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Paris council adopts Reinvestment Zone No.1 project and financing plan, tables proposed bylaws
Summary
Councilors approved the final project plan and financing plan for Reinvestment Zone No.1 but voted to table the board bylaws for revision, citing inconsistencies with Paris policies and missing references to ethics, staggered terms and local committee practices.
Councilors on Feb. 24 approved the final project and financing plan for the City of Paris Tax Incremental Financing Reinvestment Zone No.1 but tabled proposed bylaws so staff can revise wording and align them with local practices.
Miss Easton told the council the board was formed in December, held a first meeting in November and reviewed bylaws, a preliminary financial plan and the project plan. She said the materials were provided by a consultant and the planning board had recommended the documents. Consultant Larry Klein, who later addressed the council, described the project and financing plan as unchanged from the version the council previously approved and submitted to the TIRZ board for review.
Several council members raised substantive concerns about the bylaws. The presiding officer pointed out the bylaws did not show staggered terms (all five positions appeared to expire on Dec. 31) and noted language that would permit a board appointee to demand a public hearing for termination — a provision the presiding officer called inappropriate for volunteer positions. The presiding officer also noted the bylaws referred to "compensation" and included references to "other taxing jurisdictions," which may reflect the template's origin in another city.
One council member said the bylaws should reference the city's ethics policy. Another said the examples in the template appeared tailored to a different municipality and that council intent (for a mix of citizen and employee membership and staggered terms) should be written into the bylaws.
After discussion the council moved and seconded a motion to table adoption of the bylaws and asked staff and the consultant to clean up language and add clarifying provisions. On the project and financing plan, the council voted to approve the ordinance adopting the final plan; the consultant said the TIRZ board had not made changes to the documenting materials.
The transcript records no detailed roll-call vote tallies for either the tabled bylaws motion or the ordinance adopting the project plan. Councilors directed staff to return with revised bylaws aligned with Paris practices and with references to the city ethics policy.
The council also discussed the possibility of allowing participation by other taxing jurisdictions in the TIRZ, noting state law can require that option; members asked staff to preserve necessary statutory language while cleaning up template text.
