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COMMUNITY DATA
Paris and Lamar County Through the years, Paris, the county seat, has been a railhead, farming center, and a military center. Today, the community stands strong with a diverse industrial base including manufacturing, agriculture, medical, educational, tourism, and business and retail activity.
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CITY OF PARIS GOVERNMENT
The City of Paris is governed by a seven member City Council elected by the voters of the seven single member districts in the city. As set out in the city’s charter adopted in 1948, each councilman serves a two-year term and cannot be re-elected to more than two terms consecutively. City elections are held each April under a staggered system whereby no more than four councilmen are up for re-election at one time. Council members are elected only by residents of the district they represent.
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LAMAR COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Lamar County is governed by a Commissioners Court, composed of an elected County Judge and four elected Commissioners who represent the county’s precincts. The court sets policies for the county and approves the budget and monthly expenditures. The Commissioners are responsible for the condition of roads in their precincts and approve other policies concerning jail and other general county programs. Commissioners are elected to four-year staggered terms by the residents of the precincts they serve. The County Judge is elected by the voters countywide.
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TAXATION
Tax rates based on cents per $100 assessed valuation. Values are calculated at 100% valuation. Lamar County 0.3890
Paris, City 0.6950
Paris ISD 1.603
Chisum ISD 1.655
North Lamar ISD 1.6455
Prairiland ISD 1.654
Roxton ISD 1.6242
Paris Junior College .1932
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POLICE / FIRE / AMBULANCE
The City of Paris has a total of 57 police officers on its force as well as having 21 reserve officers. Currently operating are 14 patrol cars, four unmarked cars, and two animal control trucks making up the motor pool. All vehicles are equipped with mobile radio and have up to date crime deterrent capabilities.
A total of 54 firemen are employed in Paris using the new central station and two substations to provide coverage throughout the city. Equipment includes one 1,250 GPM pumper, two 750 GPM pumpers, two 1,500 GPM pumpers, one 105’ aerial ladder truck, two light duty off-road trucks for grass & brush fires, and a rescue/recovery service of one fully equipped truck and two boats. All units are mobile radio equipped. Insurance Grading Rate for Paris is 4.
The City of Paris operates the Emergency Medical Service that provides ambulance service within the city. Lamar County maintains a contract with the city for service outside of Paris in the county. The City of Paris EMS maintains seven MICU units. The City of Paris EMS has three MICU's on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. Each MICU is staffed with two Paramedics to offer full Paramedic service. MICU's are stationed at Paris Regional Medical Center North and South, and at the EMS/Fire station behind Wal-Mart. Non emergency transfers are available M-F from 9am-6pm. Fifteen "1st responders" are fully certified by the Texas Department of Health to assist the Paris EMS.
The Lamar County Sheriff’s department consists of the Sheriff, one chief deputy, 14 officers, plus the office and jail staff. Vehicles include 10 cars, all radio dispatched and two of which are on constant patrol. The State Department of Public Safety or Highway Patrol of Lamar County has one area sergeant and six patrolmen dispatched cars with three to four on patrol everyday. Helicopter service is accessible from Dallas as well as tracking dogs from the Oklahoma State Prison in McAlester, Oklahoma. Lamar County also has one game warden, one Texas Ranger and two Federal Park Rangers. The FBI also has an agent serving the Paris area and is based in Sherman, Texas, which is 60 miles west of Paris.
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CLIMATE
All seasons of the year are enjoyable in the Paris area with an annual average rainfall of 47.42 inches. Temperatures range from a January average of low temperatures at 29.9 degrees to an August high average of 94.0 degrees. Freezing rain and hail are infrequent and occur about every six years at a significant level.
Coldest Month Average - January 29.9 degrees
Hottest Month Average - July 94.0 degrees
Annual Average - 63.9 degrees
Wettest Month Average - May ~ 5.72 inches of rain
Driest Month Average - August ~ 2.61 inches of rain
Annual Average - 47.42 inches of rain
Annual Average Snowfall - 1 inch Elevation - 547 feet
Prevailing wind is southerly in summer and northerly in winter. About 50 thunderstorms occur per year. The heaviest snowfall of 8.2 inches was in March 1942.
The mean dates of the last freeze in the spring and the first in the fall are March 26 and November 9. The growing season (freeze free) period is 228 days.
Paris has a Risk Zone 1 rating for earthquake potential which is the lowest rating. Tornadoes are a rare occurrence, and based on a national weather service report, Paris is located in a .5 per 1,000 square mile per year zone.
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HOTEL AND MOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
Paris has seven hotels/motels with a total of 528 rooms. To add the quantity of accommodations, Paris also has three Bed and Breakfast facilities with a total of eight rooms, three RV parks and several campgrounds on and off of the local lakes. Over 60 dining experiences are in Paris as well as guided historical and industrial tours, unique shopping, cultural and entertainment center, refreshing year-round climate, and southern hospitality.
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FEDERAL, STATE AND GOVERNMENT OFFICES
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Texas Department of Public Transportation
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Texas Department of Health
Texas Employment Commission
Texas Department of Human Resources
Texas Rehabilitation Commission, 2340 Lamar Avenue, Paris, TX 75460
United States Post Office
Texas Highway Patrol
United States Attorney Nation Guard of Texas
United States Army Reserves
1st Congressional District Lamar County is one of 19 ½ northeast Texas counties in the first congressional district. U.S. Representative Max Sandlin, Democrat from Marshall, was elected in 1996.
1st Texas Senatorial District Texas is divided into 31 senatorial districts with Lamar County being one of 15 counties in the first senatorial district. State Senator Kevin Eltiff, Republican from Tyler, currently represents the district and was elected in 2004.
2nd Texas Representative District The state is divided into 150 representative districts. The second district included Lamar, Hopkins, Delta, and Fannin Counties. Representative Mark Homer, Democrat from Paris, currently represents the district and was elected in 1998.
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MEDIA
Paris is served by one daily newspaper, one weekly newspaper, seven radio stations, one low power TV station and a TV cable system.
The Paris News publishes six days each week with The Valley Shopper published each Wednesday. KPLT and KGDD are two AM radio stations serving the Paris market in addition to KPLT, KITX, KBUS, KOOL and KOYN, FM stations. Local TV stations, KTEN and KXII, also broadcast in the Paris area along with Cox Cablevision which includes 38 channels plus pay channels.
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