Good afternoon, everyone, welcome.

Uh, it's five o'clock straight up and down.

So I'll go ahead and call this meeting to order on May twelfth, twenty twenty-six, and ask our city clerk to please call roll.

Commissioner Henderson, present.

Commissioner Smith.

Here.

Commissioner Thomas.

Commissioner Wilson, present.

Mayor Bray.

Present.

Uh I would ask uh Commissioner Henderson to do the invocation, and then we'll all remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Grateful that you've given us the opportunity to serve this community.

And so, God, our prayer is that you'll give us wisdom and that you'll give us discernment as we make decisions that affect us all.

Father, we pray for those who are in this room, for our citizens who are here, and we pray for our entire city of Paducah.

Lord, we pray for your covering, we pray for your blessings now in Jesus' name.

Amen.

One is for National Public Works Week.

And the other one is National Police Week and Police Officers Memorial Day.

So I'll start with the public works and ask Chris Yarber to come up.

And whereas the quality and effectiveness of these facilities and services, as well as their planning, construction and maintenance are vitally dependent upon the dedicated efforts and skills of our public works employees.

And whereas the year 2026 marks the sixty-sixth annual National Public Works Week sponsored by the American Public Works Association.

And whereas this year's theme, rooted in service, powered by community, is a tribute to all public works employees who create the foundation of a stronger, more livable community.

Now, therefore, I, George P.

Bray, mayor of the City of Paducah, do hereby proclaim May 17th to 23rd, 2026 as National Public Works Week.

While we wait for the picture, these are the supervisors and superintendents to clarify the public works.

Service the community.

Thank you all for what we do.

I'll just confirm.

I mean, I get mayor not get a lot of uh we'll call it input citizens.

One thing I never get is a complaint about these folks.

Maybe there's been one occur at some point, but if it does, it gets taken care of like that.

So thanks.

National Police Week is observed annually in the United States to honor the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers who protect our communities with courage, integrity, and commitment.

And whereas Peace Officers Memorial Day is observed during National Police Week to pay special tribute to those brave officers who have lost their lives or become disabled in the line of duty.

And whereas law enforcement officers across our nation serve with valor and distinction, often placing themselves in harm's way to ensure the safety and security of all citizens.

And whereas the risk faced daily by police officers are great, and their commitment to uphold the law and protect the public deserves our respect, support, and heartfelt gratitude.

And whereas it is important that we recognize the ongoing contributions of our local state and federal law enforcement officers, and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their communities.

Okay, next on the agenda is the presentation of the 2026 Dogwood award winners, and I just um wanna call out that uh our Civic Beautification Board does yeoman's work in helping organize this festival um and going around and making sure that uh people get recognized, and so I'm gonna turn it over to Stacy, Stacy Direct.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor Bragg and Commissioners for letting us always forget this for letting us um be a part of this tonight and present the awards to the dogwood trail winners um for 2026.

What a beautiful spring it's been.

We were a little nervous about the trees with the weather changes.

We had cold weather, we had warm weather, but in the end um we had to change some dates around, but everything worked out and and it was absolutely beautiful this year.

You know, I'm just in awe at that this is the 62nd year that the dogwood trails happened in Paducah and growing up in Paducah.

A lot of you all probably remember as a child, your parents taking you on the dogwood trail.

Maybe it was two blocks long on Sycamore at that time, but you know, look at it now.

I think it was over 13 miles this year.

So hopefully we can keep expanding and and doing different things to get other people to light up and and we truly appreciate those of you who do take the time to groom your trees and to take care of your yards and and to light up because we know it takes time and not everyone does that, and it does make Paducah a very special place to live.

So thank you.

So our first um award tonight, it's it's our big award, it's the Dolly McNutt Award.

And if you've ever driven down Forest Circle, there's a house that stands out, and I have to say the owners of that home work countless hours to keep that yard immaculate.

They probably work more hours in one weekend than I do all year, keeping mine up.

So and it it warms my heart that they won the Dolly McNutt Award this year because they truly deserve it.

That's John Park and Matt Turley, and they live at 3426 Forest Circle.

You want to come up and get your award.

Thank you.

Very welcome, thank you.

Our next award goes to a beautiful home on Jefferson, and they had the cutest little baby dogwoods this year.

So we were really honored to um give them the baby dogwood award this year.

And they live at 2330 Jefferson Street, and the owners of the home are Shannon and Shana Crockett.

Not here.

Not here tonight.

We'll get there's two 'em.

And our next award is a very special award too.

It um goes to um a local business owner in Paducah who works very hard to provide um really special antiques to our town and different things to our town and do fest fun festivals and her business too.

But when I um we approached them with the award, I think you told me your tree was over 40 years old that you know of, and it's absolutely gorgeous too.

So she said it just keeps hanging on every year.

They don't know if it'll be here next year or not, but it was beautiful this year.

So um, Jenny and Chris Hudson, come up.

They live at 1104 Old Friedman Lane.

Our next award um is uh a home that's located on Rustic Avenue.

It's an older log cabin if you've ever driven over in that area.

It's absolutely gorgeous, and their dogwood trees this year stood out.

Um I they I can't count the ones that they had in you have several in your yard, I know, but it was absolutely beautiful.

Um that award goes to Patrick and Janet Weeks, and they are at 416 60 Rustic Avenue.

