08/31/2015MINUTES OF THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS
August 31, 2015
The City Council of the City of Paris met for a special session at 5:30 p.m. on Monday,
August 31, 2015, at the City Council Chamber, 107 E. Kaufinan, Paris, Texas.
Present: Mayor: A.J. Hashmi
Council Members: Aaron Jenkins; Billie Lancaster; Benny Plata; Steve
Clifford; Matt Frierson; and Edwin Pickle
City Staff: John Godwin, City Manager; Gene Anderson,
Finance Director; Kent McIlyar, City Attorney;
Janice Ellis, City Clerk; Larry Wright, Fire Chief;
Bob Hundley, Police Chief; Doug Harris, Utilities
Director; Jerry McDaniel, Public Works Director;
Ken Klinkerman, EMS Director; Priscilla
McAnally, Library Director; and Tom Hunt,
Municipal Judge
Opening Agenda
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 Ordinance Disannexing 566.58 acres of land
from an area located North and South of FM 1508 /Airport Road in the City of Paris,
Lamar County, Texas.
Mayor Hashmi opened the public hearing and asked for anyone wishing to speak in
support or opposition to this item, to please come forward. With no one speaking, Mayor Hashmi
closed the public hearing.
3. Third and final reading, discuss and act on ORDINANCE NO. 2015 -020: AN
ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, GRANTING TO ATMOS ENERGY
CORPORATION, A TEXAS AND VIRIGINIA CORPORATION, ITS SUCCESSORS
AND ASSIGNS, A FRANCHISE TO CONSTRUCT, MAINTAIN, AND OPERATE
PIPELINES AND EQUIPMENT IN THE CITY OF PARIS, LAMAR COUNTY,
TEXAS, FOR THE TRANSPORTATION, DELIVERY, SALE, AND DISTRIBUTION
OF GAS IN, OUT OF, AND THROUGH SAID CITY FOR ALL PURPOSES;
PROVIDING FOR THE PAYMENT OF A FEE OR CHARGE FOR THE USE OF THE
PUBLIC RIGHTS -OF -WAYS; AND PROVIDING THAT SUCH FEE SHALL BE IN
LIEU OF OTHER FEES AND CHARGES, EXCEPTING AD VALOREM TAXES;
PROVIDING FOR A TERM AND EFFECTIVE DATE; PROVIDING FOR WRITTEN
ACCEPTANCE OF THE FRANCHISE; PROVIDING THAT THE MEETING AT
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August 31, 2015
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WHICH THIS ORDINANCE IS PASSED IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC; PROVIDING
FOR SEVERABILITY; AND ORDAINING OTHER PROVISIONS RELATED TO
THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF.
A Motion to approve this item was made by Council Member Clifford and seconded by
Council Member Lancaster. Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays.
4. Receive presentations from engineering firms on available inspection services for the
Bond Infrastructure Projects, discuss and act.
City Council heard presentations from Mike Burns and Rick Leppert from KSA; Tim
Weight and Corey Hogue from Lochner; Jerry Martin from Building Code Consulting Services;
and Lee Swaim and Ron Remmer from Bureau Veritas.
Each of the firms answered questions from City Council with regard to performing future
inspections on the bond project, as well as inspecting previous work done on the bond project.
After hearing presentations, the City Council discussed the presentations and asked for
the opinion of City Manager John Godwin. Mr. Godwin said he preferred either KSA or
Lochner, because the other two firms were not as experienced with infrastructure inspections but
had more experience with building inspections. Mayor Hashmi said he preferred Lochner
because they had done more research, and the last time the City used KSA they did not consult
with the city staff. He also said once the staff was consulted, modifications were required for the
project. Council Member Pickle preferred KSA because the gentleman that would be working
on this project was from Mt. Vernon, and the City could possibly save money on travel expenses.
Council Member Frierson liked Council Member Pickle's logic. Council Members Clifford and
Plata said they could go with either of the two firms. Council Members Jenkins and Lancaster
preferred Lochner.
A Motion to go with Lochner was made by Council Member Lancaster and seconded by
Mayor Hashmi. Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays.
A Motion to authorize the City Manager to negotiate with Lochner and bring something
back to the Council was made by Mayor Hashmi and seconded by Council Member Jenkins.
Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays.
