Prichard Mayor Carletta Davis Says Insurance Secured Before Isaias, Calls for Zoning Map and Business License Overhaul

PRICHARD, Ala. — Prichard Mayor Carletta Davis is telling residents that the city came through Hurricane Isaias in better shape than it might have, thanks in part to a property insurance policy the city was able to lock in just before the storm arrived. In the same message, she laid out an agenda for the months ahead that includes rebuilding the police department, redrawing the city’s land-use and zoning maps and taking a hard look at how Prichard licenses and collects revenue from businesses.

Davis shared the update in her Oct. 16 newsletter to residents, a letter that touched on storm recovery, public safety and the city’s finances at a time when Prichard is working through several challenges at once.

Thanks for city crews after Hurricane Isaias

Davis opened the newsletter by thanking the city’s employees for their work during and after the storm. Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, on Oct. 9 and sent damaging winds, heavy rain and widespread power outages across south Alabama. Prichard avoided the worst of it, but the city did not escape untouched.

“In the wake of Hurricane Isaias, I want to begin by expressing just how grateful I am for our City’s team,” Davis wrote.

She said the city experienced downed trees, power outages and damage in parts of Prichard. The Fire Department, Police Department, Public Works team and emergency coordinators responded quickly, she said.

“Our Fire Department, Police Department, Public Works team, and emergency coordinators responded quickly and professionally, and I could not be more proud of the work they did to protect our residents and keep our roadways clear,” Davis wrote.

Clearing roads after a hurricane is among the most important early tasks for any city. Fallen trees and limbs can block emergency vehicles, isolate neighborhoods and keep utility crews from reaching damaged power lines. In Prichard, as in much of Mobile County, the city also imposed an overnight curfew as the storm moved through, ordering residents to stay home while conditions were dangerous.

Property insurance secured before the storm

One of the most significant points in the newsletter was a short one. Davis said the city was able to secure property insurance before Isaias reached the coast.

“I am also thankful that we were able to secure property insurance before the storm arrived,” she wrote.

That matters because Prichard spent part of the late summer facing the possibility of losing its municipal insurance coverage. In September, the city was staring down a lapse in coverage at the same time it was dealing with a police corruption investigation and a public dispute between the mayor’s office and the City Council. Going into a hurricane without property coverage could have left the city solely responsible for repairing damaged public buildings and equipment.

According to Davis, the city did sustain some damage. She identified the Public Works facility and the Turner Road property as locations that were hit. Most other city facilities came through the storm well, she said.

“While we did sustain some damage at the Public Works facility and the Turner Road property, most City facilities came through the storm well. We are already working to address needed repairs and secure those properties,” Davis wrote.

The newsletter did not include a dollar estimate for the damage or a timeline for repairs.

A $1.2 million law enforcement agreement

Davis also used the newsletter to explain where things stand with public safety. She called the past week “an important step forward” for the city.

The City of Prichard and Mobile County have approved a one-year, $1.2 million agreement for the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office to provide law enforcement services in Prichard. The Prichard City Council approved the deal first, and the Mobile County Commission gave its final approval on Oct. 8. The agreement runs through September 2027 and replaces the emergency arrangement that had been in place since June, when the sheriff’s office took over patrol and dispatch duties in the city.

Davis said she wanted to correct any impression that the city’s police force no longer exists.

“I want our residents to understand that the Prichard Police Department has not been dissolved,” she wrote. “We still have personnel in place, and we are moving through a phased rebuilding process based on national standards and recommendations from our public safety consultant.”

She said the city is also making progress in its search for a new police chief, with more than two dozen applicants under consideration at the time she wrote the letter. City leaders have since said the applicant pool has grown well beyond that number, with Davis telling the city’s Finance Committee on Oct. 15 that more than 200 people had applied.

Davis thanked Sheriff Paul Burch, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and the Mobile County Commission for the partnership.

“Prichard has faced some difficult moments, but we are moving forward,” she wrote. “This is a rebuilding process, and I believe our Police Department will come back stronger, more accountable, and better positioned to serve our community.”