Thank you very much.

Our next award goes to a gorgeous house on Broadway.

It's um it's one of the older homes around the First Baptist Church block area.

You know, the there's three or four over there, they're absolutely gorgeous, but this one has beautiful dogwoods in it.

And um, it's located at 2856 Broadway, and it's owned by Paul and Colleen Stovesan.

I don't think they're here tonight.

This next home is a beautiful home in Lower Town of Paducah, and this lady works so hard in her yard, and she has so many different unique um art fixtures and just different things in her yard.

It's it's really a very neat place to go look around.

Um Miss Anita Stamper, who used to be a part of the Civic Beautification Board.

Um she lives at 334 North Eighth Street.

Okay, oh okay.

Well, thank you for doing that.

We appreciate it.

And next we have um a home on Valley Drive, 141 Valley Drive, and this year her yard was just immaculate.

And as I stopped to talk with her about her dogwoods and her azaleas, I got a little lesson on how you feed Azalea.

So she's she she loves enjoys being a part of the garden clubs of Paducah and just um working in her yard and making it beautiful, and it it actually absolutely stood out this year, Ashley.

So Ashley McMillan, you come up and get your award.

She lives at 141 Valley Drive.

And our next award goes to um a couple, and I don't know how they have time to work in their yard because they spend a lot of time in the kitchen and a lot of time cooking and preparing and prepping things for their restaurant in town.

Um she's one of our um local celebrities, and um her yard absolutely was gorgeous this year.

She told me they'd worked in it all day because we came around to give the awards to light it up, and she had the most beautiful azaleas and dogwood trees.

And that award goes to Austin Martin and Sarah Bradley at 4240 Pines Road.

These girls are getting so big.

It's all these great.

And as you drive into the um uh Fairfield neighborhood, and this year it just immediately popped because she had it lit up so beautiful, and the trees are just gorgeous in that neighborhood anyway.

But Carol really did an outstanding job of of lighting her tree up this year, and it was absolutely gorgeous.

So we will get her award to her.

Her address is 3822 London Berry Cove, if you know where that is.

It's almost a dolly winner.

It's it's just a beautiful tree, and I I know that they take great pride and they've redone their landscaping in their yard this year too, and they're just taking great pride in their tree and try to keep it in top-notch shape and light it up every year.

So we really appreciate the painters, but they're not here tonight, I guess.

Um, next award goes to Blake and Robin King.

Um, they live at 612 Woodland.

And if you've ever driven down woodland during the dogwood season, I mean there's so many gorgeous homes over there that light up, but Blake and Robin's tree really stood out this year, and it was absolutely gorgeous when we drove down.

It was like we're that that one has to be an award winner.

So thank you all for all you do.

And the next two awards are off-trail awards.

Um, we wish that we could give a lot more off-trail awards because there's some we can't or have more, I guess, people on the trail is what I should say, because we just it we feel like we miss so many beautiful trees just because we have to limit what the you know the length of the trail.

But these off-trail trees sometimes are absolutely gorgeous, and we really appreciate the people off of the trail taking the time to light up and participating in the dogwood trail.

And this year, a gorgeous tree at 4024 Hillcrest Avenue um won an award, and that's Bill and Connie Bird.

You do it with everything.

Connie, you couldn't drag Bill here.

No, he bought me a big pole saw, though.

Oh, that's that was nice.

So she's the one that keeps that yard, so I'm actually.

I totally understand.

Um the next award is an off-trail award, and I say off-trail, that the uh trail actually went by the side of their house, but their little beautiful little garden that they had their dogwood trees in were actually off of the trail, so it was actually considered an off-trail award.

It's at 502 North Sixth Street in Lower Town, and um Steve Hennings and Nancy Plesha are the owners of that gorgeous home.

Didn't say your last name correct.

I meant to ask you before.

Thank you.

And that concludes our awards for tonight.

Thank you all.

Thank you, Stacey.

Thank you very much.

Uh thank thank you, the entire committee, everybody, um Karen Fetters here.

I don't want to leave anybody out.

I know there's a lot of Kathy, lot is lots of people who work very hard uh on this, and I uh appreciate all the hard work that you put into it.

It's one of the things that actually I think one of the many things that makes our community special.

Uh, you know, people come in and say, wow, this is a special community, and there's lots of things that go into that, but this is one of them.

So thank you.

Okay, uh City Manager, are there any additions or deletions to the agenda?

Mayor, none this evening.

Okay, so we have some folks here with public comments, and I'll start with Miss Betty Dobson, who I think she loved.

She is here.

Oh no, she came back here.

Okay, I saw her.

So everybody has three minutes, and if you would just uh just state your address uh for the benefit of all of us, please.

Thank you.

You know I live here I I do know that.

I do know that it's following the rules.

My address is 921 Oscar Cross Avenue.

Rosa Scott, 1315 Park Avenue.

I'm here to make a comment.

I want to thank you all for your support of the Hotel Metropolitan, bringing us to this exciting point where we're going to have a new director and things of that nature, and we're working to make things good for the community.

But I also wanted to bring to your attention that we had sent in an invoice for um, you know, for uh uh uh for the some funding, and we haven't received it.

And I wanted to let you know it's so important that that you help us with that, and also I don't know if you had been able to approve um the the budget for uh the construction on the hotel.

It's just look, I've been working here 26 years.

