Mayor’s Opening Remarks regarding Barkley Regional Airport
Mayor George Bray was happy to announce that the City has received a check in the amount of $361,000 from Barkley Regional Airport. The new airport terminal project was constructed under budget allowing for Barkley Regional Airport to return some of the City and County support funding. The City will use a portion of the funds to pay for the parking lot renovations at the Robert Cherry Civic Center.
Interlocal Agreement for Provision of Emergency 911 Services with McCracken County
The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved an ordinance authorizing an Interlocal Agreement for Provision of Emergency 911 Services with McCracken County. The next step will be determining the funding mechanism. This agreement includes the following provisions:
- The Paducah Police Department retains management control of Paducah-McCracken County 911 Service with the Paducah Police Chief or designee as 911’s Criminal Justice Agency Director (CJA Director). All employees will be employed by the City of Paducah.
- The agreement creates a five-member citizen board called the Paducah-McCracken County 911 Board. Elected officials in addition to city and county staff are not to be members of this Board. Among other things, it will be responsible for adopting a recommended annual operating budget for 911 and presenting this recommendation to the City and County no later than April 1 each year.
- The agreement creates a Paducah-McCracken County 911 Service User Committee made up of Paducah’s Chief of Police or his/her designee, Paducah Fire Chief or his/her designee, McCracken County Sheriff or his/her designee, the Paducah-McCracken Office of Emergency Management Director or his/her designee, one member from each of the five County Fire Protection Districts, and one member from any other customer served by 911. This committee may make recommendations to the CJA Director.
- Funding is outlined in the agreement and shall be implemented through parcel fees imposed by ordinances approved by the City of Paducah and McCracken County, fees on wireless services, grants, user fees, and any other lawful source of revenue.
- Telephone landline fees are abolished by the City and County as part of this Interlocal Agreement.
- This Interlocal Agreement is for a period of five years. It automatically renews for an additional five years at the end of the initial term and any subsequent terms unless either party withdraws or terminates the agreement.
Fiscal Year 2025 Budget
The Paducah Board of Commissioners introduced the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Ordinance which, once approved, will be effective July 1. City Manager Daron Jordan and Finance Director Jonathan Perkins provided an overview of the budget.
The FY2025 budget is slightly more than $120.8 million dollars when all funding accounts and transfers are considered. Of that amount, the City’s main operating fund, the General Fund, is $57.6 million, and the Investment Fund is $8.3 million. A few of the budget highlights are as follows:
- Includes all annual debt service payment obligations.
- Includes 4% wage adjustments as contractually obligated for IAFF, FOP, and AFSCME and 4% for non- represented full-time employees.
- Allows for the minimum 10% reserve requirement in the General, Investment and Solid Waste funds.
- Utilizes 'unreserved cash balances' for the General, Investment, Fleet Lease Trust, and Bond funds to help balance the budget.
- Includes State mandated pension contributions.
- Includes appropriations for numerous outside agencies.
- Includes funding for City Commission priorities including $1 million for housing initiatives and approximately $1.2 million for stormwater projects.
- Assumes a 4% increase in the real estate property tax levy (to be voted on in a separate ordinance this fall). Please note that as the property valuations increase, the property tax rate often declines.
Medical Cannabis Resolution
The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved a resolution in support of medical cannabis businesses locating in Paducah. This topic was discussed at the previous Commission meeting. A later meeting would include zoning text amendments.
In 2023, the Kentucky General Assembly passed Senate Bill 47 which was signed by Governor Beshear legalizing the use of medical cannabis in Kentucky effective January 1, 2025. The bill also establishes a framework for state licensure of medical cannabis businesses such as dispensaries, cultivators, processors, and producers. As of January 1, an individual who meets specific requirements can receive a medical cannabis card from the Cabinet of Health.
Since medical cannabis cannot be transported into the State, Kentucky businesses must grow, produce, test, and sell the cannabis all within Kentucky. Therefore, to be able to service medical cannabis card holders in January, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services filed additional regulations on how proposed businesses can become licensed in Kentucky. Applications for cannabis business licenses can be filed with the Cabinet beginning this July 1. There is a limited number of licenses and license types available in this initial application period through the state. Learn more about Kentucky’s medical cannabis program and read a list of frequently asked questions..
