Minutes 2019-11-19
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PRATTVILLE CITY COUNCIL
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2019
6:00 P.M.
The Prattville City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, November 19, 2019, at 6:00
p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall. After the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag,
Council President Striplin gave the invocation. Roll was called and all Councilors were present.
THE CHARACTER TRAIT OF THE MONTH IS GRATEFULNESS: Letting others know by my
words and actions how they have benefited my life.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Public Hearing and City Council Meeting October 15, 2019.
Councilor Starnes made a motion to adopt the minutes and Councilor Strichik seconded the
motion. With no discussion, the minutes were adopted (7-0).
COMMENTS FROM PERSONS PRESENT REGARDING TONIGHT’S AGENDA: None
MAYOR’S REPORT:
This is Clean City Professionals Week. Mayor Gillespie presented a proclamation to Sanitation
Superintendent Tracy Simpson and Public Works Director Dale Gandy earlier in the week. The
Mayor commended the City’s hardworking clean city professionals for their dedicated service
to the City. These professionals are often found working early on the street sweeper or late
cleaning up after parades.
The Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce is celebrating Farm City Week and the Farm City
Banquet will be held on Thursday, November 21, 2019.
The City of Prattville was not selected as a 2019 Build Grant recipient. The City will continue
to work on the 2020 application. Mayor Gillespie thanked Council President Pro Tempore
Brown for accompanying City Engineer Robby Anderson, engineering consultant Will Barrett,
and himself on the recent trip to visit Senator Richard Shelby in Washington D.C.
Mayor Gillespie thanked the Council for their support and funding for the Washington Street
Sanitary and Storm Sewer Improvement Project.
The resurfacing of Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive and Upper Kingston Drive has been approved
by ALDOT.
The advertisement for bids for Fire Station #4 should go out in the near future.
Mayor Gillespie thanked the many departments working together to prepare the City for the
Christmas season. The Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration will be held on December 5, 2019
at 5:30 p.m. The Christmas Tree Parade will be held December 6, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. The
Prattville Community Chorus and Prattville Pops Annual Christmas Concert will be held on
December 13, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. in the Doster Center. The Main Street Christmas will be held
on December 17, 2019 at 5:30 p.m.
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The Mayor wished all a very Happy Thanksgiving next week.
Councilor Starnes stated that a constituent is concerned about an Airbnb in their neighborhood.
Councilor Starnes asked the Mayor how this issue is being addressed. Mayor Gillespie
responded that this topic was discussed in the Finance Committee meeting. Finance
Department staff are reviewing the issue and will bring recommendations back to the Finance
Committee.
Mayor Gillespie also stated that R-5 zoning was discussed during the Finance Committee
meeting. The Mayor noted that not all R-5 zoning is negative, but it is important how these
developments are laid out. The Mayor also added that during the Finance Committee meeting,
Council President Striplin mentioned a possible consideration of a moratorium on R-5
development while guidelines are reviewed.
REPORT FROM COUNCIL ON SPECIAL COMMITTEES:
Council President Striplin reported that the Finance Committee met on November 7, 2019, and
due to the length of the agenda met again on November 12, 2019. The committee received
information and discussed the following items: human resources matters relating to some
mandated and some optional retirement benefits; Planning Department opportunities and
challenges; a possible land purchase; a contract for services; status of certain applications; a
need for specialized license agreements; board appointments; the funding request of a county
agency; the reversal of budget amendments; and matters surrounding and involving lodging
tax.
REPORT ON STATUS OF CITY FINANCES:
Finance Director Daniel Oakley presented the finance reports for October 2019. The General
Fund Revenue report showed that revenue for October was $2,815,930.15. The majority of this
income was pushed back to September to close out the prior fiscal year.
The Tax Breakdown Comparison report showed revenue increased by 8.60% in comparison
to the prior year.
The Expenses by Department report showed that with 8.33% of the budget year complete,
overall expenses were at 12.50%.
The Wastewater Enterprise Fund Income Statement showed a net income of $165,827.48 for
October 2019. Overall expenses tracked well at 5.30%.
The Sanitation Enterprise Fund Income Statement showed a net loss of ($9,910.14) for October
2019.This was due to the annual insurance payment of approximately $58,000.00 in October.
Expenses were just under budget at 7.56%.
The Judicial Special Revenue Fund Income Statement showed a net income of $30,104.18 for
October 2019. Expenses were at 3.20%. In the upcoming year, monthly expenses for the
Judicial Department will vary more due to the new jail contract being billed on a quarterly basis.
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The Bank Balances report showed a total cash balance of $20,430,769.03 as of October 31,
2019.
The City-Wide Accounts Payable and Debt Balances report show total debt at $54,432,593.54,
including non-enterprise fund debt of $21,570,053.19, as of October 31, 2019.