I mean, most of you know how long that Rosa and I have been here working, and so just would like to say we need that little help so we can move things forward.

We've got a big group coming in.

I want Paducah to look good.

You know, it's the museum association, and we we need to be prepared for those people because there's they're from across Kentucky.

So we want to put our best foot forward and just I I appreciate your support.

I'm just saying we want your continued support.

And and I do.

I really do love what you all have done for us.

And Rosal, yeah.

I would just like to say that we are so proud and happy to be a part of Paducah, Kentucky, and we're so proud of our commissioners and our mayor.

And we're just asking that you could your continuous help for us to further uh with our construction plan and get everything together for the next big group that will be here that will show uh how Paducah comes together to help support.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Betty.

Thank you, Rosa.

Uh I know I'll just make a quick comment.

I know that we're still waiting for approval from the Mellon Foundation for the uh some of the changes in the in the budget, so I know that's one thing, but we'll check on all this.

Okay, we'll follow up.

Okay, I appreciate it.

Thank you.

And yeah, I'll come to the hotel Mr.

Pilot.

I didn't see it.

Only if you're gonna make some sweet potato pies.

You know, oh I don't know this name.

I'm sorry.

Hmm.

Why don't you set it up there on the table?

They'll be back.

They really are sure.

Thank you for that.

Okay, next person is Philip Rowland.

Uh that's you.

So I'll just say my name is Philip Rowland, and I uh reside at 525 South 19th Street.

Uh good afternoon, everybody.

My name is Philip Rowland once again, and I'm here regarding the ongoing sidewalk construction project in our neighborhood.

I want to be clear that the residents are not here simply to oppose improvements or pedestrian safety.

Our concern is a lack of communication, clarity, and transparency surrounding this project and the impact it is having on homeowners.

Many residents were surprised to see entirely new sidewalks being constructed farther into the areas that have long been maintained as part of our yards.

In several cases, homeowners were not clearly informed ahead of time about the scope of the project, where the sidewalks will be placed, or how right-of-way boundaries were being determined.

Recently, after asking questions, I was told there is no single ordinance establishing a standard right-of-way width, and that these determinations depend on subdivision plots and engineering documents.

That information is important, but most residents have never seen those documents and do not know where their property rights end and the cities begin.

Residents should not have to guess where their public right-of-way lines are while construction is actively taking place near their homes.

In addition to the confusion surrounding property boundaries, there has also been little communication regarding impacts to existing property improvements.

In some cases, fencing and other community uh other property features have been removed by contractors without prior notice to homeowners.

Residents have been given little or no indication as to whether those items will be replaced or stored or whether temporary barriers will be provided after the removal.

That uncertainty has created additional frustration and concern for affected homeowners.

I've requested plats, right-of-way documentation, and engineering plans so residents can better understand the base basis for these decisions, but was informed that I need to process an open records request form due to a complex request.

I respectfully ask the city to make this information more accessible and transparent to affected homeowners moving forward.

I also ask that the city carefully review contractor performance and ensure that work is being completed professionally, safely, and with respect for residents' property.

At the end of the day, people simply want clear communication, accountability, and confidence that these projects are being carried out properly and within appropriate boundaries.

Included I attached um pictures and signatures.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you, Philip.

Um certainly all those requests are uh reasonable, and uh I don't know a lot about what's been going on, and but we will definitely follow up with you.

Thank you.

Okay.

And the next public comment is Josh Massey.

Massey.

Hello everyone.

Uh I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to speak.

I am here to oh, sorry, uh 1150 Miller Street is my address.

I was born and raised here in Paducah.

So is my father and his father and so on.

But I'm here to beg and plead on behalf of my family and my friends that this commission oppose the construction of new nuclear facilities here in Paducah, Kentucky.

Firstly, I don't think it is an economically viable thing, neither does Bloomberg or DIW Berlin, both highly respected economic institutions.

But aside from that, I don't think that any dollar amount is worth the significant risk that it poses to our community.

So aside from its massive upfront costs, the Price Anderson Act requires that all nuclear reactors be insured at the maximum amount of private insurance available in the United States.

That's 450 million dollars.

And to further that, um, it also has a clause in it that indemnifies corporations in cases even of gross neglect or willful misconduct if the expenses of an accident go exceed this 450 million dollars.

Personally, I don't think anything with the potential to do 450 million dollars worth of damage should be legally allowed to exist, and I certainly don't want it anywhere near my family.

Um according to the National Academy of Science, there is no safe dose of ionizing radiation, and so even if these companies do meet legal requirements for dosages, my opinion is that legal requirements should be zero.

Um, according to the National Cancer Institute, Kentucky has the highest rate of cancer of every single kind of cancer and the highest cancer fatality rate uh across the United States.

And in my opinion, it should come as no surprise when we know that radiation causes cancer, and we have six nuclear contamination sites here in the Ohio River Valley, you know, that that's happening.

And I don't want to see that continue.

I'm here as an advocate of what GLE describes as the no action proposal, wherein the site is simply continued to be remediated instead of constructed upon.

Um that's pretty much it.

Um I just I believe that these projects betray the community's economic interests.

I believe that it betrays our health and safety of our community.

Thank you.

Thank you for doing that.

I respect all of our um uh government workers.

I love them to death.

Um I just wanted to say that I believe that Paducah is repeating the mistakes of the 20th century.