Repeal and Replace Chapter 42, Article IV of Paducah Code of Ordinances regarding Noise
The Paducah Board of Commissioners introduced an ordinance to repeal and replace Chapter 42, Article IV of the Paducah Code of Ordinances regarding noise. Before the second reading, there is time for the public to provide feedback to the proposed ordinance. At this meeting, nine people made public comments regarding the noise ordinance.
The new proposed ordinance removes vague language and subjective standards which could create enforcement difficulties. Regarding measuring noise on a sound level meter, the updated ordinance adds using the db(C) scale (also known as the C-weighting scale) when measuring music. All other sounds are to be measured using the db(A) scale (also known as A-weighting scale). Measurements of the decibel levels are to be taken no fewer than 20 feet from the property line of the property producing and/or generating the noise or anywhere within the boundary line of the nearest residentially-occupied property, whichever is closer.
Additional proposed changes to the noise ordinance are as follows:
- Unreasonably loud sounds within 150 feet from a school, church, house of worship, or healthcare facility are banned.
- The ordinance lowers the general noise level from 65 to 60 decibels for most times with daily time exception periods.
- It extends the hours that noise can be up to 75 decibels to 11 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday.
- It limits the times for outdoor sound amplification equipment at commercial establishments.
- The ordinance includes a section on a chronic noise producer.
Enforcement procedures would be carried out by the Police Department with the use of decibel readers. With an initial complaint, a warning is given with the property owner/manager/resident asked to remedy the noise violation. With a second visit or complaint, a fine is issued and the property owner/manager/resident must remedy the noise violation. The fine is $250 per occurrence.
Personnel
After meeting in closed session for nearly one hour for issues which might lead to the appointment, dismissal, or disciplining of an employee as permitted by KRS 61.810(1)(f), the Board approved a proposed motion that read “having received an ethics complaint, the City Commission has determined that there is no standing under the provisions of KRS. Furthermore, since the Board of Ethics is charged with the investigation of such complaint in strict confidence, the Board of Commissioners and staff cannot comment on this matter until the investigation is concluded so as to not prejudice the investigation by the Board of Ethics.”
Additional Meeting Information
- Director of Parks and Recreation Amie Clark introduced Assistant Director of Recreation Taylor Morsching who was recently promoted. Taylor has been with the City since 2015.
- City of Paducah Grants Administrator Hope Reasons provided an update of grants activity for the past quarter and year-to-date.
- Municipal Order approved for an agreement with Rightway Janitorial Services, LLC for custodial services in city parks facilities.
- Municipal Order approved for the Department of Justice Bulletproof Vest Program Grant in the amount of $7550.
- Municipal Orders approved for Fleet Maintenance Service Agreements between Paducah’s Fleet Division and Livingston County Emergency Management and between the Fleet Division and Barkley Regional Airport Authority. Fleet will provide maintenance services each entity’s vehicles at hourly rates.
- Municipal Order approved for the purchase of one ½ ton pickup 4x4 SSV for use by the Fire Department.
- Municipal Order approved accepting the Kentucky Pride Fund Composting Grant in the amount of $605,071. These funds will be used to make purchases including a debris grinder for the City’s Compost Facility.
- Municipal Order approved a contract for services with Beautiful Paducah to host the 2024 BBQ on the River festival which will be September 19-21. This will be the third year for Beautiful Paducah to organize the event.
- Resolution approved requesting the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority to issue industrial revenue bonds to assist Goodwill Industries of Kentucky in its new retail center project in Paducah.
- Resolution approved supporting the Paducah Housing Authority in its application for a Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI) Grant through Housing and Urban Development. If the grant is approved, the City of Paducah pledges $25,000 in support. The goal would be to create a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization plan for the Anderson Court area. Anderson Court has 100 family units and was constructed in 1952.
- Ordinance approved closing a portion of an alley west of South 24th Street between Center Street and Seitz Street along with the closing of a section of alley west of South 24th Street between Seitz Street and Barnett Street as requested by the adjacent property owners.
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