Minutes 2011-08-16PRATTVILLE CITY COUNCIL
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011
6:05 P.M.
The Prattville City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, August 2, 2011, at 6:05 p.m. in
the Council Chambers at City Hall. After the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag,
Councilman Argo gave the invocation. Roll was called and all were recorded as being present.
THE CHARACTER TRAIT OF THE MONTH IS FLEXIBILITY: Adjusting plans or
ideas without being upset.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Public Hearing & City Council meetings August 2, 2011.
Councilman Argo made the motion to approve the minutes and Councilman Striplin
seconded the motion. The minutes were approved (7-0).
COMMENTS FROM PERSONS PRESENT REGARDING TONIGHT’S AGENDA:
NONE
MAYOR’S REPORT:
Mayor Gillespie presented Autauga County Chairman of the Fair, Gene Hall, to present a
check to the Autauga Humane Shelter in the amount of $2,000.00.
Mayor Gillespie reported that traffic involved with the beginning of school has been moving
smoothly.
The Mayor expressed his appreciation to the city employees for pulling together and
continuing to work hard for the citizens of Prattville.
The LPGA Media Day has been held and it was reported that there will be no admission
charge to the LPGA this event. They will be accepting donations for Wounded Warriors.
Mayor Gillespie stated that the LPGA event is in the budget for next year.
Mayor Gillespie asked for a work session to be scheduled to discuss his proposed budget.
The Mayor stated that Fire Chief interviews have been held and the interviews for Police Chief
are scheduled. Mayor Gillespie plans to present candidates for both positions to the council at
the next council meeting.
Councilman Miller asked for an update on the Creek Committee.
Mayor Gillespie presented Ms. Iris Korthauer, Chair of the Creek Committee, to give a report.
Ms. Korthauer reported that the cleanup day was a success with 40 volunteers and there is
another cleanup planned for August 27th and 28th. The committee is focusing on cleaning
strictly within the creek banks between the dam and the canoe trail exit point, which is 4.1
miles. The future plans are to extend the cleanup 22 miles north of the dam. She further
asked for council support to spread the word of the work they are doing and recruit more
volunteers.
Mayor Gillespie reported that the Canoe Trail began around 1989 and plans to report further
on the history of the Canoe Trail at future council meetings. The city would like to join with
Leadership Autauga Committee class and utilize the brick pavers that were sold in a previous
class.
Councilman Wood asked the Mayor to address the body regarding the sinkhole at the
intersection of Spanish Oak and N. Court Street.
Mayor Gillespie reported that there is a small sinkhole and the project has been incorporated
in the 2012 budget. Engineering plans will be released very soon. The area is currently
stabilized and it will be looked at to ensure that no further stabilization is needed at this time.
REPORT ON STATUS OF CITY FINANCES:
Interim Finance Director, Doug Moseley, presented the council with a July Financial Report,
as attached. The city is still about $2.6 million ahead of last year with the $.01 increase.
Councilman Boles expressed his appreciation for what Mr. Moseley is doing. However, we are
currently at 96% of the budget and he questioned if the city would be over budget at the end
of the fiscal year.
Mr. Moseley stated that the city would be over budget, due to the debt service of $4 million
not being in the current budget.
Councilman Argo asked if the second bridge loan has been paid and Mr. Moseley reported
that it should be paid off this week.
Councilman Miller asked if the city has done enough to be on the right track of being on
sound financial ground. He further asked what dollar amount needs to be reduced from the
budget.
Mr. Moseley stated that the city has been and is continuing to find ways to cut costs. It will be
a continuing effort to cut costs and excess expenditures. However, there still need to be more
cost reduction in the budget.
Mayor Gillespie reiterated that there are more reductions to be made in the budget. Mr.
Moseley also has a background in Information Technology and has found a considerable
amount of money to be saved in the IT budget.
Councilman Miller expressed his appreciation to all city employees for their continued effort
in reducing the budget. He again asked what amount will be the milestone that will place the
city on solid financial ground.
Mayor Gillespie stated that was difficult to answer at this point but assured the council that
the city is streamlining costs on a daily basis.
Councilman Boles asked how much “excess” was going to finish the fiscal year, and that he
would like that amount prior to the adoption of the 2012 budget.
The Mayor stated that the budget would be reflective of anticipated revenue and there are still
some very difficult decisions to be made.
Council President Pro Tempore Fank asked if there would be a need for a bridge loan for the
November bond payment if the sales tax increase ends in May, 2012, as it was adopted.
Mr. Moseley responded by saying that the city is striving to fund that payment without a
bridge loan.
Council President Renegar stated that he would be calling for a Budget Work Session.
COUNCIL REPORTS:
Councilman Wood announced that the Public Safety Committee would be meeting at City
Hall on September 20th at 5:00 p.m. to discuss traffic cameras.
Councilman Argo reported that the Wastewater Committee has met with Goodwyn, Mills and
Cawood at the Wastewater plant with Interim Wastewater Director, Rick Teague, and the
Mayor to discuss the preliminary findings of their report and should be ready for presentation
at the next City Council meeting. Mr. Argo, as a member of the Energy Environment Natural
Resource meeting at the Alabama League of Municipalities and discovered there is money
available through the Alabama Department of Environmental Management for upgrading the
collection system if the city qualifies. The funding from ADEM does not require repayment for
three years. The Redistricting Committee asks that Ordinance #2 be held and that Resolution
#5 be adopted.
Councilman Miller reported that the Fire Committee has met to discuss the proposed Fire
Department budget and complemented Interim Fire Chief Brown and his staff for all of their
hard work. They are still reviewing the ambulance contract renewal for the county. They are
considering the contract cost based on the ratio of calls to the county.
