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Minutes 2020-06-021 PRATTVILLE CITY COUNCIL CITY COUNCIL MINUTES TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2020 6:32 P.M. The Prattville City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, at 6:32 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 RESILIENCE: Recovering from adversity. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: City Council Meeting May 19, 2020; Special Called Telephone Conference Meeting May 22, 2020. Council President Pro Tempore Brown made a motion to adopt the minutes and Councilor Starnes seconded the motion. With no discussion, the minutes were adopted (7-0). COMMENTS FROM PERSONS PRESENT REGARDING TONIGHT’S AGENDA: Jon Lee Finnegan, 211 Deer Trace, thanked Mr. Patel for reopening the gas station on S. Washington Street. Ms. Finnegan asked that the notice of public hearing signs be made larger. Ms. Finnegan reached out to the ABC Board and was told that ABC would only override the Council’s decision to deny a Lounge Retail Liquor-Class II (Package) License if the applicant took the matter to court and a judge ruled in the applicant’s favor. Lori Terrell, 135 1st Street, addressed the council regarding agenda item #2. Ms. Terrell pointed out that this store would make it very easy to purchase small bottles of liquor which are easily concealed and take them to the creek, park or stadium. Prattville advertises a walking tour to showcase its downtown area. This store would be on that walking tour’s path. MAYOR’S REPORT: Mayor Gillespie distributed copies of the Treatment Plant Operator Magazine to the Council which showcased the City’s state-of-the-art Pine Creek Clean Water Facility. The Mayor provided a few updates on Progress in Prattville. The valve at Pratt Park has been closed and the pond will begin filling back up soon. Bridge enhancements will be coming to the area soon. The Upper Kingston and Martin Luther King, Jr. paving project has been let, and per City Engineer Robby Anderson, a pre-construction meeting should be held in the next couple of weeks. The is an apparent low bidder from Asphalt Contractors Incorporated out of Montgomery. ALDOT has authorized the engineering services for the road improvements and sidewalk construction for Fairview Avenue. The Mayor asked for support of a resolution that should be coming from the floor to enter into a contract with Sain Associates for the engineering services. Letters should be going out soon to notify the residents that may see surveyors around their property. A draft paving list that has been provided to the Council for review. The Mayor asked all to participate in the survey that is posted on the city website and social media for the City’s Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan Visioning Session will be at Doster Center June 23rd at 6pm. It is so important to have community input. 2 This Saturday at 7am officially kicks off the Farmers Market at the Grove. The Mayor thanked the Cultural Arts Division for their dedication to making this a successful event even during the challenges of COVID-19. The ACIC Kayak and Canoe Fun Run will began at 10am. The Fourth of July Celebration has been a very successful event. COVID-19 has brought challenges and some cancellations. The 4th of July Parade will be postponed until next year, and regretfully, the Lions Club has officially cancelled their long standing 4th of July events at Pratt Park. It is being recommended that we do not have our fireworks program at Stanley Jensen Stadium this year. The State Fire Marshal, working with staff, is willing to sign off on the fireworks event located at the area we reference as the clock tower. This is a one-time plan that will allow Independence Day firework celebration to go on. The Mayor made the following statement in regards to the Death of George Floyd: By now we have all seen and heard with a heavy heart the killing of George Floyd on May 25th. This has intensified a national uprising like that I have never seen before. No one person can do everything, but each of us can make a difference, and this is going to take our entire community and country to come together as one. We have gone from being highly concerned about COVID-19, now to the violence that has come about this is consuming us on so many various levels. Unity needs to be on the forefront of all of our minds. It is only through love, communicating and prayer that we will be able to achieve these goals. I ask that you join me this Friday morning in front of City Hall for a community prayer service for our city, state, and nation. REPORT