Council delays vote on naming downtown venue after Esther; Lyric naming also held
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Summary
Following weeks of public comment, the council voted to hold two resolutions that would name 124 West Main Street "Esther's" and the adjacent outdoor venue "Lyric at Esther's". Councilor Jackson successfully moved to postpone both items to the Nov. 4 meeting to allow broader public input and clarify process.
The Prattville City Council voted Oct. 7 to hold two naming resolutions — one to name the former Hancock Whitney Bank building at 124 West Main Street “Esther’s” and another to name the adjacent outdoor venue “Lyric at Esther’s” — until the council's Nov. 4 meeting.
Mayor introduced the naming resolutions and described the intent as honoring Esther Ticknor Pratt, whom the mayor said was Daniel Pratt’s wife and part of local history. The mayor said the name was chosen to preserve and recognize the city’s history and indicated the decision had been made earlier; he asked the council to approve the formal naming resolution as a formality.
Public commenters and several councilors urged a pause. Multiple residents said they had not been included in the naming process and raised concerns about historical context and whether the public and affected communities had an opportunity to provide input. Reverend Dr. L. White urged the council to "look at the whole community" and not to "just look at parts of the community," saying the selection reopened old wounds for some residents.
Councilor Jackson moved to table both naming resolutions until Nov. 4 to allow public input and for the council to devise a consistent naming policy; the motion to hold both items passed. Council discussion noted there is no single city ordinance that explicitly prescribes a naming process for facilities and suggested the city could consider drafting an ordinance to govern future naming decisions. Councilors who supported the hold cited a need for transparent, inclusive procedures; councilors who supported immediate approval noted that the mayor had received positive responses and described the naming as honoring local history.
What happened: Resolutions to name the building “Esther’s” and the outdoor venue “Lyric at Esther’s” were both held to the Nov. 4 council meeting. The council asked staff to provide a path to formalize naming procedures and to solicit public comment before final action.
Next steps: The items will return to the council on Nov. 4; council members indicated they may propose an ordinance or other formal process in the interim to govern how city facilities and common areas are named.