street — he spoke out against doing business with Beshirs,
specifically that he did not think the City needed to be doing business with companies who could
not keep themselves composed. He said he did not think this City need to be represented by
people who were driving around with AR -15's in their vehicles. He said the City leaders needed
to be pro -active and get this handled.
Discuss and act on staggering the terms of new members of Paris Economic
Development Corporation Board, for the purpose of continuity of the board.
Mayor Clifford said since they now had six board members under three year terms, he
thought it was better to stagger terms so at no one time they had more than two people coming
off the board at one time. In order to accomplish this, he proposed that the two people receiving
the most points be appointed to a three-year term and the other person be appointed to a two-year
term.
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July 2, 2020
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A Motion to move the one person to a two-year term was made by Mayor Clifford and
seconded by Councils Member Portugal. Motion carried, 6 ayes — 0 nays.
4. Discuss and possibly revote on appointments made to the various boards and
commissions on June 22, 2020.
Mayor Clifford said he brought this forward at the advice of the City Attorney. He said
Mrs. Harris expressed they might get sued if they did not have a one-person one vote. He said
she would be more comfortable if they took this official act. Mayor Clifford said it was his
intent to keep the same people on the boards, because that was the right thing to do and only fair.
Council Members Portugal, Knox and Pilgrim said they were not changing their votes. Mayor
Clifford said this vote would establish an official one-person one vote and fill the two-year term
with Chase Coleman.
A Motion to ratify and conform the appointments made at the June 22 city council
meeting was made by Mayor Clifford as follows:
Paris Economic Development Corporation — Josh Bray and Curtis Fendley to serve three-
year terms, and Chase Coleman to serve a two-year term
Planning & Zoning Commission — Austin Anthony, Cody Adams, and Tylesha Ross
.Historic Preservation Commission — Matthew Coyle, Randy Hider and Linda Vandiver
Main Street Advisory Board — Glee Emmite, Emily Temple, and Tanner Dobrovolsky
Airport Advisory Board — Scott B. Avery, Zachary Ebbs, and Bartley Jamar
The Motion was seconded by Council Members Knox and Portugal. Motion carried, 6
ayes — 0 nays.
5. Discuss and act on RESOLUTION NO. 2020-028: A RESOLUTION REPEALING
RESOLUTION NO. 2027 AND APPOINTING MEMBERS TO FILL TWO OF THE
THREE REGULAR MEMBERS' EXPIRED TERMS ON THE BOARD OF
ADJUSTMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 16 OF THE CITY ZONING
ORDINANCE AND THE CITY'S POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR STANDING
BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES; REAPPOINTMENT CHRIS
FITZGERALD AND JERRY HANING TO SERVE AS REGULAR MEMBERS FOR
TWO YEAR TERMS.
City Clerk Janice Ellis explained that at the June 22 city council meeting, Reeves Hayter
and Kim Walker were appointed to the Building & Standards Commission, and subsequently
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July 2, 2020
Page 3
both were inadvertently appointed to the Board of Adjustment. Ms. Ellis recommended that the
previous action be repealed and that City Council appoint Chris Fitzgerald and Jerry Haning to
the Board to serve as regular members.
A Motion to approve this item was made by Mayor Clifford and seconded by Council
Member Pilgrim. Motion carried, 6 ayes — 0 nays.
6. Convene into Executive Session pursuant to Section 551.071 of the Texas Government
Code, Consultation with Attorney, to receive legal advice from the City Attorney about
(1) pending or contemplated litigation and/or (2) on matters in which the duty of an
attorney to her client under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct of the
State Bar of Texas clearly conflict with this chapter, regarding Beshirs Construction.
Mayor Clifford convened City Council into executive session at 5:44 p.m.
7. Reconvene into Open Session and possibly take action on those matters discussed in
Executive Session.
Mayor Clifford reconvened City Council into open session 6:37 p.m.
Mayor Clifford announced that after consultation with the City Attorney on the City's
legal position with regard to the bid with Beshirs Construction, it was the consensus of the
Council to direct staff to enter into discussions with the company to terminate that bid.
8. Adjournment.
There being no further business, Mayor Clifford adjourned the meeting at 6:37 p.m.
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STEVE iCLIFFOI M D
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