05-10-2021MINUTES OF THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS
May 10, 2021
The City Council of the City of Paris met for a regular session at 5:30 p.m. on Monday,
May 10, 2021, at the City Council Chamber, 107 E. Kaufman, Paris, Texas.
Present: Mayor: Paula Portugal
Council Members: Reginald Hughes; Renae Stone; Gary Savage; Mihir
Pankaj; Linda Knox; and Clayton Pilgrim
City Staff: Grayson Path, City Manager; Stephanie Harris, City
Attorney; Janice Ellis, City Clerk; Gene Anderson;
Finance Director; Richard Salter, Police Chief;
Randy Tuttle, Assistant Chief of Police; Andrew
Mack; Community Development Director; Russell
Thrasher, Interim EMS Director; M.A. Smith,
Public Works Director; Doug Harris, Utilities
Director; and Clyde Crews, Fire Marshal
O.)enin A enda
Call meeting to order.
Mayor Clifford called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
2. Invocation.
Finance Director Gene Anderson gave the invocation.
3. Pledge of Allegiance.
Council Member Portugal led the pledge.
4. Citizens' forum.
Kenda Felker, 3077 CR 24200, Roxton — she said she loved shopping downtown but
there was a lack of handicap spaces and noted out of 261 parking spaces, there was only 1
handicap parking space. Mayor Clifford said he was sure the city manager would look into it.
City Manager Grayson Path said that staff was already reviewing and planning for additional
spaces.
Keith Towson, Reno, Texas — he said he worked for Turner and then asked those from
Turner to stand with him. Mr. Towson said they had turned in a petition about the smoking
ordinance as it related to Turner and asked that City Council excuse Turner from the smoking
ordinance.
Regular Council Meeting
May 10, 2021
Page 2
Consent Mends
Mayor Clifford 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 Mayor Clifford and seconded by Council Member Pilgrim. Motion carried, 7
ayes — 0 nays.
5. Approve minutes from the meeting on April 26, 2021.
6. Receive reports and/or minutes from the following boards and commissions:
a. Paris Visitors & Convention Council Quarterly Activity & Financial Reports
b. Love Civic Center Quarterly Activity & Financial Reports
c. Paris Public Library Advisory Board (3-17-2021)
d. Paris Visitors & Convention Board of Directors (3-15-2021)
e. Planning & Zoning Commission (4-5-2021)
7. Receive Certificate of Insufficiency with regard to an Initiative Petition filed with the
City to allow smoking in a Welding Facility.
8. Approve a Professional Service Agreement in the amount of $10,000 with McDoux
Preservation, LLC for update of the Paris Historic Resource Survey; and authorize the
City Manager to execute all necessary documents.
9. Approve the Professional Service Agreement for FEMA FMA Program Third Party
Administrator Services with Resource Management & Consulting Co. in the amount of
$8,725.00; and authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents.
10. Approve the Drag Boat Race Event Agreement with SDBA; and authorize the City
Manager to execute all necessary documents.
11. Approve the Professional Services Agreement with Richard Drake Construction for
concrete demolition and construction services; and authorize the City Manage to execute
all necessary documents.
12. Approve RESOLUTION NO. 2021-023: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, APPROVING AN AGREEMENT DATED MAY
10, 2021, BETWEEN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS,
FOR THE MAINTENANCE, CONTROL, SUPERVISION, AND REGULATION OF
CERTAIN STATE HIGHWAYS AND/OR PORTIONS OF STATE HIGHWAYS IN
Regular Council Meeting
May 10, 2021
Page 3
THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS; PROVIDING FOR THE EXECUTION OF SAID
AGREEMENT; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS
AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; AND PROVIDING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
Regular Agenda
13. Discuss and act on RESOLUTION NO. 2021-014: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, ACKNOWLEDGING THE RESULTS
OF PRIOR COUNCIL ACTION DECLARING CANDIDATES AS ELECTED TO
OFFICE FOR COUNCIL DISTRICTS 5 AND 7, AS A RESULT OF HAVING BEEN
UNOPPOSED FOR ELECTION TO OFFICE; DECLARING CANDIDATES FOR
COUNCIL DISTRICTS 4, 5 AND 7 ELECTED TO OFFICE; DECLARING THE
TERMS OF OFFICE FOR THE AFORESAID CANDIDATES; MAKING OTHER
FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; AND PROVIDING
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
City Clerk Janice Ellis reported that an election took place on May 1, 2021, for the
purpose of electing one Council Member to District 4. She further reported that James O'Bryan
received a total of 79 votes and Mihir "Mark" Pankaj received a total of 126 votes, thus Mr.
