Initial Downtown Paris Facade Projects Completed

By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director
Paris, Tenn.—Paris City Manager Kim Foster told the city commission Thursday evening that the initial projects in the Economic Community Development façade grant program have been completed.
Those projects include improvements that have been made to the facades outside Jack’s Flowers and Gifts, Hairworks, the Iron Place, Stella Nera French-Italian Bistro, My Favorite Things, the Masonic Lodge, and the Paris 5 & 10, all of which are in downtown Paris.
Foster said, “There is enough money left to add a few more projects so we will be proceeding down the prioritized list and notifying property owners that they have been approved to proceed with getting quotes.”
Foster also reported the city has another opportunity to apply for a Tourism Enhancement grant and city staff are mulling over needed projects. The commission approved the application for the monies.
Two of the three planned painted dumpsters have already been placed in the downtown area—one on Ruff Street in front of the First Baptist Church and the other on N. Market St. Foster said the third will be placed on W. Wood Street at the side of the Stella Nera restaurant. The dumpsters have been painted by local artists Millard Nichols and John Monroe and depict scenes from the city’s history.
The city’s Americans With Disabilities Act projects are still in the planning stages, with the self-evaluation portion of the project completed. Foster said the next phase will include public hearings, a recommended implementation plan and suggested budget.
Following discussion at past city meetings and at the Paris Board of Public Utilities board meetings, the city approved the initial resolution authorizing bond issuance for the BPU Wastewater projects.
In April 2016, BPU entered into a negotiated Consent Order agreement with TDEC.  Foster said, “The Order requires BPU to eliminate permit violations at the WWTP over a three year period and in the wastewater collection system over a five year period.  BPU staff, in conjunction with our team of consultants from Jacobs Engineering, has identified priority areas at the plant and in the collection system that must be addressed to eliminate the violations.  In October 2017, the City Commission approved the 4^th and 5^th year of wastewater rate increases that would provide for the revenue requirements to support the debt associated with complying with the Consent Order.”
 
Foster said UDSA Rural Development is ready to loan BPU the needed funds to complete the wastewater rehab projects.  BPU is asking the commission to approve the initial resolution authorizing a maximum loan amount of $14,130,000.  The debt service for this loan is covered with wastewater rates that have been previously approved.  The resolution states that city tax revenues are being pledged in case of a deficiency in loan payments.
Photo: The facade at Jack Jones’ Flowers and Gifts is one of the projects completed. (Shannon McFarlin photo).