5. Discuss City Manager's proposed budget for fiscal year 2015 -2016 and provide direction
to staff.
Council Member Frierson said he felt they should address compensation in the police and
fire departments. Council Member Clifford said he noticed that over a million dollars in tax
delinquent property was due to the City and it was estimated that the City was only going to
collect about 10% of that. He asked if that was typical. Mr. Godwin said it was typical and
Paris' collection rate was higher than the State average. Council Member Clifford questioned
the travel expenses and Mr. Godwin explained those expenses were usually for specific training
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or attendance at professional conferences. Council Member Plata asked if police department
employees that got raises last year would receive a raise again this year. Mr. Godwin said if a
police officer received the step 8 increase last year and if Council approved an increase for the
police department this year, they would be getting it. Mr. Godwin said the police officers were
underpaid for what they do. Mr. Godwin also said this was the first time in twenty -nine years
that he had asked a Council for a tax increase. Council Member Plata said he was uncomfortable
in giving a raise to some employees and not all of the employees. Council Member Lancaster
wanted to know how much was budgeted for housing demolition and Mr. Anderson said it was
$60,000. Council Member Lancaster said there were a lot more houses that needed to be torn
down. Council Member Lancaster favored raises for the police officers. Mayor Hashmi
expressed appreciation to Mr. Anderson for keeping the City in the black. Mayor Hashmi said
he opposed a tax increase and he was not in favor of a COLA because he did not feel the City
could afford it this year. He also said he favored a $3,000 a year increase for police officers and
the EMT step increase. Mayor Hashmi said next year they could give a raise to the fire
department and all other employees. He said he was in favor of decreasing the travel expense of
each department by 10 %. He also said he was opposed to committing $350,000 to Garver
Engineering for the design of a new water treatment plant without hearing from other
engineering firms. He said part of what Garver had presented was work that had been done by
Hayter Engineering and the City had already paid for that once. Council Member Pickle said
Mr. Anderson had done a great job with the budget. He said he was not comfortable with a tax
increase or issuing certificates of obligations, but was fine with raises for the police and thought
firefighters should get a raise too. Council Member Pickle explained how everything they wanted
to do could be accomplished without raising property taxes. Council Member Frierson said he
had a problem with not giving all employees a raise, because to give selected departments a raise
was creating a hierarchy. He emphasized they should compromise to give raises across the
board. Council Members Pickle and Plata said they supported a raise for all employees.
Following additional discussion, it was a consensus of City Council to not raise property
taxes; to give a $3,000 salary increase to police officers and fire fighters; to not issue certificates
of obligation; to include step increase for the EMS department; and to decrease departmental
travel budgets by ten percent.
Mr. Godwin said with deletion of some of the items, there would be additional funds in
the budget and asked if it would be okay to give that money to the other employees. Mr. Godwin
emphasized all employees were important. Mayor Hashmi said he was okay with it, if the City
could afford do it. It was a consensus of the City Council for Mr. Godwin to do so and to bring
the revised budget back to the Council.
6. Convene into Executive Session pursuant to:
• Section 551.071 of the Texas Government Code, Consultation with Attorney, to receive
legal advice from the City Attorney about pending or contemplated litigation and/or on
matters in which the duty of an attorney to his client under the Texas Disciplinary Rules
of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Texas, clearly conflict with this chapter, as
follows: JS Baking, LLC (Skinner Bakery) Tax Abatement Agreement.
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• Section 551.074 of the Texas Government Code, (1) to deliberate the appointment,
employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer
or employee, or (2) to hear a complaint or charge against an officer or employee, as
follows:
a. Annual evaluation of city manager;
b. Annual evaluation of municipal judge;
C. Annual evaluation of city attorney.
Mayor Hashmi convened City Council into executive session at 7:36 p.m.
7. Reconvene into Open Session and possibly take action on those matters discussed in
Executive Session.
Mayor Hashmi reconvened City Council into open session at 9:15 p.m. He said they
received advice from the city attorney and have given direction to city manager to collect the
appropriate taxes to the Skinner Industries.
8. Adjournment.
There being no further business, a Motion to adjourn was made by Council Member
Lancaster and was seconded by Council Member Frierson. Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays. The
meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
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A.J. HASHMI AYOR
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NICE ELLIS, CITY CLERK