To view the entire meeting, visit https://youtu.be/KfUb5HmfCRc.
Note: Commissioner Carol Gault was unable to attend this meeting.
City Manager James Arndt Recognition
The Paducah Board of Commissioners recognized City Manager Jim Arndt for his three years of service to Paducah. Arndt is leaving Paducah to move back home to Illinois and open a local government management consulting firm, Arndt Municipal Support, Inc. The community is invited to an open house to say thank you to Arndt this Friday from 3 until 6 p.m. at City Hall. The Board will be making comments at 5:30. In June, the Board approved the hiring of Daron Jordan as Paducah’s next city manager. He begins his tenure with Paducah on August 1.
Remote Workers Incentive Program
The Board introduced an ordinance providing the criteria for the Remote Workers Incentive Program. The Board discussed the Priority Action Item in June and provided feedback to Business Development Specialist Kathryn Byers. The goal is to attract to Paducah approximately 25 full-time remote workers from 100 miles or more outside Paducah by offering the following incentives:
- Up to $2,500 reimbursement for expenses associated with relocating to the City of Paducah. Eligible expenses include renter’s deposit, down payment on a home, rental of moving trucks or trailers, the hiring of professional movers, and/or the purchase of packing materials.
- Up to $70.00 per month reimbursement for 12 months for fees associated with provision of internet services to a residence located within the City of Paducah.
- Waiver of City of Paducah Payroll taxes for twelve (12) months.
- Community connections through tickets/passes and experiences to a variety of Paducah's cultural and educational institutions.
The City has budgeted $100,000 for the incentives and marketing with the goal to reach workers in the following cities: Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; and Louisville, Kentucky.
911 and Sports Complex Update
As a follow-up to the joint City and County meeting held June 24, Mayor George Bray reported that the City and County are working to develop the Memorandums of Understanding for the two projects that the City and County are partnering to move forward: 911 capital improvements and the outdoor sports and recreation complex. Mayor Bray expects both of those MOUs will be introduced in August.
Robert Cherry Civic Center Discussion
The Board continued discussing renovating the 9300 square foot Robert Cherry Civic Center located at 2701 Park Avenue. The plan is to use about a quarter of the building for office space for the Parks & Recreation Department and move the Department out of the H.C. Mathis Drive building that has high maintenance and utility costs. At this meeting, the Board reviewed preliminary floor plans developed by Peck Flannery Gream Warren to provide office space for the Parks & Recreation Department (about 2250 square feet) and a public assembly space (about 7050 square feet). The estimated cost to update the building with new electrical, HVAC, plumbing, windows, doors, signage and landscaping, and office space for the Parks Department is slightly more than $1.1 million.
Commission Priorities Update
Assistant City Manager Michelle Smolen provided an update on the second quarterly report of the City Commission Priorities. In February, the Board selected 12 priorities to improve and enhance Paducah. The quarterly reports showing the progress are posted on the City's website at Commission Priorities.
Floodwall Projects
The Board approved three ordinances related to floodwall projects.
- The first approval is for a change order with Pace Contracting for the Pump Station #2 contract. The project includes the replacement of discharge pipes, the rehabilitation of various mechanical components of all seven pumps and motors not previously repaired, and the replacement of the sluice gate. Pump Station #2, located at 1416 North 6th Street, has the largest pumping capacity of 313,000 gallons per minute. Since it’s the first station to be activated at a local river stage of 27.5 feet, it receives the most wear-and-tear.
- The second action approved a contract with Jim Smith Contracting, LLC to modify 12 floodwall openings. This project includes the permanent sealing of 10 openings that are no longer used or needed and the raising of the sill elevation of two openings which would reduce the number of times a gate would need to be installed.
- The third action approved a contract with Jim Smith Contracting, LLC for the floodwall flap gate replacement project. This project involves the replacement of 52 flap gates and sluice gates.
Amendments to the Paducah Code of Ordinances
The Board introduced three ordinances that amend three sections of the Paducah Code of Ordinances.
- Chapter 126 of the Zoning Ordinance is receiving various amendments including allowing cottage homes (also called tiny homes) with a minimum of 140 square feet in the B-1 Convenience & Service Zone and higher intensity zones. Another amendment to this chapter allows for short-term rentals (a room or dwelling that is rented less than 30 consecutive days) in certain zones.
- Chapter 126-87 of the Zoning Ordinance is being amended to allow food tents to operate within certain parameters, to allow mobile food vehicles to locate closer than 100 feet from a brick-and-mortar restaurant with permission, and to allow mobile food vehicles to operate in certain downtown areas within certain noise parameters.
- Chapter 46 of the Code of Ordinances is being amended to create a $50 fee for the fire department’s inspection of mobile food vehicles. Mobile food vehicles are required annually to pass a Paducah Fire Department inspection to operate in the City.
Additional Meeting Information
- Municipal order approved for a mutual aid agreement with the City of Metropolis for the Paducah Fire Department to assist in water rescue situations.
- Ordinance approved amending Section 78-31 of Paducah’s Code of Ordinances to designate Juneteenth National Independence Day as a holiday for city employees.
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