06 - City Council MinutesItem No. 6
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS
July 12, 2021
The City Council of the City of Paris met for a regular session at 5:30 p.m. on Monday,
July 12, 2021, at the City Council Chamber, 107 E. Kaufinan, Paris, Texas.
Present: Mayor:
Mayor Pro -Tem:
Council Members:
City Staff:
Absent: Council Member:
Paula Portugal
Reginald Hughes
Gary Savage; Mihir Pankaj; Linda Knox; and
Clayton Pilgrim
Grayson Path, City Manager; Stephanie Harris, City
Attorney; Janice Ellis, City Clerk;-GeneAnderson;
Finance 'Director; Richard Salters Police Chiu;
Russells Thrasher, EMS Director; M.A Smith,
Public Works Director; and Andrew Mach, Director
of Planning=,& Community Services "
Renae Stone +
Opening Agenda',
1. Call meeting to order.
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Mayor Portugal called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
2. Invocation.
Finance Director Gene Anderson gave the invocation.
3. Pledge of Allegiance.
Mayor Pro -Tem Hughes led the pledge.
4. A. Citizens' forum.
Taisley Scoggins, W. Houston Street — she said that on July 1st Coco Carico was shot by
an officer and there had yet to be a public statement.
Bradley McKinnen, 530 Shiloh — he asked that something be done about cleanup of the
Westgate Apartments and complained about parallel parking in downtown.
B. Recognition of Don Yarbrough and the Weald Workers of Lamar County for their
countless volunteer hours in helping to make Paris beautiful.
Regular Council Meeting
July 12, 2021
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A Motion to remove this item from the table was made by Council Member Pilgrim and
seconded by Council Member Pankaj. Motion carried, 6 ayes — 0 nays.
Mayor Pro -Tem Hughes and Mayor Portugal presented Don Yarbrough and his team a
certificate of appreciation.
C. Presentation of Mayor's Yard of the Month Awards.
Mayor Portugal said staff would assist with these awards, as well as Julia Trigg Crawford
from Keep Paris Beautiful. She asked City Council Members whose constituents were receiving
an award, to please join them down front.
Mayor Portugal announced the Mayor's Yard of the Month Awards as follows:
Huhtamaki, Inc. = Industry Award "
Scott & Kristi Hearn; Road Rurmer Service & Tire — Commercial Award
Paul Lipscomb, Jr. Northeast Quadrant
Miranda Dawn Lester — Northwest Quadrant
Malisia Lynn Broades — Southwest Quadrant
Charles Reedy — Southeast'Quadrant
Rocky Dority — Best Rehabilitation
Mayor Portugal pesented''winners who were present with a Certificate of Appreciation,
as well as a gift card from a local business. Mayor Portugal reminded everyone that they could
nominate a yard of the month by going onto the City website and completing the form.
Consent Agenda
Mayor Portugal 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 Pankaj and seconded by Council Member Pilgrim. Motion carried, 6
ayes — 0 nays.
5. Approve minutes from the meeting on June 28, 2021.
6. Receive reports and/or minutes from the following boards and commissions:
a. Paris Visitors & Convention Council Board of Directors (5-17-2021)
b. Paris Public Library Advisory Board (6-30-2021)
c. Planning & Zoning Commission (6-7-2021)
Regular Council Meeting
July 12, 2021
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Rylalar Agenda
7. Receive presentation regarding the Charter Review Process, discuss and act on an
agreement with Don Edmonds as the Consultant for the Charter Review Project; and
authorize the City Manager to sign the agreement.
City Manager Grayson Path said Mr. Don Edmonds was at the meeting to give them a
short presentation. He also said it was recommended that the City needed an expert to walk them
through this very important process. Mr. Path gave City Council Mr. Edmonds' background
information and then introduced him.
Mr. Edmonds explained the process he would use if selected as the Charter Review
Consultant. Council Member Pankaj inquired the length of the process. Mr. Edmonds said it
routinely took about three months, with the committee meeting every two weeks. Council
Member Pilgrim asked if this process would have an effect on the redistricting process. Mr.
Edmonds said'it would not. Mayor Portugal asked if he would be meeting with City Council and
he said he would, and that an ordinance would be 'drafted setting out the committee's charge.'
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A Motion to authorize the City Managef to sign an agreement with Don Edmonds as the
Consultant for the Charter Review Project was' made',by Council Member Pankaj and seconded
byCouncil Member Savage. Motion carried, 6' ayes —'0 nays.'
8. Discuss and consider a proposal from Dr. Richard Lewis, Jr. to serve as a City
Council/Senior Staff Retreat Facilitator.
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Mr. Path said at the June 28 meeting, Mayor Portugal proposed the City pursue seeking
out a qualified, consultant to serve as a facilitator for a.City Council/Senior Staff retreat and
asked ..that a- proposal be brought to this I meeting. Dr. Richard Lewis, Jr. was introduced via
Zoom, and then gave City Council his background information. He proposed two team building
sessions, one on October 8 for Senior Staff and one on October 9 for City Council.
Council Member Pankaj asked if surveys would be done in advance to determine the
needs, and Dr. Lewis answered in the affirmative. Council Member Savage asked as he started
the evaluation process was it common to find that City Council and City Staff were going in
different directions. Dr. Lewis said it does happen. Mayor Portugal inquired if Dr. Lewis would
be working alone. He said his associate would be working with him and her name was Siri
Bledsoe, she was a Marriage and Family Therpasist and his wife. Dr. Lewis also said that the
Meyers Briggs Personality Inventory would be given in advance of the retreat, and the surveys
would be sent in early September. He said that everyone would see the surveys so that the team
will know each other's responses.
