Paducah operates under a City Manager Plan form of government. On November 8, 1932, the citizens of Paducah voted to become a City Manager form of Government. The Paducah Board of Commissioners is made up of the Mayor and four Commissioners elected at large by the citizens on a non-partisan basis. The Mayor is elected for a four-year term and Commissioners for a two-year term. The Mayor and Commissioners have equal voting powers.
The Paducah Board of Commissioners sets the policies that govern the City. It appoints advisory citizen groups that help in the decision-making process. The City Manager is appointed by the Board and assists it in formulating objectives, policies, and programs. The City Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the City's approximately 330 full-time employees. Department directors are responsible for their respective departments and report directly to the City Manager.
List of Paducah's City Managers >>
List of Paducah's Commissioners >>
When the Mayor and Commissioners are sworn into office, they take the following oath:
I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this Commonwealth, and be faithful and true to the Commonwealth of Kentucky so long as I continue a citizen thereof, and that I will faithfully execute, to the best of my ability, the office of [Mayor/Commissioner], according to law; and I do further solemnly swear that since the adoption of the present Constitution, I, being a citizen of this State, have not fought a duel with deadly weapons within this State nor out of it, nor have I sent or accepted a challenge to fight a duel with deadly weapons, nor have I acted as a second in carrying a challenge, nor aided or assisted any person thus offending, so help me God.
# | NAME | TERM | ADDITIONAL INFORMATION | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
40. | George P. Bray | 2021-Present | |||
39. | Brandi Harless | 2017-2020 | |||
38. | Gayle Kaler | 2013-2016 | |||
37. | William F. Paxton, III | 2001-2012 | Served three four-year terms. | ||
36. | Albert Jones | 1996-2000 | |||
35. | Gerry Biggs Montgomery | 1988-1995 | Served two four-year terms. | ||
34. | Joseph Viterisi | 1984-1987 | |||
33. | John K. Penrod | 1980-1983 | |||
32. | William S. Murphy | 1976-1979 | |||
31. | Alice Hite (Dolly) McNutt | 1972-1975 | |||
30. | Robert C. Cherry | 1968-1971 | |||
29. | Thomas W. Wilson | 1964-1967 | |||
28. | Robert C. Cherry | 1960-1963 | |||
27. | George G. Jacobs | 1956-1959 | |||
26. | Robert C. Cherry | 1952-1955 | |||
25. | Stuart Johnston | 1949-1951 | Completed Mayor Peak's term. | ||
24. | Gene Peak | 1948-1949 | Died in office. | ||
23. | Wayne C. Seaton | 1944-1947 | |||
22. | Pierce E. Lackey | 1940-1943 | |||
21. | Edgar T. Washburn | 1936-1939 | |||
20. | E.G. Scott | 1932-1935 | |||
19. | Ernest Lackey | 1928-1931 | |||
18. | J.W. Bailey, M.D. | 1924-1927 | |||
17. | Frederick William Katterjohn | 1920-1923 | |||
16. | Frank N. Burns | Nov. 1916-Nov. 1919 | Resigned to accept appointment as KY Railroad Commissioner. | ||
15. | Ernest Lackey | Jan. 1916-Nov. 1916 | Election ruled invalid by the KY Court of Appeals in June 1916. Governor appointed Lackey to serve until the November election of 1916. | ||
14. | Thomas Needham Hazelip | 1912-1915 | |||
13. | James Peterson Smith | 1908-1911 | |||
12. | David Ayers Yeiser, Sr. | 1902-1907 | Paducah became a second class city in 1902. | ||
11. | James M. Lang | Dec 6, 1897-1901 | All third class city mayors served two-year terms. In 1897, the first primary election was held, and mayors were elected for four-year terms. | ||
10. | David Ayers Yeiser, Sr. | 1891-1897 | |||
9. | Joseph Henry Johnson | March 1889-1891 | |||
8. | Charles Reed | March 21, 1881-March 1889 | Elections in March 1881, 1883, 1885, and 1887. Served four two-year terms. | ||
7. | Meyer Weil | 1877-March 1881 | Elections in 1877 and 1879. Served two two-year terms. | ||
6. | John G. Fisher | 1875-1877 | |||
5. | Meyer Weil | 1871-1875 | Elections in 1871 and 1873. Served two two-year terms. | ||
4. | John W. Sauner | 1867-1871 | Elections in 1867 and 1869. Served two two-year terms. | ||
3. | John G. Fisher | 1863-1867 | Elections in 1863 and 1865. Served two two-year terms. | ||
2. | John W. Sauner | 1859-1863 | Elections in 1869 and 1861. Served two two-year terms. | ||
1. | Jesse Hampton Gardner | March 10, 1856-1859 | March 10, 1856--The date Paducah became a third class city. |