Addie McCluskey
Elmore Autauga News
The Prattville City Council approved an ordinance outlining the procedures for naming municipally owned properties on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, during their regular meeting, following controversy over the name for 124 West Main Street and its adjacent music venue.
During his report, Mayor Bill Gillespie raised concerns about the original wording of the ordinance, noting that it would have required every municipal property name, past and present, to be brought before the council for a vote.
“There are, sometimes, with legislative acts, unforeseen consequences, and I don’t want to see that moving forward,” said Gillespie. “So, will there be a work session or will there be a grandfathering-in of names?”
Councilors acknowledged the concern and briefly recessed to draft an amendment. The first version of the amendment failed after it was interpreted as automatically accepting all current property names, including the one being disputed at 124 West Main Street. After additional discussion, councilors opted to specifically exclude this property from the exemption.
“I would like to offer up and make a motion for an amendment, again, line 29, stating ‘existing formal and informal names, excluding 124 West Main Street, are accepted from sections three and four until officially named, renamed, and ratified by the council in accordance with this ordinance,’” said Councilor John Chambers.
The updated amendment passed, and the council unanimously adopted the ordinance. Under the new rules, the name of 124 West Main Street and all future city properties must now receive formal council approval.
With the ordinance in place, 124 West Main Street currently has no approved name, raising public concern about existing signage and marketing materials that reference a name.
“I’m compelled to speak on behalf of many citizens who are deeply concerned about recent actions that undermine the authority of our city council,” said Patrick Lucas, Prattville resident.
Lucas and other residents pointed to shrubbery recently planted in front of the “The Lyric at Esther’s” sign at the venue—an unofficial name also still used on related social media pages and flyers.
Gillespie explained that the shrubbery was planted in an attempt to cooperate with the council after they requested that the city refrain from promoting a name for the venue until one is approved.
“The three trees can be easily replanted, repurposed, or recycled in a very positive way in another area of Prattville,” said Gillespie. “They were approximately $225 a piece, but again, we have plans for future use of those.”
A live recording of the meeting is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx0YNbol7R0. For previous coverage, see Prattville Council Postpones Naming Of Main Street Property, Cites Need For Clear Process – Elmore-Autauga News. The next council meeting will be on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, at 6 p.m.
