The Paducah City Commission agreed to help save the integrity of one downtown structure Tuesday as part of the Emergency Roof Stabilization Assistance Program at City Hall.
Tom Dunn is the first to take advantage of the program, and will receive up to $100,000 for repairs estimated to cost $250,000.
"This one was in bad need of stabilization because that building has leaked for years. Leaked severely," Mayor Gayle Kaler said. "So it was in danger of, you know, imploding. So it desperately needed that stabilization."
The city is trying to avoid more situations like the one this summer when a historic building's roof partially collapsed.
Mayor Gayle Kaler says funds for the program are close to depleted, the program, which services the historic district of Paducah, will receive more funding next fiscal year.
In other commission news:
- The city increased the real estate and personal property taxes by less than one cent for fiscal year 2014. The increase is from 24.6 cents per $100 assessed value to 25.5 cents. Kentucky Revised Statutes permits a rate increase of up to 4%, which is what the commission approves. Mayor Gayle Kaler said this was the first rate increase in five years. The 2013 Kentucky average rate was 26.1 cents.
- Lennis Thompson was appointed to the Commissioners of Water Works board.
- Mayor Kaler proclaimed October 6-12 as Public Power Week, in recognition of having a community-owned utilities provider, Paducah Power System.
- The City is accepting $24,270 from the Federal Department of Homeland Security Port Security Grant Program for purchase of video surveillance cameras of the new boat launch facility.