Prattville council approves 'Lyric at Esters' and renames downtown bank 'Strickland Business Center' after heated public debate
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Summary
The Prattville City Council voted to name the downtown outdoor venue 'The Lyric at Esters' and to rename the historic bank building the 'Strickland Business Center.' Both measures passed unanimously after hours of debate and vocal public comment raising questions about process and racial equity.
The Prattville City Council voted to name the outdoor venue at 124 West Main Street “The Lyric at Esters” and amended a separate resolution to name the nearby historic bank building the “Strickland Business Center,” council leaders announced at the meeting.
The Lyric resolution, introduced by a council member citing the area’s historic Lyric Theatre, passed after councilors debated the order of business and whether public input had been gathered. Councilor Strickick moved the Lyric naming and the measure was adopted by voice vote. Councilor Newman later offered and won an amendment to change the building name from “Strickland Center” to “Strickland Business Center,” a change supporters said better reflects the planned business incubator at the site.
Why it matters: The votes concluded a contentious local debate over how the city solicited and weighed public feedback on naming public spaces. Several residents and community leaders criticized the council for moving multiple naming resolutions onto the same meeting agenda, questioned the reach and wording of the online survey, and called for more inclusive outreach.
Councilors defended their actions as consistent with the city’s ordinance and with a desire to move forward. Councilor Langley, during deliberations, acknowledged concerns raised by critics and said she had apologized to the Pickett family for negative online commentary while supporting the Lyric vote. “I did apologize to the family because of the negativity that was kinda put out there on Facebook,” Langley said during discussion.
Public reaction was intense during the public-comment period. Bobby Mays, president of the Elmore County NAACP, said the council “disregarded” community concerns by voting without delaying the matter for further outreach. “I had hoped that this council would have delayed voting,” Mays said, adding he was disappointed that the vote moved forward despite calls for more time. Resident Patrick Lucas criticized the council for a perceived lack of transparency, saying residents have not been heard on similar issues: “If we can't trust you to listen to our voices… how can we trust you at all?”
Council record and process notes: Council members repeatedly discussed survey mechanics and the number of submissions; one councilor said the Lyric received “80 something” submissions and argued that the submission descriptions showed support for the full name “Lyric at Esters.” Members said the ordinance gives the council authority to name municipal buildings and public spaces and that the city had followed procedure for the public-venue survey, but several speakers urged better outreach methods to reach younger residents and those not on Facebook.
What’s next: With the votes final, the mayor is authorized to implement signage and branding consistent with the adopted names. The council also moved to postpone—indefinitely—a separate resolution to name the stage the “Wilson Pickett Stage.”
The council adopted both naming measures unanimously at the meeting and closed debate after public comment and council discussion.
