The Paris City Council voted Aug. 12 to donate a parcel of city-owned land to the Boys and Girls Club of the Red River Valley to allow the nonprofit to expand its facility at 1530 Northeast First Street.

Staff explained the parcel contains two unused baseball fields and that the property has historically been subject to competing leases involving the Boys and Girls Club and the Red River Valley Fair Association. The fair association currently holds a lease that includes a portion known as Rees Field, which has been used for overflow parking during the fair; staff said that lease runs through 2027 and the city's proposed conveyance will be subject to that lease for the portion involved.

City staff and the city's real-estate counsel recommended a no-warranty deed that transfers the relevant acreage while reserving the city's reversionary interest required by Texas Local Government Code for donations made for a public purpose. Under the reverter clause, if the Boys and Girls Club stops using the property for the public purpose defined in the deed, title automatically reverts to the city.

Council members noted the council had previously approved a donation in December 2020 but that subdivision of the tract, lease reviews and the club's timing for a capital campaign delayed final conveyance. Council voted to approve the resolution authorizing the mayor to execute the deed. The motion was made by Council member Kessel, seconded by Council member Norman, and passed on a 5-0 vote.

City staff said the city has not used the property for decades and that the transfer is intended to support the Boys and Girls Club's expansion and continued youth programming.