A Motion to approve the proposal from Dr. Richard Lewis, Jr. to serve as a City
Council/Senior Staff Retreat Facilitator was made by Council Member Savage and seconded by
Council Member Hughes. Motion carried, 6 ayes — 0 nays.
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July 12, 2021
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9. Discuss and act on Amendment Number One to the Professional Services Contract with
WRA Architects, Inc. for Phase II Services for the Love Civic Center Restoration Project.
Mr. Path explained that WRA had completed Phase I and it was determined that there
was more work than could be afforded, specifically with HVAC. He said he had been working
with Mary O'Brien of WRA Architects and Laura Caffey of Caffey Architects. He also said
they had been able to narrow the focus down to restroom renovations, roof repairs, lighting
upgrades, flooring finish upgrades, ceiling tile replacement, security upgrades, fire alarm
upgrades, door and window upgrades, ADA accessibility upgrades and painting. Mr. Path also
said specific work would still need to be identified within each of the categories. He said the
City wished to engage WRW with the designing and bidding phases. Mr. Path explained in order
to accomplish this, an Amendment to the Professional Services Contract would need to be
approved.
Ms. O'Brien gave a presentation to City Council that included site & aerial _views of the
Love. Civic Center, proposed site & floor plans,. repair of roof leaks, paint, sidewalk &
store
frorits of the exterior, painting, floor &ceiling, exhibition hall, restrooms of`the interiorand
HVAC improvements. Council Member Pankaj said, asya business owner that collects :HOT Tax,
that he was very,excited about this and the attraction of new events. Mayor Portugal asked about
thel'length of time the Civic Center would have.to be shut down: Ms. O'Brien said the project
would be done in i sections and at different times, and the details could be worked out around
planned events. 1VIr. Path said they had a lot of goals and''a finite amount of money but once the
bids were opened, they could determine the goals. Couricil'Member Pilgrim said they might want
to consider getting donors for certain sections of.the project, such as meeting rooms or the
ballroom.
r A�Motion to approve this item was'made by Council Member Pankaj and seconded by
Council Member Pilgrim. Motion carried,.6_ayes — 0 nays.'•_
10. Discuss expanding the PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) Act program to projects
throughout the City.
City Attorney Stephanie Harris said in February and March of this year, Council adopted
a PACE Program. She said the program was for all properties inside the city limits but was set up
for a single pilot project involving Paris Lakes. Ms. Harris reported that the City had received a
request from Harrison Walker and Harper to expand the program to projects throughout the City
so that HWH could take advantage of the program for energy efficient upgrades to several of its
properties. Ms. Harris answered questions from City Council regarding the program.
It was a consensus of City Council to move forward with expanding the program and for
staff to bring the documents back to Council for consideration.
11. Discuss and act on Termination of Agreement for Airport Management; Termination and
Buyout of Fixed Base Operator Management Lease Agreement; and approve Bill of Sale
in the total amount of $89,000.00.
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July 12, 2021
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Ms. Harris said at a previous meeting, City Council approved in principle a separation
agreement between the City and Jerry Richey regarding his contracts as airport manager and
FBO manager. She explained the three documents that were in their agenda packets. Ms. Harris
said Mr. Richey would stay on as a consultant 40 hours per week, until City hired, and Mr.
Richey trained, a new employee to manage these duties. Ms. Harris said the weekly rate was
$1,200.00. She also said once the employee was trained, Mr. Richey would be available for
consultations at the hourly rate of $30.00 with a $30.00 call out fee, and for telephone
consultations at no charge.
A Motion to approve this item was made by Council Member Pilgrim and seconded by
Council Member Knox. Motion carried, 6 ayes — 0 nays.
12. Receive report of results from the Committee for employee evaluations, the dates and
processes.
Mayor Portugal reported that the Committee consisting of herself, Mayor Pro -Tem
Hughes and Council Member Pankaj, had met and decided on the dates for employee evaluations
as follows: Municipal Judge on September 27, City Attorney on October 11 and City Manager
on October 25.
13. Discuss and provide direction to staff with regard to amending the smoking regulations
(Ordinance Nos. 2017-003 & 2020-029) and consider building into the ordinance an
application process for waiver.
Council Member Pilgrim said they had recently received a petition from employees of a
commercial business asking them to allow smoking in open air facilities. He said they should
consider giving a variance in these type of facilities where people were working in open spaces,
such as shops. Mr. Path said variances were normally granted by City Council but they would
want to establish criteria for granting variances. Council Member Pankaj said he was not
opposed to a variance process. Council Member Pilgrim suggested they put it in the company's
court to bring the request to the City Council. Ms. Harris said they might want to mirror the
variance after the 2017 ordinance which did allow smoking in open air spaces, such as at Turner
and Body Guard. Mayor Portugal suggested the criteria include a requirement of a certain
number or percentage of employees must request the variance. She said she agreed with
freedoms but when it impeded on someone else's freedoms, that was a problem. Council
Member Savage said it looked like they were just creating an option. Council Member Knox
said she had given a lot of thought to do this. She suggested they give consideration to industry
that had open air space but that the request should go from the employees to the manager or
owner of the industry, that the manager of owner then apply for the variance which would then
go to City Council.
14. Consider and approve future events for City Council and/or City Staff pursuant to
Resolution No. 2004-081.
Council Member Pankaj said he would like to put an item on the next agenda to discuss
further details about putting on a builders' forum.
Regular Council Meeting
July 12, 2021
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15. Adjournment.
There being no further business, a Motion to adjourn was made by Council Member
Pankaj and was seconded by Mayor Portugal. Motion carried, 6 ayes — 0 nays. The meeting was
adjourned at 6:45 p.m.
PAULA PORTUGAL, MAYOR
JANICE ELLIS, CITY CLERK
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