How the police department reached this point

The rebuilding effort follows a corruption investigation that has shaken the department. A special Mobile County grand jury recommended in July that Prichard abolish its police department and build a new one, after a series of arrests that reached the top of the agency. Former Chief Walter Knight and former Maj. Aaron Tucker were among those charged. Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood asked the sheriff’s office to take over policing in the city in June.

Rather than formally dissolving the department, the city has chosen a phased approach. Under that plan, employees will be placed on administrative leave in waves and re-evaluated, while a new chief is hired and the department is rebuilt to meet national standards. Sheriff Burch has said the goal is to help Prichard build a department that can sustain itself and provide the level of service residents deserve.

New priorities: zoning maps and land use

Looking beyond public safety, Davis said she asked the City Council during its meeting this week to work with her administration on several priorities. The first is an update of the city’s land-use and zoning maps.

“We need to revisit our land-use and zoning maps to make sure they reflect the future we want for Prichard,” Davis wrote.

She argued that a current zoning map helps a city grow on purpose rather than by accident.

“A strong, updated zoning map helps ensure that development happens intentionally rather than piece by piece,” she wrote. “It allows us to identify where we want residential growth, where commercial and industrial development makes the most sense, how we protect established neighborhoods, and how we prepare for future investment. It also gives residents, developers, and businesses greater clarity about what can be built and where.”

Zoning maps divide a city into districts and set rules for what can be built in each one, from single-family homes to shopping centers to industrial sites. A land-use map, sometimes part of a comprehensive plan, lays out a broader vision for how different parts of a city should develop over time. When those documents become outdated, cities can end up handling development one request at a time, which can lead to conflicts between neighbors and new projects.

Prichard has seen several development proposals in recent months. In late September, a proposed data center won site plan approval, with the developer saying the facility would not use city water. An updated map could give both residents and investors a clearer picture of where similar projects might fit in the future.

Reviewing the business license ordinance

Davis also asked the council to review the city’s business license ordinance. She said the goal is to make sure fees are “fair, competitive, and appropriate for the businesses operating in our city.”

Just as important, she wrote, is making sure the city actually collects what it is owed.

“When businesses fail to properly report sales or operate without the correct licenses, our entire community loses,” Davis wrote. “Those dollars help fund public safety, roads, infrastructure, and essential City services.”

She asked residents to help by reporting concerns to the city’s Business License office when they see businesses that may be operating without the proper license or failing to report sales.

Revenue collection has been a recurring theme for Davis this fall. During budget talks in late September, she told council members the city had gone years without collecting certain taxes and fees, pointing to franchise fees, a municipal lodging tax and a municipal gas tax. She said the gas tax alone could bring in about $500,000 a year. At an Oct. 15 Finance Committee meeting, she noted the city has only one business license investigator.

Budget still a work in progress

The newsletter arrives as Prichard continues to work on its budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The city did not adopt a new budget before the fiscal year began Oct. 1 and has been operating under an older spending plan while talks continue. City leaders have said the new budget needs to include funding for the next police chief and raises for city employees, in addition to the cost of the sheriff’s office contract.

Better collection of business license fees and taxes could help close the gap between what the city needs and what it currently brings in, which is one reason Davis has placed so much emphasis on it.

What comes next

Davis closed her letter on a hopeful note, acknowledging the challenges while pointing to progress.

“There is a lot of work ahead, but there is also a lot to be proud of,” she wrote. “We are continuing to strengthen City operations, protect our resources, and build a Prichard that works better for everyone.”

Several items are on the horizon for residents who want to stay involved:

• Storm repairs: The city says it is working to repair and secure the Public Works facility and the Turner Road property.
• Police chief search: A consulting firm is conducting first-round interviews before sending candidates to city leaders. Davis has said she wants a community panel to provide input.
• Coffee with Carletta: Residents interested in taking part in the police chief selection process have been invited to attend Davis’ “Coffee with Carletta” session on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
• Zoning and business licenses: Any changes to the zoning map or business license ordinance would need to go through the City Council.
• Reporting concerns: Residents who believe a business is operating without the correct license can contact the city’s Business License office.

Taken together, the newsletter paints a picture of a city trying to move from crisis management toward longer-term planning. Whether the council and the administration can work together on zoning, licensing and the budget will go a long way toward determining how quickly that shift happens.