Paducah City Commission Meeting - July 22, 2025
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Paducah City Commission Meeting - July 22, 2025
The Paducah Board of Commissioners met on July 22, 2025, to conduct regular business. The meeting included recognitions, approval of a consent agenda, discussions on funding for the Paducah Junior College scholarship program, approval of grants and contracts, introduction of the South Side Revitalization Plan ordinance, and a policy discussion on compensating board members.
Recognitions
- Police Officer Brooke Adams received the Meritorious Service Award for her actions during an active shooter incident at the Greyhound bus station on June 29, 2025. She successfully apprehended the suspect, preventing further harm.
- Pam Russell was awarded the Duchess of Paducah Award for her 33-year career in the music industry and her upcoming induction into the 2025 Source Nashville Hall of Fame.
- Summer youth participants were introduced: Mia Fields, Isaiah Reed, Elijah McPyte, Susanna Southern, and Aiden Hilton, who are working in various city departments through the summer internship program.
- Jonathan Perkins, Finance Director, was recognized for his 34 years of service to the city, retiring with a celebration planned for July 30, 2025.
Consent Calendar
The consent agenda was approved unanimously with one item removed for separate discussion. Approved items included:
- Approval of minutes from July 9, 2025.
- Reappointments to the Civic Beautification Board (Jill Durham, Storm Wilson, J. Wayne Armhurster).
- Appointments to the Code Enforcement Board (Jennifer Swanson) and Paducah Human Rights Commission (Rachel Robinson).
- Municipal orders for: contract with Paducah Transit Authority ($21,000), surplus property transfers to Paducah Alliance of Neighbors (816 S 12th St and 1201 Oscar Cross Ave), bond financing for Baptist Health, purchase of sanitation vehicles (frontloader, brush loader, sidearm loader, tractor, patrol SUVs) totaling over $1.5 million, participation in workers' compensation trust and emergency management mutual aid agreement.
Discussion Items
Paducah Junior College Scholarship Program Funding Commissioner Smith requested removal of this item from the consent agenda, questioning the need for continued $100,000 annual contribution given a fund balance of $2.92 million as of June 30, 2025. Finance Director Perkins noted the balance continues to grow. Mayor Bray suggested continuing the funding for this year while scheduling a meeting with WKCTC to discuss increasing scholarship utilization, potentially reducing future contributions. A vote was taken: Commissioner Henderson voted aye, Commissioner Smith voted no, Mayor Bray voted aye, resulting in a 2-1 approval of the municipal order.
KPDI Grant for Speculative Building The commission approved a municipal order authorizing the city to serve as grantee and provide local match funding for a $2 million Kentucky Product Development Initiative grant. The city previously committed up to $6 million for the construction of a 100,000-square-foot speculative building at Industrial Park West (5700 Commerce Drive). The order passed unanimously.
Make My Move Contract Renewal The commission approved a $20,000 contract renewal with Make My Move for talent attraction services. Staff reported that the program has resulted in 6 movers in FY24, 7 in FY25, and 16 offers extended so far in FY26. Staff noted that 18% of applicants are declined due to self-employment, and they plan to bring recommendations to the commission to allow self-employed individuals. The contract was approved unanimously.
South Side Revitalization Plan – Ordinance Introduction The commission introduced an ordinance adopting the South Side Revitalization Plan as an addendum to the city's comprehensive plan. The plan covers eight neighborhoods (Walter Jaton, Upper Town, River Park, Cobb Park, Farley Place, Littleville, Dolly McNutt, Ellen Muttle) spanning 3.3 square miles with 3,678 parcels. The planning department has conducted a public hearing and received unanimous recommendation from the Planning Commission and URCDA. A housing inventory of 1,061 parcels is underway, with 397 completed. The first reading was held; second reading is scheduled for August 12, 2025. Staff announced that CFSB has agreed to offer up to 100% financing on single-family residential and construction loans in the phase one area. The ordinance was introduced and moved to second reading.
Board and Commission Compensation Discussion City Clerk Lindsay Parish presented research on compensating board members, noting that 32 boards with over 200 members currently exist. Some boards already receive stipends (e.g., Electric Plant Board $2,400/year, Planning Commission $50/$30 per meeting). Eligible boards could be compensated via per-meeting stipends ranging from $25-$75 common in other cities. Two cost scenarios were presented: $75 per member/$100 per chair (total annual cost ~$110,000, net increase ~$89,000) or $50/$30 (~$56,000 total, net increase ~$35,000). Commissioners expressed support for the concept, with Mayor Bray recommending the $75/$100 rate. The commission directed staff to draft ordinances for a January 1, 2026 implementation, with Commissioner Henderson and Smith indicating support.