Paducah uh bore the burden of the nuclear age and scrapped for every single cent of recompense and compensation all the way up until 2025 with the OBBBA in Congress.

Just like with the uh VA, our 9-11 first responders, and every average American, your needs come second, late or never at all.

Billionaires are given the red carpet treatment, but we are given the red tape treatment.

The attacks and hurdles for green energy don't just stop with prote uh production, it also ignores the land use of these disgusting physil facilities that we're gonna be building on our land.

Why do you think that our county in the West is littered with signs of skulls and crossbones?

Our EPA has become a joke.

Our state has rolled back groundwater protections as of last year.

And many uh people outside of the city, especially south of here in Murray, where I came from uh before moving to Paducah, um, still rely on vastly uh majority well water.

There's also the um I'm also concerned about um our state broadly, especially with like uh recent indications of lithium mining in uh eastern Kentucky, so I know that it's not just the west part of the state, it's also the east and everywhere else around this country.

Um Paducah's wealth inequality is only um outpaced by Louisville.

Our average 1% income makes about 1 million dollars.

Everyone else in the county on average makes about 46,000.

A handful of jobs uh for .008% of our population that would be employed by these new facilities opening up, isn't going to change that one bit.

In fact, health care costs are bound to rise from these facilities.

Electric is likely to spike in price as well if patterns like in Evansville, Indiana persist, where people are facing a AI facility being built in their community as well as BlackRock purchasing their electrical grid.

This has caused people to be paying more in electricity than their mortgages, sometimes $800, sometimes $900.

I would be worried about the amount of money and leverage that San Francisco billionaires have in our town.

You can Google the founders fund.

Evansville has uh sorry, you already got to that one.

Uh this is a nonpartisan issue to me, and it is something that as a lifelong Democrat, I have been let down by the Sheer in a major way, as well as Comer on the other side.

Everyone knows that the uh federal government is a steamroller, but at least our local government can do is suss out the dangers and act as a roadblock or speed bump in this situation.

But I fear that many are complicit.

And while I'm here, I would love for y'all to fix the storm drain on 9th in Monroe.

It floods every single time.

Two feet of water, middle of the crossroad.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And the final person making comments is Erica Moore.

I have some supporting documentation.

I don't know if you want to this is just my thing.

Umore.

I live at 422 North 7th Street in Paducah, Kentucky.

And commissioners, thank you so much for the opportunity to speak.

I want to talk about a deal, or rather several deals being made on behalf of this community.

And I want to ask a simple question.

Is Paducah actually getting a good return on this investment?

Because right now the math does not add up.

Let's start with what we already know.

The federal government spent 61 years enriching uranium at the gas Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant.

When they were done, they handed this community a contaminated superfund site with radioactive technetium 99 in the groundwater, PFAS contamination still not under control, and the longest off-site contamination plumes in the entire Department of Energy cleanup complex.

The projected cost to clean that up is 17 billion dollars, and the projected completion date is not until 2065.

That's the baseline.

That's what we already have to deal with.

So now let's look at what's being added on top of that.

General Matters has signed a lease to build a uranium enrichment facility on the Superfund site itself.

And then there's Global Enri Global Laser Enrichment, which is proposing to build another uranium enrichment facility on 665 acres of good private land immediately next door to the Superfund site, which one has to ask why.

We already have 3,556 acres of federally designated nuclear industrial land right there.

Land we are already spending 17 billion dollars to clean up.

If uranium enrichment is going to happen near Paducah, why does a private company get to um use new clean land outside the regulatory framework that governs the contaminated site next door rather than on the federal site that already exists for exactly this purpose?

I think that's a question that we and you uh all deserve an answer to.

Then there's the Department of Energy who has solicited private companies to build an AI data center and a co-located small modular nuclear reactor site on the Superfund site with no environmental impact study conducted and no one to required to assess what all this means for Paducah together.

So let's look at the return on the investment.

113 million dollars in tax incentives have already been committed to just the first two projects alone for 380 permanent jobs combined.

Their numbers that's written into General Matters and GLE's own incentive agreements with Kentucky, Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Not 380 jobs this year or next year, 380 jobs over 15 years on a site, the federal government won't finish cleaning up for another 39 years.

Um here's what concerns me most though.

Three separate federal regulatory processes are each looking at each one piece of the picture in isolation.

The NRC is reviewing GLE's for I'm sorry, you're out of time.

Wow.

That was that was three minutes goes quick.

Um anyway, I have sent um provided the supporting documentation and a copy of my statement.

Um I hope that you do please consider um, thank you.

For being here, and I would just remind everybody that you know the the land that the proposed projects are on uh is in the county, uh not in the city.

And so I think uh you need to take your um uh your comments, you know, there as well.

Um because the land is not in the city limits.

So but thank you for being here.

We'll now move to the consent agenda, which are considered to be routine by the Board of Commissioners and will be enacted by one by one motion and one vote.

There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a board member sell requests, in which event the item will be removed from the consent agenda and considered separately.

City clerk will read the items recommended for approval unless a commissioner has an item they'd like removed for separate approval.

City clerk.

Approved minutes for the April 28th, 2026, Board of Commissioners meeting, receive and file documents, personnel actions, a municipal order approving a contract amendment with Tyler Technologies and the amount of seven thousand eight hundred and fifty dollars annually for the ACFR statement builder and authorizing the mayor to execute all documents related to SAIM.

