CC Minutes 2022.02.151
PRATTVILLE CITY COUNCIL
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2022
6:21 P.M.
The Prattville City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, at 6:21 p.m.
in the Council Chambers at City Hall. After the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag,
Mayor Gillespie gave the invocation. Roll was called with all Councilors recorded as present
with the exception of Councilor Jackson and Councilor Chambers. Council President Starnes
declared a quorum present.
THE CHARACTER TRAIT OF THE MONTH IS PATIENCE: Taking the time necessary to work
through a difficult situation.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: City Council meeting February 1, 2022, and Work Session
February 8, 2022. Council President Pro Tempore Boone made a motion to adopt the minutes
and Councilor Strichik seconded the motion. There being no discussion, the minutes were
adopted (5-0).
COMMENTS FROM PERSONS PRESENT REGARDING TONIGHT’S AGENDA:
Jon Lee Finnegan, 211 Deer Trace, commented on items two, five, and seven.
MAYOR’S REPORT:
Mayor Gillespie commended the six Prattville Police Officers that graduated from the
Montgomery Police Academy and thanked everyone that worked hard and participated in the
Mardi Gras Parade and ribbon cutting at Mac Grey 2.0. He commented on the continued
construction on Bridge Street and Gin Shop Hill Road and noted that the fencing had been
removed. Mayor Gillespie advised the City is working on extending the sidewalks in that area.
Mayor Gillespie spoke on the Work Session on redistricting and mentioned that initial input
from all Councilors and City staff resulted in the first rough draft map which has been drawn
and sent to all Councilors and Alabama State University. On February 15, 2022, Louis Hines
with Alabama State University sent back a complete first draft map 2-15 with the total
population number for each proposed district with all districts being within +/- 5%. Planning
Director Scott Stephens sent back an additional option to all Councilors and Alabama State
University that utilizes more of the natural terrain. Councilor feedback is needed on the general
overall appearance of draft map 2-15 changes. Mayor Gillespie asked Council President
Starnes to, at the appropriate time, provide guidance on when to make draft items available to
the public. Mayor Gillespie further commented that the Work Session had proven to displace
all rumors of any City staff influencing the redrawing of district lines. Mayor Gillespie reiterated
his commitment to all seven districts and to all being treated fairly. He reminded all that we
owe it to the community and citizens to have professional courtesies. Mayor Gillespie reiterated
the need for a Wastewater Committee meeting.
Council President Starnes recognized Autauga County Commissioner Larry Stoudemire in the
audience.
REPORT FROM COUNCIL ON SPECIAL COMMITTEES:
None.
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REPORT ON THE STATUS OF CITY FINANCES:
The Finance Director, Daniel Oakley, provided the following report on City Finances for January
2022:
• General Fund Revenue Report
o $9,015,954.12 - total revenue collected in January
o $18,353,627.74 - total revenue collected fiscal year to date
• Tax Breakdown Comparison Report
o $3,977,566.30 - tax revenue collected in January
o 7.04% - increase over January 2021
• General Fund Expenditures Report
o 33.33% - portion of fiscal year completed
o 32.90% - portion of budgeted expenditures incurred to date
• Wastewater Fund Income Statement
o $232,624.58 - net income from operations for January
o 33.33% - portion of fiscal year completed
o 24.73% - portion of budgeted expenses incurred to date (excludes capital
projects and debt service)
• Sanitation Fund Income Statement
o ($236,312.91) - net loss for January
o 33.33% - portion of fiscal year completed
o 40.50% - portion of budgeted expenses incurred to date
• Judicial Fund Income Statement
o $19,714.32 - net income for January
o 33.33% - portion of fiscal year completed
o 27.30% - portion of budgeted expenditures incurred to date
• Bank Balances Report
o $33,966,537.23 - total of all bank balances at the end of January
• Accounts Payable & Debt Balances Report
o $46,091,996.17 - total debt balance city-wide at end of January
o $12,707,496.17 - total non-enterprise fund debt at end of January
CONSENT AGENDA
1. RESOLUTION: To Surplus Various Items of Office Furniture from Performing and Creative
Arts. (Sponsored By: Councilor Strichik)
2. RESOLUTION: To Surplus Various Equipment and Vehicles from Divisions within the
Public Works Department. (Council President Pro Tempore Boone)
3. RESOLUTION: To Set a Public Hearing for a Lounge Retail Liquor – Class I License for
Cloud 9 Hookah Lounge. (Sponsored By: Council President Starnes)
4. RESOLUTION: To Appoint Samuel Wayne Lambert to the Autauga-Prattville Public Library
Board of Trustees. (Sponsored By: Councilor Striplin)
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Councilor Gornto made a motion to place item numbers 1-4 on a Consent Agenda and
Councilor Striplin seconded the motion. There being no discussion, the items were placed on
a Consent Agenda (5-0).
