09/14/2015MINUTES OF THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS
September 14, 2015
The City Council of the City of Paris met for a regular session at 5:30 p.m. on Monday,
September 14, 2015, at the City Council Chamber, 107 E. Kaufrnan, 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; Director; Doug Harris,
Utilities Director; Jerry McDaniel, Public Works
Director; Kent Klinkerman, EMS Director; Tom
Hunt, Municipal Judge; and Priscilla McAnally,
Library Director
Openinst Agenda
1. Call meeting to order.
Mayor Hashmi called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
2. Invocation.
Gene Anderson gave the invocation.
3. Pledge of Allegiance.
Council Member Lancaster led the pledge.
4. a. Citizens' Forum.
Michael Glatfelter — he said the reason for shortage of money was because the City
Council ignored their responsibility to collect the funds stolen at the PEDC. He said if they
would recover the funds, they could give raises without having to cut back on parks and
drainage.
John Carney, No Dig Tech, 7117 Merriman Parkway, Dallas Texas — he said they
reviewed the bid on the 2013 bond project and noted the specifications did not include the latest
in technology and materials available. He also said the cost savings using trenchless pipe
bursting and open cut methodology saved the City of Round Rock over 23 %, which is exactly
the same type job in Paris. Mr. Carney also said the lack of disruption would be significant in
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September 14, 2015
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using pipe bursting and the pipe used would last twice as long as PVC pipe. He said he hoped
that Council would review the technology and the newest material.
b. Proclamation designating September 2015 as Blood Cancer Awareness Month.
Mayor Hashmi read the proclamation and asked Ms. Ellis to forward it to the
organization.
Consent Agenda
Mayor Hashmi 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 Pickle and seconded by Council Member Frierson. Motion carried, 7
ayes — 0 nays.
5. Approve minutes from the meetings on August 24, 2015; August 31, 2015; and
September 8, 2015.
6. Receive reports and /or minutes from the following boards, commissions, and committees:
a. Paris Economic Development Corporation (8 -11 -2015)
b. Paris Public Library Advisory Board (7 -15 -2015)
c. Paris Visitors & Convention Council (5 -7 -2015 & 7 -30 -2015)
7. Receive list of public information requests.
8. Approve ORDINANCE NO. 2015 -021: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A SOLID
WASTE COLLECTION PERMIT TO SANITATION SOLUTIONS, 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.
9. Re- appoint Thomas E. Hunt III as Municipal Court Judge and Don Biard as Associate
Municipal Court Judge for the City of Paris.
10. Accept the bid and recommendation of award for the construction of four single family
homes under the City's TDHCA HOME program contract #1001776 (Phase 2).
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Regular Agenda
11. Conduct a public hearing, discuss and act on a Resolution authorizing the execution of a
grant application through the Texas Department of Agriculture Texas Capital Fund Main
Street Program for downtown sidewalks.
City Manager John Godwin said for several years the City had applied for Texas CDBG
funds to replace old downtown sidewalks and this was the annual application. He said if the City
receives funds that sidewalks on 1St Street SW would be constructed in 2016. Mr. Godwin also
said that action on this item needed to be delayed to the September 28 meeting pending
additional information, but that a public hearing needed to be conducted because it had been
advertised.
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.
12. Approve the Visitors & Convention Council budget for fiscal year 2015 -16.
Lamar County Chamber of Commerce executive director Ken Higdon presented the
budgets for Visitors & Convention Council and the Love Civic Center.
A Motion to approve both budgets (items 12 & 13) was made by Council Member Pickle
and seconded by Council Member Frierson. Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays.
13. Approve the Love Civic Center budget for fiscal year 2015 -2016.
14. Conduct the second public hearing on the City's proposal to increase tax revenues from
the preceding tax year and to set the tax rate for 2015.
Mayor Hashmi opened the public hearing and asked for anyone wishing to speak for or in
opposition of this item, to please come forward. With no one speaking, Mayor Hashmi closed
the public hearing.
15. Discuss and provide direction on the City Manager's proposed budget for fiscal year
2015 -2016.
