HomeMy WebLinkAboutHighlights 2024-04-09CALLED City Commission Meeting Highlights
Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at 5 p.m. at The National Quilt Museum
215 Jefferson Street
View the meetingathttTs:////voutu.be/ FXzcfb bdo.
Mayor George Bray's Opening Remarks
• Mayor Bray thanked the National Quilt Museum and its board of director for hosting the meeting saying this was an
opportunity to showcase the museum and to help promote the upcoming AQS Quilt Show.
• Calling it an "amazing life event," Mayor Bray said the number of visitors and the beauty of yesterday's total solar
eclipse far exceeded expectations. Mayor Bray thanked Beautiful Paducah for coordinating the two-day X Marks the
Spot festival that showcased our community.
Fair Housing Month Proclamation
Mayor George Bray presented a proclamation to Paducah Human Rights Commission Chairman Robert Hernandez and
Paducah Diversity Specialist Daisha Johnson proclaiming April as Fair Housing Month. This month commemorates the
passage of the 1968 Fair Housing Act, the landmark civil rights law, that made discrimination in housing transactions unlawful.
The public is invited to attend the Fair Housing Luncheon on Thursday, April 18 at the newly renovated Robert Cherry Civic
Center. The luncheon, which includes keynote speaker General Counsel Colt C. Sells with the Kentucky Commission on
Human Rights, is free to attend. However, registration is required by emailing the names of attendees to
fairhousingluncheon dgaducahky_.gov by the end of the business day this Friday.
Community Scholarship Presentation
West Kentucky Community & Technical College President Dr. Anton Reece and Vice President of Institutional Advancement
Andy Wilson provided an update on the Community Scholarship Program and thanked the City for its funding support since
fiscal year 2011. Annually, the City provides funding, with $100,000 in support for this fiscal year, toward the program which
was launched to increase the number of high school graduates, increase the number of citizens with post -secondary education,
and improve the quality and skill level of our regional workforce.
So far, more than 2100 students have benefited from the Community Scholarship Program with more than 1000 graduates. At
this meeting, two Community Scholarship Program graduates, Monyette Drew and Kirsten Meadows, gave their testimonials
about the program. They both mentioned the value of the lifting of the financial burden for their first two years of college.
Plus, they said the environment was conducive to learning with an abundance of support and encouragement.
The Program motivates students to graduate high school and pursue a higher education by providing each Paducah and
McCracken County high school graduate with scholarship support up to 60 credit hours to West Kentucky Community &
Technical College provided that the student registers for the program, maintains a minimum grade point average and
attendance record, and does not have major disciplinary problems. The program also receives funds from McCracken County
and the Rotary Club of Paducah in addition to other supporters.
Upper Town Heritage Foundation's Grant Application to Support Hotel Metropolitan
The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved a Municipal Order supporting the Upper Town Heritage Foundation's
application for a Mellon Foundation grant. The Upper Town Heritage Foundation is requesting $1.34 from the Mellon
Foundation's Humanities in Place grant program. If awarded, the Upper Town Heritage Foundation will use the funds for
capital improvements to the Hotel Metropolitan located at 724 Oscar Cross Avenue and to build the capacity of their board
and organization as a whole.
As part of this agreement, the City of Paducah would serve as the grant's fiscal agent and would be jointly responsible for the
oversight of the grant program. If this grant is awarded, the partnership details would be defined in a co -stewardship
agreement between the City and the Upper Town Heritage Foundation. Contingent upon the grant award and the completion
of a co -stewardship agreement, the City of Paducah is pledging a $250,000 grant match for the upcoming fiscal year (Fiscal
Year 2025) and contingent upon approval through the annual budgeting process and successful implementation of the co -
Communications Manager Pam Spencer
City of Paducah • P.O. Box 2267 • Paducah, Kentucky 42002
Phone: 270-444-8669 Website: htt2s://12aducahky_gov Email: pspencerCcr�paducahkv_gov
stewardship agreement, the City pledges additional funding for FY2026 and for FY2027 in an amount of $250,000 for each
fiscal year.
Amend Code of Ordinances Chapter 14 Related to the Keeping of Fowl
The Paducah Board of Comm ssioners introduced an ordinance amending Chapter 14 of the Paducah Code of Ordinances
related to the keeping of fowl in the City. The goal of the recommended changes is to allow the keeping of fowl on smaller
lots in Paducah by reducing the distance requirement. However, to make sure that the keeping of fowl does not become a
nuisance to neighbors, the amendments strengthen wording around noise, maximum number of fowl, and cleanliness.
After reviewing ordinances of six other Kentucky cities and researching best practices, the following ordinance amendments
are recommended:
• Proximity — Amendment reduces the distance requirement from another residence from 300 feet to 100 feet.
• Maximum Number of Fowl - Paducah currently does not have a limit on the number of fowl on a property. The
amendment would limit the number of fowl to eight.
• Noise - Animals emitting excessive noise are considered a nuisance as currently addressed in Code section 14-1.
• Cleanliness —Amendment strengthens language around cleanliness and the maintenance of coops to address
neighbor concerns about odor and pests. Plus, the amendment would allow coops only in the rear yard of a
property.
• Penalty & Abatement - The amendment updates the penalty section to include a notice of violation, followed by
30 days to remedy, a fine of not more than $500, and another 30 days to remedy the issue. If the violation still
exists after 60 days from the initial notification, there is an additional fine of not more than $500 and abatement
procedures. A new section has been added for the abatement of fowl -related issues which will be in accordance
with the McCracken County Animal Control Ordinance. The City will conduct follow-up inspections every 30
days until the violation is remedied with each subsequent inspection incurring an additional $500 fine, not to
exceed $2,500 in total fines. Appeals would be routed to the Code Enforcement Board.
Grant Applications
The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved municipal orders for the following grant applications:
• Kentucky Office of Homeland Security Grant requesting $45,120 which, if awarded, would be used to for security
cameras and systems for the Public Works Department.
• FEMA Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant requesting $760,140 which, if awarded
would be used to fund three additional firefighters for a three-year period. Fire Chief Steve Kyle said that if the grant
is awarded, the addition of three firefighters would make an impact in reducing the amount of overtime that
firefighters are working due to staffing shortages, vacation and sick leave, and holidays. He added that increasing the
staffing also would reduce stress and improve work -life balance for the department.
Additional Meeting Information
• Municipal Order approved for the 2024 Annual Plan and Administrative Plan for the Section 8 Program.
• Municipal Order approved for the declaration and sale of surplus property located at 815 South 5th Street.
• Municipal Order approved authorizing the City Manager to issue a request for proposals for Custodial Services in city
park restrooms and rental facilities.
• Ordinance approved for the closure of an alley west of South 16th Street located between Kentucky Avenue and
Washington Street. This is the site for the new location of the Paducah -McCracken County Senior Center.
• Ordinance introduced to amend the current fiscal year budget to increase revenue and expenditures for the
Community Development Block Grant Fund. This budget increase is to account for the $200,000 CDBG grant the
City received on behalf of Four Rivers Centerpoint Recovery Center.
• Mayor Pro Tem Sandra Wilson encouraged the community to enjoy the Dogwood Trail and to continue sprucing up
their surroundings since the AQS Quilt Show is later this month.
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Communications Manager Pam Spencer
City of Paducah • P.O. Box 2267 • Paducah, Kentucky 42002
Phone: 270-444-8669 Website: httns://paducahkv.gov Email: n�oencer&paducahkv.gov