HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/03/09MARCH 3, 2009
At a Regular Meeting of the Board of Commissioners, held on Tuesday, March 3, 2009,
at 5:30 p.m., Mayor Paxton presided, and upon call of the roll by the City Clerk, the
following answered to their names: Commissioners Abraham, Gault, Kaler, Watkins and
Mayor Paxton (5).
DELETION/ADDITONS FROM AGENDA
City Manager reported that the second reading of the ordinance for the employment
agreement for the position of police chief has been pulled from the original agenda sent
on Friday, February 27th. Mr. Baker has declined employment. Also, Item I(A),
Extension of Riverport West Options was added to the agenda.
PRESENTATIONS
AN EVENING OF PERFORMANCE
Berneice Belt, member of the Human Rights Commission, announced the 3rd Annual
"Evening of Performance" will be held Friday, May 29, 2009, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at
the Luther F. Carson Four Rivers Center.
MCCRACKEN COUNTY 4-H SPEECH WINNERS
Robert Tashin with McCracken County 4-H Office introduced two of the winners Kelly
Stewart and Katie Stewart. Kelly Stewart gave her speech about parents and Katie
Stewart gave her speech that was about public speaking.
MAYOR COMMENTS
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS
❖ Good News: Power has been turned on at the Executive Inn.
❖ Bad News: The selected candidate, Charles Baker, for the position of Chief of
Police has declined employment.
❖ Bad News: Fraternal Order of Police wrote a letter regarding comments that the
City Manager made during a briefing to the candidates interviewing for the Police
Chief position. Some of the police officers found Mr. Zumwalt's descriptions of
the current commissioners to the candidates to be offensive. Mayor Paxton
expressed his support for the City Manager and that he has never heard the City
Manager make critical comments about the Commission or about anyone. The
Mayor also said he supports the City Manager 110%. If the Commission wishes,
the issue can be discussed in executive session.
Commissioner Watkins apologized for the remarks he made to the public regarding the
City Manager. He said he was too strong in his comments.
❖ Good News: Commissioner Kaler informed the Commission and the public about
Commissioner Abraham's daughter competing in "America's Got Talent" contest.
This is a nationwide contest. She was chosen to audition in Chicago and is now
waiting to hear if she will go to the next step.
MUNICIPAL ORDER
EXTENSION OF RIVERPORT WEST OPTIONS
Commissioner Abraham offered motion, seconded by Commissioner Gault, that a
Municipal Order entitled, "A MUNICIPAL ORDER AUTHORIZING AND
DIRECTING THE FINANCE DIRECTOR TO MAKE PAYMENT IN AN AMOUNT
NOT TO EXCEED $30,250 TO THE GREATER PADUCAH ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL FOR EXTENSION OF RIVERPORT WEST REAL
ESTATE OPTIONS," be adopted.
Adopted on call of the roll, yeas, Commissioners Abraham, Gault, Kaler, Watkins and
Mayor Paxton (5). M.O.#1432; BK 7; PG
AMEND CLASSIFICATION/PAY SCHEDULE TABLE FOR PARKS SERVICES
Commissioner Gault offered motion, seconded by Commissioner Abraham, that a
Municipal Order entitled, "A MUNICIPAL ORDER AMENDING THE
CLASSIFICATION/PAY SCHEDULE TABLE TO CREATE ADDITIONAL PART-
TIME POSITIONS WITHIN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT" be adopted.
MARCH 3, 2009
Adopted on call of the roll, yeas, Commissioners Abraham, Gault, Kaler, Watkins and
Mayor Paxton (5). M.O.#1433; BK 7; PG
ESTABLISH FUND FOR REFORESTATION OF PUBLIC PROPERTY AND
FOR THE TREE VOUCHER PROGRAM
Commissioner Kaler offered motion, seconded by Commissioner Watkins, that a
Municipal Order entitled, "A MUNICIPAL ORDER AUTHORIZING AND
DIRECTING THE FINANCE DIRECTOR TO TRANSFER $32,500 FROM THE
LOWERTOWN REDEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT TO THE URBAN
REFORESTATION ACCOUNT TO BE USED FOR REFORESTATION OF PUBLIC
PROPERTY AND FOR THE TREE VOUCHER PROGRAM ESTABLISHED AND
ADMINISTERED BY THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT," be adopted.
