10.21.13 MinutesMINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS
October 21, 2013
The City Council of the City of Paris met for an special meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Monday,
October 21, 2013, at the City Council Chamber, 107 E. Kaufrnan, Paris, Texas.
Present: Mayor: A.J. Hashmi
Council Members: Aaron Jenkins; Billie Lancaster; John Wright;
Richard Grossnickle; Matt Frierson; and Cleonne
Drake
City Staff: John Godwin, City Manager; Kent McIlyar, City
Attorney; Janice Ellis, City Clerk; and Shawn
Napier, City Engineer
1. Call meeting to order.
Mayor Hashmi called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
2. Conduct the second public hearing on an application for disannexation filed by Clint
Spencer for two tracts of land; tract one is 6.25 acres of land in the Wesley Askins
Survey, Abst. No. 7, being the same property conveyed to Don A. Ensey by deed dated
January 13, 1995, of record in Book 499, Page 259, Lamar County Real Property
Records; and tract two is 0.011 acre of land, a part of the Wesley Askins Survey, Abst.
No. 7, and being a part of a called 41.67 acre tract of land conveyed to Don A. Ensey by
deed of record in Book 499, Page 261, Lamar County Real Property Records.
Mayor Hashmi opened the public hearing and asked for anyone wishing to speak in
support or opposition of this item, to please come forward. With no one speaking, Mayor
Hashmi closed the public hearing.
3. Discuss and select an engineering firm(s) to design city -wide municipal infrastructure
project(s).
A Motion to remove this item from the table was made by Council Member Drake and
seconded by Council Member Lancaster. Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays.
Mayor Hashmi said Council received four presentations at the last Council meeting and
the two questions raised were how many companies should be hired and if more than one, which
companies. Mayor Hashmi said he favored AECOM, because it was a large company with local
association and the ability to bring in more people if needed. He said completion in a timely
fashion was important, because of the rise in construction costs. He also said if negotiations
failed, he would favor a combination of HDR and TNP. Mayor Hashmi said he would like to
have Council involvement in the negotiation process. He stated he would like the contract to
include a penalty for delay and a clause with the ability to pull out should the parties not be able
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October 21, 2013
Page 2
to work together. Council Member Drake said AECOM was her number one vote, because of
the fact there would be 59% local involvement and local people had a viable interest in the
community. She said her second choice was HDR and third interest was TNP. Council Member
Drake said she wanted the contract to include transfer knowledge. Council Member Frierson
said he would like to hear from Mr. Godwin. City Manager John Godwin said either one or two
companies would be his preference. Council Member Frierson said he favored AECOM and
HDR, and he did not think they should have more than two firms. He said he thought Mr.
Godwin should handle the contractual part. Council Member Grossnickle concurred with
Council Members Drake and Frierson. He said he favored AECOM as his first choice and HDR
as his second choice. Council Member Lancaster favored AECOM because of the percentage of
use of local companies. Council Member Jenkins echoed Council Member Lancaster and said
his second choice was TNP. Council Member Wright favored AECOM for his first choice,
because of local participation. He said that he checked references and AECOM was given high
remarks with regard to compatibility and responsive to needs and requests. It was a consensus
of City Council to select one engineering company. Mayor Hashmi inquired of AECOM Project
Manager Greg Hooten if local participation increased or decreased the contract price. Mr.
Hooten said his belief was local participation reduced the price, because of the knowledge of
local people. Mayor Hashmi inquired if oversight was going to be performed by the AECOM or
by the City. Mr. Godwin said inspections would be a combination of in -house and a contract
person would probably have to be added to supplement City staff. Mr. Godwin confirmed it
would be negotiated with AECOM.
A Motion to select AECOM for the engineering portion of this project was made by
Council Member Wright and seconded by Council Member Lancaster. Motion carried, 7 ayes —
0 nays.
Mayor Hashmi said he would like Council involvement in the negotiations and contract
phase. He said he would like for Council Members Wright and Lancaster to participate in this
phase if it was acceptable to them. Council Member Drake inquired about how much
involvement and the reasoning. Mayor Hashmi said Council has shown a lot of interest in this
project. Council Member Drake said she didn't have any problems with it. Council Member
Frierson said Mr. Godwin was hired for a reason and this was part of it and it was the Council's
responsibility to hold him accountable. He said he was not in favor of it. Council Member
Grossnickle said he was not in favor of it either, but did not have a problem with someone sitting
in during negotiations. Council Member Lancaster said she would like to see the Council
involved in the negotiations, because this was a very large and very important project. Council
Member Wright said he favored Council participation.
A Motion that two Council Members participate in negotiations and contractual
agreement was made by Mayor Hashmi and seconded by Council Member Wright. Motion
carried, 4 ayes — 3 nays, with Council Members Grossnickle, Frierson and Drake casting the
dissenting votes.
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October 21, 2013
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4. Adjournment.
There being no further business, a Motion to adjourn was made by Council Member
Frierson and seconded by Council Member Drake. Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays. The meeting
was adjourned at 5:55 p.m.
J ICE ELLIS, CITY CLERK