Commission Meeting Highlights - May 24, 2022

To view the entire meeting, visit https://youtu.be/WWVRrTazxI0.

 

Mayor George Bray’s Opening Remarks

Mayor Bray reiterated the importance of the work underway by the 911 Communication Oversight Committee and the sense of urgency in addressing the issue of the radio infrastructure that has reached its end of life along with the determination of a funding structure.  The Committee has been meeting since January.

 

Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Message and Ordinance

The Paducah Board of Commissioners introduced the fiscal year 2023 budget ordinance with the approval set for June.  The City’s fiscal year begins July 1.  City Manager Daron Jordan provided a few highlights of the budget and thanked the Board of Commissioners and the City team for keeping the budget below the current inflation rate of approximately 8.5 percent.

  • The total of all City funds is $96.7 million with $43.28 million incorporated in the General Fund, the City’s main operating fund.
  • In the General Fund, approximately $24 million is dedicated to public safety, the City’s police and fire departments.
  • More than $1 million from the General Fund is used to cover the funding shortfall in 911 since the funds from landlines and cellphones do not cover the operational expenses.
  • The Investment Fund is $5.8 million which includes debt payments, economic development, community development, and grant-in-aid funding.
  • To balance the budget, it required $2.5 million to be used from the reserve fund.  However, this budget does set aside 10 percent toward the reserve fund.
  • All state mandated pension obligations are funded.
  • For employees, a 3 percent cost-of-living wage increase is included. 

 

Hiring of Chief Technology Director

The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved an employment agreement effective June 30 with Eric Stuber as Chief Technology Director.  This position has been vacant since February.  Stuber, a Paducah native, is a previous employee of the City and has been in the technology field for over twenty years.    

 

Construction Contract for South 25th Street Improvement Project

The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved an ordinance for a construction contract with Central Paving Company for the South 25th Street Improvement Project.  Once Central Paving receives a notice to proceed, this is a 180 consecutive calendar day project that will improve South 25th Street from Jackson Street to Alabama Street.  Also included is the installation of sidewalks on the west side of South 25th Street.  The City is using $1.4 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds in addition to $650,000 the City received from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet in 2019 for the project.  This project will also improve Brooks Stadium Drive with the work on that roadway to begin once the Paducah Chiefs Baseball Club’s season concludes.

 

Agreement with the City of Mayfield for Building Inspection Services

The Paducah Board of Commissioners introduced an ordinance for an interlocal cooperation agreement between the City of Paducah and the City of Mayfield for Paducah to provide building inspection services.  The December 10, 2021, tornado resulted in extensive damage or destruction to more than 700 structures in Mayfield with an additional 400 structures receiving minor damage.  The repair and/or replacement of these structures will require significant involvement of Mayfield’s Office of Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement to ensure building code compliance. This ordinance provides assistance to Mayfield with building inspection and plan review in order to facilitate the replacement and repair of the damaged structures. 

 

BUILD Grant Programmatic Agreement

The Board approved a municipal order for a programmatic agreement between U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD), Kentucky State Historic Preservation Office, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Osage Nation, and the City of Paducah for the BUILD grant.  The City was notified in 2019 of a $10.4 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant to improve the riverfront.  Since the notification, the City has been working to complete the project’s environmental assessment.  This agreement, which is required in order to release the grant funding, ensures any effects on historic properties will be addressed during project design and construction.

The BUILD grant is a package of transformative projects for Paducah’s downtown and riverfront.  The projects include

  • A new dock structure and excursion landing plaza to be located just downstream of the foot of Broadway;
  • Improved bike and pedestrian linkages through the improvements of three intersections, the addition of wayfinding, and creation of a multi-use path; and
  • Improvements near the transient boat dock (former Executive Inn site) to include green space and seating.

 

Dredging Project Downstream of Boat Dock

The Board introduced an ordinance for a contract modification with HDR, Inc. regarding the project to address the build-up of sediment in the Ohio River downstream from the transient boat dock.  The City has received the necessary permits from the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the Kentucky Division of Water for this dredging project which allows up to 60,000 cubic yards of sediment to be dredged per year using deep water disposal.  This contract modification with HDR is to add engineering drawings and specifications, bidding administration, project inspection, monitoring, administration, and reporting.  Dredging is anticipated to begin either this fall or next spring depending upon the river conditions.  The project is funded in part through Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance Funds.  FEMA will fund 90% of the project cost with the State providing 4.8% and 5.2% as the City’s responsibility. 

 

Approval of Municipal Orders for the following grants:

  • Accept the 2021 U.S. Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant in the amount of $8,098.38.
  • Apply for the 2022 Kentucky Office of Homeland Security Grant requesting $862,000.  If awarded, the funds would be for a new Police Department Mobile Command Vehicle.
  • Apply for the 2022 U.S. Department of Homeland Security Port Security Grant requesting $34,577 to replace/update cameras along the riverfront.
  • Accept the 2022 Brownfields Assessment Grant in the amount of $500,000 which will be used to inventory sites and conduct Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments and develop cleanup plans.
  • Apply for the Land and Water Conservation Grant requesting $100,000 to replace Keiler Park’s playground equipment.

 

Additional Meeting Information

  • Municipal order approved for a one-year agreement with Wise Staffing to hire seasonal and temporary city staff.
  • Ordinance approved for the consensual annexation of 5470 Old Highway 60.
  • Ordinance introduced to repeal and replace Chapter 108 (Telecommunications) of the Code of Ordinances which was originally adopted in 1998.  Law changes and telecommunications advances have led to the need to completely update this chapter.  Also, Paducah has been approached by telecommunication companies interested in using the rights-of-way in Paducah.  The City is required to publicly bid all franchises for the use of its rights-of-way. This ordinance will govern the process and requirements for bidding and entering into non-exclusive franchise agreements.  Stakeholder feedback was incorporated into this ordinance.
  • Ordinance introduced to reset the interest rate for the 2015 Industrial Revenue Bond for the Holiday Inn Paducah Riverfront hotel project. 

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