Homeless Shelter Text Agreement

The Mayor and Commissioners approved an ordinance allowing homeless shelters within the Paducah city limits.  The ordinance creates section 126-72 within the zoning ordinance.  On November 21, the Paducah Planning Commission held a public hearing and made a positive recommendation regarding the addition of the new section.  The new section outlines requirements for a homeless shelter including location constraints, permit requirements, and shelter standards.  Among other items, for a shelter to be approved it must have a continuous, on-site operator, an approved code of conduct for its residents, adequate external lighting, laundry facilities, and a written management plan.  The Planning Department also feels the ordinance will satisfy the Fair Housing Act.  Before any structure could be utilized as a homeless shelter, an application for a Conditional Use Permit would need to be filed which would include a public hearing and Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment approval.

Tent City Update

This afternoon, City Manager Jeff Pederson talked with Michele Thomas of Tent City Missions.  Thomas says the remaining people living in the area known as Tent City will be in alternate shelter locations by noon tomorrow.  The City has given a deadline of noon on Wednesday for those living in Tent City to find alternate shelter.  Tent City is an area where several homeless people have set up tents.  It’s located on City of Paducah and private property at the end of Tennessee Street.  Recently two private property owners filed trespassing complaints.  Pederson complimented Thomas’ efforts, resourcefulness, and compassion in working to find places to stay for the Tent City folks.  Thomas attended the Commission meeting and thanked the community for its generosity.  The City will give Tent City Missions an additional week to remove the various personal belongings that remain in Tent City.  With the approval of the ordinance that provides guidelines in the creation of homeless shelters in the City of Paducah, Mayor Bill Paxton says, “We need to sit down, with Michele’s assistance, to come up with a plan.”  Thomas says that the Tent City Missions board is meeting tomorrow and will schedule a meeting in the near future with the City to discuss a plan for creating a shelter.  Thomas says that if anyone would like to donate to Tent City Missions, an account has been set up at First National Bank.   

Barkley Regional Airport Update

Barkley Regional Airport Manager, Richard Roof, provided the Mayor and Commission with the latest audit for the airport and an update on local and national ridership and air service.  Roof says SkyWest will continue to provide service to Barkley Regional as part of the subsidy contract for essential air service.  According to Roof, “I assure you [SkyWest] will be here.  They are looking forward to another two-year contract.”  SkyWest provides Barkley Regional with service to Chicago on 50-seat jets with an estimated local economic impact of $30 million per year.  Regarding ridership, Roof says SkyWest flights are on average 50 percent full.  For SkyWest to add a third flight to its schedule, ridership will need to increase.  However, Roof says the national forecast for ridership during 2012 shows the numbers staying flat or slightly increasing.

Nomination for Wallace Park to be Included on National Register of Historic Place

The Mayor and Commission approved a resolution supporting the recommendation of the Historical and Architectural Review Commission (HARC) nominating the Wallace Park Neighborhood to the National Register of Historic Places.  HARC held a public hearing on December 12.  The Kentucky Heritage Council will review the application for the Wallace Park Neighborhood.  The Wallace Park Neighborhood is located just north and west of the intersection of Alben Barkley Drive and Lone Oak Road.  Being listed on the National Register allows property owners to take advantage of tax credits.

 Resolution Against Closing of the U.S. Postal Service Paducah Processing Facility

The Mayor and Commissioners approved a resolution in support of keeping the U.S. Postal Service Paducah Processing Facility open.  Commissioner Gerald Watkins initiated the resolution.  The U.S. Postal Service has announced plans to close the Paducah facility and move the processing to the Evansville facility.  This could result in the loss of at least 44 jobs locally.  Last Tuesday, the U.S. Postal Service agreed to delay the closing or consolidation of any post office or mail processing facility until May 15, 2012.  The Postal Service hopes this delay will help facilitate the enactment of comprehensive postal legislation.  According to www.usps.com, the Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products, and services to fund its operations.

Convention Center Paducah Power Bills (vote in January)

City Manager Jeff Pederson says an ordinance will be before the Mayor and Commission in January to authorize the payment of half of the outstanding Paducah Power bill for the Julian Carroll Convention Center and the Expo Center.  The bill through November 29 totals $113,581.42.  McCracken County will pay the entire bill with the City reimbursing the County for half. 

MAP-GIS  Consortium Interlocal Agreement

The Mayor and Commissioners approved an ordinance for an interlocal agreement with the McCracken and Paducah Geographic Information System (MAP-GIS) consortium members and a contract with the GIS software vendor ESRI.  The new contract with ESRI will allow each agency to pool their licenses and obtain virtually unlimited copies of most of ESRI’s software.  Currently each agency maintains separate software, licenses, and maintenance with ESRI.  The new three year contract will cost the consortium $50,000 per year which will be divided among the consortium.  The new contract is a cost savings for the City.  The public can view the MAP-GIS system by visiting www.paducahky.gov and clicking the link on the left side of the homepage.  MAP-GIS was created in 1999 and includes the following members:  City of Paducah, McCracken County, Paducah Water, Paducah Power, E911, and the Joint Sewer Agency.

Quick Highlights:

• Ordinance approved for an updated interlocal agreement between the City of Paducah and McCracken County fire departments to provide mutual aid when an emergency arises that overwhelms the resources of the responding department.  The participating departments are Barkley Regional Airport Authority, City of Paducah, Concord Fire Protection District, Hendron Fire District, Lone Oak Fire District, Melber-New Hope Fire Protection District, Reidland-Farley Fire District, and West McCracken Fire District.
• Ordinance approved to annex the property located at 156 Bleich Road.  The property owner, Mike Falconite, has requested the annexation.  Currently a 14,000 square foot mixed-use center is being constructed on the site with two additional structures planned.  The 3.5 acre property is adjacent to the Paducah city limits.  A public hearing will be held with the Planning Commission to assign zoning.
• Ordinance approved to purchase for the Engineering-Public Works Department a 2012 Ford F150 truck in the amount of $23,186.40 utilizing the state contract.
• Ordinance approved repealing the 1975 ordinance that closed the 15 foot wide alley located between Kentucky Avenue and Washington Street just east of South 17th Street.
• Ordinance approved providing an addendum to the City Manager’s employment contract.  Amendments include adjusting the salary to reflect the July 2011 cost of living adjustment and terms of payment into a deferred compensation plan.

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