Key Outcomes
- Approved consent agenda items (unanimous).
- Approved Paducah Junior College funding $100,000 (2-1 vote).
- Approved KPDI grant and local match for spec building (unanimous).
- Approved Make My Move contract renewal (unanimous).
- Introduced South Side Revitalization Plan ordinance (first reading); second reading set for August 12, 2025.
- Directed staff to draft ordinances for board member compensation at $75 per meeting for members and $100 for chairs, targeting January 1, 2026 implementation.
Meeting Transcript
I'll ask Commissioner Smith to do the invocation and will remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Father, we thank you for your grace and goodness. May your face continually shine upon us so that your ways may be known in our communities. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice. Okay, the first item on the agenda is uh Chief Laird uh with an employee recognition. Good evening, Mayor Commissioners. I appreciate you giving me a couple minutes tonight to recognize the efforts of one of our police officers. You know, each year we do an annual award ceremony where we take them uh you know a couple hours to recognize the work all throughout the year that our officers do. Uh but this particular incident that I wanted to talk about tonight was something that I didn't feel I could wait. Um so we give out several awards throughout the year. One of those awards is the Meritorious Service Award, and that can be awarded to an officer under if three criteria are met. Uh the first part is a highly unusual accomplishment by the employee under highly adverse conditions with some degree of hazard to the life and safety of the employee, where death or injury is prevented, or death or injury to another is prevented. So a little bit about what happened. On June 29th, 2025, Paducah Police Officer Brooke Adams displayed extraordinary bravery and decisiveness during an active shooter incident at the Greyhound bus station. Officer Adams was responding to a business to look for a missing adult when she spotted a man matching the description at the bus station. She circled the block to get out and talked to the man, and as she pulled through the parking lot, she saw a man actively shooting at bystanders. Simultaneously, other officers were being dispatched to the bus station for the report of a person being shot. Without hesitation, Officer Adams confronted the armed man and successfully took him into custody, preventing further harm to innocent bystanders and no harm to the suspect. Her swift actions undoubtedly save lives and exemplify the high standards of courage, duty, and service. And for those actions, uh Officer Brooke Adams is being awarded our second highest honor, the meritorious service award. Brooke, would you come forward? Use the new background. I gotta step back and get my phone. I'll have to be on the table. Congratulations, Officer Adams. Thank you, Mayor. Appreciate it. Thank you so much. Our um, you know, I'm um uh the commission supports our our police force. Um we we have a we have a great police force, and this is just uh just an example of all the great work that we do uh in the city of Paducah. And I just wanted uh I just want to say how supportive the commission is of the work that that our police force does, and and thank you a good thank you again, Brooke, for um your brave uh actions that that night. Thank you. Okay, from there uh we will move. I have a recognition tonight, and uh so I'll ask Pam Ross Pam Russell to come up. So, Pam, uh, it's very nice to meet you earlier. Uh as I said, I've been friends with your mom and dad for a long time, but um uh one of the great things I get to do as mayor is uh is recognize people doing great things. Uh you know, especially people that are originally from Paducah and when they come home, and um and we have an we have an award called the Duke and Duchess of Paducah Award. So I want to read a little bit about you because I just found out about this in the last couple days. But uh Pam Russell, uh, for the sake of everybody else here is a 33-year veteran of the music industry. She began working as a receptionist for Lee Greenwood, Lee Greenwood's manager, Larry McFadden, in 1985. Sorry to age you a little bit. And quickly rose through the ranks, eventually serving as vice president of sales and marketing. Her visionary leadership helped shape national retail strategies for the music for the music industry and left a lasting mark on the industry. She served on many boards, including the advisory board for the Murray State Music Business Program, and she sang with the Metro Nashville Chorus, one of the top sweet Adeline's international choruses and several Region 4 suite Adeline Quartets. After retiring, Pam has returned to her hometown of Paducah to spend more time with her family and parents, Ray and Linda Wright. She enjoys travel walking and is an avid pickleball player, and I've already heard about some of your competitive prowess. In August 26th, this is very noteworthy. Pam will be inducted into the 2025 Source Nashville Hall of Fame.
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