HomeMy WebLinkAboutHighlights2018-05-29
Pam Spencer, Public Information Officer
City of Paducah P.O. Box 2267 Paducah, Kentucky 42002
270/444-8669 Office 270/443-5058 Fax
Website: http://paducahky.gov Email: pspencer@paducahky.gov
Called City Commission Meeting Highlights
Tuesday, May 29, 2018, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall
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Approve Employment Agreement with James Arndt to Serve as City Manager
The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved an emergency ordinance for the Employment Agreement with James Arndt
to serve as Paducah’s next City Manager. The Agreement is for an initial period of three years which will begin July 1, 2018.
The City will provide Arndt a base salary of $137,500 plus benefits with a performance evaluation to be held in six months.
The ordinance was adopted as an emergency ordinance which requires only one reading so that Arndt can give adequate notice
to his employer, the City of Effingham. Arndt plans to begin his tenure with the City of Paducah on July 1.
City Commissioner Sarah Stewart Holland said, “I’ve been hearing from my friends
around Illinois in how lucky we are in getting him [James Arndt].”
On May 22, after an extensive recruiting and review process, the Board interviewed
three candidates for the City Manager position. That evening, the Board approved a
motion to move forward with contract negotiations with James Arndt. Arndt
currently serves as City Administrator for Effingham, Illinois.
Arndt has more than 14 years of local government experience and spent an
additional six years as a police officer and three years serving in the United States
Army. He currently serves the city of Effingham, Illinois, where he has worked as
their City Administrator for the past eight years. He has also been the Administrator
for the City of St. Clair, Missouri and the Village of Union City, Ohio. Arndt holds a
Master’s Degree in Political Science and a Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies,
both from Eastern Illinois University, and is an International City/County
Management Association (ICMA) Credentialed Manager.
Parks & Recreation Director Mark Thompson has been serving as Interim City Manager since January 13.
For the last several months, the City has been working with Strategic Government Resources (SGR) of Keller, Texas to
conduct and assist in a nationwide search for the recruitment and selection of the City’s next City Manager. Applications were
accepted for the City Manager position through April 13 resulting in an applicant pool of 32 candidates. On April 17 the
Paducah Board of Commissioners met with SGR to review the candidates which led to the selection of ten semifinalists.
Those semifinalists then completed a comprehensive questionnaire, online video interview, an applicant Predictive Index
Assessment, and additional application materials. On May 9, the Paducah Board of Commissioners further narrowed the field.
SGR then conducted a thorough vetting process including a psychometric assessment, media search, and a rigorous
background investigation. Three candidates, including Arndt, were interviewed on May 22.
Remove Position from Civil Service Ordinance
The Paducah Board of Commissioner adopted an amended ordinance to reclassify the position of City Clerk from Civil
Service to Non-Civil Service. Due to changes in State law, the City Clerk cannot be classified as Civil Service. Prior to the
vote, there was discussion about the Chief Building Inspector position which was proposed to be reclassified from civil service
to non-civil service. Commissioner Richard Abraham made a motion to remove the wording from the ordinance pertaining to
Chief Building Inspector so that the position could retain its civil service status. The motion was approved by the Board by a
4-1 vote (Commissioner Holland voting no). The Board then adopted the amended ordinance which changed only the City
Clerk’s status.
Quick Highlights
Municipal order approved authorizing the payment of $27,669.70 to Clean Earth, Inc. for the collection and disposal
of household hazardous waste and electronic waste collected during the April 14, 2018, Spring Clean Up Day.
Pam Spencer, Public Information Officer
City of Paducah P.O. Box 2267 Paducah, Kentucky 42002
270/444-8669 Office 270/443-5058 Fax
Website: http://paducahky.gov Email: pspencer@paducahky.gov
Municipal order approved authorizing the payment of $22,937 to Healthworks Medical, LLC for medical screening
services required for the Fire Suppression Division of the Paducah Fire Department.
Municipal order approved authorizing the transfer of $40,000 from the Commission Contingency fund into the
General Legal Fund to cover legal expenses through the end of the fiscal year.
Ordinance approved amending the professional engineer services agreement with HDR Engineering, Inc. due to
additional design work on the Floodwall Pump Station #2 project and an expansion in the scope of work for the
project’s construction administration. The Corps of Engineers is requiring a third party inspection requirement for
the project which will lead to HDR’s expertise on site more than initially required.
Ordinance approved authorizing the bid with unit prices from Jim Smith Contracting Company, LLC for the 2018-
2019 Street Resurfacing Program.
Ordinance introduced (vote June 12) amending the Tyler Technologies Munis Contract to add 18 additional training
days for the departmental software leaders. This amendment increases the contract cost by $22,950. This project
involves the replacement of the City’s Enterprise Resource Planning software which is a phased project spanning
more than three years.
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