HomeMy WebLinkAboutHighlights2018-09-25
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, September 25, 2018, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Note: Commissioner Allan Rhodes was unable to attend the meeting.
Property Tax Rate Public Hearing and Ordinance Introduction (vote October 9)
The Paducah Board of Commissioners introduced an ordinance setting the real estate and personal property taxes for fiscal
year 2019. A property tax levy public hearing was held at the beginning of the Commission meeting. The City’s real estate tax
levy is proposed to be set at 26.1 cents per $100 assessed value, a 2.3 percent change as compared to the fiscal year 2018 rate
of 25.5 cents. The City’s Compensating Rate, the rate that would keep the revenue at the same amount as this fiscal year, is
25.1 cents per $100 assessed value. Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) permits a city to adjust the rate upward by not more
than 4 percent of the compensating rate. With the proposed 26.1 cents, the City would be taking the 4 percent allowed by
KRS.
The proposed rate of 26.1 cents is much less than what the rate was more than twenty years ago in fiscal year 1995. At that
time the real estate rate was 43.8 cents per $100 assessed value. The revenue generated by the property tax is the City’s second
highest revenue source behind the payroll tax.
Recently, the Paducah Independent School District voted to set its tax rate at 84 cents per $100 of assessed value which is up
from last year’s 79.7 cents. The City collects the school tax but passes the funds along to the district.
City of Paducah Health Insurance for 2019
Greg Carlton and DJ Story with Peel & Holland along with Human Resources Director Martin Russell provided an overview
of the City of Paducah’s 2019 health insurance plan through Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield as the City’s third party
administrator. Those who participate in the City’s health plan will have no change to their health insurance premiums as
compared to this current year. The City has maintained the same health insurance premium rates since 2013 which is quite
unusual and an indication of the good management of the health plan and the City’s dedication to employee wellness. The
dental rates will increase 3 percent with a 3.5 percent increase to the vision plan. The City of Paducah has a self-insured health
insurance plan which means the premiums paid into the plan by the employees are used to pay the claims.
Presentation about Youth Chess Clubs
Tom Knight, chess coach at Paducah Tilghman High School, and Owen Cody, a 7th grader at Lone Oak Middle School, made
a presentation about the growing popularity of chess clubs across the region and the benefits of playing chess. Cody says that
chess is a sport that lasts a lifetime with a variety of benefits including that it builds confidence, tests memory, and teaches one
how to keep calm under pressure. Knight and Cody also asked the City to look into providing free-standing concrete chess
tables at some of Paducah’s parks. Ideas were discussed including the tables and/or benches being an Eagle Scout project
and/or a public-private partnership with some private fundraising.
Grant Application for Hotel Metropolitan
The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved a Municipal Order to apply for the National Park Service African-American
Civil Rights Grant on behalf of the Hotel Metropolitan. The grant request is for $50,000 which if awarded would be used to
prepare an amendment to the Hotel Metropolitan’s current National Register of Historic Places designation to expand its
period of significance. There is no local match requirement. With an expanded period of significance, the Hotel Metropolitan
could increase its future chances of receiving grant funding. Planning Director Tammara Tracy says, “This is the first in our
hopes of securing grants for this incredible community gem.”
Quick Highlights
Municipal Orders approved authorizing and declaring the sale of the following city-owned surplus properties:
o 222 Ashbrook Avenue–James and Sandra Faulkner submitted a $2500 bid for the property with plans to
renovate the home.
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
o 1131 Flournoy Street – Cameron Brewer submitted a $450 bid for this vacant lot which is adjacent to his
property.
Municipal Order approved accepting the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Kentucky Office of Highway Safety
grant award in the amount of $25,050. The funds will be used by the Paducah Police Department to reimburse the
department for traffic enforcement activities.
Ordinance introduced (vote October 9) for the partial street closure of DAV Drive also known as Green Street. The
adjacent property owner Mid-South Energy Properties, LLC requested the closure which received a positive
recommendation from the Paducah Planning Commission.
###