By Rupert Howell

The City of Batesville will oppose a proposed salvage yard on Highway 6 east of Batesville when Panola County’s Land Commission meets Monday night.

Batesville’s board of mayor and aldermen instructed Attorney Colmon Mitchell  to write a letter to that commission telling of the city’s intention to annex the area and make known the city’s official position.
Mitchell, who also serves as the county land commission’s board attorney, told city board members that the commission had been “pretty pro-active about Highway 6 East to Oxford,” desiring upscale development on the county’s main thoroughfares.

Meeting for their regular meeting Tuesday, city officials tabled a request from representatives of Batesville Main Street to leave lights that outline downtown buildings during Christmas, on the entire year.

Main Street representative Joe Azar noted a request had come from local vendors and citizens alike stating that the lighting was attractive and added festive excitement to historic Downtown Batesville.

Former Batesville alderman Bobbie Jean Pounders was also speaking for Main Street and noted several new businesses had located or relocated to the square.

Mayor Jerry Autrey raised questions of maintenance and longevity to the fixtures and bulbs.
Noting that it took the local power company to service the lights, Main Street representatives agreed to look for longer lasting bulbs for the fixtures and Autrey agreed to speak with TVEPA manager Brad Robison about the proposal.

A proposal from Ameresco to assist with upgrading water and gas meters with cost savings of enough to pay for the project without changing the city’s current budget with a guaranteed performance contract got the attention of the board who decided to enlist the assistance of Engineer Blake Mendropp and Water Department head Mike Ross to look further into the matter.

Accountant Bill Crawford with the Will Polk CPA firm delivered a proposal to the board that would save the city between $248,000 and $356,000 by refinancing bonds on Batesville Civic Center and getting a lower interest rate.

The city is allowed to have approximately $12 million in general obligation bonds and will have almost none, other than approximately $5 million for the BCC after this year.

Attorney Mitchell cautioned board members to consider costs of the proposed expansion of  the city limit in the near future.

Board members agreed that the entire $12 million should not be needed for the expansion and agreed to move forward with the refinancing process.

Circuit Judge Jimmy McClure and Drug Court Director Craig Sheley approached city fathers about using the municipal court room for a backup meeting site for 50 or 60 people in their program.

Alderman Stan Harrison complained that when used previously that the corner of town was left untidy with cigarette butts on the ground, loitering and no parking for people shopping on that end of town. Harrison owns a building nearby.

Both the judge and Sheley agreed that those in the program would be asked to stay inside the building and asked to park on the other side of the square at the courthouse.

And both emphasized that the facility was only needed as a backup site and would be used maybe five or six times a year at most.

“It’s only two or three hours five times a year,” McClure stated.

Board members agreed to try it. City Court meets in the newly renovated building each Wednesday morning and another group uses the building nightly during the week.

Mike Jones was allowed a conditional use permit for his building on Dell Street behind Piggly Wiggly for a vehicle maintenance shop with the condition being that he keep vehicles inside. He repairs motorcycles and ATVs.

Board members went into two executive sessions to discuss personnel issues with the Police Department and with the Water Department. Also planned for discussion in the closed door session was possible litigation with a participant of the city’s revolving loan fund.