Council President Pro Tempore Fank reported that the Leisure Services Committee met to
discuss reducing expenses for Friday night football games at Stanley-Jensen stadium. He
further recommended that the council allow for hiring for the Urban Management
Department due to the current shortage in staff.
Council President Renegar reported that the Finance Committee met to review the proposed
2012 budget. He stated that the budget is very lean and well organized and complemented
each of the department heads for their work with the Mayor in developing the budget.
President Renegar called for a budget Work Session to be held Tuesday, August 30th at 6:30
p.m. at the Doster Center. The public is invited to attend.
AGENDA
1. RESOLUTION: TO DECLARE VARIOUS WEEDED LOTS TO BE A PUBLIC
NUISANCE AND ORDERING THEIR ABATEMENT PER TITLE 11, CHAPTER 67
OF THE CODE OF ALABAMA, 1975, AS AMENDED. (RESOLUTION BOOK 2011-
A, PAGE 006)
Councilman Wood made a motion to adopt the Resolution and Council President Pro
Tempore Fank seconded the motion. There being no discussion, the Resolution was adopted
with the following results:
AYES : STRIPLIN, WOOD, ARGO,
MILLER, RENEGAR, BOLES, FANK 7
NAYS : NONE 0
ABSTAINED : NONE 0
ABSENT : NONE 0
2. ORDINANCE: TO RESTRUCTURE THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS INTO SEVEN
DISTRICTS AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE ELECTION OF A COUNCIL PERSON
FROM EACH DISTRICT AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE ELECTION OF THE
MAYOR AT LARGE.
Councilman Argo made a motion to adopt the Ordinance and Councilman Miller seconded
the motion. Councilman Argo distributed copies of the proposed map and expressed the
Redistricting Committee’s recommendation that the lines have been drawn with the best
effort. Because Ordinances are generally held for 2 weeks, it is necessary for the council rules
to be suspended if immediate action is to be considered. Councilman Wood made a motion to
suspend the rules and Councilman Striplin seconded the motion. The rules were not
suspended (5-2).
Councilman Argo left the Council Chambers at 7:02 p.m.
CONSENT AGENDA
1. RESOLUTION: TO GRANT A RETAIL BEER AND TABLE WINE LICENSE, OFF
PREMISE ONLY TO JAMES WILLIAM THORPE, SENIOR VP AND MANAGER
TO DOLGENCORP LLC D/B/A DOLLAR GENERAL STORE #3232.
(RESOLUTION BOOK 2011-A, PAGE 007)
2. RESOLUTION: TO GRANT A RETAIL BEER AND TABLE WINE LICENSE, OFF
PREMISE ONLY TO JAMES WILLIAM THORPE, SENIOR VP AND MANAGER
TO DOLGENCORP LLC D/B/A DOLLAR GENERAL STORE #9570.
(RESOLUTION BOOK 2011-A, PAGE 008)
3. RESOLUTION: TO GRANT A RETAIL BEER AND TABLE WINE LICENSE, OFF
PREMISE ONLY TO JAMES WILLIAM THORPE, SENIOR VP AND MANAGER
TO DOLGENCORP LLC D/B/A DOLLAR GENERAL STORE #5726.
(RESOLUTION BOOK 2011-A, PAGE 009)
4. RESOLUTION: TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING TO DECLARE VARIOUS
WEEDED LOTS TO BE A PUBLIC NUISANCE AND ORDERING THEIR
ABATEMENT PER TITLE 11, CHAPTER 67 OF THE CODE OF ALABAMA, 1975,
AS AMENDED. (RESOLUTION BOOK 2011-A, PAGE 010)
5. RESOLUTION: TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT
ON THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO DISTRICT BOUNDARIES. (RESOLUTION
BOOK 2011-A, PAGE 011)
Council President Pro Tempore Fank made a motion to move items 1 – 5 to a consent agenda
and Councilman Boles seconded the motion. All were in favor of moving these items to a
consent agenda (6-0). The consent agenda was adopted (6-0) with the following results:
AYES : STRIPLIN, WOOD, MILLER,
RENEGAR, BOLES, FANK 6
NAYS : NONE 0
ABSTAINED : NONE 0
ABSENT : NONE 0
COMMENTS FROM PERSONS PRESENT:
Carl Viars, 139 Till Street, Prattville, AL, reported that when a left turn is made next to the
Pizza Hut that there is shrubbery that is blocking the view of oncoming traffic and asked that
they be trimmed off of the top. He further asked the purpose of the camera at the intersection
of McQueen Smith Road and Highway 14.
Council President Renegar stated that they would contact the Code Enforcement Officer to
look at the shrubbery.
Councilman Miller responded that the “cameras” are actually traffic sensors that use newer
technology to replace the monitoring strips in the pavement to coordinate traffic light
changes at intersections and they are not filming anything.
Councilman Wood reported that the Public Safety Committee will be discussing red light
cameras.
Council President Renegar reminded everyone of the Public Hearing for the proposed
redistricting and a Budget Work Session August 30th.
CLOSING COMMENTS:
Councilman Striplin expressed his appreciation to the department heads for their diligence in
drafting the proposed budget.
Councilman Miller stated that he would be out of town the week of September 6th and would
not be present for the next council meeting.
ADJOURN:
There being no further business to come before the Council, Council President Pro Tempore
Fank made a motion to adjourn and the motion was seconded by Councilman Wood. The
meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.
APPROVED:
___________________________
Stephanie J. Southerland
City Clerk
____________________________
Michael E. Renegar, President
Prattville City Council