Pankaj was elected to serve as Council Member for District 4. Ms. Ellis said that Council
previously declared Linda Su Knox elected to serve as City Council Member for District 5 and
Paula Portugal to serve as City Council Member for District 7, because neither drew an opponent
for the election. She asked City Council to approve a resolution declaring all three candidates
elected to office.
A Motion to approve this item was made by Council Member Savage and seconded by
Council Member Pilgrim. Motion carried, 7 ayes - 0—nays.
14. Recognition of outgoing Mayor Steve Clifford for his service.
Mayor Pro -Tem Portugal recognized Mayor Steve Clifford for his service to the City of
Paris, citing he had served as District 4 Council Member from May 2015-2021 and as Mayor
from May 2017-2021. Mayor Pro -Tem Portugal presented Mayor Clifford with a plaque from
the City.
15. Issuance of Certificate of Election; Administer Statement of Elected Officer to Council
Members; and Administer Oath of Office to newly elected Council Members.
Ms. Ellis administered the Oath of Office to Council Member Knox, Council Member
Portugal and Council Member Pankaj.
16. Election by City Council of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem to serve the City of Paris for the
next year.
Regular Council Meeting
May 10, 2021
Page 4
Mayor Pro -Tem Portugal opened the floor for nominations for Mayor. Council Member
Pilgrim nominated Paula Portugal. Mayor Pro -Tem Portugal asked if there were any other
nominations. There being none, she closed the floor for nominations and called for a vote on the
nomination of Paula Portugal as Mayor. Paula Portugal was elected to serve as Mayor for the
next year, with a vote of 7 ayes — 0 nays.
Mayor Portugal opened the floor for nominations for Mayor Pro -Tem. Council Member
Savage nominated Reginald Hughes. Mayor Portugal asked if there were any other nominations.
There being none, she closed the floor for nominations and called for a vote on the nomination of
Reginald Hughes as Mayor Pro -Tem. Reginald Hughes was elected to serve as Mayor Pro -Tem
for the next year, with a vote of 7 ayes — 0 nays.
17. Discuss the process and procedures for performing the City Manager, City Attorney and
City Judge performance evaluations, and provide direction to staff.
Mayor Portugal said normally these annual evaluations were done at a time when new
Council Members were being seated and she did not think that was fair to the employees or the
new Council Members. Mayor Portugal said she would like to form a committee of three
Council Members to establish a process and creation of evaluation forms. She asked for
volunteers and said she would like to serve on the committee. Council Members Hughes and
Pankaj volunteered to serve on the Committee. Council Member Savage suggested they conduct
these evaluations in March or April of each year. Mayor Portugal said the Committee would get
together and get back with staff and Council in about a month.
18. Convene into executive session pursuant to:
A. 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, to -wit: Essent (Paris Regional Medical Center
v. City of Paris).
B. Section 551.087 of the Texas Government Code, (1) to discuss or deliberate
regarding commercial or financial information that the governmental body has
received from a business prospect that the governmental body seeks to have
located, stay, or expand in or near the territory of the governmental body and with
which the governmental body is conducting economic development negotiations;
or (2) to deliberate the offer of a financial or other incentive to a business prospect
described by Subdivision (1), as follows: Westgate Apartments.
Council Member Pankaj said he needed to be recused from item 18 A due to a conflict.
A Motion to recuse Council Member Pankaj from executive session was made by Council
Member Knox and seconded by Council Member Stone. Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays.
Regular Council Meeting
May 10, 2021
Page 5
Mayor Portugal convened City Council into executive session at 5.52 p.m.
Mayor Portugal reconvened City Council into open session at 6:16 p.m. Mayor Portugal
said no action was required on item 18 A. A Motion to return Council Member Pankaj back to
the meeting was made by Council Member Savage and seconded by Council Member Knox.
Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays.
Mayor Portugal convened City Council into executive session at 6:18 p.m.
Mayor Portugal reconvened City Council into open session at 6:46 p.m. and said no
action was required on item 18 B.
19. Reconvene into open session and possibly take action on those matters discussed in
executive session.
Mayor Portugal reconvened City Council into open session at 6:46 p.m. and said no
action was required.
20. Consider and approve future events for City Council and/or City Staff pursuant to
Resolution No. 2004-081.
No future events were referenced.
21. Adjournment.
There being no further business, a Motion to adjourn was made by Council Member
Pilgrim and was seconded by Council Member Savage. Motion carried, 7 ayes ®- 0 nays. The
meeting was adjourned at 6:46 p.m.
PAULA P g
ORTUGAL, AY