The Prattville City Council on Dec. 2 adopted an ordinance that creates a formal process for naming and renaming municipally owned properties, a move council members said is intended as administrative housekeeping.

Councilors voted to suspend the rules and consider the ordinance the same night. During debate they approved amendments that (1) allow most informal names that have existed in the community to remain in use until formally ratified by council resolution and (2) exclude 124 West Main Street from that blanket ratification so the council can address that specific case separately. The council also added language authorizing the creation of committees or panels to implement the naming procedures.

Council President Langley introduced the ordinance, saying the rules would apply citywide and could be adjusted to recognize names in use that had not previously been approved by the council. City attorney Andrew Odom (city attorney) told the council the ordinance includes a revocation route and suggested compiling a list of preexisting names the council could ratify by resolution to avoid disrupting events or publications that already refer to locations by familiar names.

Councilor Jackson and other members said the intent was not to penalize staff or community groups but to bring clarity and consistency to how facilities are named. Councilor Chambers proposed language to accept “existing informal names” until they are formally ratified; after discussion the council modified that approach to exclude the 124 West Main address and passed the amended motion.

Supporters described the ordinance as necessary housekeeping to resolve a patchwork of officially and unofficially named parks and venues. Critics and several residents who spoke during public comment urged accountability over prior uses of names and asked for clarity about social-media postings and expenditures tied to disputed naming decisions.

The mayor said the three trees installed at the contested venue were about $225 each and could be reused if the council provided direction on naming. The ordinance as amended passed by majority vote and is now part of the City of Prattville Code (Chapter 2, Administration). The council indicated it will bring a resolution in the future to ratify specific names and create implementation procedures where needed.

The council adjourned after hearing additional public comments on parks, historic plats and maintenance issues.