Malia Riggs
Elmore Autauga News
After a 33-minute executive session to discuss legal matters with attorneys on issues currently in litigation. Prattville City Council President Lora Lee Boone confirmed that they had a letter from city attorney Andrew Odem authorizing this time for executive session.
While the exact legal matter for the executive session was not disclosed at the city council meeting, resolution number eight on the agenda was regarding the consent (of the council) to the Settlement of Litigation with BVCV High Point LLC vs. City of Prattville, and to authorize the purchase of Real Property.
This settlement is the result of the Prattville City Council rezoning the property in 2021. The property is located at Old Farm Lane South and Vista Point Boulevard, or “the land behind High Point,” from R-4, medium density residential districts, to B-2 general business.
This rezoning took place at the May 18th 2021, City Council meeting and was against the wishes of the private property owners, BVCV High Point LLC, and against the recommendations from the Prattville Planning Commission.
Due to the permanent nature of the resolution, according to the Alabama League of Municipalities and confirmation from Boone introducing the resolution, a unanimous suspension of the rules is needed in order to vote on resolutions that are permanent in nature.
The council was not able to meet an end result, as Councilman Albert Striplin abstained from the vote, and Councilman Marcus Jackson voted against the suspension of the rules. At the May 18th, 2021 Prattville City Council meeting former council president Blair Gornto and former councilman Jerry Starnes as well as current council members Boone and John Chambers all voted in favor for the rezoning ordinance of Old Farm Lane South and Vista Point Blvd.
Current councilmen Jackson, Striplin and Robert Strichik all voted against the rezoning in the 2021 meeting.
This resolution will be moved to the August 20th Prattville City Council meeting.
According to Alabama League of Municipalities Council Meeting Procedure, “if unanimous consent is not obtained, the ordinance or resolution intended to be of permanent operation that is introduced at a regular council meeting may subsequently be considered by the council at a future regular or properly called special meeting. AGO 2004-053. If the issue being voted on is not an ordinance or resolution of permanent nature, only a majority of those members voting is required for passage, provided a quorum is present.”
During the public comment portions of the meeting, Prattville resident Jon Lee Finnegan spoke out against this settlement, showing their displeasure with the Council and the City on this issue. Calling the issue shameful, disgusting as well as arbitrary and capricious in nature.
“I’m speaking to express thorough disgust for the necessity of the agenda’s last resolution. I find it shameful that the citizens will be fleeced of millions to pay for the wants of a few,” Finnegan said.
Finnegan stated that she puts the blame strictly on Mayor Bill Gillespie, and the council members serving at the time for the “debacle” of allegedly pushing for the rezoning of the property that led to a lawsuit between the City of Prattville and BVCV.
“Now that you’ve held it, are we citizens going to know any kind of money that is going to be involved with this? Like I said, there was nothing, no resolution. You now have held it. That’s two more weeks. Will we (Prattville citizens) at least get some idea of the money? I’ve heard five million, and that was just rumored, and now there’s talk of the land purchase. Is that five million for the land purchase? Or five million for the settlement?” Finnegan said.
Finnegan went on to state she allegedly heard that the money will not be paid for through insurance and that it will have to be paid for out of the general fund.
Nothing of the funding for this settlement or the land purchase was discussed at the City Council meeting Tuesday evening.
The resolution was read in by titles only, not disclosing any dollar amount to the media or general public about this settlement at this time.
The next council meeting will be August 20th at 6 p.m. in the Prattville City Hall Council Chambers.
