During a meeting Monday with the Panola County Board of Supervisors, Bill Joiner, spokesman, presented the supervisors with a sign-in sheet from a community meeting, and said they want the board to help block the asphalt plant. Supervisors could make a final decision as early as next week.

"We are here begging for your help with this problem," Joiner said.

According to Joiner, the asphalt plant would be constructed on property owned by Kenneth Brassell.

The property in question is located on Highway 35 South directly across from Joiner’s home and the Assembly of God Church.

"Although Mr. Brassell owns the property, Memphis Stone and Gravel has a five-year lease to use the property," he said.

According to Mark Haley, another resident of the area, the City of Batesville was going to take in the property during its recent annexation but Brassell did not want the property annexed.

At issue is a suit filed against the city by James S. Whitaker who contends the city breached its contract with him by not placing a road on property near the Civic Center that he gifted for that purpose.

There is a road under construction there now but the first road in that area was built to service Tri-Lakes Medical Center, Colmon Mitchell, assistant city attorney, said previously.

Whitaker contends by not building the road on land he gave the city adjacent to his west property line cost him the opportunity to sell his land for the Wal-Mart Supercenter as well as for other development.

The issue has been in state court where Mitchell said the court ruled "the city acted appropriately."

Mitchell did not attend Friday’s mediation session but talked afterward with the city’s insurance carrier’s attorney, Ben Griffith, of Cleveland.