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01-24-2022MINUTES OF THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS January 24, 2022 The City Council of the City of Paris met for a regular session at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, January 24, 2022, at the City Council Chamber, 107 E. Kaufman, Paris, Texas. Present: Mayor: Paula Portugal Mayor Pro -Tem: Reginald Hughes Council Members: Mihir Pankaj and Linda Knox City Staff: Grayson Path, City Manager; Robert Vine, Assistant City Manager; Stephanie Harris, City Attorney; Janice Ellis, City Clerk; Gene Anderson; Finance Director; Andrew Mack, Director of Planning & Community Development; M.A. Smith, Public Works Director; Thomas McMonigle, Fire Chief; and Clyde Crews, Fire Marshal Absent: Council Members: Renae Stone, Gary Savage, and Clayton Pilgrim Opening Agenda Call meeting to order. 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. Citizen's forum. No one spoke during citizen's forum. 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 Mayor Pro -Tem Hughes. Motion carried, 4 ayes ® 0 nays. Regular Council Meeting January 24, 2022 Page 2 5. Approve minutes from the meeting of January 10, 2022. 6. Receive reports and/or minutes from the following boards and commissions: a. Main Street Advisory Board (11-9-2021) b. Historic Preservation Commission (11-10-2021) c. Receive Quarterly Reports from the Visitor & Convention Council and Love Civic Center. 7. Receive December monthly financial report. 8. Receive December drainage report. 9. Receive demolition and code enforcement activity reports. 10. Re -approve the City Investment Policy. 11. Approve RESOLUTION NO. 2022-005: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, ORDERING THE REGULAR MUNICIPAL ELECTION FOR THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, TO BE HELD ON THE FIRST SATURDAY IN MAY 2022, SAME BEING THE 7TH DAY OF MAY 2022, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING MEMBERS OF THE PARIS CITY COUNCIL IN DISTRICTS 1, 2, 3 & 6 FOR THE ENSUING TWO YEARS; DESIGNATING POLLING PLACES; ORDERING NOTICES OF ELECTION TO BE GIVEN; AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 12. Approve RESOLUTION NO. 2022-006: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, AUTHORIZING AND APPROVING A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PARIS AND THE LAMAR COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR TO ASSIST, COORDINATE, SUPERVISE, AND HANDLE CERTAIN ASPECTS OF ADMINISTERING THE GENERAL ELECTION FOR MAY 7, 2022, FOR THE CITY OF PARIS; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 13. Approve RESOLUTION NO. 2022-007: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, APPROVING A JOINT ELECTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PARIS AND PARIS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE MAY 7, 2022 ELECTION DATE; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 14. Approve RESOLUTION NO. 2022-008: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, APPROVING A JOINT ELECTION 1-Mr,ulau CUM ug-ul IMS7T January 24, 2022 Page 3 AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PARIS AND NORTH LAMAR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE MAY 7, 2022 ELECTION DATE; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 15° Approve the Final Plat of the Chadwick Addition, Lots 1-6 of Block A, Lots 1-6 of Block B, Lots 1-4 of Block C, LCAD Property ID 402159, located at 530 CR 32500. 16. Approve the Final Plat of the Southside Baptist Youth Addition, Lot 1, Block A, LCAD PropertyIli 110901, located at 610 Jefferson Road, 17. Approve the Final Plat of the Lawrence Addition, Lot 1, Block. A, LCAD Property ID 15514, located at 1049 MW. 7h Street. EggyRUIREAgenda 18. Discuss, conduct a public hearing and act on ORDINANCE NO. 2022-004: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, ADOPTING A REDISTRICTING PLAN FOR SEVEN CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS IN THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO "TILE SUBJECT; AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. City Manager Grayson Path said that the City Council previously hired consultant Robert Bass to guide the City through the redistricting process. He also said City Council had a special meeting on December I' for the purpose of reviewing three plans and had selected a plan, which was Plan B. Mr. Path stated that the City Council did not make any changes to the redistricting plan at their meeting on January I O'h and at this meeting, they needed to conduct a public hearing and adopt a redistricting plan. Mayor Portugal opened the public hearing and asked for anyone -wishing to speak about this it to please come forward. With no one speaking, Mayor Portugal closed the public hearing. .A Motion to approve the Order Adopting a Redistricting Plan for the City of Paris as presented, was made by Council Member Pankaj and seconded by Mayor Pro -Tern Hughes. Motion carried, 4 ayes — 0 nays. 19. Discuss 2021 Charter Review Commission Report, possibly make amendments and provide direction to staff. City Attorney Stephanie Harris referenced the meeting of two -weeks ago, at which time City Council had expressed a couple of changes they wished to make. Ms. Harris said there would not be a ballot proposition on Section 16, because all of the language had been deleted that pertained to mayor at large. Regular Council Meeting January 24, 2022 Page 4 Ms. Harris said Council Members added language to Section 17 with regard to requiring a Council Member