Paducah City Council Meeting Summary - November 4, 2025
Paducah City Council Meeting Summary - November 4, 2025
The Paducah City Council convened on November 4, 2025, to address updates to the public transit system, approve routine consents and municipal orders, and discuss new ordinances regarding board member compensation, golf cart usage, and the retail sale of pets. The meeting also featured the proclamation of November 2025 as Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month and initial discussions on funding a new homeless shelter.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the minutes from the October 21, 2025, special call meeting.
- Authorized a Request for Proposals (RFP) for preferred docking agreements along the riverfront.
- Authorized the Mayor to apply for a U.S. Department of Justice grant of $8,589 for 21 body armor vests.
- Authorized the purchase of P25 compliant mobile/portable radios from Communications International for $91,267 for the Paducah Police Department.
- Authorized the Mayor to apply for a Fiscal Year 2026 Kentucky League of Cities liability grant of $3,000 for sidewalk repairs.
- Authorized an RFP for placement of the main drain line at Fire Station No. 1.
- Approved Change Order No. 1 valued at $7,630 for the contract with Lake Assault Boats Incorporated.
- Result: Unanimous vote (5 Aye) on all listed items.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Jeremy Bumpus (Executive Director, Paducah Transit Authority):
- Position: Expressed full support for the implementation of the new fixed-route system and emphasized the necessity of continued city investment to maintain Paducah's status as the only urbanized and rural transit authority in Kentucky.
- Concerns: Addressed community concerns regarding extending operating hours past 7:00 PM, stating that current data indicates ridership demand is insufficient to justify the cost, though open to future study if a need is identified.
- Clarifications: Provided details on the "My Ride" real-time tracking app, noting it launched on October 16, 2025, and that app download metrics are not yet available.
- Katherine Cline (State Director, Humane World for Animals):
- Position: Expressed strong advocacy for the proposed ordinances prohibiting the retail sale of dogs and cats, arguing that the current situation requires preventative measures to avoid future problems associated with puppy mills and sick animals.
- Support: Stated that 32 local residents signed postcards supporting the ordinance and clarified that the Pet Advocacy Network's claims regarding national opposition were partially misleading, as the group represents specific industry trade interests, including the store "Pet Land."
- Commissioner Smith:
- Position: Expressed support for matching the McCracken County's $200,000 pledge to the Paducah Cooperative Ministry for the construction and furnishing of a 50-bed homeless shelter.
- Concern: Noted that while the county's pledge included a $100,000 payment for restrooms, the city should aim for a total of $200,000 to cover construction and future operational needs like staffing and furnishings.
- Commissioner Thomas:
- Position: Expressed endorsement of the county's lead on the homeless shelter funding and recommended the city follow suit with similar contributions.
- Commissioner Wilson:
- Position: Expressed enthusiasm for recent community initiatives, specifically noting the top-quality facilities at Easter Seals and the improved lighting at Dolly McNutt Park.
Discussion Items
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Paducah Transit Authority (PATS) Updates:
- Discussion: The Council discussed the transformation of the fixed-route system, which now includes 130 designated stops (vs. a previous "hail" system), real-time GPS tracking, and expanded service to downtown Paducah and housing authority properties. Routes operate 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. six days a week.
- Outreach: The Mayor and Commissioners discussed promoting the new "My Ride" app to ensure community accessibility, with PATS agreeing to provide download data after one to two months.
- Future Service: Debate occurred regarding extending evening hours to serve customers after the mall closes. Bumpus indicated that while demand is currently low, the agency is not opposed to studying extension if future survey data supports it.
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Board Member Compensation Ordinance:
- Discussion: Introduced an ordinance to establish compensation for city board members at $100 per meeting for chairpersons and $75 per meeting for members, starting January 1, 2026.
- Justification: The Mayor highlighted that this standard, based on studies of similar-sized cities (ranging $25-$200), aims to attract higher-quality applicants and ensure consistent attendance.
- Cost: Estimated at approximately $100,000 annually. Payments will be made quarterly via direct deposit to vendor accounts.
- Vote: Adopted unanimously (5 Aye).
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Golf Cart Ordinance:
- Discussion: Introduced an ordinance allowing golf carts on streets with speed limits of 35 mph or less. Requirements include inspection by the Sheriff's Office, a one-time $25 permit fee, insurance, and operation only between sunrise and sunset.
- Concerns: Commissioner Smith expressed opposition regarding enforcement challenges for age and speed limits, fearing liability and safety risks. Chief Laird responded that enforcement would be handled on a case-by-case basis like other traffic violations.
- Vote: Adopted unanimously (5 Aye).
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Prohibition of Retail Sale of Dogs and Cats (First Reading):
- Discussion: Introduced an ordinance to prohibit the sale of dogs and cats by retail pet stores and in public places. Violations carry fines of $500 per offense.
- Opposition: The Mayor requested a pause ("time out") on the ordinance to conduct further research after receiving opposition from the Pet Advocacy Network (representing industry interests like "Pet Land") and concerns raised by Commissioner Wilson regarding the lack of a proven local problem.
