HomeMy WebLinkAboutHighlights2018-07-10
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
City Commission Meeting Highlights
Tuesday, July 10, 2018, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall
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Comprehensive Storm Water Master Plan – Phase I and Phase II Update
Principal-In-Charge/Senior Planning Advisor John Lyons and Professional Engineer Steve Vogel with Strand
Associates provided an update to the Paducah Board of Commissioners on the work completed by Strand in partnership with
the City of Paducah and BFW Engineering & Testing on the Comprehensive Storm Water Master Plan. The master plan
development is on schedule with the first phase wrapping up and the second phase initiated.
Vogel explained that the project team used the existing conditions baseline model of the Paducah area to determine ten project
areas. To replicate how rainfall affects this area, the baseline model was calibrated using the flood information from the July 7,
2015 storm event and information from residents. Vogel said, “We try to look for high-impact, low-cost projects that raise the
benefit-cost ratio.”
Vogel said if storm water projects to address a 100-year storm event were completed on those ten areas, the total cost would
be an estimated $43 to 47 million. Therefore, Strand has been working with the Storm Water Advisory Committee (SWAC) to
review the ten project areas and project options. SWAC has reviewed general cost and design differences for a level of service
for 10-year, 25-year, and 100-year storm events. After discussion and input, the majority of the SWAC selected a 25-year level
of service for the design and evaluation of projects. Vogel said, “This gave us design criteria for how we move forward and
design our alternatives.” SWAC Member Ralph Young said, “[Strand engineers] were good at showing us options. I think we
have a dynamic and flexible model that will serve us well going forward.”
Vogel then showed the Board a few of the project areas and design options to address flooding. Using a 25-year storm event
to design the projects for the ten areas reduces the estimated total cost to approximately $32 to $36 million. These projects
could eliminate 160 to 180 primary structures (such as homes) from flooding and greatly reduce the flooding risk for another
275-310 primary structures within the Paducah city limits.
John Lyons then introduced the second phase of the Master Plan work which includes the determination of a revenue stream
that would be used for the ten projects and for operations and maintenance of the existing infrastructure. Lyons said,
“Nationally, most communities are moving to a Storm Water Utility. It’s a user fee, not a tax.” Lyons says there are 1491
storm water utilities in the United States with 12 currently in Kentucky. A storm water utility commonly uses an Equivalent
Residential Unit (ERU) as a funding mechanism with many communities having an average fee of $4 to $5 per month for a
residence. The ERU is based on the impervious surface on the parcel. City Manager Jim Arndt said, “A Storm Water Utility
Fee is a great strategy to make sure you can make long term investments.” Mayor Brandi Harless said, “We are all having to
lean in to solve a big problem in our community.”
Over the next few months, Strand will be reviewing the amount of impervious area in the Paducah area to help develop a
recommended ERU. Items included in this second phase of the master planning process include the development of annual
operation and maintenance costs and the costs for repair and replacement of existing infrastructure, the projection of future
funding needs, funding alternatives and rate options, billing system options, a rate comparison, and a storm water utility
ordinance. There will be intensive community outreach and engagement efforts. The second phase of the project was
approved at the March 13, 2018, meeting of the Paducah Board of Commissioners.
EntrePaducah Presentation
President, CEO of Paducah Economic Development (PED) Scott Darnell and Monica Bilak updated the Paducah Board of
Commissioners on EntrePaducah. EntrePaducah is a concierge service through PED that helps connect entrepreneurs and
small business owners with local and regional organizations and resources. PED partners with Murray State University,
Sprocket Inc., and other organizations to assist entrepreneurs and startup businesses. Bilak recently visited several cities with
successful entrepreneurial programs. Bilak will be working with PED to construct a plan to increase business development
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
and entrepreneurial programming in Paducah based on her research and visits to other cities. Regarding Paducah, Bilak said,
“We have amazing resources. We just need to connect them.”
Approve BUILD Act Grant Application
The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved applying for the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development
(BUILD) Transportation Discretionary Grant. Applicants can apply for up to $25 million for transportation related projects
that have a local and regional impact. The City of Paducah is partnering with the Paducah-McCracken County Port Authority
to seek grant funds totaling $24,895, 759.
