City Block Update
Mayor George Bray updated the Board on the City Block Project. Contractor, Ray Black & Son is moving forward with the parking and public amenities on the site. This is the downtown block bounded by Broadway, Water Street, Jefferson, and North 2nd Street. The expectation is that the parking and public amenities could open to the public in late September to early October. Mayor Bray said Weyland Ventures is working with the hotel contractor and hopes to start construction on the hotel foundation later this summer. The contractor has been working through foundation construction decisions and a difficulty in securing subcontractors. Mayor Bray reiterated that the project is moving forward and that these types of issues are common with construction projects of this size.
911 Upgrade – Intent to Award Letter for Capital Improvement Project
The Board authorized an Intent to Award Letter to Communications International for the Paducah/McCracken County Public Safety Radio Communication System Project. The McCracken County Fiscal Court approved the Intent to Award Letter as well at its meeting last night. Last December, the City of Paducah and McCracken County issued a request for proposals for the project with two proposals received and opened in March. An eight-member City and County team evaluated the proposals with the unanimous determination to move forward with Communications International. The next step will be to finalize a master agreement for the project which will be brought back to the Board for approval. Mayor Bray and City Manager Daron Jordan also said that the City and County have been discussing how to fund 911. They recently met with the county administrator for Kenton County which has assessed a parcel fee, a fee assessed on property tax bills. Mayor Bray says the City and County are interested in learning more about a parcel fee.
Robert Cherry Civic Center Renovation Project
The Board approved a contract modification with Midstates Construction for the Robert Cherry Civic Center Renovation Project. In March, the Board approved the contract with Midstates to repair the facility following a traffic crash in 2022 that caused a vehicle to significantly damage the building and to rehabilitate the community center area and provide office space for the relocation of the Parks & Recreation Department’s administrative employees. The work began on the project in April, and crews have discovered items that require a contract modification including an undersized electrical transfer switch since the facility is being designed to serve as an emergency operations center when needed. The project remains on schedule with the facility to be completed late this year. City Manager Jordan said the City also is looking at repaving the parking lot before the facility opens.
Parks Advisory Committee
At the June 13 Commission Meeting, Mayor Bray said that he, City Manager Daron Jordan and Parks & Recreation Director Amie Clark had met to discuss developing a parks advisory board. At this meeting, Clark provided three structure options.
- One option is a policy-making board that would have decision-making power regarding the operation and management of parks and recreational programs. In Kentucky, Georgetown/Scott County has a similar board.
- Another option is a foundation or a friends of the parks board that would lead fundraising options. Shelbyville/Shelby County has this type of option.
- The third option, which is recommended by Paducah’s Parks and Recreation Department, is an advisory committee. This group of citizens would serve in an advisory role to make recommendations. Communities in Kentucky with advisory committees include Owensboro, Daviess County, Henderson, and Shelbyville.
Clark explained that an advisory committee could collect public input and communicate with the department, City Manager, and City Commission, help set goals and plans for future park projects, assist with development partnerships, and assist in promotion policies and initiatives. Clark mentioned that the challenges would be keeping the board members engaged and determining funding for recommended projects.
Members of the City Commission voiced their support in gathering public feedback. Mayor Bray said the City Commission will consider the structure options, but no decision was made at this meeting.
Property at 2301 McCracken Boulevard
After meeting in Executive Session, the Board approved a motion authorizing the City Manager to work with McCracken County and Greater Paducah Economic Development (GPED) on the sale and marketing of the property located at 2301 McCracken Boulevard in Commerce Park. This facility is the former TeleTech building that opened as a call center in 2014. The City, County, and Greater Paducah Economic Development each provided funding toward the building’s construction with it currently owned by the City and County.
Grants Update
City of Paducah Grants Administrator Hope Reasons provided an update of grants activity. Currently, the City is managing $19.1 million in grant funding. In Fiscal Year 2022-2023 the City submitted 23 grant applications. So far, 13 of those grants have been awarded. Notifications about eight of those grants are pending. A few of the recent grant awards Reasons highlighted included the recent visit by Governor Andy Beshear to present Land and Water Conservation funds for the playground at Keiler Park and household hazardous waste funds to support the annual City-County Spring Clean Up Day. Reasons added the City is awarded a total of $173,000 to 16 local organizations through the City’s Grant-in-Aid funding process. That program opens in February with a March deadline.
The Board also approved the following municipal orders related to grants:
- U.S. Department of Justice Bulletproof Vest Program grant requesting $6795.
- Kentucky Office of Homeland Security Cybersecurity Grant accepting $12,474 in funds to establish a cybersecurity governance program.
Entertainment Destination Center Amendment
The Board approved an ordinance to amend Paducah Code of Ordinances Section 6-62 related to the Entertainment Destination Center (EDC). The City of Paducah created the EDC in 2021 in a section of downtown to allow patrons to carry alcoholic beverages in EDC-branded cups in the public areas of the designated EDC area. House Bill 237, which becomes effective July 1, amends the state law to allow those alcoholic beverages to be taken into non-licensed businesses in the EDC such as retail stores. Since the City of Paducah is the official EDC license-holder, this amendment requires businesses that choose to allow EDC cups on their premises to first request permission from the City. Participating business will be provided an EDC Friendly window decal that shows EDC cups are allowed in the business. Businesses are not required to allow EDC cups in their establishment.
Boards and Commissions
- Reappointment of Melissa Yates and Bruce Brockenborough to the Forest Hills Village Board.
- Reappointment of Edward Narozniak to the Municipal Housing Commission.
Additional Meeting Information
- Municipal Order approved authorizing incentives for the recently annexed property at 252 Locust Avenue.
- Ordinance approved authorizing the closing of more than 33,000 square feet of Old Coleman Road between 3200, 3204, and 3226 Coleman Road.
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