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01-27-2025MINUTES OF THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS January 27, 2025 The City Council of the City of Paris met for a regular session at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, January 27, 2025, at the City Council Chamber, 107 E. Kaufman, Paris, Texas. Present: Mayor: Mihir Pankaj Mayor Pro -Tem: Gary Savage Council Members: Shatara Moore, Mickey Ellis, Rebecca Norment, Alix Putnam, and Rudy Kessel City Staff: Rose Beverly, City Manager; Stephanie Harris, City Attorney; Janice Ellis, City Clerk; Gene Anderson, Finance Director; Rich Salter, Police Chief, Osei Amo-Mensah, Director of Planning & Community Development; M.A. Smith, Director of Public Works; Todd Mittge, City Engineer; Danny Rowell, Interim Utilities Director; and Clyde Crews, Fire Marshal Opening Agenda Call meeting to order. Mayor Pankaj called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. 2. Invocation. Finance Director Gene Anderson gave the invocation. 3. United States Pledge of Allegiance & Texas Pledge of Allegiance. City Council led the United_ States Pledge of Allegiance and the Texas Pledge of Allegiance. 4. Citizens' Forum. Alvin Atwood, 2419 Bonham — he said people could not afford water bills and sewer prices were too high. He also said CARDS was doing a great job. Consent Agenda Mayor Pankaj 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 Kessel and seconded by Council Member Putnam. Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays. Regular Council Meeting January 27, 2025 Page 2 Approve minutes from the meeting of January 13, 2025. 6. Receive reports and/or minutes from the following boards and commissions: a. Planning & Zoning Commission (12-2-2024) b. Board of Adjustment (12-3-2024) c. Paris Public Library Advisory Board (12-4-2024) d. Main Street Advisory Board (12-10-2024) e. Historic Preservation Commission (12-11-2024) f. Love Civic Center Quarterly Report g. Paris Visitor & Convention Council Quarterly Report 7. Receive December drainage report. Receive demolition and code enforcement activity reports. 9. Approve RESOLUTION NO. 2025-004: 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 2025, SAME BEING THE 3RD DAY OF MAY 2025, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING MEMBERS OF THE PARIS CITY COUNCIL IN DISTRICTS 4,5, & 7 FOR THE ENSUING TWO YEARS; DESIGNATING POLLING PLACES; ORDERING NOTICES OF ELECTION TO BE GIVEN; AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 10. Approve RESOLUTION NO. 2025-005: 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, COORINATE, SUPERVISE, AND HANDLE CERTAIN ASPECTS OF ADMINISTERING THE GENERAL ELECTION FOR MAY 3, 2025, FOR THE CITY OF PARIS; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 11. Approve RESOLUTION NO. 2025-006: 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 3, 2025, ELECTION DATE; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 12. Approve RESOLUTION NO. 2025-007: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, APPROVING A JOINT ELECTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE . CITY OF PARIS AND NORTH LAMAR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE MAY 3, 2025, ELECTION DATE; Regular Council Meeting January 27, 2025 Page 3 MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 13. Approve the Final Plat of C&C Partners 306 Addition, Lot 1, Block A, LCAD 55692 and 403273, located at N. Main Street and Deshong Dr. 14. Approve the assignment of a Residential Tax Abatement Agreement between the City and Paris/Lamar Habitat for Humanity from Paris/Lamar County Habitat for Humanity to April LaShaun Cash. Regular Agenda 15. Discuss, conduct a public hearing, and act on ORDINANCE NO. 2025-002: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, AMENDING ZONING ORDINANCE NO. 1710 OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, AS HERETOFORE AMENDED TO CHANGE THE ZONING OF CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, BLOCK 220, LOT PT LT 14, LCAD NO. 120984, LOCATED AT 1702 E. PRICE STREET FROM A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT (C) TO A ONE- FAMILYDWELLING DISTRICT NO. 2 (SF2); PROVIDING A REPEALER CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, A SAVINGS CLAUSE, A PENALTY CLAUSE; AND PRVDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Osei Amo-Mensah, Director of Planning & Community Development, explained the applicants were requesting a zoning change from Commercial to a One -Family Dwelling District No. 2 for the purposes of residential use. He said the Planning & Zoning Commission, as did staff recommended approval. Mayor Pankaj opened the public hearing and asked for anyone wishing to speak about this item, to please come forward. With no one speaking, Mayor Pankaj closed the public hearing. A Motion to approve this item was made by Mayor Pro -Tem Savage and seconded by Council Member Norment. Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays. 16. Discuss, conduct a public hearing and act on ORDINANCE NO. 2025-003: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS DESIGNATING THE CITY LIMITS OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A" ATTACHED HERETO, AS REINVESTMENT ZONE NO. 2025-1 FOR RESIDENTIAL TAX ABATEMENTS; DESCRIBING THE BOUNDARIES THEREOF; PROVIDING FOR ELIBIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR TAX ABATEMENT WITHIN SAID ZONE; PROVIDING REQUIREMENTS FOR TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENTS; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. City Attorney Stephanie Harris reported that in October 2013, City Council created Reinvestment Zone No. 2013-1 for residential tax abatements, and the zone included all areas Regular Council Meeting January 27, 2025 Page 4 inside Districts 1-5. She said at the same time, Council adopted guidelines and criteria for such residential tax abatements. Ms. Harris also said on February 9, 2015, Council passed an Ordinance amending Reinvestment Zone 2013-1 to expand it to include all Council Districts and designated the new Reinvestment Zone 2015-1, which was re -adopted in January 2020 and redesignated it as Reinvestment Zone N. 2020-1. Ms. Harris explained that under the Tax Code, a designation of a reinvestment zone expires after five years and the City must re -designate the reinvestment zone to continue to participate in a residential tax abatement program. Mayor Pankaj opened the public hearing and asked for anyone wishing to speak about this item, to please come forward. Sue Bolton with the Lamar County Appraisal District, said there were a lot of abatements from the past that they did not have. Ms. Harris said she was working on that in order to get them everything they needed. Mayor Pro -Tem Savage inquired if this was now or in the past. Ms. Bolton said they had the ones for years one through five. Chief Appraiser Stephanie Lee said they sometimes did not get what they needed to report to the State, and that they had been talking to Stephanie Harris. Ms. Harris said the Comptroller had initiated some new reporting about re -investment zones and they were trying to work it out. A Motion to approve this item was made by Council Member Norment and seconded by Council Member Moore. Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays. 17. Receive the presentation from the Fire Department about the maintenance of hydrants. Council Member Putnam said she had requested this item because of the LA fires, and citizens were asking her about it as related to the City of Paris. Fire Chief McMonigle gave a presentation that included a map reflecting all of the fire hydrants in the City and location. He said they were color coated and explained what that meant. Chief McMonigle said there were a total of 1,448 hydrants and 1,446 belonged to the City. He also said there were 37 private hydrants and possibly more, but the map would be updated with any new information. He also said each hydrant was maintained and tested on a yearly basis. He reported that water supply was not a concern. 18. Convene into executive session pursuant to: A. Section 551.087 of the Texas Government Code, (1) to discuss or deliberate regarding commercial or financial information the governmental body has received from a business prospect the governmental body seeks to have locate, 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 prescribed by Subdivision (1), as follows: American Spiral Weld Pipe Company. B. Section 551.072 of the Texas Government Code, to deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property if deliberation in an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the position of the governmental body in negotiations with a third person. Regular Council Meeting January 27, 2025 Page 5 Mayor Pankaj convened City Council into executive session at 6:01 p.m. 19. Reconvene into open session and possibly act on those matters discussed in executive session. Mayor Pankaj convened City Council into open session at 6:32 p.m. With regard to item 1813, Council Member Norment made a Motion to accept the offer of $49,941.00 from the State of Texas to acquire a portion of the property situated between NE Loop 286 and Clement Road for the purpose of the expansion of NE Loop 286, to approve a Possession and Use Agreement with TxDOT in the amount of $4,994.10, and to authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents. 20. Consider and approve future events for City Council and/or City Staff pursuant to Resolution No. 2004-081. Mayor Pankaj said he would like to look at an Ordinance prohibiting camping on public property and rights-of-way He also said he would like to see if the PEDC, Chamber and County would be interested in joining the City with Strategic Planning. 21. Adjournment. There being no further business, a Motion to adjourn was made by Mayor Pro -Tem Savage and seconded by Council Member Ellis. Motion carried, 7 ayes - 0 nays. Mayor Pankaj adjourned the meeting at 6:34 p.m. i HE CIT),'11,1 NICE ELLIS ,CITY (g,EI�K ��rrrrrniin����� MIHIR P KAJ, MAYOR