FROM COUNCIL ON SPECIAL COMMITTEES: None Council President Striplin recognized a member of Boy Scout Troop 156 in the audience. The young man was in attendance working on his Citizenship and Community Badge. AGENDA 1. RESOLUTION: To Authorize the Mayor to have Various Weeded Lots Abated per Title 11, Chapter 67 of the Code of Alabama, 1975, as Amended. (Sponsored By: Councilor Starnes) RESOLUTION BOOK 2020, PAGE 066 Councilor Starnes made a motion to adopt the resolution and Councilor Strichik 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 3 2. RESOLUTION: To Grant a Lounge Retail Liquor - Class II (Package) License to Sunday, Inc. d/b/a Jacks Liquor and Tobacco Outlet. (Sponsored By: Councilor Starnes) HELD UNTIL 6/16/2020 Councilor Starnes made a motion to adopt the resolution and Councilor Cables seconded the motion. Councilor Strichik made a motion to table the resolution for 2 weeks until the next regularly scheduled council meeting and Councilor Starnes seconded the motion. There being no discussion, the resolution was tabled until June 16, 2020 with the following results: AYES : STRIPLIN, JACKSON, BROWN, STARNES, CABLES, STRICHIK, BOONE 7 NAYS : NONE 0 ABSTAINED : NONE 0 ABSENT : NONE 3. ORDINANCE: To Amend City of Prattville Code of Ordinances, Chapter 26-Fire Prevention and Protection, Article II-Fire Prevention Code, Division 5-Fire Precautions, Section 126-165. Sale, Purchase, Possession, and Explosion of Fireworks and Pyrotechnics. (Sponsored By: Councilor Starnes) ORDINANCE BOOK 2020, PAGE 011 Councilor Starnes made a motion to adopt the ordinance and Councilor Boone seconded the motion. By point of order, the council rules must be suspended if immediate action it to be considered. Councilor Cables made a motion to suspend the rules and Councilor Jackson seconded the motion. There being no discussion, the rules were suspended (7-0). There being no discussion, the ordinance was adopted with the following results: AYES : STRIPLIN, JACKSON, BROWN, STARNES, CABLES, STRICHIK, BOONE 7 NAYS : NONE 0 ABSTAINED : NONE 0 ABSENT : NONE FROM THE FLOOR RESOLUTION: To Amend the FY2020 Budget and to Authorize the Mayor to Enter into an Agreement with Sain Associates, Inc. to Provide Surveying, Environmental, Geotechnical, and Engineering Services for Fairview Avenue Improvements from U.S. Highway 31 to Jasmine Trail (ALDOT Project STPMN-0015) at a Cost Not to Exceed $590,916.47 (Net Cost to the City Not to Exceed $118,183.29). (Sponsored By: Council President Pro Tempore Brown) RESOLUTION BOOK 2020, PAGE 067 Council President Pro Tempore Brown 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 it to be considered. Councilor Cables made a motion to suspend the rules and Councilor Jackson seconded the motion. There being no discussion, the rules were 4 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 COMMENTS FROM PERSONS PRESENT: Jon Lee Finnegan, 211 Deer Trace, expressed her disappointment in the council that they tabled the resolution when she believed it should have been voted down. Reverend Dave Burns asked the council why they decided to table the resolution to authorize an ABC license for Sunday, Inc. Councilor Strichik responded that he wanted time to gather more information. Reverend Burns asked if they had all the information they needed to make an informed decision. Councilor Starnes responded that something had come to light that he would like to see resolved. Councilor Boone explained that she voted to table the resolution out of respect for her fellow councilors. She understands that there must be a good reason for a councilor to table an item, and she wishes to hear what it is and take it into consideration. CLOSING COMMENTS: Councilor Cables thanked everyone who came out to speak tonight. He emphasized the importance of the citizen’s evolvement in council meetings and encouraged them to continue to attend and let their opinions be heard. Councilor Cables has been honored to serve the City of Prattville as a councilman. God has now called him in a different direction that will take him out the area, and he will not be seeking re-election in 2020. Councilor Cables has met some wonderful people in his time as a councilmember and it has been a humbling experience. Councilor Strichik thanked Councilor Cables for his service to the City as a councilman. 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 7:07 p.m. APPROVED: ___________________________ Cathy Dickerson City Clerk 5 ___________________________ Albert Striplin, President Prattville City Council SUBMITTED BY: ___________________________ Jamie-Lynn Clayton Assistant City Clerk