to attend 75% of City Council meetings, and that would begin with the first meeting in May and end with the last meeting in April. She said City Council needed to decide if the requirement of 75% should apply to all of the meetings or only regular meetings and whether or not the Council Member must obtain an excuse prior to an absence. Following discussion, it was a consensus of the City Council that the absences would pertain to only regular meetings, and that an excuse would not have to be obtained prior to missing a meeting. With regard to Section 19, Ms. Harris said there would be no ballot issue because the mayor at large had been removed. With regard to Section 149, Ms. Harris said she had broken it into two paragraphs and the first paragraph was how the alternates were selected. Mayor Portugal said she would prefer the City Council vote on each section at the time of discussion then they would not have to try to remember at the end of the discussion what Ms. Harris said. Ms. Harris said they would go back to Section 16 and inquired if they wanted to vote on that one or just the sections they had made changes. Mayor Portugal said she did not have Section 16 as one they needed to take action. Ms. Harris said it was an amendment and that it was a change to the Charter Commission's Report and suggested they go ahead and vote on this too. Mayor Portugal said they voted on Section 16 at the last city council meeting but they would go ahead and discuss whether to have a mayor at large. She asked if there was any discussion and being none, called for a vote. City Council voted 4 ayes — 0 nays to delete the mayor at large proposition. Mayor Pro -Tem Hughes said they did vote on Section 16 at their last meeting. With regard to Section 17, Ms. Harris said she would require that 75% of attendance was required at regularly scheduled meetings. Mayor Portugal inquired about the provision of obtaining an excuse prior to missing a meeting and Ms. Harris said that was not needed. A Motion to approve this amendment as written was made by Council Member Pankaj and seconded by Mayor Pro -Tem Hughes. Motion carried, 4 ayes — 0 nays. With regard to Section 149, Ms. Harris said there were a couple of options as to how they select their alternates. She said the first option was to take nominations and the City Council vote on the two alternates. She said the second option was to let the Mayor and Mayor Pro -Tem appoint the two alternates when they appoint the fifteenth member. Council Member Pankaj favored option one, as did Mayor Portugal, Mayor Pro -Tem Hughes and Council Member Knox. A Motion to approve option one was made by Council Member Pankaj and seconded by Mayor Pro -Tem Hughes. Motion carried, 4 ayes — 0 nays. Ms. Harris said the other item was who was going to select the date and time for meetings. She said if appointees knew in advance of dates and times, they would have a better idea as to whether nor not they could make the time commitment. She suggested the City Council set the dates and times of the meeting subject to the Commission changing it as a body. Mayor Portugal said she thought it was important they do something to help with attendance. Mayor Pro -Tem Hughes said they should allow the Commission set their schedule. Mayor Regular Council Meeting January 24, 2022 Page 5 Portugal asked those in favor of the Commission determining the dates and times of their meeting after the initial meeting, 4 ayes — 0 nays. Ms. Harris said criteria that was sent to them on Friday and included the Commission Member had to be a registered voter, but that had previously been included. She said the changes included that the Chair would be appointed by the City Council; each Council Member would appoint two members with the Mayor and Mayor Pro -Tem appointing the fifteenth member. She said that current and former Council Members and current and former employees would not be eligible to be appointed to the Commission. She also said each member would be required to attend 75% of the meetings. Council Member Pankaj inquired if they would be selecting appointees who lived in their districts or would the appointments be made from the entire city. Ms. Harris said as written, they would be selecting appointees from the City at -large but she could make that change if Council decided to do so. Council Member Knox favored appointments being made from the city at -large, as did Mayor Portugal, Mayor Pro -Tem Hughes and Council Member Pankaj. Ms. Harris said she understood they wanted both option ones. A Motion to approve both option ones was made by Council Member Pankaj and seconded by Mayor Pro -Tem Hughes. Motion carried, 4 ayes — 0 nays. City Clerk Janice Ellis said at the prior meeting she had expressed concern about getting the Charter Amendments on the May Election because of the number of amendments, the time it would take for the attorney consultant to write the ballots, the translator to write the language in Spanish and the publication of booklets that must take place and the mailing to over 14,000 registered voters. Ms. Ellis said due to balloting issues, redistricting throughout the State and a conversation with the County Elections Administrator that day, that it would be almost impossible to get the Charter Election on a ballot for the May 2022 Election. She also said staff was still waiting on answers about the ballot from ES&S, the company who electronically writes the ballots and staff was informed they did not know when they would be able to provide answers due to redistricting and the primary elections coming up. Ms. Ellis closed with there was nothing that City Council needed to do at this point, and that Staff would be bringing information back to them in early fall so they could call an election for November 2022. Ms. Harris reiterated Ms. Ellis and said that staff wanted to make sure the Charter Election was done properly and legally so as not to have any challenges. 