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Paris council approves expanding economic development board from five to seven members
Summary
The Paris City Council voted to expand the Paris Economic Development Corporation board from five to seven members and clarified the $400,000 threshold requiring counsel approval for large obligations. Supporters said the move will ease workload and quorum problems; opponents warned of communication challenges.
The Paris City Council voted Aug. 10 to amend the bylaws of the Paris Economic Development Corporation, increasing the number of directors from five to seven and tightening the definition of a $400,000 approval threshold to include obligations such as land or other assets.
Councilman (speaker 16) moved to amend Section 4.02 to increase directors from five to seven; the motion passed by voice vote reported as 5–2. Council later approved the revised language in Section 4.12 to clarify that the requirement for counsel approval applies to any obligation or asset valued at more than $400,000, not solely expenditures drawn from undesignated fund balances.
Supporters on the council and members of the EDC argued the change would ease quorum problems and allow the EDC to distribute project workloads among committees. An EDC member (speaker 15) told the council the current five-member board had struggled to keep up with numerous projects and that additional members would allow committees to form and work concurrently, helping move projects forward even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Opponents cautioned that adding members could exacerbate communication problems that previously affected the board. Councilmember (speaker 4) asked whether increasing the size from five to seven might worsen information gaps; council discussion focused on whether the added perspectives would improve oversight or complicate coordination.
After the chartered process to expand the board, council nominated two additional members by relative ranking from a recent selection process and set staggered terms (Chase Coleman appointed to a three‑year term; Stephen Terrell to a two‑year term) to preserve rotation and continuity.
The council did not change compensation for board members; several council members emphasized the positions are voluntary. The EDC's amended request to expand the board originated from the EDC itself and was presented to the council earlier in June, according to council discussion.
The vote to expand the board and the procedural vote to clarify the $400,000 definition conclude action on agenda item 15; the council then moved to the next agenda items.
