02 City Council (05/20/02)MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
May 20, 2002
The City Council of the City of Paris met in special session, Monday, May 20,
2002, at 6:00 P.M., Paris Junior College, 2400 Clarksville Street, Room 1016,
Paris, Texas. Mayor Pfiester called the meeting to order with the following
Council Members present: John F. Bell, Richard Manning, Joe E. McCarthy,
Willie J. Weekly, Sr., Francine Neeley, and Benny Plata. Also present were City
Manager Michael E. Malone, City Attorney Larry W. Schenk, and City Clerk
Mattie Cunningham.
Mayor Pfiester announced that the City Council would go into executive session
pursuant to Section 551-071 of the Texas Government Code, Consultation with
Attorney, to receive advice of legal counsel pertaining to pending or contemplated
litigation by Lamar County against the City of Paris regarding the ambulance
contract.
At 6:01 P.M. Mayor Pfiester declared the open session closed and the executive
session open.
Mayor Pfiester declared the executive session closed and the regular session open
at 7:05 P.M. He announced that the City Council would take a short break.
Mayor Pfiester reconvened the city council meeting at 7:10 P.M.
Mayor Pfiester called for consideration of authorizing the City Attorney to retain
a special consultant and/or special legal counsel to respond to threatened litigation
by Lamar County regarding the City/County EMS contract.
A motion was made by Councilwoman Neeley, seconded by Councilman
McCarthy, authorizing City Attorney Schenk to retain a special consultant and/or
special legal counsel to respond to threatened litigation by Lamar County
regarding the City/County EMS contract.
Mayor Pfiester explained that this issue started during the last budget cycle. He
stated that the County was worried about the money that was being spent to
provide the service and felt they were not being informed about the expenditures.
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May 20, 2002
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Mayor Pfiester advised that he had met with Judge Superville, but that prior to
their meeting the Judge had asked to address the City Council during the city's
budgeting process. The Mayor said he allowed the Judge to address the City
Council. At that time, the Mayor said he and Councilman Plata did not understand
where he was coming from. The Mayor offered to go to the Judge's office for a
subsequent meeting and have the Judge explain where he was coming from, and
Councilman Plata also afforded that same opportunity. Mayor Pfiester informed
the City Council that Judge Superville did not contact him or Councilman Plata.
Mayor Pfiester said that right after Judge Superville appeared before the City
Council, there was an article in the Paris News stating that the city was unwilling
to cooperate with the county, and Mayor Pfiester stated that Judge Superville's
statement was totally false. Mayor Pfiester told the City Council that he worked
with Mr. Klinkerman and they reduced the county's portion down from
$400,000.00 to $341,000.00 and that Judge Superville was in agreement to that
figure.
At the May 13, 2002 City Council meeting, Mr. Klinkerman presented the City
Council a six month report for the Emergency Medical Service and Mayor Pfiester
thought everything was fine. The City Council authorized Mr. Klinkerman to meet
with the Commissioners' Court and present the report to the Commissioners that
he had just presented to Council. On May 14, 2002, there was a newspaper article
in the Paris News that Lamar County was contemplating litigation against the City
of Paris. Mayor Pfiester said it was shocking to him that these two groups of
people can not sit down and come to an agreement without having to litigate. He
felt that each member of the City Council is more than willing to sit down with the
County Commissioners and discuss this issue and come to an agreement that both
parties can live with.
Councilman Bell made the statement that each and every one of the Council
Members are citizens of Lamar County and pay county taxes; therefore, their own
money that is paid from county taxes is technically being used against them. He
said the citizens of Paris are paying double; not only are they paying the city's
portion, but also the county's portion of the cost for the Emergency Medical
Service. Councilman Bell pointed out that more county taxpayers live in the City
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May 20, 2002
Page 3
of Paris than live outside the city limits.
Councilman McCarthy stated that one thing they did not need to do was to offer
the citizens of Paris and Lamar County is a less than quality ambulance service.
After further discussion, the motion to authorize the City Attorney to retain a
consultant and/or special counsel carried 7 ayes, 0 nays.
Mayor Pfiester called for direction to city staff regarding a presentation before the
Lamar County Commissioners Court concerning the status of the ambulance
service.
After discussing this issue, a motion was made by Councilman Bell, seconded by
Councilman Plata, to withdraw their authorization to allow Mr. Klinkerman to
present his presentation before the Lamar County Commissioners Court. The
motion carried 7 ayes, 0 nays.
A motion was made by Councilwoman Neeley, seconded by Councilman Weekly,
to send the information in Mr. Klinkerman's presentation to the Lamar County
Commissioners Court. The motion carried 7 ayes, 0 nays.
There being no further business, a motion was made by Councilman McCarthy,
seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Manning, to adj ourn the meeting.
MICHAEL J. PFIESTER, MAYOR
ATTEST:
MATTIE CUNNINGHAM, CITY CLERK