A municipal order approving a memorandum of agreement with Dr.

John Penney for certain incentives and authorizing the mayor to execute all documents related to SAME.

A municipal order adopting contract modification number three to the contract with SprintTurf LLC for replacement batter boxes for the Paducah Sports Park and the amount of $66,406 and 44 cents.

And authorizing the mayor to execute the contract modification and all other documents related to SAME.

A municipal order authorizing the submission of the community development block grant annual action plan and authorizing the mayor to execute same municipal order approving a contract with Atlantic Emergency Solutions for purchase of turnout gear and the total amount of 43,949.4 cents and authorizing the mayor to sign all documents related to SAME.

So move.

Second.

Call roll.

Commissioner Henderson.

Aye.

Commissioner Smith.

Aye.

Commissioner Thomas?

Aye.

Commissioner Wilson.

Hi.

Mayor Bray.

Aye.

So we have uh one municipal order and two ordinances uh to introduce tonight.

So I'll ask the city clerk, please read the first movement municipal order.

I proposed motion of the board of commissioners adopt a municipal order entitled a municipal order authorizing and directing the engineering department to release an invitation to bid for the community development block grant sidewalk replacement project.

So moved.

Second.

Evening, mayor, commissioner, city manager, city clerk.

Um as this motion uh stated, this is to an invitation to bid for a uh sidewalk improvement project in town.

We know that uh sidewalks are an important part of quality of life, and so this is a opportunity to seek out umgates to sidewalks.

So just a little further information.

We we discovered this year that our C D BG funds, you know, were eligible for uh a sidewalk project.

Uh not a not a huge project, but Greg is in the process of looking for the right location.

Uh and hopefully this is something that will contend in future years, but I think the commission is pretty resolved that we know how important sidewalks are and um and sidewalk improvement.

It's very it's a very expensive process uh to improve sidewalks.

And so we get a chance to get some grant money to do it.

Uh we want to take advantage of it.

Absolutely.

I say that correctly.

Yes.

Okay.

And on the topic, you know, with the gentleman that spoke earlier, um, with the sidewalk part, because I, you know, you know, because you were you were great, and uh Greg helped out whenever my grandmother's front yard would get a new sidewalks, and she was never notified about them coming onto her property line and messing up her recently improved walkway.

So, what are we doing to improve that communication gap with these contractors that are doing this work?

Because you know, I called you and you were right down there to fix it, but it's the contractors that are kind of so in that particular uh instance that was an unfortunate um misunderstanding on the contractor's part.

That is not a common occurrence.

Um we know where we're going in the neighborhood to do these improvements.

Um especially if there's no sidewalk there originally, then you know we identify what um potential conflicts may arise.

Uh property owners are communicated with ahead of time, every one of them to uh seek out, let them know this is what we're doing, this is where we're coming, this is what's involved.

Um in uh neighborhoods where sidewalks already exist, quite often the sidewalk, the new sidewalk is going back where the existing sidewalk is.

So it's a little bit easier to picture what that's like.

But nonetheless, um there may be uh conflicts that arise just from the other elements of a project that might be involved.

So any time that is known ahead of time, communication is had with the property owners to make them aware this is what we're looking at, and we work through the process with them.

And that's the city communicating.

Yes.

Okay.

What's the form of communication?

What's the form of community communication?

Because every not obviously it's not just uh this, but every time we have even public comments, the main thing that is stated, we didn't know.

We didn't know.

So how are we communicating?

In the field meetings with the property owners.

Explaining this is what's happening.

This is what we're doing.

So in each indicate, sorry, it just each um situation is unique as far as what any potential um conflict may be.

So every situation is unique in that regard.

So is it possible that property owners there are people maybe renting some property and property owners are not necessarily communicating to those who that's possible?

I I don't know if that would be the majority of situations, but that is certainly possible.

Um I think oftentimes there is um specifically with right-of-way and private property and just the understanding the difference between the two and where the line is and how they interact and responsibilities of property owners is sometimes um not always the easiest um to get to get everybody to understand how this works.

Um I think maybe that's where confusion comes into play sometimes.

Thank you.

Yep.

Is it do we like door hangers?

Because I know you know politics and you go around knocking on a lot of doors.

We do the it's hard to find people at home lots of times.

Right.

Well, we send out the the PSAs that uh Pam puts out whenever we're going into a neighborhood by mail through the the Pam Cream uh the email notification system.

Okay.

Um but then whenever we identify a potential property owner where we know there's a there's an existing feature that there's going to be some sort of conflict with this work.

That communication is we uh reach out to them and establish a meeting in the field to explain this is exactly what we're talking about and what make sure everybody understands.

You know, I'm finding out that people don't even read the mail these days.

Yeah.

That's true.

So I mean, sometimes you can't do anything about it because you can't spoon feed information people, but things like door hangers and all that are really good because it it is hard to catch people at home to do it.

So I don't know if we if we're going to that level of rigor, but if we're not, maybe that would be a good thing to do or consider.

I I think the message from the commission has been pretty consistent, you know.

Um when changes are being made in front of how people's houses, we just want to make sure that they know everything is going on.

Yes, yeah.

Property owners are communicated with whenever our projects come through their neighborhoods.

Um and you're gonna follow up with Mr.

Roland there.

