The community is invited to an open house on Friday, July 30 from 3 until 6 p.m. at City Hall to say thank you to City Manager Jim Arndt for his three years serving Paducah.
The community is invited to an open house on Friday, July 30 to say thank you to City Manager Jim Arndt for serving Paducah. The event will be from 3 until 6 p.m. in the atrium of City Hall located at 300 South 5th Street. The Paducah Board of Commissioners will be making comments at 5:30 p.m. Community members will be able to make public comments at that time as well. Refreshments will be served.
In January, Arndt announced his plans to move back home to Illinois to be closer to family and to open a business providing local government management consulting, Arndt Municipal Support, Inc. Arndt has been Paducah’s city manager since July 1, 2018.
Mayor George P. Bray said, “Jim Arndt has helped lead Paducah through some very aggressive projects over his tenure. He is an action-oriented, results-driven city manager and has left his mark on our community. We sincerely thank him for his service and although we hate to see Jim go, we wish him the very best knowing that our paths are likely to cross again.”
In reflecting on his three years in Paducah Arndt said, “Serving the Paducah community has been a joy. I am thankful for God’s blessing and His providence as He has led me from a small community in western Ohio more than 17 years ago through four different States to this amazing city in Kentucky.”
“I have always intentionally worked hard on making a positive impact in the community that He placed me in. Just like a good Boy Scout, I was relentless in my quest to leave the community better than I found it. My number one priority in Paducah was to improve the team. I focused on building up the team and tearing down the silos that existed in the departments,” added Arndt.
Assistant City Manager Michelle Smolen worked alongside Arndt during his tenure in Paducah.
Smolen said, “Jim strengthened our city by emphasizing Team Paducah and reinvigorating our organizational mission and values. He is leaving a legacy of employee teamwork and an enhanced customer experience. On a personal note, I admire his integrity, energy, and dedication to Paducah. I am thankful for his mentorship and the opportunity to learn from him.”
Arndt said his second priority was to ensure the vision of the elected officials was accepted and acted upon with great enthusiasm by Team Paducah. Arndt thanked the members of the Board of Commissioners who were in office in 2018 when he was hired.
Arndt said, “I am grateful that Mayor Harless, Commissioner Wilson, Commissioner Rhodes, Commissioner Stewart Holland, and Commissioner Abraham for bringing my wife Kim and me here. I am ever hopeful that Daron and Tricia will continue to make a long-lasting positive impact on our City. Kim and I thank you for making us feel welcome and home here in Paducah. Paducah is a special city, and it will forever hold a place in both of our hearts. Be the best Paducah!”
Arndt said his third priority was to improve the City’s customer service and reputation with the local building and trades community.
This month, the Paducah Board of Commissioners approved an employment contract with Daron Jordan to serve as Paducah’s 30th city manager. Jordan officially begins his tenure with Paducah on August 1. Jordan had been serving as the city manager of Paris, Kentucky, since January 2017.
Date of release: July 21, 2021
###