20. Discuss and act on an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Paris, Texas, authorizing the issuance of a solid waste collection permit to NETX Dumpster Rentals, LLC for the purpose of engaging in the business of collecting and/or transporting solid waste from commercial and industrial units within the city limits of the City of Paris, Texas; finding a public necessity and convenience for issuance of said permit; making other findings and provisions related to the subject; and declaring an effective date. Mayor Portugal said this item required five affirmative votes and since only four Council Members were in attendance, they would continue this item to the next meeting. 21. Discuss and act on ORDINANCE NO. 2022-005: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, AMENDING SECTION 6.01.001, Regular Council Meeting January 24, 2022 Page 6 "COMPOSITION," OF CHAPTER 6, "FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION," OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; PROVIDING REPEALER CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, A SAVINGS CLAUSE; AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Fire Chief Thomas McMonigle explained that the fire marshal's office was currently staffed by one Deputy Chief holding the title of Fire Marshal and he was responsible for everything related to fire prevention, plans review, fire inspections, and fire investigations. He said he was requesting the addition of one person to the Fire Marshal's office and believed the demands of the office justified an additional full-time position. Chief McMonigle also explained this position would hold the rank of Captain, and the cost would be absorbed in the approval budget for the 2021-2022. Council Member Knox inquired if this position would be filled from someone already in the fire department. Chief McMonigle said yes, it would be a promotion for a captain. A Motion to approve this item was made by Mayor Pro -Tem Hughes and seconded by Council Member Pankaj. Motion carried, 4 ayes — 0 nays. 22. Discuss and act on an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Paris and the Paris Independent School District, Paris Junior College, and Lamar County, as authorized by Texas Tax Code Section 34.051, consenting in advance to the re -sale of tax foreclosed properties to persons and entities for the purpose of developing affordable housing in accordance with the City of Paris,' "5 in 5 Housing Infill Development Program." Mr. Path said the City was seeking an interlocal agreement with the Paris Independent School District, Lamar County, and Paris Junior College to streamline the implementation steps necessary for the 5 in 5 Housing In -Fill Development Program. He explained that when a property was in trustee status and as an individual wishes to purchase it that all four taxing entities must meet separately to approve the sale price. Mr. Path said that any one entity could deny it, thus ending the transaction. Mr. Path also said this required coordination based on separate board meeting dates, which added time to the process. Working with the delinquent tax attorney and city attorney, Mr. Path said they had drafted an interlocal agreement under the Tax Code that would allow the City to streamline this process for developers and sell the property for low cost under the terms of the interlocal agreement and the 5 in 5 Housing In -Fill Development Program. Mr. Path explained this would eliminate several weeks of time, allowing the developer to move forward with other steps in development. He said the Tax Code provides restrictions for this interlocal agreement, the primary of which being that the property in consideration of a low cost sale must have not less than 6 years of delinquent taxes. He also said if all criteria were met, as provided in the agreement, the City could then proceed on behalf of all taxing entities to sell the property for a low cost. He said if the property does not meet the criteria under the Tax Code, then the developer would need to come to all four taxing entity's governmental body meetings and make their request. Mr. Path said the interlocal agreement had been approved by Lamar County and PISD and PJC would be considering it later in the evening. Regular Council Meeting January 24, 2022 Page 7 Council Member Pankaj inquired if all four taxing entities had to approve the interlocal agreement in order to have the low cost sale. Mr. Path answered in the affirmative and added that they must also meet the criteria. Council Member Knox commended the staff for bringing together many partners and said it speaks volumes about where Paris was going. A Motion to approve this item was made by Council Member Pankaj and seconded by Council Member Knox. Motion carried, 4 ayes — 0 nays. 23. Consider and approve future events for City Council and/or City Staff pursuant to Resolution No. 2004-081. No future events were referenced. 24. Adjournment. There being no further business, a Motion to adjourn was made by Council Member Pankaj and was seconded by Mayor Pro -Tem Hughes. Motion carried, 4 ayes — 0 nays. The meeting was adjourned at 6:05 p.m. PAULA PORTUGAL, N YOR