Yeah, absolutely.

Okay, cool.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Yep.

All right.

Um call roll, please.

Commissioner Henderson.

Hi.

Commissioner Smith.

I Commissioner Thomas.

I Commissioner Wilson.

Aye.

Mayor Bray.

Aye.

Okay, uh, we have a text amendment um to our residential zone R3, and I'll ask um City Clerk to please read it.

Our proposed motion, the board of commissioners introduce an ordinance entitled and ordinance amending chapter 126 zoning, section 104, medium density residential zone R3 of the code of ordinances of the city of Paducah.

This ordinance is summarized as follows.

This ordinance amends the R3 medium density residential zone to create a more appropriate transition to the R4 high density residential zone by expanding permitted residential and neighborhood serving uses.

The amendments reduce minimum lot size and width requirements to better reflect the historic development patterns found in established neighborhoods, such as the South Side and North Side Historic Districts, while also encouraging infill development and reducing nonconformities.

The ordinance further introduces neighborhood corner stores as a permitted use to provide walkable access to goods and services, encourage community interaction, and support neighborhood revitalization.

The Paducah Planning Commission held a public hearing on April 6th, 2026, and subsequently forwarded a favorable recommendation to the city commission.

Uh that the city commission approved the proposed text amendment.

So moved.

Second.

Good evening, Mayor and Commission, City Manager and City Clerk.

As Lindsay read that very thoroughly, it's pretty self-explanatory, but it does open the way for corner stores.

So it's pretty straightforward, but it's an exciting step toward bringing back a viable anchor in a neighborhood.

Cool.

We have several exciting steps.

So this is one of many.

We feel that way, so it's good to hear you all.

I agree.

And I I would be remiss if I didn't.

Josh Summers really done the majority of work on this and he couldn't be here tonight.

He was a little sad about that because he felt like he was getting it started over the finish line, but um he had a family commitment and couldn't be here tonight.

But he's done the heavy lifting.

Any questions?

Commissioner questions.

Okay.

Thank you.

So we have one more ordinance to introduce, and that's uh approve a budget amendment, and I'll ask the city clerk, please read that.

And that'll be followed by discussion on our budget.

I propose motion.

The Board of Commissioners introduce an ordinance entitled and ordinance amending ordinance number 2025-06-8847, entitled and ordinance adopting the City of Baduca, Kentucky Annual Operating Budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2025 through June 30th, 2026 by estimating revenues and resources and appropriating funds for the operation of city government.

This ordinance is summarized as follows.

So moved.

Second.

Okay.

Good evening, Mayor, Commissioner, City Managers, City Clerk.

Tonight I'm presenting the second budget amendment for this fiscal year to address various adjustments that we've identified in the second half of the fiscal year.

These adjustments span several categories, including those resulting from commission actions such as grant awards, project funding updates, and bond activity, as well as adjustments to better reflect the most current information we have available as we move through the final quarter of the year.

Also, as we near year end, we have identified some contracts and projects that will continue on into fiscal 27.

This amendment authorizes the establishment of project accounts to allow them to move forward into the next fiscal year.

Do you all have any questions about any of them?

None for me.

Okay.

Okay, with that.

Um we'll vote on that in two weeks.

Uh with that, we'll move to a discussion, a budget discussion, and you're still up.

Yes, sir.

Okay.

All right.

So it's been just a few weeks since our last budget discussion, but a lot has happened within that time.

The finance team and the city manager's office has now met with the mayor and each of the commissioners, and we now have final numbers for your all's consideration.

I'm happy tonight to present the fiscal 27 investment fund projection with a total of 7.9 million in appropriations.

This proposed budget advances several key commission priorities through a focus on economic development, uh, neighborhood revitalization, infrastructure, and quality of life initiatives.

The city's emphasis on economic growth and downtown vitality continues with its investment in Paducah Main Street as well as retail growth in the mall area with the arrival of Bass Pro Shop.

We have also seen some exciting progress and community development, particularly with the South Side Revitalization Area.

Most recently, the Maharia Development Agreement was announced, and the proposed investment fund includes funding for the first phase of this project as well as funding for additional housing development opportunities within the city.

In the area of capital investment, the proposed budget includes a 2.1 million appropriation for the street rehabilitation program, along with continued investment in the maintenance improvement and improvement of city-owned facilities.

In addition, funds within the future facilities set aside are proposed to be utilized for the design of a new police department headquarters.

This follows the recent purchase of property on Jackson Street, which has been identified as the proposed location for the facility.

Also, before moving into the general fund recap, I'd like to briefly highlight several addition additional commission priorities that were recently programmed through the city's CDBG entitlement allocation, which we discussed just earlier with Greg with the sidewalks.

While these projects are not directly included in the fiscal 27 budget, I wanted to point them out because programming them through CDBG helped alleviate several one-time capital pressures that would have otherwise impacted the general fund.

Now on to the general fund.

We have discussed both general fund revenues and appropriations, but since this is the final meeting before we have our first reading, I'd like to do a quick review and update.

As we discussed last meeting, over 80% of the general fund revenues composed of what we call the big four payroll tax, insurance premium tax, real estate, property tax, and business license.

The total of these revenues projected for fiscal 27 is just under 42 million, which is an increase of approximately 1.4 million.

This increase is concentrated within payroll tax and business license.

