McCracken County Sports Tourism Commission Update
Chairman Jim Dudley with the McCracken County Sports Tourism Commission provided an update on the activities underway with the Sports Commission. The Sports Commission has finalized an agreement with the Paducah-McCracken County Convention Center Corporation for use of the Expo Center for basketball and volleyball tournaments. The Sports Commission has purchased portable hardwood courts that will allow for four basketball games or eight volleyball games to occur at once. Dudley says there are events scheduled for late August. Furthermore, the Sports Commission plans to meet July 22 to discuss outdoor sporting facilities with topics of discussion to include location, facilities, and sporting types.
Building Assessment Presentation for City of Paducah Facilities
Principal/Mechanical Engineer Baccus Oliver with Marcum Engineering provided an overview of the 2020 Facilities Survey and Plan which assesses 14 City of Paducah buildings. These buildings are developing many age-related issues and needs. The 14 buildings have an average age of 50 and range in age from 27 years old (Paducah Recreation Center) to 85 years old (Police Station).
This project began late in 2019 with the assessment team touring each building and scoring various components and systems in each facility from 1 to 5 (excellent to poor). The team also developed a list of needs and a 10-year plan for each building ranging from immediate needs that are recommended to be completed in the next one to three years and long-range needs that could be completed in years four through 10. The survey provides an overall building score for each facility and scores for categories including exterior site, building exterior, building interior, plumbing and fire protection, HVAC, and electrical.
The average building score for all 14 buildings is 3.5 which is between average and below average. The facilities with the lowest scores are Fire Station No. 1, Fire Station No. 4, Parks & Recreation Building, Paducah Police Station, and the Robert Cherry Civic Center. The cost of all the assessed needs over the next 10 years totals $12.6 million.
The 14 facilities reviewed in the study are the Allie Morgan Communication Center (which houses E-911 and Information Technology), City Hall, five fire stations, Paducah Recreation Center, Parks & Recreation Building, Police Station, Probation & Parole Office Building, Public Works Offices, Public Works Warehouse, and Robert Cherry Civic Center.
Lose & Associates, Inc. Agreement – Design Pause for Indoor Recreation and Aquatic Center
The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved a municipal order with amendments to continue the suspension of the agreement with Lose & Associates, Inc. regarding the design and construction management services for the Indoor Recreation and Aquatics Center. This municipal order pauses the agreement until January 2021. The amendments added at this meeting direct the City Manager to continue due diligence related to the project including
- The creation of a conceptual build-out for prospective tenants.
- The creation of community focus groups for the project with an emphasis on inclusion and programming.
- Research on financial assistance and facility naming rights.
- Research on facility costs with an emphasis on understanding the impact of COVID-19 on the project Pro Forma.
The amended municipal order was adopted with a 4-1 vote with Commissioner Richard Abraham voting no. Commissioner Abraham stated that he was in favor of pausing the design but not in favor of the amendments that continue the due diligence related to the project.
The City entered into an agreement with Lose for the design of the indoor recreation and aquatic center in August 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City paused the design of the facility beginning May 1 for a period that would have ended later this month.
2020 Our Paducah Strategic Plan Document
The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved a municipal order adopting the 2020 Our Paducah Strategic Plan. This plan reflects the goals and input from the planning retreat with the Board in January 2020 and from the FY2021 budget process. Similar to previous years, the Commissioners identified the highest priorities in each Key Performance Indicator which are known as What's Important Now (WIN) initiatives. Furthermore, there are two new categories for initiatives: Continuous Improvement and What's Important Later (WIL). The Key Team Member will provide quarterly updates for the remainder of 2020 for all WIN, High, Medium, and Low priorities. The Strategic Plan has eight Key Performance Areas:
- Public Safety (3 action items)
- Develop Healthy and Sustainable Neighborhoods (2 action items)
- Maintain Thoughtful and Modern Infrastructure (6 action items)
- Provide Open, Smart, and Engaged Government (1 action item)
- Creative Industries (5 action items)
- Empower Upward Economic Mobility for All (7 action items)
- Recreation & Wellbeing (6 action items)
- Celebrate a Diverse Community (1 action item)
Quick Highlights
- Municipal orders approved for the 1) Declaration of Trust and Trust Participation Agreement with the Kentucky League of Cities Insurance Services for the Workers’ Compensation Trust and 2) Trust Participation Agreement for the Kentucky League of Cities Insurance Services General Insurance Trust.
- Municipal order approved to apply for the 2020 Kentucky League of Cities Insurance Services Workers’ Safety Grant in the amount of $3000 which, if awarded, would be used by the Fire Department to purchase personal protective equipment. This grant requires an equal match by the City.
- Municipal order approved accepting the 2020-2021 Kentucky Hazardous Waste Grant in the amount of $24,500 to help fund the annual Spring Clean Up Day. This grant requires a match of $6,125 which will be split between the City and McCracken County.
- Municipal order approved authorizing the agreement with Data Records Management Services to perform the Police Department’s digitization project to digitize approximately 54 boxes of felony case files. This project is funded through a $33,529 Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives Local Records Program grant.
- Municipal order approved accepting the 2020 National Endowment of the Arts Art Works Grant in the amount of $10,000 for the development and implementation of a Creative Entrepreneurship Program. This program will consist of 5 to 10 classes that will assist creative industry entrepreneurs in starting and running a small business. This grant requires an equal match from the City.
- Municipal order approved for a contract with West Kentucky Community & Technical College with the City providing $85,000 for the operation of the public and government access channels.
- Municipal order approved accepting the donation of property at 2011 Guthrie Avenue.
- Municipal order approved for the purchase of mowers in the amount of $76,761.98 for Paxton Golf Course.
- Municipal order approved to apply for the State and Local Government Financial Wellness Grant through the Kentucky League of Cities. The grant request is for $17,250 to create a financial wellness program for employees with classes through WKCTC. There is no local match for this grant.
- Municipal order approved accepting the Deed of Conveyance on behalf of Paducah Water to accept property owned by the Paducah-McCracken County Industrial Development Agency located at 5802 Commerce Drive and 3924 Maxon Road. This property will be used for future planning and system expansion for Paducah Water.
- Municipal order approved authorizing the Finance Director to retire the debt service for the 2011 General Obligation Bond. This bond is being retired due to the recent sale of the building at 5400 Commerce Drive.
- Municipal order authorizing the Finance Director to make payments to Western Surety Company for the Floodwall Pump Station No. 2 project.
- Ordinance introduced (vote July 28) to rezone 5802 Commerce Drive from R-1 (Low Density Residential) to M-1 (Light Industrial Zone). This 16-plus acre area is on the western edge of Commerce Park. One of the initial developments would be the construction of an elevated water storage tank for Paducah Water to enhance water pressure in the Cairo Road area.
- Ordinance introduced (vote July 28) for a change order with Jim Smith Contracting, LLC for the paving and resurfacing contract to include contract pricing for pavement markings.
- Ordinance introduced (vote July 28) to approve the transfer of several city-owned properties used by the Paducah-McCracken County Joint Sewer Agency to JSA. JSA was formed by identical ordinances passed by the City and County in 1999. That ordinance specified that all sanitary sewer facilities were merged into the Agency and under Agency jurisdiction and control. The ordinance further specified that the City and County were to follow up this merger and transfer any real property related to the sanitary facilities by deed to JSA. The County property was transferred by deed, but the City property transfer was started but not completed. This action completes that process.
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