Autauga County superintendent asks Prattville council to consider city contribution to new-school bond plan

Autauga County Schools Superintendent Lyman Woodfin on Tuesday urged the Prattville City Council to consider partnering with the school system and neighboring governments to accelerate repairs and construction of city schools, including proposals that could support a new high school.

Woodfin told the council that he is presenting options developed after a district facilities study and conversations with a financial adviser. He said the plans are his recommendations only and “have not been board approved,” and asked the city to be receptive while district leaders continue to refine financing details.

“The purpose of what’s in front of you … is to put information out there on the heels of our criterion study to see how we can partner together to solve some of our needs,” Woodfin said. He described three financing options: a full regional partnership with the county and nearby towns; a city‑centric plan with the county commission; and a dual‑track plan that would separate city facility investments from county growth needs in Pine Level and Marbury.

Woodfin offered numbers intended to illustrate scale and tradeoffs. He said his financial adviser estimated that “for every $25,000,000 we borrow, it costs us $1,600,000 in a bond.” Using that metric, Woodfin said a new high school estimated at $150,000,000 would create an annual bond payment he calculated at about $9.8 million. He told council members the school system’s current operating position produces a modest surplus but cannot shoulder such capital costs alone.

Council members and the mayor asked clarifying questions about timing, funding sources and whether the school district would use local sales‑tax revenue or state programs. Councilor Jackson asked Woodfin for per‑pupil funding figures; Woodfin provided preliminary 2023–24 amounts ranging from roughly $8,000 to $9,500 per pupil across district schools and said a new charter school’s 2023–24 ADM looked to be in the $7,700 range. Woodfin also discussed state initiatives he had reviewed, including the RAISE Act allocations and the Choose Act, which he said could shift charter funding formulas as those programs expand statewide.

Mayor Gillespie, after the presentation, asked the council to authorize staff to pursue a traffic study for the corridor the board identified as a potential high‑school and community college campus site. “I think the city need to go ahead and do some type of traffic study for the area that has been discussed about,” Gillespie said; he estimated a typical study at about $20,000 and asked that the cost come from the city’s education‑related capital funds if staff recommends proceeding. The transcript records no formal vote on that authorization; Woodfin said he would return in a month or two to follow up.

Public commenters, including parents and community leaders, urged the council to act. Jessica Hayes, a Prattville parent, said parents are “no longer sitting quietly” and urged city leaders to move on facilities and governance questions. Several council members said the issue should be a priority for the city regardless of whether other jurisdictions join a partnership.

Woodfin repeatedly emphasized that he was not asking for an immediate commitment or operational funding: “I would not come before you guys and ask for help with our day to day operational budget,” he said. Instead he asked for a willingness to pursue more detailed cost sharing and timing analysis with the county commission and nearby municipalities.

If the council and county pursue a shared bond, the timing could stretch several years: Woodfin said a new high school would likely be at least two to three years from groundbreaking if funding clears, and projected that work tied to current projections could push new construction into 2029–2033 unless partner contributions accelerate debt capacity.

The presentation prompted several follow‑up items the council discussed with staff, including traffic and site studies, further financial modeling and additional outreach to county officials and Pine Level leaders. Woodfin said he would pursue those steps and report back; the council did not approve any funding commitment for bond payments at the meeting.

Why it matters: Prattville sits inside Autauga County and contains a majority of county students; facility decisions and bond financing would affect local property taxes, school capacities and long‑term teacher recruitment. Woodfin framed the proposals as steps to retain families, including military families stationed nearby, and to support economic development through career and technical pathways tied to a potential high‑school campus.