By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.—At a wide-ranging meeting Thursday evening, the Paris City Commission heard a citizen complaint about downtown parking and a continuing problem with a panhandler, commissioners approved first reading on an ordinance amending provisions for temporary beer permits, and approved an interlocal agreement between the city of Paris and Henry County for the county radio tower project for emergency communication.
Paris Business Owner Ed Roberts told the commission parking downtown is again a problem, with business owners and court employees taking up parking spaces for customers. The problem is especially acute on court days, when law enforcement uses the spaces around the court square.
“The two-hour rule is not enforced and charging people $4 fines is a job. You need to enforce it and you need to raise the fines,” Roberts said.
Panhandling by one particular person is a continuing problem downtown, Roberts said. “It’s affecting my business. When we have events at the 5&10 and someone wants to sit outside, she has been harassing my guests and it’s affecting my business. Downtown was starting to grow and downtown is having a tough time right now, so anything that would help downtown would be great.”
Mayor Carlton Gerrell agreed with Roberts that the parking issue is a problem “and we need to enforce it or move past it. I believe it is being abused. Downtown parking should be for customers to use. Something needs to be done.”
Gerrell said, “And I’m tired of hearing about the panhandler. We need to figure out a way to address it as a city or a county.”
Commissioner Sam Tharpe asked if City Attorney Fred McLean could look at the issues. McLean said the problem is no personnel enforces parking anymore. (The department does not employ a parking enforcement officer anymore).
Police Chief Chuck Elizondo said the police department “does have the power to issue citations, but our department stays pretty busy on the day shift.”
“If you can’t get the courthouse employees and business owners to use the city parking spaces that we spent all that money to provide”, McLean said, that is a problem. Gerrell agreed, noting, “This is about people working downtown using those spaces” that are intended for customers.
City Manager Kim Foster said she has called other city managers in the region and every municipality has the same problem and deals with it differently. “It’s a difficult situation and we all know it, we just haven’t found the right solution yet,” she said.
On the panhandler issue, Elizondo said the woman in question has been cited three times and taken to court, but no penalty has been levied against her.
On first reading, the commission approved an amendment to provisions of the temporary beer permit regulations. Foster noted a recent application for use of the downtown west alley for a Paris-Henry County Heritage Center event brought to light some issues with the permit. First, the 45-day requirement for applying seemed unnecessary, she said, and a shorter time frame is proposed. Second, the current code prohibits beer from being served in any city-owned property. She said this seems too prohibitive.
The 45-day requirement is recommended to be changed to seven days and the second issue is recommended to say that no temporary permit be issued for property owned by government entities unless the entity gives written permission.
Second reading will be held at the next meeting.
In other business:
–The commission approved an interlocal agreement between Henry Co. emergency Communications District, Henry County Government and the City of Paris for Digital radio Infrastructure and Equipment. Foster noted the agreement reflects what each entity is either already doing or has agreed to do, but this formalizes the agreement.
911 Director Mark Archer updated the commission on the project, reporting that Phase 1 of the radio tower project is complete. He said 26 emergency organizations are involved in the project and there are six tower locations, with all up except the one at Henry.
–Vice Mayor Jackie Jones and other commissioners praised Foster for all the work she has done on the Eiffel Tower Splash Pad, which opened last month and has been a great success. Foster said with the weather becoming cooler, the Splash Park was closed for the season today, but noted people have been enjoying it since it was completed.
–This year’s city employee appreciation event will be held at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, at McNeill Park.
–A retirement celebration for Chief Elizondo will be held from 3-4:30 p.m. December 18 at the Lunchroom at the Paris Academy for the Arts. Elizondo is retiring after 42 years.
Photo: Ed Roberts, at left, addresses the commission about parking and panhandling problems. (Shannon McFarlin photo).