City of Paris looking for volunteers to serve on boards and commissions || Content sponsored by Power Jack Foundation Repair
If you are a resident of Paris and would like to make a difference in the city by volunteering your time and knowledge, you may want to consider serving on one of the city’s Boards and Commissions.
The City is accepting applications for positions on the Airport Advisory Board, Band Commission, Board of Adjustment, Building and Standards Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, Housing Authority, Library Advisory Board, Main Street Advisory Board, Paris Economic Development Corporation, Planning & Zoning Commission, and the Traffic Commission.
Applications must be received no later than Friday, June 9, 2023. Board appointments will be made on June 26, 2023, at the regular City Council meeting. For more information or to obtain an application, please contact Deputy City Clerk Skylar Unger at (903-784-9291, sunger@paristexas.gov) or City Clerk Janice Ellis at (903-784-9248, jellis@paristexas.gov). You can also visit the City’s website at www.paristexas.gov and download the application.
AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD
No. of Members: 3 Length of Term: 3 yrs. Appointed By: City Council Regular Meeting Day: 3rd Thursday of February, May, August and November, and as-need as called by the Airport Manager or the City Manager or designee Meeting Time: 5:30 p.m. Meeting Location: Council Chamber or Cox Field Airport Duties/Purpose: Resolution No. 2022-016 – Serve strictly in an as-needed advisory role to the Airport Manager and the City Manager or designee. Preference shall be given to applicants who reside within the City limits and who have aeronautical experience, but no more than two (2) members may have a pilot license. All applicants must, at a minimum be a resident of Lamar County.
There is one vacancy on this Board.
BAND COMMISSION
No. of Members: 5 Length of Term: 2 years with no term limits. Appointed By: City Council Regular Meeting Day: Quarterly Meeting Time: TBD Meeting Location: TBD Duties/Purpose: Sec. 2.11.002 of the Code of Ordinances states that the Commission is responsible for the organization, discipline, membership, and duties of the members of the Municipal Band and the Leaders or Instructors thereof, and may regulate same by such rules or bylaws as they may deem it necessary to pass; provided, that no rule or bylaw or amendment of same shall be in force or effect until the same has been submitted to and approved by the City Council. Membership is reserved for a representative of the Visitors and Convention Council of the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce, one active member of the Band, three members to be appointed at-large, and one band director who shall serve without term limits in an ex-officio capacity. Must be a resident citizen of Lamar County.
There are two vacancies on this Commission
BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION
No. of Members: 7 Length of Term: 2 yrs. Appointed By: City Council Regular Meeting Day: 3rd Monday Meeting Time: 3:30 p.m. Meeting Location: Council Chamber Duties/Purpose: Evaluates and declares structures dangerous or substandard and determines the remedy for having the structure comply with codes and ordinances. Members must be residents of the city and, as nearly as possible, represent each council district.
There are two vacancies on this Commission
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
No. of Members: 7 & 2 alternate members (Ordinance No. 2002-033) Length of Term: 2 yrs. Appointed By: City Council Regular Meeting Day: 2nd Wednesday. Meeting Time: 4:00 p.m. (if a special meeting is needed, will be conducted on the 4th Monday at 4:00 p.m.) Meeting Location: Council Chamber.
Duties/Purpose: Adopt rules and procedures; adopt identification criteria and rules for delineation of historic district boundaries; conduct and administer historic resource surveys; recommend designation of districts and landmarks; establish committees as needed; produce and distribute minutes of meetings; develop public outreach/education/awareness programs; approve/disapprove certificates of appropriateness; provide design and other reasonable forms of advice to owners and tenants of historic properties in the certificate of appropriateness review process; recommend the acquisition of endangered historic resources to the City Council; submit an annual report to City Council; prepare and promote design guidelines for landmarks/districts.
All commission members shall have a demonstrated outstanding interest in the historic traditions of the City and experience in the preservation of the historic character of Paris. The City Council shall endeavor, to the extent reasonably available, to appoint members from the following categories: 1) Architect, planner, or design professional; 2) Member of the Main Street Board; 3) Owner of or resident or tenant in a landmark property or property in a historic district; 4) Member of a local Historical Society; 4) Three members at large; or 5) Other specific background as desired.