Adopted on call of the roll, yeas, Commissioners Abraham, Gault, Kaler, Watkins and
Mayor Paxton (5). M.O.#1433; BK 7; PG
ORDINANCE – INTRODUCTION
ROOF REPLACEMENT OF PADUCAH-MCCRACKEN COUNTY 911
BUILDING
Commissioner Watkins offered motion, seconded by Commissioner Kaler, that the Board
of Commissioners introduce an ordinance entitled, "AN ORDINANCE ACCEPTING
THE BID OF ATLAS ROOFING CONTRACTORS, INC. FOR REPLACEMENT OF
THE ROOF FOR THE PADUCAH-MCCRACKEN COUNTY 911 BUILDING, AND
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR SAME." This
ordinance is summarized as follows: The City of Paducah accepts the bid of Atlas
Roofing Contractors, Inc., in the amount of $39,875.00 for replacement of the roof for the
Paducah -McCracken County 911 Building and authorizes the Mayor to execute a
contract for same. This expense will be shared equally between the City and the County.
Therefore, the total amount paid by the City will be $19,937.50.
WORKSHOP
UNIFIED GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION BRIEFING
City Manager, Jim Zumwalt, summarized the Kentucky statutes that allow for the merger
of city and county government. In the last year the Paducah Chamber of Commerce
presented a study that recommends the merger of city and county government. There are
four Kentucky state statutes that allow for merged government. The two that are relevant
to the City are the statute for the Charter County Unified form of government, which was
written in 1990, and the statute for Unified Local Government, which was written in
2006. The McCracken County Fiscal Court passed an order in January 2009 choosing
the Charter county form. The Mayor's recommendation is to choose the Charter
government law, because the County has already voted for Charter government, and the
City and County will need to work together during this process. After discussion
between the commissioners, the Mayor requested an ordinance to proceed with the
selection of the Charter form of government law.
CITY MANAGER REPORT
❖ Calendar Items
❖ Sunday --Lyle Sumek will be interviewing department heads for the Commission
Advance that will be on Monday, March 9th and Tuesday, March 10th
❖ Personnel Actions – No discussion.
❖ City Engineer, Rick Murphy --Crowder Disaster Recovery will begin debris pick-
up tomorrow from the January 2009 ice storm.
❖ Planning Director, Steve Ervin—Would like to propose a change to the ordinance
establishing incentives for residents within the Fountain Avenue Neighborhood
Revitalization project.
❖ Parks Director, Mark Thompson—A Portable basketball court is for sale through
Gov.deals. He thinks he can get it at a good price and recommends the City make
the purchase if he can get it under $20,000. It could be used at the Expo Center
for events and could be used for Parks programs, so the City would not need to
use the Jetton gym. He has $10,000 in the Parks budget. He thinks shipping and
handling would not exceed $5,000. Basketball goals would still need to be
MARCH 3, 2009
purchased. Mayor said to go up to $15,000, and if the price goes over that
amount, he should call commissioners to see if they want to go any higher.
COMMENTS
NAACP President Rosa Scott, as a representative of the NAACP, gave a statement of
endorsement for Police Chief Candidate Curtis Brame to be selected as the next police
chief.
The City Manager requested executive session for discussion of the following three
` items: AFSCME negotiations, personnel, and police chief candidates. He also noted
that the Paducah Sun sent a reminder that according to the Kentucky Revised Statutes
specific candidates may be discussed in executive session but general discussion of the
interview strategy should not be discussed in executive session.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Commissioner Abraham offered motion, seconded by Commissioner Gault, that the
Board go into closed session for discussion of matters pertaining to the following topics:
❖ Collective bargaining with public employees, as permitted by KRS 61.810(1)(e).
❖ Issues which might lead to the appointment, dismissal, or disciplining of an
employee, as permitted by KRS 61.810(1)(f).
❖ Issues which might lead to the appointment, dismissal, or disciplining of an
employee, as permitted by KRS 61.810(1)(F).
Adopted on call of the roll, yeas, Commissioners Abraham, Gault, Kaler, Watkins and
Mayor Paxton (5).
OPEN SESSION
Commissioner Kaler offered motion, seconded by Commissioner Gault, that the Board
reconvene in open session.
Adopted on call of the roll, yeas, Commissioners Abraham, Gault, Kaler, Watkins and
Mayor Paxton (5).
COMMENTS
Mayor Paxton announced after talking with consultant about individual candidates the
Commission has decided 2 new candidates will be brought in for an interview process.
At the end of the interview process, each commissioner will have a favorite candidate out
of the four original and the two being brought in. Each will pick a favorite and then the
chosen will come back for a third interview. The number of those candidates could be as
many as five or as few as one if all Commissioners agree on same candidate.
City Manager Zumwalt made the following statement, " I have been made clearly aware
that my comments to the police chief candidates Friday a week ago have been a cause of
concern to the commissioners and has definitely been a distraction from important
business before you. I sincerely regret that I am responsible for having created that
problem for you and apologize to each of you for my words in allowing that to happen
and will be more cautious in the future and not repeat that error."
Upon motion the meeting adjourned.
ADOPTED: March 24, 2009
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City Clerk