Councilor Gornto made a motion to adopt the Consent Agenda and Councilor Striplin seconded
the motion. There being no discussion, the Consent Agenda was adopted with the following
results:
AYES : STRIPLIN, STARNES, GORNTO, STRICHIK,
BOONE 5
NAYS : NONE 0
ABSTAINED : NONE 0
ABSENT : JACKSON, CHAMBERS 2
AGENDA
1. ORDINANCE: To Establish a Temporary Moratorium on the Issuance of Short-Term Rental
Business Licenses. (Sponsored By: Council President Starnes)
This Ordinance was introduced at the February 1, 2022, Council meeting. Councilor Strichik
made a motion to adopt the ordinance and Council President Pro Tempore Boone seconded
the motion. By Point-of-Order, this ordinance was held until the March 15, 2022, Council
meeting.
Council President Starnes stated as evidenced by the March 1, 2022, effective date on the
moratorium, it should have been held by Point-of-Order to the February 15, 2022, Council
meeting and not the March 15, 2022, Council meeting as inadvertently stated. As been
previously read in, this ordinance is now properly before us.
There being no further discussion, the Ordinance was adopted with the following results:
AYES : STRIPLIN, STARNES, GORNTO, STRICHIK,
BOONE 5
NAYS : NONE 0
ABSTAINED : NONE 0
ABSENT : JACKSON, CHAMBERS 2
2. ORDINANCE: To Surplus Real Property Located at the South Margin of Wetumpka Street,
Prattville, Alabama 36067. (Sponsored By: Councilor Strichik)
Councilor Strichik made a motion to adopt the ordinance and Councilor Gornto seconded the
motion. By Point-of-Order, this Ordinance was held until the March 1, 2022, Council meeting.
3. ORDINANCE: To Authorize the Issuance of One $2,030,000.00 General Obligation
Warrant Series 2022-CWSRF -DL (Partial Principal Forgiveness) for the Prattville Thomas
Avenue and Selma Highway Sanitary Sewer and Drainage Improvements Project. (Sponsored
By: Councilor Striplin) *see discussion below*
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Councilor Striplin made a motion to adopt the ordinance and Councilor Strichik seconded the
motion. By Point-of-Order, this ordinance was held until the March 1, 2022, Council meeting.
4. RESOLUTION: To Release Funds for the Purchase of One (1) Combination Jet/Vacuum
Sewer Cleaner through the Sourcewell Purchasing Cooperative, Contract Number 122017-
AMI/VAC, from VAC-CON, Inc. for the Wastewater Division of the Public Works Department at
a Net Cost Not to Exceed $443,792.00. (Sponsored By: Councilor Striplin)
Councilor Striplin 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, STARNES, GORNTO, STRICHIK,
BOONE 5
NAYS : NONE 0
ABSTAINED : NONE 0
ABSENT : JACKSON, CHAMBERS 2
*Council President Pro Tempore Boone asked for a Point-of-Order to discuss Agenda Item 3
that was held by Point-of-Order until the March 1, 2022, Council meeting. After discussion,
Council President Pro Tempore Boone made a motion to reconsider Agenda Item 3 and
Councilor Striplin seconded the motion. The motion to reconsider was passed unanimously
5-0.
Council President Pro Tempore Boone made a motion to suspend the rules and Councilor
Strichik seconded the motion. The motion to suspend the rules was passed unanimously 5-0.
