City Commission Meeting Highlights - December 15, 2020

Date of release:  December 15, 2020

Note:  Due to the COVID-19 situation and the need to maintain social distancing, all members of the Paducah Board of Commissioners participated by video and/or audio conferencing. 

 

Industrial Development Authority Interlocal Cooperation Agreement and Ordinance Amendment

The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved two ordinances related to the Industrial Development Authority (IDA). 

  1. The Board approved an ordinance for the interlocal cooperation agreement among the City of Paducah, McCracken County, Greater Paducah Economic Development (GPED), and IDA.  The McCracken County Fiscal Court attended the meeting as well to adopt the interlocal agreement.  This agreement repositions the IDA and its role regarding property ownership, maintenance, development, marketing, and management within the City and the County.  This ordinance would make the IDA owner of certain publicly owned development sites within Paducah and McCracken County, including the Ohio River Triple Rail Megasite (formerly known as Riverport West) which is currently owned by GPED.  This agreement also would forgive the repayment by GPED of the Phase II Note and the final Phase Note for the Ohio River Triple Rail Megasite.  These notes total $911,375.  The loans were approved by the City to assist GPED in 2007 and 2008 for the acquisition, development, and construction of the Megasite.
  2. The Board approved an ordinance amending Chapter 2 of the Paducah Code of Ordinances regarding the composition, qualifications of members, and terms of members for the IDA.  This ordinance changes the number of members from six to seven; removes the restriction that members cannot hold any official office in the City or County; and brings the terms of members in line with the Interlocal Cooperation Agreement.

 

Plaque Presentation in Honor of Service on the Paducah Board of Commissioners

Mayor Brandi Harless, Mayor Pro Tem Richard Abraham, Commissioner Gerald Watkins, and Commissioner Brenda McElroy have each received a plaque in recognition of their dedicated service, devotion, and commitment to the City of Paducah.  This Commission meeting is the final meeting of the year and the last time for this current class, Commission Class #42 to be together in official capacity.

 

LOVE Awards Presentation

City Manager Jim Arndt recognized the employees who are receiving LOVE awards this year.  The Living Our Values Every Day Awards recognize employees who embrace the City’s organizational values.  The employees are nominated by other employees with a city employee team reviewing the nominations to select one employee (or team of employees) for each of the six organizational values.  This year, 64 nomination forms were received.  The award recipients are as follows:

  • Action-Oriented:  Amy Travis, Police Department
  • Customer Experience:  Alex Sherwood, Customer Experience Department
  • Every Person Matters: Jonathan Perkins, Finance Director
  • Fiscal Responsibility: Mary Wurth, Parks and Recreation Department
  • Personal Accountability:  Lindsay Parish, City Clerk and Customer Experience Department Director
  • Solution-Driven:  Michelle Smolen, Assistant City Manager, and Stefanie Suazo, Human Resources Director

Be sure to check the City’s social media pages over the next few days to see the names of employees nominated for each value and images of the award recipients.

 

FY2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Presentation

Finance Director Jonathan Perkins and David Hampton of Kemper CPA Group, LLP provided an overview of the City’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) which includes the City audit.  The audit is required by State law; however, the CAFR is a voluntary document that the City prepares to provide additional information and transparency to the public.  The report is for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2020.  Paducah is one of the few cities in Kentucky that prepares a CAFR.  For 29 consecutive years, Paducah has been awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA).  The entire CAFR report and previous audits dating back to 2001 can be found on the City’s website, www.paducahky.gov.

 

Forgivable Loan for Sprocket

The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved an ordinance (by a 4 to 1 vote with Commissioner Richard Abraham voting no) to provide a 20-year forgivable loan in an amount up to $900,000 to Sprocket, Inc.  The funds will be used to help build out the more than 8000 square feet of makerspace at 3121 Broadway.  Sprocket is partnering with Cape Girardeau-based Codefi for a co-working and business start-up incubator to create high tech jobs and startup companies in Paducah.  Codefi Co-founder Dr. James Stapleton embraces the growth of the digital sector and is thrilled with the location for Codefi at the Coke Plant.  Stapleton said, “We want to provide resilient, high-paying occupations in this community.”  Commissioner Abraham supports the project but not the magnitude of forgivable loan funding in light of the City’s fiscal situation caused by the pandemic, specifically that fund reserves were used to balance the City’s budget. 

 

Resolution Related to Alcohol Licensing Renewal Fees

The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved a resolution encouraging the incoming Board of Commissioners to consider relief options to local businesses related to alcohol licensing renewal fees.  The resolution also authorizes the City Manager, City Clerk, and Finance Director to research the relief options.  A portion of the resolution is as follows:

WHEREAS, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and subsequent Executive Orders from the Kentucky Office of the Governor, many businesses have been required to close and/or operate at diminished capacity in 2020; and 

WHEREAS, the City Commission understands that these measures, while necessary for public health, have caused a substantial financial impact on restaurants, bars and other businesses in the City of Paducah and across the Commonwealth; and 

WHEREAS, the City Commission recognizes that this financial impact constitutes a substantial burden on local restaurants, bars and other businesses; and 

WHEREAS, the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has allowed for a twelve (12) month fee waiver for certain Kentucky State alcoholic beverage license types. 

 

Quick Highlights

  • Reappointment of Glenn Denton and Kelm Burchard and appointment of Sara Bradley to the Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau Board.
  • Municipal order approved for the early construction completion bonus in the amount up to $1400 that will be provided to Youngblood Excavating and Contracting for the Peck Education Trail.  The ribbon cutting for the trail will be Thursday, December 17 at 2 p.m.  Meet at the shelter behind the Noble Park Amphitheatre.
  • Municipal order approved for the purchase of a pumper truck from Finley Fire in the amount of $515,360 for the Paducah Fire Department. 
  • Municipal order approved to accept the second round of CARES Act funding in the amount of $599,821 for COVID-19 relief through the Department of Local Government. These funds will be used for reimbursements for salaries for police officers and firefighters.
  • Municipal order approved to accept the updated proposal for a change in the group life insurance with Mutual of Omaha effective January 1, 2021.
  • Ordinance introduced (vote January 12) for Change Order No. 1 to the contract with Jim Smith Contracting, LLC for the Greenway Trail Phase V project which has been completed along the riverfront.  This ordinance increases the final contract by $37,585.10.  This change order was due to the discovery of large concrete deposits beneath the construction site which led to the need to raise the project area and import additional fill and soil.

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