USESCO Creative Cities Network Presentation  

Mary Hammond, Executive Director of the Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau, briefed the Mayor and Commission regarding her attendance at the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) conference.  Two weeks ago, Commissioner Gayle Kaler along with Mary Hammond and CVB Marketing Director Rosemarie Steele visited South Korea to represent Paducah.  The theme of the conference was “Urban Sustainability Based on Creativity”.  Paducah is striving to achieve the UNESCO Creative Cities designation as a City of Crafts & Folk Art.  Hammond says Paducah already is engaging in dialogue and the sharing of creative concepts with many cities within and beyond the network.  Commissioner Kaler says, “We are a global society.  We have to get on the train or be left at the station.”  Paducah offers creative opportunities through the National Quilt Museum, American Quilter’s Society, Paducah School of Art, and the Paducah Arts Alliance Artist in Residence Program.  Hammond also outlined the other cultural opportunities in Paducah and the various festivals that allow the public to experience arts and crafts.  Hammond does not know when the next Creative City will be named; however, she is confident that Paducah’s chances are very good.  Hammond says, “I believe it.  I think this is a platform for us that validates everything we are doing.”  The United States has two UNESCO Creative Cities:  Santa Fe, New Mexico and Iowa City, Iowa.  There are 29 Creative Cities across the globe.

Riverfront Development Project Engineering Contract Modification

The Mayor and Commissioners approved an ordinance amending the contract with JJR, LLC for the professional engineering services for the Riverfront Development Project Phase I.  The City has recently come to an agreement with environmental petitioners concerned about the disturbing of endangered mussels along a section of the Paducah riverfront.  The agreement is to move the riverfront development project approximately 500 feet downstream to an area that has approximately a quarter of the density of mussels.  City Engineer-Public Works Director Rick Murphy says, “We could be challenged at other levels of the process, but we are in a better position to defend any future challenges.” The moving of the project will lead to some addition engineering design.  This ordinance amends the agreement with JJR in an amount not to exceed $125,000 for the re-design.  The new contract price with JJR will be $919,700.  Over the next year and a half, JJR and the City will work to complete the design, permitting with various agencies, and bidding for Phase I of the riverfront project.  The expected groundbreaking will be June 2013 with the project to be completed in 2014.   

 Clarification regarding McCracken County Humane Society

Commissioner Gayle Kaler wanted to clarify to the public that the City of Paducah did not have a contract for services with the McCracken County Humane Society.  The City of Paducah provides funds to McCracken County to help with animal control; however, the County is the entity that had a contract with the McCracken County Humane Society.  Mayor Bill Paxton says a meeting is being scheduled, possibly this week, for him, the City Manager, Judge-Executive, and Deputy Judge-Executive to discuss the next steps for the animal shelter that is being organized by the County.  Commissioner Kaler says, “I do think we as responsible commissioners need to support the County in their effort to set up a shelter.”  Mayor Paxton says, “I think the County is on the right track.  We will be meeting with them to see how we can partner.”

Quick Highlights:

• Municipal order approved for the city’s allocation to employees to be used for the city’s health insurance plan.  The base credit amount is the same as last year’s at $8595.
• Ordinance approved to purchase 11 decorative street lights in the amount of $43,788.20 to be installed on Clark Street, Marine Way, Adams Street, and within the new Marine Way/Adams Street public parking lot next to the new P&L Headquarters.  A total of $63,000 will be transferred from the Investment Fund Economic Reserve account for the lights and the expenses involved in their installation.
• Ordinance approved to close the alley located between 27th and 28th Streets and Washington Street and Kentucky Avenue.
• Ordinance approved to purchase, in the amount of $134,253.90 using the State contract, five 2012 Dodge Charger Pursuit Vehicles for the police department.

###