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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-17-2019 Joint CalledJune 17, 2019 At a Joint Called Meeting of the Paducah Board of Commissioners and McCracken County Fiscal Court, held on Monday, June 17, 2019, at 7:00 p.m., in the Commission Chambers of City Hall located at 300 South 5th Street, Mayor Harless and Judge Clymer presided. Upon call of the roll by the City Clerk, the following answered to their names: Commissioners Abraham, McElroy, Watkins, Wilson (4). Mayor Harless arrived at 7:05 p.m. Upon call of the roll, by the County Clerk, the following McCracken County Fiscal Court members answered to their names: Commissioners Bartleman, Jones, Parker and Judge Executive Clymer (4). INVOCATION Commissioner Watkins gave the invocation. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Commissioner Abraham led the pledge. PARKS AND RECREATION DISCUSSION The following is an excerpt from meeting highlights by Public Information Officer Pam Spencer: Discussion About the Future of Parks and Recreation The Paducah Board of Commissioners and the McCracken County Fiscal Court held a joint meeting to continue the discussion about the future ofparks and recreation in Paducah and McCracken County. Both elected bodies met April 16 to discuss the preliminary results of the Parks & Recreation Master Plan that is underway. At this meeting, the elected officials heard additional information including some of the results from the statistically valid mailed survey. Regarding that survey, a total of 749 people completed it with 200 of those respondents living in McCracken County outside of the city limits. A section of the mailed survey asked folks if there is the need for a recreation center with 71 percent of the respondents saying yes. The features that would be used at a new recreation center are as follows in order of preference: walking trach cardio room, warm water therapeutic pool, and family activity pool. When asked if there is a need for a sports complex, 54 percent said yes with the top features (in order) to be baseball, softball, and soccer fields. Mayor Brandi Harless said that the City has set aside $750, 000 in the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 budget for the design of new recreational facilities. Visit http://paducahky.gov/parks-master plan for more information about the Parks & Recreation Master Plan including links to online engagement opportunities. MOTION SUSPEND RULES OF ORDER In order to allow for public comment relating to Parks & Recreation, Commissioner McElroy offered motion, seconded by Commissioner Abraham, that the rules for conducting City Commission Meetings be suspended insofar as they are in conflict with the printed agenda for this meeting; otherwise, the rules are to remain in full force and effect. Adopted on call of the roll, yeas, Commissioners Abraham, McElroy, Watkins, Wilson and Mayor Harless (5). PUBLIC COMMENT(S) Shiriz Patel made comments in support of a sports plex and aquatic center. Matt Wurth made comments in support of new soccer fields. TRANSIENT ROOM TAX DISCUSSION The following is an excerpt from meeting highlights by Public Information Officer Pam Spencer: Transient Room Tax Discussion Linked to the discussion about the future ofparks and recreation is the discussion of how to fund new facilities. Both elected bodies discussed an option of dissolving the existing Convention & Visitors Bureau, which is a joint entity, and creating two separate tourism commissions, one run by the City and the other by June 17, 2019 the County. The goal is to increase revenue for local tourism which would be used in part to pay the debt on a proposed sports complex. The sports complex could include a softball quad plex, baseball quad plex, and tournament -worthy soccer fields. With this option, each tourism commission would be able to levy a transient room tax, a tax that is paid by guests staying at hotels and motels. Currently, there is a 6 percent transient room tax collected by McCracken County. Out of the 6 percent tax, 3 percent supports the Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau, 2 percent supports debt service for the Carson Center and the Expo Center, and 1 percent supports the Convention Center operations. With the creation of two tourism commissions, there would be the opportunity to levy a possible 10 percent transient room tax since there would be an additional 3 percentfor the newly created tourism commission and an additional I percentfor Convention Center operations. The estimate is that the additional 3 percentfor tourism would generate $1.2 million which would fund a full-time employee for the new tourism commission, marketing, and the debt for a sports complex. City Commissioner Gerald Watkins asked to see information about how this proposed transient room tax compares to transient room tax rates levied across Kentucky and surrounding cities. The Paducah Board of Commissioners and the McCracken Fiscal Court voiced their support in moving forward by digging deeper into the structure and details that would need to be addressed in the proposed development of two tourism commissions. MOTION SUSPEND RULES OF ORDER In order to allow for public comment relating to the Transient Room Tax, Commissioner Wilson offered motion, seconded by Commissioner Watkins, that the rules for conducting City Commission Meetings be suspended insofar as they are in conflict with the printed agenda for this meeting; otherwise, the rules are to remain in full force and effect. Adopted on call of the roll, yeas, Commissioners Abraham, McElroy, Watkins, Wilson and Mayor Harless (5). PUBLIC COMMENT(S) Jay Patel made comments opposing additional transient room taxes. 911 DISCUSSION The following is an excerpt from meeting highlights by Public Information Officer Pam Spencer: Update about E-911 Since this meeting already had lasted two hours, the discussion about the financial challenges of funding E-911 was cut short. Mayor Harless said a meeting will be held in the next few days between the McCracken County Sheriff, Paducah Police Chief and other officials to resume the discussion. ADJOURN Mayor Harless offered motion, seconded by Commissioner McElroy, to adjourn the meeting of the Paducah Board of Commissioners. All in favor. Judge Clymer offered motion, seconded by Commissioner Parker, to adjourn the meeting of the Fiscal Court. All in favor. Meeting ended at approximately 9:03 p.m. ADOPTED: June 25, 2019 City Cler c Mayor