CONSENT AGENDA:
1. RESOLUTION: To Declare Various Weeded Lots to be a Public Nuisance, Order Their
Abatement and Set a Public Hearing per Title 11, Chapter 67 of the Code of Alabama, 1975,
as Amended. (Sponsored By: Councilor Starnes)
RESOLUTION BOOK 2019-A, PAGE 177
2. RESOLUTION: To Affix the Cost of Demolition of the Dangerous and Unsafe Structure at
325 Festival Drive. (Sponsored By: Councilor Starnes)
RESOLUTION BOOK 2019-A, PAGE 178
3. RESOLUTION: To Accept Maintenance of Winchester Ridge Plat No. 2. (Sponsored By:
Councilor Boone)
RESOLUTION BOOK 2019-A, PAGE 179
Council President Pro Tempore Brown made a motion to place items #1-3 on a Consent
Agenda and Councilor Starnes seconded the motion. The items were placed on a Consent
Agenda (7-0). Councilor Boone made a motion to adopt the Consent Agenda and Councilor
Strichik seconded the motion. There being no discussion, the Consent Agenda was adopted
with the following results:
AYES : STRIPLIN, JACKSON, BROWN,
STARNES, CABLES, STRICHIK,
BOONE 7
NAYS : NONE 0
ABSTAINED : NONE 0
ABSENT : NONE
AGENDA:
1. RESOLUTION: To Enter into an Agreement with UniFirst Corporation for Employee Uniform
Service through Sourcewell Purchasing Cooperative Contract No. 062415-UFC for a Three (3)
Year Period at an Approximate Cost of $1,000.00 Per Week. (Sponsored By: Council President
Striplin)
RESOLUTION BOOK 2019-A, PAGE 180
Councilor Cables made a motion to adopt the resolution and Councilor Boone seconded the
motion. There being no discussion, the resolution was adopted with the following results:
AYES : STRIPLIN, JACKSON, BROWN,
STARNES, CABLES, STRICHIK,
BOONE 7
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NAYS : NONE 0
ABSTAINED : NONE 0
ABSENT : NONE
2. RESOLUTION: To Release Funds for the Purchase of Six (6) MSA 4500 PSI G1 SCBA Air
Packs and Twelve (12) Cylinders through H-GAC Purchasing Cooperative from Sunbelt Fire,
Inc. for the Fire Department at a Cost Not to Exceed $45,822.00. (Sponsored By: Councilor
Strichik)
RESOLUTION BOOK 2019-A, PAGE 181
Councilor Strichik made a motion to adopt the resolution and Councilor Cables seconded the
motion. There being no discussion, the resolution was adopted with the following results:
AYES : STRIPLIN, JACKSON, BROWN,
STARNES, CABLES, STRICHIK,
BOONE 7
NAYS : NONE 0
ABSTAINED : NONE 0
ABSENT : NONE
COMMENTS FROM PERSONS PRESENT:
Jon Lee Finnegan, 211 Deer Trace, thanked the Mayor’s Executive Assistant Lisa Byrd for her
hard work on the 1st Annual Parade of Pumpkins event. The downtown area was beautiful. Ms.
Finnegan also thanked Public Works Director Dale Gandy and Parks & Recreation Director
Kellie Cook for the beautiful Christmas decorations in the downtown area. Ms. Finnegan noted
that Kellie Cook and staff were wrapping the guard rails on the Autauga Creek bridge during
the cold weather last week.
Ms. Finnegan expressed concern regarding the Messiah Church request for R-5 zoning during
the October 17, 2019 Planning Commission meeting.
CLOSING COMMENTS:
Councilor Starnes wished all a Happy Thanksgiving.
Council President Striplin announced that the Council needed to enter Executive Session to
discuss preliminary real estate matters. City Attorney David McDowell had provided the City
Clerk with a letter of explanation for the Executive Session. That letter is made part of the
official record.
Council President Pro Tempore Brown made a motion to enter into Executive Session and
Councilor Jackson seconded the motion. With a vote of (7-0), the Council entered Executive
Session at 6:26 p.m. Council President Striplin announced that the Executive Session should
last approximately thirty minutes and the council may or may not conduct business afterward.
The Council exited the Executive Session and reconvened the Regular Session at 7:01 p.m.
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3. RESOLUTION: To Authorize the Mayor to Enter into a Real Estate Exchange Agreement
with James B. Marshall, Jr. to Acquire Property Located on the North Side of Ridgewood Road
for the Future Development of Mac Gray Park. (Sponsored By: Council President Striplin)
FROM THE FLOOR
RESOLUTION BOOK 2019-A, PAGE 182
Councilor Boone made a motion to adopt the resolution and Councilor Strichik seconded the
motion. By point of order, the council rules must be suspended if immediate action is to be
considered. Councilor Jackson made a motion to suspend the rules and Councilor Cables
seconded the motion. There being no discussion, the rules were suspended (7-0). There being
no discussion, the resolution was adopted with the following results:
AYES : STRIPLIN, JACKSON, BROWN,
STARNES, CABLES, STRICHIK,
BOONE 7
NAYS : NONE 0
ABSTAINED : NONE 0
ABSENT : NONE
ADJOURN:
There being no further business to come before the council, Councilor Starnes made a motion
to adjourn and Councilor Jackson seconded the motion. The meeting adjourned (7-0) at 7:05
p.m.
APPROVED:
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Cathy Dickerson
City Clerk
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Albert Striplin, President
Prattville City Council