Council Member Pickle read an article from the Dallas Morning News and stated that in
the future the Council needed to start addressing the streets. He said he supported the budget,
but they may need to increase the tax rate. Council Member Frierson said Mr. Godwin did a
great job and that streets and drainage needed to be addressed in the future. Council Member
Clifford agreed with Council Members Pickle and Frierson and said they needed to get a plan
together to address the streets. Council Member Plata said he believed that all of the people
working deserved a raise; that he did not believe the larger increase for police and fire would
keep them from leaving; and that he hoped he was wrong. Council Member Jenkins applauded
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September 14, 2015
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the city manager for his work on the budget. Council Member Lancaster said Mr. Godwin did a
good job at weaving in their requests. She also said they needed a plan for improvement of
streets and drainage. Mayor Hashmi applauded the city manager on the budget and also
expressed appreciation to Gene Anderson for keeping the City on track. He said he was in
agreement on needed street improvements. Mayor Hashmi said if water and sewer had not been
neglected for years, the City would not be in the current situation. He said if they want street
improvements, they should consider another bond and suggested Council speak with their
constituents. He emphasized that costs will continue to increase over the years. Mayor Hashmi
said they need to make sure that the current bond projects are all done correctly.
16. Discuss and possibly act on information received about the contract specifications for
TWDB Phase I Water Replacement System and work performed.
Mayor Hashmi said he would need a motion to remove this item from the table. Council
Member Frierson said before they got into this, that he did not receive any information and he
did not know what they were discussing. Mayor Hashmi said he had not received any
information either and questioned if they wanted to delay it. Council Member Lancaster said she
would prefer to delay this item, because she was receiving information almost daily and it was
hard to compile it when it was coming in. She told Council Member Frierson she would like to
have the information in his hands. Council Member Frierson said he was trying to follow the
agenda policy they passed in March. Council Member Lancaster said that is why she wanted the
item to remain tabled, so that she could provide all of the information.
17. Discuss and act on ORDINANCE NO. 2015 -022: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, AMENDING SECTION 19 -24, OF
CHAPTER 19, ARTICLE II OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF
PARIS, TEXAS; PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL EXCEPTION FOR ANTIQUE OR
SPECIAL INTEREST VEHICLES STORED BY A MOTOR VEHICLE COLLECTOR
IN A CARPORT WITH AN APPROPRIATELY FITTED CAR COVER; MAKING
OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; PROVIDING
A REPEALER CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, A SAVINGS CLAUSE, A
PENALTY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
City Attorney Kent McIlyar said at a prior Council meeting he was requested to bring an
Ordinance forward that would allow owners of antique or special interest vehicles to keep those
vehicles under a carport, if the vehicle had a fitted car cover on it.
A Motion to approve this item was made by Council Member Clifford and seconded by
Council Member Jenkins. Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays.
18. Discuss and act on RESOLUTION NO. 2015 -036: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS; APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING A
TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT WITH TURNER INDUSTRIES GROUP, L.L.C.;
MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT;
AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
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Mr. McIlyar said Turner Industries planned to build a $6,000,000.00 office building in
the Reinvestment Zone and was requesting a 100% ten year tax abatement on the improvements.
Mr. McIlyar said the Tax Abatement Advisory Committee had reviewed the proposal and
recommended the abatement.
A Motion to approve a ten year tax abatement for 100% on the improvements was made
by Council Member Pickle and seconded by Council Member Frierson. Motion carried, 7 ayes —
0 nays.
19. 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: Ben Glick d/b /a Tri-State Iron & Metal vs. the City of
Paris.
• Section 551.072 of the Texas Government Code, to deliberate the purchase,
exchange, lease, or value of real property.
Mayor Hashmi convened City Council into executive session at 6:19 p.m.
20. Reconvene into open session and possibly take action on those matters discussed in
executive session.
Mayor Hashmi reconvened City Council into open session at 6:28 p.m. Mayor Hashmi
informed the public that two items were taken up in executive session, one was the lawsuit and
the other was acquiring of property for the Trail de Paris so that the City does not lose the grant.
A Motion for the city attorney to hire the Messer law firm to assist in the litigation was
made by Mayor Hashmi and seconded by Council Member Pickle. Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0
nays. A Motion to direct the city manager to pursue purchase of property for the Trail de Paris
was made by Mayor Hashmi and seconded by Council Member Lancaster. Motion carried, 7
ayes — 0 nays.
21. Consider and approve future events for City Council and /or City Staff pursuant to
Resolution No. 2004 -081.
Mr. Godwin informed everyone that Congressman Ratcliff would be in town the
following day at Fire Station No. 1 for a presentation on a safety device and his staff would
begin having office hours every other Tuesday between 12:00 and 1:00 p.m. at City Hall.
22. Adjouniment.
There being no further business, a Motion to
Pickle and was seconded by Council Member Frierson
meeting was adjourned at 6:32 p.m.
NICE ELLIS, CITY CLERK
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September 14, 2015
Page 6
adjourn was made by Council Member
. Motion carried, 7 ayes — 0 nays. The