Prattville City Council OKs budget that includes raises, trolley service downtown

PRATTVILLE — The upcoming general fund budget for the city of Prattville totals about $46.63 million and includes more police officers and firefighters, a raise for city employees and a trolley.

Prattville City Council passed the spending plan during Tuesday nights meeting on a 4-1-2 vote. Councilman Albert Striplin voting against the budget with Marcus Jackson and Blair Gornto abstaining.

The highlights include:

• The hiring of an three additional  police officer and three firefighters;
• Merit raises for eligible employees at a total cost of about $237,000;
• A downtown trolley for $50,000.

The trolley will be used as a shuttle. Parking has become a premium as crowds downtown have grown, said Mayor Bill Gillespie Jr.

"With the events and businesses we have downtown we are seeing more and more people come downtown," he said. "Whether its to meet with friend at one of the restaurants or walk around and take pictures, we are seeing larger crowds. Needing more parking is a good problem to have."

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The city is working on a plan to with downtown churches to use their parking lots to handle overflow parking during times when the lots are being used by the churches. The trolley would drive people from the lots to a downtown drop off point.

The city has seen a $5,65 million, or about a 15% increase, in revenue collection for the period of October 2020 through August of 2021 compared to the same timeframe a year ago, records indicate. The fiscal year runs from October through September. 

Finance Director Daniel Oakley said the increase can be attributed in part to growth, but that the biggest chunk came from people spending COVID-19 stimulus payments from the federal government.

On the vote for the budget, Striplin said he voted against the plan because of the way proceeds from the 1-cent sales tax that once went for debt payments is being spent.

The tax sunsetted this year and the council voted to renew it with the money being earmarked for funding the city's reserve account, supporting education and infrastructure and parks and recreation projects.

"The money was going to be spent on future projects," Striplin said. "This budget had money going to offset debt payments for infrastructure projects from 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020."

Jackson abstained because he felt the budget doesn't address current needs in the city. He said infrastructure projects addressing drainage issues are needed and numerous streets  need to be repaired.

"We aren't doing enough to help our citizens who need it most," he said. "It's a situation of needs versus wants. There are worthwhile projects in the budget. But I think the pressing needs need to be addressed first."

Gornto did not comment on why he abstained.

Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com.