Residents urge voluntary lawn‑help, question 2040 plan and city finances; councilors encourage citizen involvement

Several residents used the council’s public‑comment periods to press for neighborhood assistance, question city planning priorities and audited financial figures, and promote civic engagement.

Brad (Bradford) Bulger, a Prattville resident, asked the council to allow a citizen volunteer group to contact property owners on lists being considered for abatement and to help residents who cannot afford lawn equipment. Bulger said he and a small group had visited several addresses on the abatement lists and believed many properties appeared abandoned, while a few reflected owners in need. He asked the city to enable private‑citizen outreach before moving to formal code enforcement. Bulger also suggested code enforcement might be better administered by the fire department because of building‑safety training; councilors and staff replied that the maintenance and nuisance authorities in question derive from city ordinances and that code enforcement officers are managed under the police department umbrella.

Councilor Michael Whaley acknowledged the idea and invited Bulger to coordinate with the mayor’s office and code enforcement. Whaley, who chairs the public safety committee, offered to convene the committee and include police department and code enforcement staff in a public meeting if the citizen group develops a plan.

Residents also raised broader civic issues. Rachel Bullard, a spokesperson for a newly formed political action committee, Prattville Deserves Better, said the group is unaffiliated with any party and is organizing a candidate forum for Aug. 7 at the North Highland Community Center; she said most candidates had been invited and described outreach the group had undertaken.

Other commenters questioned city planning and finances: one resident criticized the 2040 comprehensive plan for emphasizing district self‑funding and for what she characterized as uneven investment in parks and commercial districts. Daniel Woodfin presented spreadsheets and said he had spent about 50 hours reconciling the city’s 1¢ sales‑tax figures and expense reports and reported a discrepancy of roughly $50,000 between the city’s expense rollup and his calculations; he asked for a review of the financial tables. Mary O’Dare and others expressed concern about unfinished work at North Highland Park and stormwater runoff on a hill behind properties in that neighborhood.

Councilors responded to the questions and invitations for collaboration. Councilor Whaley said he had attended public meetings on the 2040 plan and offered to help residents obtain information; he also said he would support and help organize a citizen‑led lawn‑assistance effort if it followed proper procedures. Another councilor said the municipal staff had addressed flooding concerns at a residential area and that the council would consider state‑level remedies if additional action was needed.

What the record shows: Citizens urged non‑governmental, neighborhood‑level assistance before formal abatement, raised questions about the content and implementation of the comprehensive plan, and requested clearer financial reporting. Councilors encouraged citizen involvement and offered to coordinate with the mayor’s office and relevant departments; no new policy or funding decision on these matters was adopted during the meeting.