Mayor Harless said, “The strategy here is to go for a program of projects. We are calling this Riverfront to Riverport: Investing in
Paducah’s Maritime Hub.” Planning Director Tammara Tracy said, “It is important for Paducah to grasp the framework we have
laid for all these projects. We would not be here if it wasn’t for the river. We want to embrace our river roots.”
The Port Authority is seeking $10.8 million to construct a loading area for general cargo and containers. The City’s funding
request, which totals slightly more than $12.6 million, would be used to construct a landing/excursion pier to provide a
docking point for the steamboats that visit Paducah between April and December. This landing/excursion pier was identified
as a project to enhance Paducah’s riverfront in the 2007 Riverfront Master Plan created by JJR. Also, the City’s funding would
be used to develop the former Executive Inn site into the Paducah Commons. A master plan for that area was completed by
RATIO Architects in 2015 with additional design work completed by Bacon Farmer Workman Engineering & Testing. Some
of the Paducah Commons elements include a sculpture walk, vendor areas, a great lawn, a performance area, walkways, and
seating.
If funded, the City would have until the summer of 2020 to begin construction.
Approve Change Order No. 1 for the City Hall Phase I Project (vote at this meeting) and Introduce Change Order
No. 2 (vote July 24)
The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved an ordinance for Change Order No. 1 for the City Hall Phase I project. The
Change Order reduces the City’s contract with A&K Construction by $206,381. This reduction is due the Kentucky Heritage
Council’s (KHC) recent decision to approve a window supplier that is less expensive. Since Paducah’s City Hall is on the
National Register of Historic Places, the project team must submit key components of the rehabilitation project to the KHC
for approval.
The Paducah Board of Commissioners also introduced an ordinance for Change Order No. 2 which involves nine elements
that have either been deleted or added to the project. The net result of the nine elements increases the contract with A&K by
$16,836. A portion of the cost increase is due to the repair needed to the beams and canopy after the removal of paint and
concrete filler revealed several areas in need of patching. Another addition is due to the need to increase the roof slope for
drainage.
Taking into account the cost reduction due to Change Order No. 1 and the slight cost increase due to Change Order No. 2,
the total contract with A&K is $4,104,236.
The contract with A&K to rehabilitate City Hall was approved by the Paducah Board of Commissioners on January 23 of this
year. The contractor began working March 4. This project includes the rehabilitating and improving of City Hall’s roofing
membrane, concrete overhang (canopy) through steel beam stabilization of roof cantilevers, façade, heating and cooling
systems, skylights, windows, and exterior doors. Currently, the building has a screen around it as crews have been removing
layers of paint and debris from the exterior. The screen helps keep the debris on the concrete podium area for containment
and removal. The project is expected to be completed around Thanksgiving, which is ahead of schedule.
Adopt Recodified Code of Ordinances
The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved an ordinance for the recodification of the Paducah Code of Ordinances.
KRS 83A.060(11) requires cities to review and revise their Code of Ordinances for internal consistency and State law
compliance every five years. The City entered into a contract in 2017 with Municipal Code Corporation for the recodification
process. Over the past several months, the City Clerk’s office, department staff, and the Municipal Code Corporation along
with the assistance of Denton Law Firm have been working to eliminate redundant, obsolete, and invalid provisions. City
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
Clerk Lindsay Parish said this process updated approximately 125 sections across 20 chapters of Paducah’s code. A few of the
noteworthy changes include degenderizing the majority of the code, updating the Board of Commissioners meeting dates and
order of business to reflect current practices, and updating sections for compliance with the American’s with Disabilities Act.
Once the online version is updated, links will be provided to sections that reference State law. Furthermore, the begging
ordinance was updated to comply with the Kentucky Supreme Court Decision on panhandling. The online version of the
updated Code of Ordinances is expected to be available later this month.
Quick Highlights
• Municipal order approved accepting the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Accountability Grant through the U.S.
Department of Justice in the amount of $11,284 for the purchase of a license plate reader system. The grant does not
require a local match. However, the license plate reader is approximately $21,000.
• Ordinance introduced (vote July 24) for an agreement with HDR Engineering in the amount of $166,500 for data
collection and pavement inspections associated with the implementation of the pavement management software
program, PAVER. Once the information is collected and imported into the PAVER software system, the program
will provide cost information regarding street repairs, maintain an inventory, and provide reports that will help the
City objectively identify streets in need of repair. Then, each street will be re-inspected using summer interns every
three years.
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