BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
The Prattville City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday night with a full agenda, including items such as an amended animal ordinance, approval of an operating budget of over $70 million and for the city to purchase property downtown and a separate resolution to purchase property for Project KATZ.
As for the amendment to the animal ordinance, officials want to strengthen the current ordinance, making the laws less vague as to what is and what is not acceptable for the treatment of animals.
The council will also vote on a resolution that would allow Mayor Bill Gillespie to enter into an agreement with Pratt Mill Properties LLC to purchase land for the Parks and Recreation Department at a cost not to exceed $1,050,000.
The property is currently a lot on the west side of North Court Street from the north end of the “Picker House” to the south end of the concrete building on the north end of the lot. This includes the Gurney Warehouse or storage, from Pratt Mill Properties LLC through a lease and indemnity agreement. For years that property has been used for festivals, etc. though it was not officially city property.
The proposed resolution identified that Prattville desires to “nurture the history of the City and supplement the City’s recreational facilities” by purchasing the property for public events managed by the Parks and Recreation Department.
The proposal is to use an allocation from the American Rescue Plan Act 2021 through the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. “Whereas, since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, the citizens of Prattville have been under various lockdowns and shelter-in-place guidelines that have made it burdensome to participate in the daily exercise desire by man,” the resolution reads.
Among the Draft Agenda Packet is another resolution referring to Project Katz.
It would amend the FY2021 Budget and authorize the Mayor to enter into an agreement to purchase Project KATZ property for the Executive Department in an amount not to exceed $1.3 million, plus closing costs.
The resolution does not give specifics to the location or the exact use of the property in the future, other than it relates to economic development. The wording reads, “City of Prattville has an opportunity to purchase real estate in the corporate limits of the city of Prattville through Project Katz; and the City of Prattville has determined acquiring said real estate would serve as an economic development opportunity.”
It further states, “A municipality shall disclose information concerning the purchase of any real property with public funds within 60 days following the purchase.” So, the purpose and use of the proposed land would not be released until after the sale is complete.
The meeting is open to the public, and there is a time when the public can speak before the council.
For the Draft Agenda packet, see https://weblink.prattvilleal.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=285831&dbid=0&repo=Prattville