There being no further discussion on Agenda Item 3, the Ordinance was adopted with the
following results:
AYES : STRIPLIN, STARNES, GORNTO, STRICHIK,
BOONE 5
NAYS : NONE 0
ABSTAINED : NONE 0
ABSENT : JACKSON, CHAMBERS 2
5. RESOLUTION: To Authorize the Mayor to Enter into an Abatement Agreement to Provide
Brownfield Tax Abatement to Pratt Cotton Gin Mill LLC. (Sponsored By: Council President
Starnes)
Council President Pro Tempore Boone made a motion to adopt the resolution and Councilor
Strichik seconded the motion.
Councilor Gornto made a motion to hold the resolution for two weeks until the amounts could
be provided and Councilor Strichik seconded the motion. Councilor President Pro Tempore
Boone asked what ramifications would come from holding the resolution. Councilor Striplin
advised that the City approved to abate the taxes years ago when this project first started and
the difference is that the amounts would be more, their investment would be more and
therefore the abatement would be more. Mr. Oakley advised this was not a new abatement,
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merely housekeeping and cleaning up some language in the abatement. Also, there was
some language in the original abatement agreement that abated the County’s taxes.
Economic Development Director Josh Johnson advised that the previous resolution that was
passed by the City had language that granted the abatement of County taxes. Mr. Johnson
further explained that a Brownfield Abatement is different than an Industrial Abatement,
where the City does not have the authority to grant the abatement of County taxes. Mr.
Johnson advised Councilor Gornto he would provide the model figures when they are
received from the Alabama Department of Revenue. Councilor Gornto asked Mr. Johnson if
the two-week delay would hinder anything and Mr. Johnson advised they were on a tight
timeline and it may delay some purchases. After discussion, Councilor President Pro
Tempore Boone asked Councilor Gornto if he wanted to stand with his motion to hold.
Councilor Gornto continued with his motion to hold.
There being no further discussion on the motion to hold, the motion failed with a vote of 1-4.
AYES : GORNTO 1
NAYS : STRIPLIN, STARNES, STRICHIK,
BOONE 4
ABSTAINED : NONE 0
ABSENT : JACKSON, CHAMBERS 2
There being no further discussion on the resolution, the Resolution was adopted with the
following results:
AYES : STRIPLIN, STARNES, BOONE 3
NAYS : GORNTO, STRICHIK 2
ABSTAINED : NONE 0
ABSENT : JACKSON, CHAMBERS 2
6. RESOLUTION: To Authorize the Release of Funds to Purchase One (1) Vehicle from State
Contract T191 for the Police Department at a Total Cost Not to Exceed $33,702.00 to Be Paid
with Federal Drug Proceeds. (Sponsored By: Council President Starnes)
Councilor Gornto 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, STARNES, GORNTO, STRICHIK,
BOONE 5
NAYS : NONE 0
ABSTAINED : NONE 0
ABSENT : JACKSON, CHAMBERS 2
7. ORDINANCE: To Amend City of Prattville Code of Ordinances, Chapter 62-Traffic and
Vehicles, Article III.-Vehicle Operation, Division 2.- Speed Restrictions, Section(s) 62-77
through 62-84. (Sponsored By: Councilor Jackson)
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Council President Pro Tempore Boone made a motion to adopt the resolution and Councilor
Strichik seconded the motion. By Point-of-Order, this ordinance was held until the March 1,
2022, Council meeting.
COMMENTS FROM PERSONS PRESENT:
Jon Lee Finnegan, 211 Deer Trace, inquired if Project Katz had been executed and when
documents would be available. Mayor Gillespie advised the contract has not been signed as
of now.
Ell White II, 621 West 4th Street, requested more diversity on boards and committees. Mr.
White also spoke on Agenda Item 5 and his opinion of the need for more transparency.
Councilor Strichik commented that Agenda Item 5 was talked about at length during the
discussion period expressing the need for the resolution to move forward.
CLOSING COMMENTS:
ADJOURN:
There being no further business to come before the Council, Councilor Strichik made a motion
to adjourn and Councilor Gornto seconded the motion.
The meeting adjourned at 6:59 p.m. (5-0).
APPROVED:
___________________________
Paula G. Barlow
City Clerk
___________________________
Gerald “Jerry” Starnes, President
Prattville City Council