This will be the second year of our five-year phase in for the inflationary threshold adjustment for business license, which we are expecting to generate an additional $300,000.

We are projecting that payroll tax will continue in a modest yet positive trajectory with a 3% increase in revenue expected.

Overall, general fund revenue remains stable and continues to show modest growth.

However, expenditure growth is outpacing revenue growth, which remains an ongoing challenge moving forward.

After much work and consideration, appropriations have been held to a $500,000 increase with a total of $51.7 million.

Tremendous amount of pressure was put on the general fund this year due to rising costs.

Majority of this was realized in personnel.

Initial calculations using existing staffing levels projected a $2.2 million increase.

The recently adopted union contracts with both Paducah Police Bargaining Unit and AFSME allowed for adjustments to keep these wage groups in line with surrounding municipalities.

The rising cost of health insurance was also a driver in the personnel category.

To help manage these increases, nine unfilled positions were frozen, resulting in a pop in a savings of approximately $800,000.

Additional pressures within the fiscal 27 budget include inflationary increases in fuel and fuel-driven commodities, rising software maintenance costs, and increased demand for legal services.

At the same time, capital needs continue to compete with operating servational service demands as the city works remain within its financial capacity.

While several smaller capital items were programmed through the CDBG fund and current one-time appropriate current year one-time appropriations.

Larger facility projects that will ultimately require bonding are quickly approaching.

This slide reflects several of the highest priority items identified within the city's five-year capital improvement plan that are currently unfunded within the fiscal 27 budget projection.

As mentioned earlier, funding is available in within the future facility set aside to begin design of the police department headquarters.

However, the remaining projects shown here are not currently programmed.

So when we update the CIP plan, we'll be rolling those forward into the next year.

Looking ahead, the construction phases associated with these larger public facility projects are also nearing consideration.

Current estimates and current estimates indicate that a future public safety bond issue in the range of approximately 25 million would be likely be required to complete both the police department headquarters and fire station number four replacement.

Moving on to debt management, this chart shows fiscal 27 debt service payments by funding source.

Appropriations total $5.5 million.

The 2027 debt service fund does include provisions for one new borrowing to contribute to IDA's construction of a speculative building.

State grant funds have been received in the amount of two million for the construction of this building, and earlier in fiscal 26, the city agreed to contribute up to $6 million towards the project.

Despite the addition of new borrowing, debt service appropriations are flat from fiscal 26 due the redemption of other bond issues this fiscal year.

There are no further bond redemptions scheduled in fiscal 27.

General fund reserve is also a topic we have been studying for the last few months.

million for the construction of this building and earlier in fiscal twenty six the city agreed to contribute up to six million towards the project despite the addition of new borrowing debt service appropriations are flat from fiscal twenty six do the redemption of other bond issues this fiscal year there are no further bond redemptions scheduled in fiscal twenty seven general fund reserve is also a topic we have been studying for the last few months our current budget ordinance requires that our minimum undesignated cash balance be no less than 10 percent of budgeted appropriations f the finance team along with the city manager's office are recommending that this year we raise that reserve to 25 percent which is equal to three months of operating expenses we've done a study of best practices as well as other cities around us while GFOA best practices recommends a minimum of two months of operating expenses we feel that three months puts us in a healthier position should we be faced with an emergency or natural disaster and that is in line with what we found um around with other cities around us as we conclude this year's budget discussions I believe the proposed 27 budget reflects a thoughtful and balanced approach to a challenging financial environment the budget continues to support the commission's priorities in the area of economic development neighborhood reinvestment infrastructure and quality of life while also recognizing the increasing pressure that rising operational costs are placing on local governments across the country despite these pressures the city remains in a stable financial position core revenues continue to show positive growth debt levels remain manageable and the proposed increase in the reserve levels represent another important step told towards strengthening the city's long-term financial resiliency at the same time this budget also highlights the growing challenge of budgeting service expectations with capital and operational needs significant unfunding unfunded facility infrastructure projects remain on the horizon and future budget cycles will require continued prioritization and strategic planning overall I believe this budget positions the city well for fiscal twenty seven while also recognizing the importance of preparing for the longer term challenges ahead one more slide as we conclude uh never mind that's it sorry next steps uh next steps are final feedback and adjustments from the commission and at our next meeting hopefully the city manager will be delivering the budget message and we'll have our first reading does anybody have any questions yeah I'll start so the the the 25% reserve yes uh is that is that something we have to vote on we would do it as part of the budget uh adoption okay because that is programmed that amount would be programmed into our budget our actual how we fund yes and it's it's uh in the the first part of the budget ordinance before the exhibit I think you know all the commissioners myself and all the commissioners have seen you know detailed budget presentations and I think I think understand uh the budget is as well as we can it's pretty complex um I think it's clear uh you know we don't know the the next couple of years you know what's going to happen with relative with uh revenues so we're we'll have to manage that going forward um but I you know the only concern I have is you know a new police station and fire station at the same time you know with another big bond issue um you know the timing of that is you know it's important um and I think we have to be prepared for that um and one of the things I would I would ask is are there any are there any efficiencies from those moves you know financial efficiencies whether it be salary reduction or you know some sort of I mean that's something that we should you know we should consider and think about yes I've already built a list of things to do what I would call in the off season for budget you know uh the budget cycle runs from January through June but I already have a list going for July of uh what we'll be looking for for next year uh from programs the program evaluation and analysis I know in our department of support services a lot of the support services departments run pretty lean but we're doing what we can in terms of we're looking at online filing uh we're look we we're doing a lot of contact by email trying to cut down on postage paper uh those types of things which don't save a lot of money but saving the time is where we're gaining those efficiencies because anything we can do like with online filing to save time allows our employees to work focus more on compliance and um you know finding uh accounts that we need taxpayers that we need to to get their bills paid and focus more on on revenue equity so you know it's gonna mean different things for different departments uh but like I said I've already got a running list of the things the city manager and I will will be working on over the next year.

