Prattville council okays $4.9 million Growing Alabama agreement for South Industrial Park

The Prattville City Council on Tuesday authorized the mayor to enter into a Growing Alabama funding agreement with the Alabama Department of Commerce, securing a $4,900,000 credit allocation for site preparation and infrastructure at South Industrial Park.

Councilor Michael Whaley introduced the resolution and moved its adoption; the motion received a second and passed by voice/hand vote, with no roll-call tally recorded. The resolution states the allocation was approved by the Alabama Commission (referred to in the resolution as "the renewal of Alabama Commission") and that the city will accept the credit allocation for site preparation and related infrastructure work in the South Industrial Park.

The mayor noted the Growing Alabama agreement relates to an industrial project the city expects to announce in September and said that parts of the project remain under a nondisclosure agreement. The resolution text submitted to the council identifies the credit allocation amount and authorizes the mayor to execute “any and all documents necessary to carry out the intent of this resolution.”

The Growing Alabama program, administered by the Alabama Department of Commerce, provides site-preparation and infrastructure credits to make parcels ready for industrial use. The council’s resolution ties the city’s authorization to the commission’s prior allocation of the credit.

No additional implementation details, project contractor names, or a full funding budget for the site preparation were provided during the meeting. Council members offered no substantive debate on the terms; the item advanced on a single motion introduced by Councilor Whaley and was adopted without a recorded roll-call vote.

The council did not specify an effective date for the agreement beyond the mayor’s authority to sign documents; the transcript records the resolution as adopted and the mayor authorized to execute related paperwork.

Votes at a glance: Resolution number 2 (Growing Alabama funding agreement) — motion introduced by Councilor Whaley; second not identified in the record; outcome: adopted (vote by voice/hand; individual tallies not specified).

Why it matters: Growing Alabama credits are designed to reduce initial site costs and make communities more attractive to industry. A $4.9 million credit allocation is a material commitment that, if followed by private investment, could affect local employment and tax revenue at the South Industrial Park.

What’s next: The resolution authorizes the mayor to sign the agreement and related documents. The council did not schedule further public hearings on this item during the meeting, and details about contractor selection, timeline, or local matching funds were not provided.