By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director
Paris, Tenn.–At a busy meeting Thursday evening, the Paris City Commission was introduced to the five newest city patrol officers, appointed Paris Attorney Hansel McCadams as the new City Municipal Judge, and asked City Attorney Fred McLean and city planners to begin looking at requests that have been received from people wanting to locate wineries, distilleries or breweries in the city limits, specifically in downtown Paris.
Captain Ricky Watson introduced the five new patrolmen: Johnathan Baxter, Daniel Andres, Brandon Steele, Ashley Neumair, and Alexis Lancaster.
Baxter, Andres, Steele, Neumair, and Lancaster are all graduates of Henry County High School.
Watson said, “All five of the new patrol officers have become an integral part of the Police Department and Chief Elizondo and I would like to welcome each one of them on a great career choice as well as a lasting future with the city of Paris.”
Upon recommendation of the review committee, McCadams was appointed as City Judge to replace the retired David Hessing, who had served for several years in that capacity. Mayor Carlton Gerrell said five attorneys applied for the position. “It was a tough decision for the committee to make,” he said.
City Manager Kim Foster said the City of Paris has been approached on two separate occasions and by two separate entities inquiring about locating a winery and a micro distillery in the city limits of Paris. “Currently our regulations do not allow this type of use, or at least we have no regulations or guidelines from which to govern,” she said, and asked for direction from the commission on how they wanted to proceed.
McLean said a craft distillery would have to get state and federal licenses and “it would probably be a two to three year process anyway.”
Commissioners asked Foster and McLean to review what would be required so that the city would know what standards may need to be developed. Further discussion will be held at the planning commission and brought back to the city commission.
Commissioner Jackie Jones said, “We want to be proactive and look at it generally as much we can.”
In other business:
–The commission approved the 2018 budget ordinance which includes:
- A 2% COLA for employees.
- Matching amounts for three grants, two of which have not yet been awarded.
- Almost $890,000 in capital purchases city-wide; the most significant being a new commercial sanitation truck in the amount of $270,000.
- An appropriation of $400,000 for asphalt, up $75,000 from last year.
- A full-time Animal Control Officer II to assist and back-up our current Animal Control Officer.
- A 2% increase to our current level of funding for the Paris-HC Library.
The commission approved the same property tax rate of $.73 per $100 of assessed value that the city has now.
–The City referred a request to the planning commission from Edward Upton to change zoning on two vacant lots on Avalon Drive.
–The city approved the second reading of the landfill rate increase.
Photo: Captain Ricky Watson, right at podium, introduces the new patrol officers. (Shannon McFarlin photo).