There are five vacancies on this Commission, two of which are alternate positions
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PARIS
No. of Members: 5 Length of Term: 2 years. Appointed By: Mayor Regular Meeting Day: 3rd Tuesday Meeting Time: 12:30 p.m. Meeting Location: George Wright Home Duties/Purpose: Oversees the budget, maintenance, and policies of the Housing Authority of the City of Paris, which consists of several apartment communities as well as duplexes and houses in the city limits of Paris. Members may live within the city or the area that is within 5 miles of the territorial boundaries of the municipality and is not within the territorial boundaries of another municipality. Members cannot be officers or employees of the City of Paris.
There is one vacancy on this Board
LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD
No. of Members: 7 Length of Term: 3 yrs. Appointed By: City Council Regular Meeting Day: 3rd Wednesday Meeting Time: 4:00 p.m. Meeting Location: Library Gallery Duties/Purpose: Acts in an advisory capacity to the City Council to study and make recommendations concerning library services, maintenance, and capital improvement projects. Members must be residents of the city, have knowledge of library affairs and a strong interest in library operations, as well as exhibit a genuine appreciation of books.
There are four vacancies on this Board
MAIN STREET ADVISORY BOARD
No. of Members: 7 Length of Term: 3 yrs. Appointed By: City Council Regular Meeting Day: 3rd Tuesday Meeting Time: 4:00 p.m. Meeting Location: Council Chamber Duties/Purpose: Advises the City Council and recommends Main Street program policies, goals and objectives. Also recommends guidelines for the refurbishing of buildings in the downtown area, recommends programs to bring patrons into the downtown area, and sponsors advertising for downtown events. Membership is reserved for one member of the Historic Preservation Commission.
There are four vacancies on this Board
PARIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
No. of Members: 7 Length of Term: 3 yrs. Appointed By: City Council Regular Meeting Day: 3rd Tuesday Meeting Time: 4:00 p.m. Meeting Location: Council Chamber Duties/Purpose: Administers 4A sales tax funds for the promotion and enhancement of job creation and retention and other economic development activities of the City of Paris through the development of incentives and short-term and long-term planning. Members must be residents of Lamar County (Resolution No. 2017-016), and qualified voters. Increase of members from five to seven (Resolution No. 2020-025)
There are three vacancies on this Board.
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
No. of Members: 7 Length of Term: 3 yrs. Appointed By: City Council Regular Meeting Day: 1st Monday Meeting Time: 5:30 p.m. Meeting Location: Council Chamber Duties/Purpose: Reviews the requests by property owners for changes in zoning inside the city limits of Paris and makes recommendations to City Council for the approval or disapproval of those requests. Members must be citizens of the City of Paris, taxpayers, and qualified voters.
There are four vacancies on this Commission, one of which is an unexpired term
TRAFFIC COMMISSION
No. of Members: 7 Length of Term: 3 yrs. Appointed By: City Council Regular Meeting Day: 1st Tuesday Meeting Time: 5:15 p.m. Meeting Location: Municipal Court Duties/Purpose: Reviews requests for traffic control measures and proposes measures designed to minimize traffic safety problems resulting from vehicular traffic in Paris. Members must be residents of the city and qualified voters.
There are three vacancies on this Commission
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
No. of Members: 7 Length of Term: 2 yrs. Appointed By: City Council by Resolution (State Law and city ordinance) Regular Meeting Day: As needed Meeting Time: Noon Meeting Location: Council Chamber Duties/Purpose: Zoning Ord. 1710 states that the Board hears zoning-related appeals by any person aggrieved or by an officer, department, or board of the municipality affected by the zoning decision of the administrative officer. Must be a resident of the city, and a qualified voter. A supermajority vote is required to approve an adjustment.
There are four vacancies on this Board, two of which are alternate positions
