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Resident urges Paris to join neighboring Roxton in regional commission to address batteries, solar and other developments
Summary
At the citizens forum, resident Alyssa West asked Paris to join Roxton in a "391" commission to coordinate local responses to incoming solar, wind, battery storage and mining projects and to pursue stronger pilot payments and tax treatment.
At the start of the meeting during Citizens Forum, resident Alyssa West asked the Paris City Council to join the nearby town of Roxton in forming a "391 commission" to coordinate city, county and water-board responses to planned solar, wind, battery storage and mining developments.
West, who gave her address for the record, said recent legislative action has limited the size of battery projects and that regional coordination could give small cities and water boards a voice in negotiations with developers. She expressed concern that current pilot payments and tax deals were too small compared with developer revenue and cited examples in the area, saying a pilot payment of $177,000 for thousands of acres and $312,000 for a 10,000-acre project at Mockingbird did not fairly reflect developer gains.
"We're giving away what could help our county," West said, urging Paris to join Roxton's effort and asking the council to consider participation.
The council did not take action during the meeting on West's request; the comment was recorded during the public-comment period and, under the Texas Open Meetings Act as staff read at the start of the forum, the council may only refer such matters to a future agenda, an existing policy, or to staff for factual follow-up.