I know the city manager and Eric attended um artificial intelligence conference a couple of weeks ago, and I've asked I've asked Darren to make a presentation in a couple of weeks of really what they discovered.

But you know, the things that we all hear about is AI is gonna take jobs, AI is gonna be more efficient, you know.

I don't know what that means for government, you know, and I'm not sure how quickly it means, you know, for government, but you know, we cannot far ball behind.

I think it means that it might for lack of a better word, save our rear ends to some degree.

Uh for I know with the clerk's office, there's some AI that we could use that would save her a tremendous amount of time and and uh redaction, things of that nature that we're we're already learning about tools that uh that we can use to help help us be more efficient.

I think AI is gonna play a big piece in that.

That's good.

I mean, you know, I know we need to be responsible with it.

I mean, you know, a lot lots of people don't understand it and and are concerned about it, but I think um we need to cautiously embrace it.

So that's how I comments.

I agree, just efficiencies.

I will say uh again, Audra, thank you and to the team.

You know, Audra uh came in uh to be our current finance director, right?

As the budget season was really getting ready.

And um, and as you've seen this this year, you know, we've we've taken an approach uh with bringing the information.

Uh at several commission meetings in a row to kind of give uh not only the commission an understanding, but our public.

Uh and I think that is an alignment with what we adopted a couple years ago by having the financial transparency portal uh on our website and continue uh to share information uh with our community about our finances and where uh their tax owners go.

And you've heard me say this before, and I know that the commission agrees, and our team agrees, is that at the end of the day, we are uh entrusted with the public dollars, and we're supposed to be good stewards of that and uh continuously challenge our team to continue to look at that.

And um uh again, I appreciate the finance department's team.

I appreciate all of our team the hard work they've had to do.

Um we have frozen some positions uh at this point.

Uh we'll continue to look for efficiencies as we go through.

Uh but um, you know, in two weeks uh we'll have the message and and have the final touches for that first reading of the budget.

So in between now and then, if you still have some some some items or some questions uh for us as we're we're putting those on, please reach out uh to Audra or myself and so we can incorporate those.

Thank you, Audrey to you you and your team for all your hard work putting together the budget.

I know it's it's a big deal.

So thank you.

I don't think I missed anything.

Um Mayor and Commission, uh just as an acknowledgement uh earlier today had the opportunity to spend some time out at uh uh the Pickman College of Engineering, our UK campus here in Paducah.

Uh Commissioner and Mayor Pro Tem Wilson was was out there and did a uh a real fine job of welcoming and highlighting our projects, and so thank you for for your comments there.

Uh we I got to participate on a panel uh with with kind of talking uh to uh our friends and neighbors from Lexington and the UK campus there uh about the importance of that college here to this community and what does it mean uh in relationship to our building the next generation of opportunities for engineers and the need for that uh in our community.

And so I was excited to have the opportunity to participate on that and represent the city uh and uh the uh the large bus group uh is in the area from from the uh from Lexington uh visiting downtown uh for lunch today, and hopefully did some retail therapy uh as well with that.

And so uh just uh honored to to support the work of Dr.

Lou and his team out there on the campus.

Okay, comments from commissioners.

Yeah, I just got one.

Uh first I wanted to apologize for running late to the meeting, um, but I had a pretty good excuse.

Uh there was an elderly lady that was stuck and on the top of a sidewalk on Kentucky Avenue, you know, right in front of Plaza Tire where the sidewalk ends and then the railroad track.

So her motorized scoop or wheelchair was stuck there, and I I couldn't not stop, so I turned around and um but uh I wanted to bring that up, but it'd probably be outside of here, but because that's a state route, if I'm not mistaken.

So um just wanted to apologize for running late, but no problem.

Good reason earlier.

Yeah, yeah.

Right.

And then um two, uh no, there's it stops like right here.

Yeah, really.

Yeah.

And it's like a really gravelly and like a it's weird how it is.

So um, and then two, last week, um, I want to thank our planning department and Palmer and everyone that was involved on the South Side Door Knocking campaign.

Um, it was a very positive experience meeting the community out there, and we got some great feedback, and I specifically did from people, you know, that were new residents that didn't get the original mailers and things that went out because they weren't living in those homes yet.

So um it was just a great experience.

So I appreciate our planning department and everybody uh that was involved with that.

So great.

Thank you, Commissioner Thomas.

Commissioner Henderson, Commissioner Smith, anything?

All right.

I would entertain a motion to adjourn then.

We do not have an executive session.

Second.

Call all.

Commissioner Henderson.

Aye.

Commissioner Smith?

Aye.

Commissioner Thomas.

Aye.

Commissioner Wilson.

Aye.

Mayor Bray.

Aye.

I'll go for it.

All right.