Malia Riggs
Elmore Autauga News
The Prattville City Council approved over $300,000 in parking improvements for Cooters Pond Park at the last regular council meeting Tuesday.
Seven bids were received July 25, with the lowest bid awarded to David Bulger Inc. at a cost of $320,037.40. The city’s budget has been amended with a decrease in the general fund district tax reserves of $113,537.40, an increase in the general fund district tax – Elmore County by $113,037.40 and an increase in the Parks and Recreation capital outlay with $227,037.40.
Civil Southeast, LLC was also awarded the construction engineering and inspection services for the parking projects at Cooters Pond. This will be at a cost of $32,000, as a budgeted expense of the Parks and Recreation Department.
For both respective resolutions awarding David Bulger for $320,037.40 and awarding engineering services to Civil Southeast for $32,000, Councilman Albert Striplin abstained from casting a vote in both resolutions, while all other council members voted in favor.
During the Mayor’s report, Mayor Bill Gillespie welcomed Prattville High School’s new athletic director Blake Boren to the position, who was in attendance Tuesday evening.
Within the mayor’s report, Gillespie stated that the award for any information concerning the homicide of Kylan Smith has now been upped to $5,000. He also implored the council to consider raising the reward even higher to bring answers to the city and Smith’s family.
If anyone has any information, they can contact Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at their secret witness line at 334-595-0259.
Gillespie went onto remind citizens of the “See something, say something,” slogan regarding the Cosby Court and Bent Tree area shootings that took place last Sunday, Aug. 4th, and any other suspicious activity within the city.
“This may be the sign of times in some communities, but this event is not Prattville. I’ve been in communication with several residents and Police Chief (Mark) Thompson and the Prattville Police Department has resources being utilized in this investigation and other crimes,” Gillespie said.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, a mother-daughter duo, stated they live on Crosby Court, and came forward before the council saying that good things do come out of Crosby Court.
The daughter stated “I am a project of Cosby Court. I am a graduate of Prattville High School, and graduate of the University of Alabama with a bachelor’s degree. I received a second bachelor’s degree from the International Theological Seminary of California, as well as a master’s and doctorate in theology. Good things do come out of Cosby Court.”
Another public commentator stated that his yard has a shared fence with residents’ houses that were hit with gunfire in Sunday’s Cosby Court shootings. He stated that they are wonderful and kind neighbors.
In closing comments, councilman Marcus Jackson stated that the Cosby Court shootings were a situation where anyone could have died, because of careless people.
“I think this is a serious matter that we need to take into consideration, especially with our young men in this community. Our young people, especially on that side of the town, we have to start getting them involved, we’ve got to start loving on them, and we’ve got to start giving positive outlets. That’s one of the reasons I’m so passionate about parks out there (in Jackson’s district),” Jackson said.
Jackson went on to state that he very much supports the Parks and Recreation Department for the City of Prattville, however paying attention to what Jackson referred to as “neglected” areas in his closing comments, could start making an impact in the community for the better.
“We need to be intentional. That was one of the words that we talked about in my school last year, two years ago. Let’s be intentional. Just like we’re intentional about wanting to beautify downtown. We need to start being intentional about the black and brown kids and the underserved kids in this community,” Jackson said.
