Solid Waste Operational Changes Effective September 1
The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved two ordinances amending Chapter 42 and Chapter 94 of the Paducah Code of Ordinances. The Board also approved a municipal order updating fees. These amendments expand city services and increase efficiencies for solid waste operations. These changes are effective September 1. Below is a summary of several of the changes.
- Brush will be picked up weekly for residents with no need to call in or send a request through an app for collection. There will not be a designated collection day.
- Brush will be collected at no additional charge if the collection pile meets specific size standards (limbs no longer than 48 inches and 15 inches in diameter with the entire pile no larger than 10 feet in length and 5 feet in height). There will be a fee of $150 if the brush pile exceeds the size standards.
- Residential brush that meets specific size standards will be collected if placed by a contractor.
- Fees for the Compost Facility are increasing since they have not increased since 2017.
Also effective in September, the Public Works Department is changing the curbside recycling program. Instead of Mondays, recycling will be collected on the same day as household garbage. Furthermore, curbside recycling will be every other week with a calendar created to show the recycling weeks. This change will increase the number of collections per year for residents.
Additional operational changes will be presented in the future including a proposed expansion of the bulk item collection service.
Discussion of Hours for Alcohol Sales and Curfew Ordinance
Following the August 9 shooting in Paducah that occurred in the early morning, Mayor George Bray requested information about the City’s ordinances regarding the hours for alcohol sales and the city’s curfew to be provided to the Board. City Clerk and Director of Customer Experience Lindsay Parish provided an overview of the city ordinances.
Regarding alcohol sales, the State permits local governments to set hours by ordinance but cannot limit more strictly than midnight except for Sunday. In Paducah, on-premises consumption for beer and distilled spirits is permitted from 6 a.m. until 3 a.m. the following day. Paducah has about 180 establishments. Most local establishments close at midnight or earlier; however, there are five local establishments that are open until 3 a.m. on certain days and three local establishments that stay open on certain days until 2 a.m. In a quick comparison of other similar-size cities in Kentucky, Paducah permits a closing time that is later than most peer cities. For example, Bowling Green, Hopkinsville, and Owensboro permit alcohol sales from 6 a.m. until 2 a.m. and Elizabethtown permits sales until 1 a.m.
The City of Paducah has a curfew ordinance for minors (those under the age of 18). The curfew, which includes exceptions, is 11 p.m. until 5 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday with a curfew of 1 a.m. until 5 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. To enforce the curfew, an officer may stop and ask questions, issue a citation to the parent/guardian, take or direct the minor to home or a safe facility, or take minors into custody if they failed to appear in court or are reasonably believed to be habitual runaways. A violation is a misdemeanor offense. Paducah Police Chief Brian Laird said 31 citations were issued in 2024 with 20 citations issued so far this year.
Business License Fee Schedule – Inflationary Adjustment
The Paducah Board of Commissioners introduced an ordinance amending Chapter 106 of the Paducah Code of Ordinances regarding taxation and the gross receipts threshold. Interim Finance Director Audra Kyle explained that the ordinance establishing a gross receipts threshold of $3.5 million was approved in 1986. Currently, businesses that reach the gross receipts threshold of $3.5 million are then subject to an excess rate of 0.00005. This ordinance would phase in an increase to the threshold over a five-year period to restore equity to the business license tax system and account for inflation. Beginning January 1, 2026, the threshold would increase to $5.13 million and by year five the threshold would be $11.65 million. Beginning in year six, further adjustments would occur annually based on the consumer price index. Those who hold a business license and have gross receipts less than $3.5 million would not be affected by this ordinance change.
This ordinance also increases the minimum business license tax from $35 to $50.
Funding Agreement with Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority
The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved a municipal order authorizing a funding agreement with the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport with the City providing an additional $150,000 as a match to grant funding. The City had previously provided $100,000 toward the match of a Riverport’s Small Project Ports grant through the Port Infrastructure Development Program. The project, a bulk yard revitalization and expansion project, initially was estimated at $3.8 million. The project is now projected to cost nearly $4.1 million. McCracken County is providing grant match funding as well.
Executive Director James Garrett attended the meeting to provide an overview of the Riverport’s recent bulk cargo, operating budget and revenue, facilities, and future projects.
Update from Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau
Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Alyssa Phares provided an overview of the role of the PCVB in the community and the value of Paducah’s designation as a UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Art. Phares provided statistics regarding the economic impact of tourism in Paducah. More than 537,800 visitors spend the night in Paducah annually, and visitor spending exceeded $300 million in 2024. In 2024, the total tourism-related employment in McCracken County was 2456 jobs with a tourism-related labor income totaling $71.8 million.
Boards and Commissions
- Reappointment of Buzz Vontesmar and Albert Parker and appointment of Edward Hely to the Municipal Housing Commission.
- Appointment of Jody Stivers to the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority.
Additional Meeting Information
- The Board recognized the deaths of Paducah Police Sgt. Ryan Hudson, Deputy Judge Executive Steve Doolittle, and Jamiyah Walker.
- A public hearing in accordance with Chapter 22 of the Code of Ordinances was held at the beginning of the meeting for a new cable franchise with Ritter Communications. Ritter is transitioning from its current telecommunications franchise to a cable franchise.
- Paducah Human Rights Commission Chairman Robert Hernandez and Commissioner Charles Gurley showed the Board a commercial that will begin airing to promote the Human Rights Commission.
- Municipal Order approved for a contract with Murtco to repair the sewer pump out lines at the transient boat dock.
- Municipal Order approved to apply for a Delta Regional Authority Community Infrastructure Fund grant requesting $2 million for the Branch stormwater project. A resolution was approved appointing Projects and Grants Coordinator Hope Reasons as the designee to administer the award, if received.
- Municipal Orders approved for the acquisition of right-of-way easements for property at 2270 North 8th Street and 1930 North 8th Street for access to the new floodwall pump station (no. 14).
- Municipal Order approved for a contract modification with TESCO for the data cable rewiring project at City Hall.
- Ordinance approved for the consensual annexation of approximately 2.57 acres of property located at 1541 Olivet Church Road and 6615 Blandville Road.
- Ordinance approved for a budget amendment for the FY 2025 Insurance Fund and Health Insurance Fund.
- Ordinance approved for a contract with Stringfellow for the purchase of one knuckleboom and one side arm refuse truck. This ordinance includes a budget amendment for these purchases.
- The next City Commission meeting will be a called meeting on Tuesday, September 2 at 5 p.m. at City Hall.
- City Hall and other city offices are closed for Labor Day, September 1.
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