Malia Riggs
Elmore Autauga News
The Street Drainage and Lights committee for the City of Prattville met Thursday afternoon, with Bent Tree Court and flooding issues on the agenda.
This issue is nothing new and has been happening for the last five years, Bent Tree Court residents stated in a previous article with Elmore Autauga News. There’s standing water from an easement that runs through the back yards of about six to 10 houses, and an underground spring seems to be the culprit. However, neighbors say the issue did not appear until about five years ago.
The standing water has led to foundation problems for multiple homes in the cul-de-sac, an influx of thousands of mosquitos and frogs in backyards, snakes and other wildlife, residents confirmed.
This issue has made it to the agenda after legislators, a state representative, local elected officials, Prattville city staff and director of Alabama Department of Economics and Community Affairs (ADECA), met to look over the issue last month.
The committee, consisting of Prattville councilmen Tommy Merick, Michael Whaley and chairman of the committee Marcus Jackson, discussed some options with Prattville Finance Director Daniel Oakley as well as Prattville City Engineer Robby Anderson.
Jackson stated this is an immediate public health issue and asked Oakley if there is any funding available in the budget for this project. The estimated cost for this project is around $645,000, Anderson confirmed.
Grants were applied for regarding this project last year for $205,000, however the grant was denied. City grants administrator Dawn Russell confirmed that the next grant cycle in getting a grant for this project would not happen until the spring of next year. The workshop would start in March, with applications starting in April with a July deadline, Russell confirmed from the audience at the meeting.
Due to the easement not being city property, but also allegedly not being labeled as private property either, the next step would be for the Prattville City Council to vote to take ownership. This would ensure that the city could legally use dollars for this project.
Oakley stated he is in the middle of preparing next year’s budget, and he’s concerned about the legality of the expenses. Oakley, Jackson and Prattville Mayor Bill Gillespie had the same idea of getting city attorney Andrew Odem involved to make sure all I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed for this project.
“We’ll do whatever we have to do to make sure we get second, third opinions, if we need to do to make sure we get what we need. But from what I was told, it’s up to the council that we should acquire this easement,” Jackson said