- Support: Katherine Cline presented evidence of local support (32 signatures) and clarified that Pet Smart is not involved in puppy sales in the area.
- Action: The Council agreed to table the second reading and request additional information before proceeding. Commissioner Cline offered to provide media reports correcting the "Pet Smart" misinformation. A corresponding amendment to business licensing codes was also introduced to align with the prohibition.
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Homelessness Awareness & Shelter Funding:
- Discussion: Following the proclamation of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month, Commissioner Smith raised the request from Paducah Cooperative Ministry (PCM) for a city contribution to their 50-bed shelter project. The County Fiscal Court recently pledged $200,000. The Mayor and Commissioner Wilson expressed support for a potential $200,000 city contribution, split into two payments, to match the county's funding.
- Next Steps: The City Manager and Mayor will determine funding sources, and a municipal order will be prepared for a future meeting.
Key Outcomes
- Proclamation: Mayor Bray officially proclaimed November 2025 as "Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month."
- Ordinances Adopted (First Reading/Unanimous Vote):
- Board Compensation: Establishes $100/$75 per meeting rates for city board members.
- Golf Cart Regulations: Permits golf carts on streets ≤35 mph with specific safety/permit requirements.
- Pet Sale Prohibition: Prohibits retail sale of dogs/cats (First Reading scheduled for continued discussion).
- Business Licensing: Amends licensing codes to align with the pet sale prohibition.
- Municipal Orders: Approved MOU with Paducah Independent School District for 911 access to school security cameras; approved transit, vest, radio, and sidewalk grant applications.
- Future Directives:
- Conduct further research and gather public input before voting on the pet sale prohibition.
- Develop a municipal order for a potential $100,000-$200,000 city funding contribution to the Paducah Cooperative Ministry shelter project.
- PATS to monitor app download statistics and report back to the Council.
- Announcements: Upcoming Veterans Day Parade (Dolly McNutt Park, 10:00 AM awards, 11:00 AM parade) and adjusted trash service;
- Easter Seals facility tour recommended by Council members.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome. I'll go ahead and call this meeting to order on November 4th, 2025, and ask the city clerk to please call roll. Commissioner Henderson. Present. Commissioner Smith? Here. Commissioner Thomas? Present. Commissioner Wilson. Present. Mayor Bray. Here. Um I will ask uh Commissioner Wilson to say the invocation, and then we'll remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Hey Late Father, thank you on behalf of all of us who are gathered here today for all of the many blessings that we have. Thank you for the ability to be involved in useful work. Please provide your guidance for us tonight and for those who are making decisions that impact other issues across our country. Thank you for the opportunity to serve our community. Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 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, and invisible with liberty and justice for all. And whereas communities, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and volunteers across Paducah are working tirelessly to provide food, shelter, and critical services to those in need. And whereas Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month is an opportunity to educate the public about the realities of poverty to celebrate the dedicated service providers who work to meet immediate needs and to call for systemic solutions that address the root causes of hunger and homelessness. And whereas every person deserves access to safe, affordable housing and nutritious food, and it is the collective responsibility of our community to ensure these fundamental human rights are protected. Now, therefore, I, George P. Bray, Mayor of the City of Paducah, proclaimed November 2025 as hunger and homelessness awareness month. Mayor, you want to step to the captain. Get your steps in. There you go. Thank you so much. Thank you. Okay, the next uh item on the agenda is uh we have uh Jeremy Bumpus here, the executive director of uh the Paducah Transit Authority. I know Jeremy and his board have been working hard over the last uh six to twelve months uh to kind of uh transform the uh the system, the bus system that we have in Paducah, and been hearing a lot about it, so I've been looking forward to having you here. Thank you, thank you. Good evening, commissioners. Uh thank you for allowing me to present today. I'll be very brief, but just want to go over the uh major updates we've made to our fixed route system here in the city and uh how it impacts the city. Uh so if you all turn your attention here, so I want to start by saying for those of you who may not be familiar, so Pats has been in existence since 1981 serving Paducah and it's since expanded, and so we now serve four counties, of course, McCracken County, Ballard, Marshall, and Northern Graves. Um last fiscal year we did 192,000 trips between fixed route and demand and response, what we called our scheduled service. So the major updates are what you're looking at here to our fixed route system. We have four fixed routes, red, blue, green, and yellow that operate throughout the city. Um, and I'm just going to point out a few things, and then I will finish up. Um, what you see here, these dots here, these are what you these are what you call designated bus stops. So in PATS 40 plus years of existence, it never had designated bus stops. Uh, we operated on a hail system, which was dangerous, it was inefficient. Um, and so with the work of a consulting firm, uh, we were able to determine where these bus stops should be. Um, they conducted a transit study that took about six months to complete, um, where they interviewed our staff, interviewed passengers, collected data to help us determine where these stops are. Um, so as you see, we have approximately a hundred and thirty stops between those four routes all throughout the city. Um, and then of course, here, let me.
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